Getty Cameron Jordan
The New Orleans Saints’ Cameron Jordan is one of the best players in the NFL. He’s a premier pass rusher with 94.5 career sacks, 6 Pro-Bowl appearances and a spot on the 2010’s All-Decade Team under his belt. In addition to on-field excellence, Jordan is also known for his outspoken nature.
Ahead of his Saints’ Week 3 matchup with the New England Patriots, Jordan had an interesting description of Bill Belichick. Jordan was asked by the New Orleans media for his impression of Belichick.
Per WDSU’s Sharief Ishaq, this was Jordan’s response: “He’s a top tier coach that will clearly do anything to win. Take that how you want.”
Clearly, that sounds like a dig at Belichick’s past run-ins with the NFL for rules violations. Dakota Randall of NESN said Jordan’s short answer was the Saints defender “passive aggressively calling Belichick a cheater.”
Jordan isn’t the first or last player to imply that Belichick is a cheater.
Peyton Manning Fired a Shot at the Patriots Ethics
Jordan’s comments were just the latest shot at the Patriots’ ethics, but less than a week ago, a more high-profile shot was fired. Peyton and Eli Manning have been doing an alternative broadcast of Monday Night Football this season. their candor, humor and knowledge has been a blast to watch and hear.
During the Week 2 broadcast, Peyton said he’d have to talk to his receivers near the showers whenever he played the Patriots at Gillette Stadium because he was convinced his locker was bugged.
“Every time I played against New England, I used to talk to my receivers in the showers. Don’t talk about a play next to my locker because I know it’s bugged.”
Peyton Manning on when the Patriots used to come to Indy 😂
This is what happens when an organization is connected to scandals like Spygate and Deflategate.
The Patriots’ 3 Keys to Defeating the Saints
While many are overlooking the Saints this week in anticipation of the huge Week 4 battle with Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the Patriots cannot afford to get ahead of themselves. To beat the Saints, the Patriots must do three things to ensure they head into the Week 4 showdown with Tampa Bay 2-1. The first focus must be on protecting Mac Jones.
New England will always lean heavily on the run game, but Jones must be effective throwing the football on crucial third downs and in some early-down passing situations. Through two weeks, Jones has been sacked 4 times and hit 11 more. That’s too many.
Unless New England wants to see what Brian Hoyer can do, they will need to keep their rookie quarterback upright. On defense, the Patriots have to do a better job stopping the run than they did in Week 2 vs. the New York Jets. While the Patriots won 25-6, the Jets had success running the ball. New York lit New England up for 152 yards on the ground on 31 carries.
If the Jets had a quarterback taking better care of the ball, the Patriots might have been in a tougher situation. The Saints’ Jameis Winston won’t throw 4 interceptions on Sunday like Zach Wilson. The Patriots are going to have to limit what the Saints do with Alvin Kamara as a runner even before they slow him as a receiver out of the backfield.
Lastly, and back on the offense, Jones, the backs, receivers and tight ends can’t turn the ball over. Jones has done a great job in this area with no interceptions through the first two weeks. The Patriots’ backs had some fumbling issues in Week 1, which cost them that contest against the Miami Dolphins.
Against the Saints, the Patriots have to win the turnover battle again.