Saints Defense Facing Major Questions After Week 1 Shootout Loss

Rob Ryan orchestrated one of the greatest turnarounds in NFL history last season after he was named the defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints. The progress seen last season, though, wasn't on display during the Saints 37-34 overtime loss against the Atlanta Falcons. 

The Saints surrendered 568 total yards to the Falcons, which was the worst effort of any defense this weekend. 

Ryan's unit closely resembled the one seen two seasons ago.

Year	Total Yards	Rush Yards	Pass Yards	Turnovers
2012	440.1	147.6	292.6	26
2013	305.7	111.6	194.1	19
vs. Falcons	568	123	445	1

Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan didn't break any passing records against that squad, though. Matt Ryan set a career high and franchise record Sunday with 448 passing yards. Atlanta's signal-caller did pass for 411 yards against the Saints in 2012, but New Orleans was able to hold him to 165 yards during their second divisional meeting.

Matt Ryan is playing at an elite level to start the season, but the Saints' overall play on defense has to be a major cause for concern. In an interview with NOLA.com, Saints outside linebacker Junior Galette admitted as much:

"

Watching the film, how much more can the offense do? They played phenomenally. They ran the ball well, passed the ball well. We've got to get takeaways, we've got to stop the run, we can't let Ryan throw for over 400 yards. It's ridiculous.

So it is on us.

"

The acquisition of All-Pro safety Jairus Byrd in free agency was intended to take the Saints to another level. New Orleans signed Byrd to a six-year, $54 million contract due to their confidence in the former Buffalo Bill and his ability to redefine the defense. Byrd's impact was felt early in the game when he forced a fumble as Falcons wide receiver Julio Jones was racing toward a sure touchdown. His presence after that point was minimal at best. The free safety finished with five tackles, and his ability to cover the back end of the defense didn't help the Saints' secondary as Matt Ryan picked the unit apart. 

Byrd received a negative grade in pass coverage from ProFootballFocus.com (subscription required) for his effort against the Falcons. 

The safety's negative play reflects two larger problems. 

First, the addition of Byrd alongside Kenny Vaccaro as well as cornerbacks Keenan Lewis, Patrick Robinson and Corey White was supposed to add flexibility to Rob Ryan's defensive scheme. There was talk of employing three-safety schemes, but the Saints remained primarily in a nickel defense. Fellow safety Rafael Bush only played 28 snaps. 

The Falcons capitalized on their talent at wide receiver. The Saints won't face a wide receiver corps like Atlanta's most of the season, but the secondary struggled to prevent Julio Jones, Roddy White, Harry Douglas and Devin Hester from getting open. The quartet combined for 23 receptions and 356 yards. When plays needed to be made, it was Atlanta's receivers—not the Saints' secondary—coming down with the football. 

Troubles in coverage stem from the Saints' second issue: New Orleans couldn't consistently apply pressure from its defensive front. 

This is terribly disappointing due to the talent the Saints have at defensive end and outside linebacker, while the Falcons were playing with a pair of backup offensive tackles, Gabe Carimi and Lamar Holmes, by game's end. 

The Saints sacked opposing quarterbacks 49 times in 2013. Cameron Jordan and Junior Galette experienced breakthrough seasons after they combined to get to the quarterback 24.5 times. Galette even received a shiny new four-year, $41.5 million contract extension last week. 

Neither Jordan nor Galette registered a sack against the Falcons despite primarily playing against backup offensive linemen. The Saints, as a whole, registered one measly sack. 

The Falcons also gashed the Saints on the ground. Atlanta's backfield combined to rush for 123 yards at an impressive 4.9 yards per carry. Each of the Falcons' running backs had at least one carry of 10 yards or more. Atlanta's ability to throw the football opened up the box to grant bigger running lanes against a Saints defense that was among the best stopping the run a year ago. 

A trip to Cleveland to play the Browns this weekend won't be a reprieve. The Browns played extremely well during a failed second-half comeback against the Steelers. The Browns don't have the same type of weapons at wide receiver as the Falcons (understatement of the season), but they bring a completely different challenge for the Saints. 

The Browns operated in a no-huddle, up-tempo offense and ran the ball at will against Pittsburgh. Each running back averaged at least 6.3 yards per carry. The Browns' ground attack amassed 183 total yards behind one of the better offensive lines in the NFL. 

The Saints will have to change gears and reassess their approach on defense.

Saints head coach Sean Payton told Terrance Harris of NOLA.com after the game, "When you rush four you hope to have some disruption at times, you hope to have a little bit more pressure."

The Saints clearly didn't get pressure against Matt Ryan, and their secondary suffered. Once the passing game burst open, New Orleans couldn't stop the run either. 

David Goldman/Associated Press

If pass-rushers aren't winning one-on-one battles, Rob Ryan must create more movement along the defensive front. The defensive coordinator can manufacture pressure via stunts or zone blitzes. A versatile player like Jordan can even be moved all over the line of scrimmage to find the best matchup to exploit. 

The difference between Atlanta and Cleveland is the Browns will use the run to set up the pass, while the Falcons will do the opposite. This will allow players such as Jordan, Galette, Parys Haralson and Curtis Lofton to set the tone early. If they make the Browns one-dimensional, the defensive front can pin their ears back and get after Browns quarterback Brian Hoyer. 

This is a very talented Saints defense. Their performance against the Falcons can only be described as a major disappointment. Rob Ryan has the talent on his side of the football to get creative and make things happen. Can the defensive coordinator find the same magic he used last year? How the unit bounces back in Week 2 will be a major indicator of what to expect for the rest of the season. 

Brent Sobleski covers the NFC South for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter.