When the New Orleans Saints needed a spark in their backfield, few could have predicted that Audric Estime—a relative newcomer to the roster—would deliver one of the most electrifying performances of the 2025 NFL season. Yet on Sunday at Nissan Stadium, Estime seized his opportunity, rushing for a career-high 94 yards on 14 carries and scoring a pivotal 32-yard touchdown that helped lift the Saints to a dramatic 34-26 comeback victory over the Tennessee Titans.
Estime’s breakout moment couldn’t have come at a better time for New Orleans. The Saints entered the game with a depleted backfield, missing star running back Alvin Kamara for a fifth consecutive week due to a knee injury. To make matters worse, promising young rushers Devin Neal and Kendre Miller were both on injured reserve. The Saints’ ground game had struggled for consistency all season, and at halftime, quarterback Tyler Shough was leading the team with just eight rushing yards. Something had to give.
“That’s what we did: We came out in the second half and played … to our standard, played physical,” Estime said after the game, reflecting on the team’s turnaround following a lackluster first half. The message in the locker room at halftime was clear: the standard wasn’t being met, especially in the run game. Estime responded with a second-half surge, carrying the ball 12 times for 88 yards and breaking tackles with a blend of power and agility that left teammates and coaches raving.
“Man, he went crazy, bruh,” right tackle Taliese Fuaga exclaimed. “And it’s a good feeling, because you can open up a lot of stuff with that.”
The Saints’ offense came alive in the final two quarters, racking up 331 of their 423 total net yards and averaging an eye-popping 11 yards per play. Estime was at the center of it all, igniting the opening drive of the second half with four carries for 18 yards and helping set up a Shough touchdown pass to Chris Olave. The Saints had been searching for a reliable ground presence all season, and with Estime leading the charge, they finally found their rhythm.
Estime’s signature moment came late in the fourth quarter. With just under four minutes remaining and the Saints clinging to an eight-point lead, Estime took a handoff and appeared to be bottled up by the Titans’ defense. Instead, he bounced to the outside, hurdled a defender, and used his 227-pound frame to break free for a 32-yard touchdown—the Saints’ longest run by a running back since Alvin Kamara’s 40-yard score on Christmas Day 2020. The play not only sealed the win but also showcased Estime’s unique blend of size, power, and surprising elusiveness.
“It wasn’t the prettiest look, but we made it work,” Estime said of his game-clinching run. “He’s just a physical, physical runner,” head coach Kellen Moore added. “He stepped up in a short amount of time.”
Quarterback Tyler Shough, who had an impressive outing of his own with 333 passing yards and two touchdowns, praised Estime’s ability to keep the Saints ahead of the chains. “He’s kind of sneaky,” Shough said. “He’s been kind of that stout, kind of that power back, and he’s making elusive plays all over the field. He’s agile. He’s really smart in pass protection.”
Estime’s rise has been anything but straightforward. Drafted by the Denver Broncos in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft (147th overall), he spent the early part of this season on the Philadelphia Eagles’ practice squad before signing with the Saints in October following Miller’s injury. At the time, offensive tackle Kelvin Banks remembered thinking, “I remembered him from college and I was like, ‘He was a damn good running back in college.’ I already knew what he could do. He just proved it.”
Before Sunday’s game, Estime had just 41 rushing yards on the season and was technically fourth on the Saints’ depth chart. But injuries and inconsistency opened the door, and Estime didn’t hesitate to make his case for a larger role. He outpaced veteran Taysom Hill by three carries and fellow back Evan Hull by two, as Moore opted for a more traditional ground attack after experimenting with different backfield combinations in previous weeks.
Estime’s performance was not only a personal milestone—his first touchdown of the 2025 season and the most rushing yards he’s ever recorded in a single game—but also a crucial development for a Saints team still in the playoff hunt. With Kamara’s future uncertain and the running back group ravaged by injuries, Estime’s emergence provides hope and much-needed competition heading into the offseason. “If nothing else, Estime has earned a longer look next offseason,” noted one Saints insider. “Having young rushers like him, Devin Neal, and Kendre Miller in the mix would make for good competition on the depth chart.”
The Saints’ victory over the Titans was a testament to resilience and adaptability. After both Estime and Hull ceded significant work to Hill in the previous week’s win over the Jets, Moore’s decision to lean on Estime paid off handsomely. Not only did Estime lead the backfield in carries, but he also contributed as a receiver, hauling in his only target for four yards. Every yard mattered in a game that was tightly contested until Estime’s late heroics.
Looking ahead, Estime is expected to remain the focal point of the Saints’ rushing attack in their Week 18 road matchup against the Atlanta Falcons, especially if Kamara remains sidelined. “Estime seems likely to lead the way for the Saints’ backfield once again in Week 18 at Atlanta,” wrote Nate Miller, Saints correspondent.
For Estime, Sunday’s performance was more than just a statistical breakthrough—it was a statement. After a rookie season spent on the fringes of NFL rosters, he now stands as a beacon of hope for a Saints team searching for stability in the backfield. Teammates, coaches, and fans alike will be watching closely as Estime looks to build on his breakout game and help propel New Orleans into the postseason.
With one more opportunity to shine in the regular season, all eyes will be on Estime and the Saints as they prepare to face the Falcons. If Sunday’s win over the Titans is any indication, New Orleans may have found its next great running threat—just in time for the games that matter most.
