While the world celebrates the dominance of the passing attack in 2018, the NFC Championship clash contains two teams whose focus on the ground game gets the turbines churning for their offenses.
The Los Angeles Rams with Todd Gurley and now C.J. Anderson and New Orleans Saints with Alvin Kamara and Mark Ingram are at their best when bowling over teams with a dominant offensive line and churning yards with the rushing attack.
The duos have put up similar production during the 2018 season:
Gurley/Anderson: 260 carries, 1,400 rushing yards, 16 rushing TDs, 5.4 yards per carry (led all rushing duos).
Kamara/Ingram: 311 carries, 1,453 rushing yards, 18 rushing TDs (led all rushing duos), 4.7 yards per carry
While Drew Brees performed at an MVP-level much of the year, the Saints offense is at its peak when Ingram is bowling over defenders and Kamara is sliding off tackles and galloping into open space. The one-two combo is deadly for opponents, as either can be effective on inside or outside runs, and in the passing game. Sean Payton doesn't tip his hand with whichever back is in the lineup.
"Going against New Orleans, we got two backs that have the ability to go downhill and go outside," Rams defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said, via Turf Show Times. "Kamara primarily goes outside, even though he primarily runs between the tackles. Watching the Philly game on Sunday, he pressed the 'C' gap really hard and got some big plays. Ingram's a tough runner, so he comes downhill full steam. But they put him in space as well and he makes plays. So, two elite guys that we have to respect and know where they are at at all times."
Suh played his best game in a Rams jersey Saturday night as L.A. stymied Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas Cowboys running game. Long known as a pass-rushing DT who found run defending extraneous, Suh's effort against Zeke stood in stark contrast to the general malaise towards run D he's been known for in his career.
The L.A. defense will be keyed on the RBs every snap, knowing it will take the entire 11 players to slow down the dynamic duo.
"We understand that we've got to keep Kamara inside, no explosives and stop the run when they try to ground and pound with '22' (Ingram)," corner Marcus Peters said, via the team transcript. "All those other things, man, there's going to be ups and downs in the game and we've just got to execute when we execute."
In the first meeting this year, the Rams held Ingram to 33 yards on only nine carries, but Kamara got loose for 82 yards on 19 totes and two touchdowns. L.A. hopes to keep the duo below the 100-yard mark this time around.
