CINCINNATI — Fixing a leaking run defense wouldn’t normally seem like a top priority when heading to New Orleans to face Drew Brees, but the Saints have established a formidable ground game the last three weeks.

And the Cincinnati Bengals haven’t been able to stop anyone.

Allowing 143 yards per game, the Bengals rank 31st in the league in run defense. Meanwhile the Saints have struck some rare balance by averaging 144.7 rushing yards in their last three games, with running back Mark Ingram hitting the 100-yard mark in all three.

“They’ve committed to the run,” Bengals defensive coordinator Paul Guenther said. “That’s something that they’re doing good right now. And I don’t see them changing much. They’re riding (Ingram) pretty good. They can mix up the runs and passes and it makes them more effective.”

Part of the problem has been an oft-injured linebacker corps that has forced Guenther to mix and match all year. Only three times in nine games have Vontaze Burfict, Emmanuel Lamur and Rey Maualuga started as a group, and each time at least one of them was injured and unable to finish the game.

The Bengals have had five different starting combinations in nine games.

“We’ve had a number of different guys in there, that’s part of the issue,” Guenther said. “I can’t tell you how many different sets of linebackers and combinations we have had in there, so it’s something we have to work through.

“I know what it’s supposed to look like,” he added. “Obviously, if Rey comes back it will be a big help. That will clean some stuff up for us.”

Maualuga, the team’s middle linebacker and top run stopper, practiced Wednesday for the first time since suffering a hamstring injury Oct. 12 against Carolina. Burfict has missed the last two games after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery Oct. 29, and he isn’t expected play Sunday.

Burfict also missed two games earlier in the season with a concussion and was forced to leave another three games early, twice for concussions and once for a neck injury.

Playing without their top two tacklers for much of the season, the Bengals have allowed 1,287 yards on the ground. They didn’t give up that many yards last season until the 14th game.

They have allowed at least 132 yards in six of their first nine games. The last time they gave up 132 yards six times in an entire season was 2004.

All of which makes Maualuga’s return Sunday so important.

“I hate talking about how I’m going to be the one to come and spark and stop the run,” Maualuga said. “I’m not saying it’s me, or I’m not pointing anybody out, but what I’m saying is you just can’t show up at practice just to practice and go home. Things have to change, and if you’re not going to do things they’re asking you to do, then you’re not going to play. Hopefully, that hits a couple of people and gets things changed around here.”

“I know it’s there in this defense, and it’s going to have to start today,” he continued. “The good thing about it is, it can get fixed. And it will get fixed. I promise you we won’t finish the season 31st against the run.”