Atlanta Falcons 'Lethal Offense' Worries Saints Star Cameron Jordan
New Orleans Saints star Cameron Jordan is no fan of the Atlanta Falcons organization, and he's backed up his mouth with his play, as in 22 career meetings with his NFC South rival, the Pro Bowl perennial has totaled 23 sacks,
Oh, and as the Falcons prepare for Week 1 against the Saints - an unfriendly deal, no matter what Chad Ochocinco wants - Jordan's club has a 14-8 overall record.
But he is now admitting to a new-found level of concern, calling coach Arthur Smith's group a potentially "lethal offense.''
Part of Jordan's reasoning is the unknown.
“We’ve got somewhat zero film to work off of to prepare for what could be a lethal offense,'' he said.
Part of it is the personnel that the Saints are coming to know, and part of it is about the QB change.
Said Jordan: “You’ve got Cordarrelle Patterson ... Throw in Kyle Pitts, who’s in my mind is going to be one of the top talked about wide receivers in the game. ... With Marcus Mariota, now we’ve got to go back and watch some film (of the QB in his previous stops). We’ve got to break down who he is because he’s not a traditional pocket passer like Matt (Ryan) was.
"This is going to change up their game a lot.”
That sounds, in part, like exactly what Smith is hoping for, in two doses: One, the mobility of Mariota as opposed to the style of Ryan, the all-time Falcons QB now in Indianapolis via trade (all part of the failed Deshaun Watson chase), and two, the element of surprise.
"We’ll continue to evolve there,'' Smith said of Atlanta's preseason approach, "we’re not going to show our hand in a lot of other stuff. But, when you have athletic quarterbacks and you’re able to move the pocket, they’re going to be able to extend plays.”
Smith joked this week that he was hoping Jordan, 33, would hurry up and retire. Instead … here he comes again.
Is Mariota really a difference-maker? Can Pitts, Patterson, rookie receiver Drake London and more change the Falcons' fate against New Orleans? Pending Sunday's outcome, they at least have Cameron Jordan's attention - and maybe even his grudging respect.
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