Every team has played at least one game to start the 2024 season, and just like after Sunday’s slate, New Orleans Saints defensive back Alontae Taylor still leads the league in sacks.
He along with Buffalo Bills defensive end Greg Rousseau sits at the top of the league after sacking the quarterback three times in Week 1. Taylor is one of ten players to register multiple sacks in their season opener this week. He’s the only defensive back among the group.
Taylor displayed a quality not seen before in his professional career. He brought down Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young three times. Prior to this, Taylor had only sacked a quarterback once. Carolina’s offensive line had no answers when the nickel was sent in to blitz.
For Young’s shortcomings in his professional career, he is still a mobile quarterback. You saw that come into play on Sunday. The Saints’ typically bigger defensive lineman were eluded a few times despite generating pressure — Chase Young had at least five of them without registering a sack.
But Taylor was efficient and brought Young down for a Saints record and league-leading three sacks. We’ll see if he can keep it up as the season continues. Dennis Allen has always shown a willingness to send defensive backs into the breach for added pressure, going back to guys like Roman Harper and Kenny Vaccaro, so you have to think opposing teams will do a better job preparing for this new wrinkle in Taylor’s game sooner or later. But there’s a lot to be said for starting so hot.
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