Akiem Hicks Proves to Be Catalyst for Improved Saints Defense

While Cameron Jordan and Junior Galette receive most of the attention, defensive end Akiem Hicks is doing the dirty work necessary for the New Orleans Saints defense to finally improve. 

Hicks has been a wrecking ball in the last two weeks. All those around him are benefiting. 

What was once considered one of the NFL's worst defenses a few weeks ago is now garnering plenty of respect from the head coach of the Saints' upcoming opponent, the San Francisco 49ers. 

“I think it’s an outstanding defense and it’s one that takes film study, takes preparation, and that’s where our mindset is," Jim Harbaugh said during Wednesday's conference call, per NOLA.com. "That’s how we look at them, and approach them, and have great respect for what they do.”

Harbaugh specifically pointed toward the Saints' defensive front as being difficult to handle. 

“I think they are extremely good up front, on the edges, very fast and aggressive flowing to the football, (and) tackle well," the coach added. 

The 49ers should be concerned with the Saints' talented defensive front. San Francisco surrendered 14 sacks over the last two weeks, and defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's unit is very talented along the defensive line and at outside linebacker. 

Jordan and Galette generally grab the headlines, though. After all, both finished last season with double-digit sack totals. However, it's the improved play of Hicks over the past month which led to the Saints' major improvement on the defensive side of the football. 

Hicks started slowly this season after a strong 2013 campaign—his first as a full-time starter: 

As the season progressed, Hicks' overall play improved:

As Hicks' play improved, so did that of those around him.

Prior to playing the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Oct. 5, the Saints were the NFL's 29th-ranked defense. In the month since, the Saints improved to 20th overall. Previously, the Saints surrendered 396 yards per game. That number decreased by 25.5 yards per game over their last four games.

New Orleans is essentially giving up two fewer first downs per game, and Hicks told The Times-Picayune's Katherine Terrell where the difference is in his approach and the approach of his teammates: 

We're still playing within the same scheme we we were playing in during the earlier weeks. For me, it's funny to see how things work out when you finish on some of those smaller plays and just finish the little things during the game. When we didn't do it vs. Atlanta and vs. Cleveland, when we lose on that last second play and that last field goal, those were tough losses and I feel like we went through a good amount of adversity earlier in this year and look to have things go our way now.

In the NFL, every game is decided by the little things. Good players become great by concentrating more on technique and understanding how to properly study film. Hicks always had the natural talent. After all, the big defensive lineman was recruited to LSU before being ruled ineligible. He ended up playing at the University of Regina (Canada). The Saints still saw enough in Hicks to spend their top pick in the 2012 draft—the 89th overall selection—on him. 

What makes Hicks particularly effective as a 5-technique (defensive end) in the Saints' 3-4 scheme is his power at the point of attack. Very few defensive linemen can throw blockers around quite like Hicks. 

Below is a sequence of two screenshots that display Hicks' ability to shed blockers.

After the snap, Hicks shot his hands and gained control of Panthers guard Fernando Velasco. The defensive end read his run keys and maintained his gap as Panthers running back Jonathan Stewart looked for room to run. 

Once Stewart cut back toward him, Hicks easily threw Velasco to the side and made the tackle. 

Velasco actually lost his balance due to the force of Hicks disengaging from his block. 

By doing his job and not trying to do too much, the rest of Hicks' teammates can count on him being in the right place at the right time. 

The team's edge-rushers certainly benefited from Hicks' improvement. 

Galette and Jordan met at the quarterback during the above play before Jordan registered a nine-yard sack against Cam Newton. But the play would never have been successful without Hicks collapsing the pocket with a strong bull rush. Thus, Newton didn't have a pocket to step into and couldn't do anything but take the sack.

The defensive end may not have been credited for anything on the play, but pressure up the middle was just as vital as the pressure provided by the two edge-rushers who eventually got to the quarterback. 

Sometimes, Hicks can get to the quarterback all by himself.

There is a human being beneath Hicks in the above picture. Poor David Foucault. Welcome to the NFL, rookie. 

Hicks executed a simple T-E (tackle-end) stunt from a four-man front. Even though Foucault was able to engage the defensive end before he had a legitimate angle at the quarterback, Hicks simply bowled the young blocker over on his way to Newton. 

This constant pressure from Hicks—whether he actually makes a play or not—helps set up everything within the defense. With a strong performance against the run, teams become one-dimensional.

If Hicks can provide pressure up the middle, it's easier for the Saints' talented edge-rushers to get to the quarterback. The secondary, meanwhile, benefits if the defensive front can supply consistent pressure, because the defensive backs don't have to cover their receivers quite so long. 

All of this is possible due to the improved play of a blossoming third-year player. Hicks' development will make him a key component to any success the Saints experience this season and over the next few years. 

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