New England Patriots' Bill Belichick Targets One New Orleans Saints' Defensive Player
Fans of offense may not like Sunday's matchup between the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints. But for those who prefer defense, this game should be an absolute treat.
Both teams are around the top 10 in total defense this season, and both have plenty of talent on that side of the ball. New England's defense has taken a big hit with the loss of cornerback Christian Gonzalez and linebacker Matthew Judon, but still remains a strong unit overall. Meanwhile, New Orleans' defense boasts stars such as cornerback Marshon Lattimore, linebacker Demario Davis and defensive end Cameron Jordan.
Ahead of Sunday's matchup, Patriots coach Bill Belichick heaped praise on the Saints' defense and Jordan in particular.
"Jordan is one of the players I have the most respect for in the league," Belichick said this week. "He's been a great player for a long time, very durable, whatever it was – 177 straight games he played. This guy shows up every week and plays well, run, pass, situational football, really smart player. This guy's a great player."
The Saints expect to pressure Patriots' quarterback Mac Jones.
Jordan, 34, has accomplished quite a lot throughout his 13-year career, recording 116 sacks, eight Pro Bowl nods and a spot on the Hall of Fame's All-2010s team. However, he has only been a first-team All-Pro once, so one could argue that he is still underrated in the big picture.
With the Patriots and Saints being in different conferences, New England has only faced Jordan a handful of times, most recently in 2021. The Patriots would normally have to wait until 2025 to play the Saints again, but thanks to the NFL's recent addition of a 17th game, the two teams get to play each other a couple years early.
"Luckily, we haven't played him too often," Belichick said. "It's unusual to get them two years apart, that's the extra game, otherwise it's every four years."
In three career games against New England, Jordan has 10 total tackles, five quarterback hits and one sack. As the Patriots look to break out of an offensive funk, they'll have to keep a close eye on Jordan during Sunday's game.
