For the last several weeks, the New Orleans Saints have been staring into a void. With Alvin Kamara sidelined for a fifth consecutive game due to lingering knee and ankle issues, the question hasn’t just been about who starts today—it’s been about who starts tomorrow when the 2026 season rolls around.

This Sunday in Nashville, amidst a gritty 34-26 comeback victory over the Tennessee Titans, Audric Estimé didn’t just answer that question. He shouted it.

In a game where the offense initially sputtered, Estimé provided the second-half sledgehammer the Saints have desperately missed. While Kamara has long been the lightning—a graceful, versatile weapon in space—Estimé proved today that this offense might currently need thunder.

The Breakout by the Numbers

If you missed the box score, you missed the arrival of a legitimate lead back. With the Saints rallying from a 13-point deficit, they turned to the ground game to close the door, and Estimé delivered a career-best performance.

Audric Estimé vs. Tennessee Titans (Week 17):

• Carries: 14
• Rushing Yards: 94
• Average: 6.7 yards per carry
• Touchdowns: 1 (32-yard run)

It wasn't just the volume, it was the efficiency. Averaging nearly 7 yards a carry against an NFL defense is no small feat, but the defining moment came late in the fourth quarter. Clinging to a precarious one-point lead, Estimé broke free for a bruising, beautiful 32-yard touchdown run with just under four minutes to play. That run didn't just extend the lead to 34-26, it iced the game and perhaps the narrative on the Saints' rushing future.

Filling the Kamara Void

We must be honest about the elephant in the room. Alvin Kamara is a franchise legend, but at 30 years old and missing significant time since Week 12, his durability is becoming a concern that the front office cannot ignore. The Saints' offense has looked disjointed without him for much of this stretch, struggling to find an identity.

Today, Estimé offered that identity. He is not a Kamara clone, and he shouldn't try to be. Where Kamara glides, Estimé punishes. His performance against the Titans showed a runner who gets stronger as the game wears on—a critical trait for a team that wants to protect leads for a young quarterback like Tyler Shough.

The Verdict: What To Look Forward To

The Saints are now 6-10, and while the playoffs are out of reach, these final weeks are auditions for 2026. Today, Audric Estimé walked onto the stage and stole the show.

He displayed the vision to find the hole, the burst to hit the second level, and the power to finish runs in the end zone. While the Saints will always have a place for a healthy Kamara, the reliance on him to be the sole engine of the offense unfortunately has to come to an end.

If today's game in Nashville was a glimpse of the future, the Saints' backfield is in capable, bruising hands. Audric Estimé isn't just a backup anymore, but he might just be a blueprint for how New Orleans can run the ball in the post-Kamara era.