The New Orleans defense is in the middle of a youth movement.
No other team in the NFL has asked rookies to play more defensive snaps this season. Entering the Sunday night game, the Saints had played rookies on 340 snaps, and no other NFL team even topped the 300-snap mark.
The good news is the Saints appear to have found some talent in the front seven. Middle linebacker Stephone Anthony, outside linebacker Hau’oli Kikaha and defensive end Bobby Richardson each started the game against the Cowboys, and all three made big plays to jump-start a defense that bent often but rarely broke in the first three quarters.