Tag: c.j. gardner-johnson

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Marcus Williams fined for penalties vs. 49ers

Nearly $60,000 in fines were handed by the NFL to New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers players after last week’s physical showdown.

The NFL issued fines for multiple players following last week’s physical showdown between the New Orleans Saints and San Francisco 49ers, with both sides accumulating $66,677 in fines after actions that drew penalties and caused some players to exit the game.

49ers cornerback Akhello Withershpoon was hit with a $28,075 fine after he concussed Saints tight end Jared Cook on a helmet-to-helmet collision late in the first quarter, per Matt Maiocco of NBC Sports Bay Area. That amount is the minimum players can be penalized for as a first offense when committing impermissible use of the helmet; a second offense would cost him $56,156. Cook entered the NFL concussion protocol after that play, and did not return to the game, though the Saints expect him to suit up for Monday night’s game with the Indianapolis Colts.

On the Saints’ side, rookie defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson was also fined $28,075 after a helmet-to-helmet hit on 49ers fullback Kyle Jusczyk, per a report from Amie Just of Nola.com. Gardner-Johnson was midway through the act of tackling Jusczyk around his waist when the fullback slid to the ground, clashing helmets with the defender. The rookie had previously been fined $21,000 for an illegal hit against Chicago Bears quarterback Mitchell Trubisky, which he contested.

Additionally, Just reported that third-year safety Marcus Williams drew a $10,527 fine following a face mask penalty during his end-of-game tackle of 49ers tight end George Kittle. Kittle’s long catch-and-run reception would have scored a touchdown if Williams had not stopped him — even doing so illegally — so this is one foul he’ll have to grudgingly accept.

All-star wide receiver Michael Thomas was struck with his own $10,527 fine for a face mask penalty against the Atlanta Falcons earlier this year, so they’re in this boat together. A second offense of this nature would climb to a $21,056, so it’s obviously not an experience either of them is eager to repeat.

The only silver lining here is what the NFL and NFL Players Association agree to do with the money collected by fining players: it is used to benefit the medical costs and post-football careers of retired players through the Gene Upshaw Players Association’s Players Assistance Trust and NFL Player Care Foundation.

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Don’t single out Eli Apple for Saints’ penalties on defense

New Orleans Saints cornerback Eli Apple may have struggled recently, but don’t blame him for the team’s penalties when he’s playing so often

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Whether they’re playing too sloppy or are simply victims of variance, the New Orleans Saints are committing too many penalties. It’s something they know they need to clean up, and it’s a point of emphasis for Saints coach Sean Payton and his staff.

Some Saints fans have been eager to single out cornerback Eli Apple, who leads the defensive backs with seven accepted penalties (three others were offset or declined by the offense) through New Orleans’ first twelve games. But doing that is a really ignorant move given context. He’s been a clean player for much of the season, but hit a slump with six fouls in his last three games, including three penalties last Thursday against the Atlanta Falcons.

Per charting from Pro Football Focus, Apple leads all Saints cornerbacks in both snaps played (802) and coverage snaps (560). Of course he’s going to draw more targets — and more opportunities to commit a mistake — by playing more often than his peers. Considering all 10 of the penalties he’s drawn (though just seven were accepted, remember), that’s a rate of just one foul every 80.2 snaps he plays. In other words, he’s being flagged for 1.2% of his total snaps.

Compare that to his peers. Rookie defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson has only played 369 total snaps (270 in coverage), but he’s drawn six penalties (all of them accepted). That’s a foul every 61.5 snaps, or 1.6% of his time on the field. Some rookie mistakes are to be expected, and that inexperience extends to Apple, who has only worn black and gold in 24 games (including the playoffs). He’s had very little time to learn from a quality coaching staff in New Orleans after struggling to understand whatever New York Giants coach Pat Shurmur and his staff, few of whom should keep their jobs after another losing season, were trying to teach him.

Hypothetically, the player who would replace Apple if he were benched is cornerback P.J. Williams, who has played 586 snaps (388 in coverage) but drawn four penalty flags. His penalty rate is 0.7%, or one foul every 146.5 snaps. But Williams has the worst coverage grade from PFF and was abused last week by Carolina Panthers sleeper D.J. Moore. He’s a solid slot specialist who can’t handle extended action outside.

The last cornerback worth examining is the best of the group: Marshon Lattimore, who has played 612 defensive snaps (dropping back in coverage on 425 of them) and only been flagged three times (one of them offset). That’s a rate of one foul every 204 snaps, or 0.5% of his total playing-time. While Lattimore’s hamstring issues are still lingering over from his college days, he’s clearly the best player in the group, and someone the others should model their game after.

Look at the difference between them. Lattimore’s penalty rate (0.5%) really isn’t that far off from Apple’s (1.2%), all things considered. Apple’s penalty rate is almost indistinguishable from those of the players some fans insist should be playing ahead of him, whether it’s Gardner-Johnson (1.6%) or Williams (0.7%). Gardner-Johnson is still learning his role as a nickel or dime defender, while Williams has proven many times he can’t hack it in Apple’s position.

So be thankful that the Saints are 10-2, and that Apple has been a big part of their success. Be thankful that the Saints aren’t starting the likes of Ken Crawley, Sterling Moore, B.W. Webb, Brandon Browner, and Corey White at cornerback anymore. Things could be so much worse than having Apple lined up on the outside.

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Saints rookie C.J. Gardner-Johnson gets his first career interception

New Orleans Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, a rookie from the Florida Gators program, logged his first NFL interception off of Matt Ryan

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan was handing out turnovers like they were going out of style on Thanksgiving night, with New Orleans Saints rookie defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson the latest recipient. The fourth-round draft pick out of Florida snagged an interception off of Ryan during the second half, streaking across the field to set the Saints offense up in solid starting field position.

It was the first career interception for Gardner-Johnson, who has steadily seen his snap counts rise after injuries struck the top of the Saints depth chart earlier this year. The rookie has shown a knack for defending passes out of the slot while laying out punishing hits in run defense. He’s dropped two would-be interceptions in previous games, so it’s great to see him expand this part of his skills set. See it for yourself:

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How will the Saints respond to Marshon Lattimore’s hamstring injury?

The New Orleans Saints lost CB Marshon Lattimore to a hamstring injury against the Atlanta Falcons, and he’ll reportedly be out a few weeks.

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The New Orleans Saints secondary took a big hit on Sunday, in addition to the passes Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan sent soaring over their heads. Per a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, top cornerback Marshon Lattimore strained his hamstring and is recovering with treatment from the team’s athletic staff. He’s considered “week-to-week,” so his availability is in doubt at least for the near future.

Hamstring injuries plagued Lattimore in college at Ohio State, though he’s managed them very well since the Saints drafted him. This would be his first extended absence since his 2017 rookie year when he missed three games with a concussion and ankle injury.

In his place, the Saints promoted slot corner P.J. Williams to Lattimore’s spot on the boundary and brought rookie defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson back onto the field to fill in for Williams. Williams did well in the pinch-hitting role, helping limit Falcons star receiver Julio Jones to three receptions on nine targets — though one of those catches was the biggest play of the game, a 54-yard grab-and-go in which a late tackle by free safety Marcus Williams stopped what would have been a touchdown.

With Lattimore sidelined, the Saints are going to stress the definition of “bend but don’t break” defense. He’s their most impactful defender, able to shift the entire defense schematically when playing at his best. But New Orleans can’t assume he’ll be ready for next week’s game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and their talented receiving duo of Chris Godwin and Mike Evans.

So expect the Saints to sign a veteran cornerback. Backup Ken Crawley was waived two weeks ago, opening the door for several experienced tryouts including Kayvon Webster (who spent the summer on New Orleans’ 90-man roster), Captain Munnerlyn, and Johnson Bademosi. Bademosi’s experience on special teams gave him the edge, and he’s already played 33 snaps on the punt and kickoff coverage units in two games.

The Saints need added depth at the position with Lattimore out, even if they don’t expect to start any new faces. Williams, Gardner-Johnson, and Eli Apple should remain the starting rotation, though backup Patrick Robinson could get on the field once he’s recovered from his own hamstring injury. They were fortunate that this wasn’t a season-threatening injury for Lattimore, and fans should have some optimism that he’ll return to the lineup sooner rather than later.

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