Can Alvin Kamara’s return cure what ails the Saints offense?
Let’s start with the good news: Alvin Kamara will be reinstated for the New Orleans Saints on Monday, Sept. 25, meaning he’ll be eligible to play in next week’s home game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. On top of that, the Saints have gone 2-1 without him and they’re in the thick of a surprisingly competitive race for the NFC South crown.
Now the bad news. The Saints offense has been a miserable viewing experience without him, and he isn’t returning to an ideal situation. Jameis Winston — the same quarterback who struggled to get much out of him the last two years — is in line to start with Derek Carr on the mend after injuring his throwing shoulder. And the New Orleans offensive line is arguably the worst unit in the entire league.
So can Kamara cure what ails them? History says no. There’s no question that his return will help the team. Winston described Kamara as someone who “adds electricity to this team” after Sunday’s tough loss to the Green Bay Packers.
The Saints’ running backs have left some opportunities on the field by not making plays Kamara is known for, whether it’s not turning their head at the right time to catch a pass or running a route without his patented precision — or failing to make a play after the catch and force a missed tackle here or there, which Kamara has made routine. If Carr were still the quarterback that would be seen as a bigger positive. But Winston never nailed down the timing and touch on those short, quick passes to Kamara in his past stints as the starter, and him remaining in that role for the foreseeable future limits our confidence with No. 41 back in the building.
But the Saints need a spark offensively. They’ve only hit the end zone four times in three games. If there’s anything Kamara can do to change how they operate or how defenses guard them, his return should be celebrated. Hopefully Carr can return to action sooner rather than later, but it’s looking like we’ll have to wait a while longer before the Saints offense is back at full strength.
