3 unspoken and under-appreciated players at the core of New Orleans Saints success
Marshon Lattimore
To say that Marshon Lattimore is underappreciated might be a bit of a stretch. Most Saints fans easily recognize the name of the 2017 Defensive Rookie of the year. Aside from Cameron Jordan, it’s easy to argue that Lattimore is the most recognizable player on the defensive side of the ball. What I believe is underappreciated is just how essential he is to this team’s secondary.
There is no doubt that Lattimore is the team’s top corner. This means that he is responsible for lining up across from the other team’s top receiving option for the majority of the game.
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Lattimore has done this before, shutting down players like Amari Cooper and Mike Evans so far this season. When Lattimore left the game on Sunday with an apparent strain to his hamstring. This is the same kind of injury that plagued Lattimore during his time playing at Ohio State.
In Lattimore’s absence, cornerback PJ Williams stepped up in a big way. Williams managed to limit Falcon’s superstar Julio Jones to only three receptions on nine attempts. Unfortunately, one of those catches went for 54 yards.
That’s one immediate difference between Lattimore and his successors on the depth chart. While Lattimore gave up some big downfield plays earlier this season, he has locked up his matchups the past few weeks.
Behind Lattimore, players like Williams and Patrick Robinson are the most likely options. Williams showcased early this season and again in this game that he is a liability for big plays. His ability to lock up defenders and prevent deep shots is much less honed than Lattimore’s ability to do so.
It is unlikely that Lattimore will play next week against the Panthers, and without him, the Saints may need to look for a free agent veteran corner to fill the spot in the meantime.