3 problems Saints must fix in Week 4 after being tested for first time in loss to Eagles

Bird of a feather flock together, and unfortunately for the Saints, perhaps the Atlanta Falcons may try the same or similar defense run defense that the Philadelphia Eagles used effectively in a 15-12 win in New Orleans last week.

The Saints must also find a way to replace injured center Erik McCoy, who was vital in the run game and in pass protections, which he called. And its defense must contain explosive plays, no matter how few.

Here are three problems the Saints must fix heading into Week 4 against the Atlanta Falcons.

3. Running game may see more of Philly's 6-1 defense

Eagles' veteran defensive coordinator Vic Fangio, 66, unveiled a 6-1 defense with three tackles, two edge rushers and roaming, stunting linebacker Zack Baun, who had a game-high 13 tackles with nine solos. Defensive tackle Jalen Carter nailed Kamara for a 3-yard loss after Baun shifted around on the line.

Fangio wanted to stop Saints running back Kamara's outside runs while not sacrificing the middle.

Kamara gained just 87 yards on 26 carries for a 3.3-yard average after coming into the game averaging 5.7 yards in the Saints' first two games with 198 yards and four touchdowns on 35 carries. Kamara also got roughed up in the game, suffering a hip pointer injury and bruised ribs. He returned to practice Thursday after missing Wednesday.

The Saints gained all of 89 yards on the ground on 29 rushes for a 3.1-yard average against the Eagles. The Saints were third in the NFL in rushing coming in with 185 yards a game.

New Orleans (2-1) is at Atlanta (1-2) Sunday in a noon game on FOX. The Falcons sit 27th in the 32-team NFL in stopping the run with 150 yards allowed a game. Might they mimic the other birds?

"It's a copycat league," Saints coach Dennis Allen said. "Any time we see something that gives us problems, we can guarantee that at some point, we're going to see something similar to what we saw. Whether Atlanta does it, I don't know. I would expect that at some point, we'll see a look like that."

Carter had two tackles for loss against the Saints with a quarterback hit, and coach Nick Sirianni gave him a game ball.

"He beat blocks every way you could possibly," Sirianni said.

"Part of the way Philly did it, those big guys inside make a huge difference," said Allen, a former defensive coordinator. "They create a lot of one-on-one blocks."

2. Saints must find a new center with Erik McCoy injured

Nothing against Fangio, who was the Saints' linebacker coach from 1986-94, but the loss of Saints center Erik McCoy to a groin injury on the third play of the game may have helped his defense more than the new alignment. Or the injury enhanced Fangio's attack.

McCoy, who had just started his sixth season with New Orleans out of Texas A&M, had surgery Wednesday and was placed on injured reserve. He is expected to be out for six to eight weeks. The Saints promoted fifth-year center/guard Shane Lemieux from the practice squad to the active roster. Lemieux has mainly been a backup in his career with 18 games logged, but only six since 2021 and four last year.

"He's an alpha dog on our offense, so we're going to miss him," offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak said of McCoy. "Hope he gets better soon. Definitely some adjustments to be made there."

Allen echoed that.

"Erik was instrumental in the communication with everything that we're doing up front," he said. "Any time you lose a guy like that, who's that smart and is a good player to go along with that, it makes it tough. But we've got guys we believe in."

Starting left guard Lucas Patrick replaced McCoy at center with Olisaemeka Udoh going to left guard. The Saints may use that lineup again Sunday.

"It's different and a challenge, but it's something I'm prepared for, and something I'm aware of," said Patrick, a nine-year veteran mainly at guard. "I've got to rely on my snaps in this offense and experience of the scheme, kind of understanding things. We do plenty of rotating through the week. We do plenty of cross training. It sounds more hectic than it looks, but I didn't think it felt that hectic."

The Saints also may need to find a replacement for starting right guard Cesar Ruiz, who injured his knee against Philadelphia. He returned to the game, but missed practice Wednesday and Thursday. Ruiz's backup is fourth-year guard Landon Young.

1. Defense must stop the game breaking plays

The Saints are No. 8 in the NFL against the run with just 99.3 yards allowed a game, but they gave up a killer 65-yard touchdown run to Saquon Barkley early in the fourth quarter Sunday that gave the Eagles a 7-3 lead. Barkley finished with 147 yards on 17 carries and 8.6-yard average. The Eagles rushed for 172 yards in all and a 6.9 average.

And a busted coverage and some Keystone Cops-like collisions set up a 61-yard connection from quarterback Jalen Hurts to tight end Dallas Goedert, who was so open he looked like he had just stepped on the field from the sideline. Goedert also got open deep for a 43-yard catch to the Saints' 13-yard line in the first quarter, but safety Tyrann Mathieu ended that drive with an interception at the 4-yard line.

"How many was it? Two or three explosive plays out of like 65? Do the little things right for 68," linebacker Willie Gay said. "That's how you take away two deep balls to the tight end last week. That's how you take away a long run by Saquon. That's how we look at things going into this week."

Gay and company will have to be at their best with middle linebacker Demario Davis missing practice Wednesday and Thursday with a hamstring injury.

"I feel like I'm ready. I know I'm ready. I don't feel like it," Gay said. "I know I'm ready."