Alvin Kamara is the New Orleans Saints offense and now he has the status to go with the numbers.
After a week where Kamara himself spoke of a culture change and was named a team captain, he also got the 12 yards he needed to become the Saints all-time leading rusher.
Roared onto the field by an adoring crowd pregame, Kamara delivered in the opening minutes.
In the team’s first game since the firing of Dennis Allen, Kamara got the yards inside the first eight minutes of the opening quarter against NFC South rivals and division leaders Atlanta.
He overtakes Mark Ingram, who had 6,500 yards in 123 games across two spells with the team. Kamara has done it in 12 games fewer and has eight more rushing touchdowns (60), another list he stands on top of.
Things have been tough for the Saints, who have lost their last seven games and beginning the season with two huge victories.
Kamara has been needed to carry the offense as injuries have wiped out receiver after receiver.
Coming into the game, the 29-year-old led the team in rushing with 660 yards, and with 367 yards was second on the receiving list.
Taken by the Saints with the 67th pick in the 2017 NFL Draft, Kamara has continually delivered – as have most of that 2017 class.
But unlike most of them, the running back is still in New Orleans and can be the leader the team need for a new era, whether under interim coach Darren Rizzi, or a new HC in the offseason.
Nick Underhill, of NewOrleans.Football argues that
“He is really important. He definitely was not bought into the last regime. I think buying into this one would go a long way towards just kind of healing it a little bit,” he told talkSPORT.
“People follow behind him. But the way he’s played, I think he’s playing as well as he has since 2020. He doesn’t look like a 29-year-old running back right now. So I feel good about the contract.
“The players around him have changed, the play calling hasn’t been good enough. And you get some better players, you get some better play calling. And he looks good.
“He looks fast. He looks explosive.”
Kamara was drafted alongside Marshon Lattimore, Ryan Ramczyk, Marcus Williams, and Trey Hendrickson.
Injury looks set to bring an end of offensive lineman Ramczyk’s career.
It was a class described as ‘one for the ages’ by Withthefirstpick.com, but Lattimore’s trade to Washington last week, leaves Kamara and Ramczyk as the only remaining players from that class.
Kamara and Lattimore were named Offensive and Defensive Rookie’s of the Year in 2017, the first of four successive seasons in the playoffs.
The closest the team came to the Super Bowl was an NFC Championship defeat in 2018.
The others have gone, but Kamara remains, and while there is Kamara there is hope.
The Saints came into Week 10 at 2-7 and realistically needing at least seven wins from their final eight games to get to the post season and the dream of a home Super Bowl in February.
talkSPORT are in New Orleans as part of a visit organized by New Orleans & Company and the Super Bowl LIX Host Committee
New Orleans is hosting the Super Bowl for a record-equalling 11th time on February 9, 2025
