There haven't been many things to be excited about regarding the New Orleans Saints this season. This is especially true on the defensive side of the ball, where the Saints were expected to be one of the top units in the league.
Entering their Week 12 bye, the Saints rank 31st in total defense and 20th in points allowed. New Orleans is a lowly 29th in pass defense, 25th against the run, and last in average yards per carry.
The overall performance of the defense is the primary reason that ownership finally made the move to fire Dennis Allen after Week 9. Quite a plummet for a unit that owned top five or ten rankings in several categories for the previous six years.
New Orleans still has quite a bit of defensive talent. Those players will all need to step up if the team has any hope of clawing back into contention when they return from their bye.
The Saints News Network writers debate our top defensive performers through Week 12.
