New Orleans Saints defensive end Cameron Jordan had one of the biggest games of his career on Thanksgiving against the Atlanta Falcons, and that prime-time performance earned him recognition as the NFC Defensive Player of the Week. It’s just the second time he’s won this award in his NFL career, having previously done so in Week 6 of the 2017 season (when he sacked Detroit Lions passer Matthew Stafford twice, and intercepted his own deflected pass for a touchdown catch).
Jordan sacked Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan four times on the night (a personal-best single-game mark) and closed out the game with his fourth sack on Atlanta’s final play, leading the Saints to a 26-18 victory and clinching New Orleans’ third consecutive NFC South title.
The Saints’ defensive captain now ranks second in team history for sacks (85), and second in the NFL (13.5), with four games left to play. His 18 sacks of Ryan are the most of any other player the Falcons quarterback has faced.
But don’t expect Jordan to celebrate this accomplishment for too long. He’s dialed in on his next opponent (the 10-2 San Francisco 49ers) and won’t divulge whether he shares the opinion of his teammates, that 20 sacks is within reach. Jordan told Mike Triplett of ESPN that, “I’ve never said anything other than I want a Super Bowl. I don’t care about personal accolades. I’m gunning for everything and plus some. As long as my D-line is playing good and my defense is playing better, I couldn’t care less about myself.”
That said, Jordan isn’t ruling out the possibility of becoming a 20-sack man. “If it happens, then more the merrier this offseason,” he added.
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