New Orleans Saints safety Marcus Williams is tied for third place in interceptions, but he’s focused on helping his team get to the playoffs
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New Orleans Saints free safety Marcus Williams has had a career filled with more ups and downs than most. He had a great rookie year in 2017 that climaxed with one of the worst moments in recent sports history; that was followed up by an intense training camp but quiet sophomore year, in which Williams spent too much time second-guessing himself.
But now he’s back to his old self, if not playing at a higher level. Williams is tied for third in the NFL in interceptions (4), matching the mark set by cornerbacks Janoris Jenkins and Marcus Peters. It’s a tight race for the league title, with Minkah Fitzpatrick and Devin McCourty narrowly sharing the lead (5 each).
It’s even more impressive for Williams because it’s taken him just 10 games to match the number he put up in 16 games as a rookie. The sky might be the limit for him now that he’s fully acclimated to the game and moved on from some early mistakes. When asked whether he feels like he’s in something of a groove with interceptions in back-to-back games, including a win-clenching pick-six against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Williams downplayed his achievements.
“I just feel like I am in the same groove I’ve always been in. [I’m] just doing my job for the team,” Williams said during a conference call with New Orleans media. “Whatever I can do to help our team out. That’s just what I pride myself on, just doing what I can to help my team.”
However, Williams did take time to credit his success to diligent film study. He noticed Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston putting too much air underneath passes to the area of the field he was defending, and knew it would create an opportunity to go make a big play: “They’ve been doing that on film so I saw what was going to happen. [We] talked about it in the back end and just dissected the play. I just went and did my assignment and if you do your assignment, the play will come your way. That’s what happened yesterday.”
And he’s exactly what the Saints need right now. Williams, who celebrated his 23rd birthday back in September, has the talent to go out and make game-changing plays but the self-awareness to remain focused and continue putting in work behind the scenes. He’s a great role model to his teammates and someone who should be a core player for New Orleans for a long time.
New Orleans Saints coach Sean Payton said the decision to limit DE Marcus Davenport’s playing time came down to their sub package personnel.
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The New Orleans Saints handled their Week 11 game with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with ease, but did so largely without second-year pass rusher Marcus Davenport. The starting defensive end played just 23 snaps against Tampa Bay, with backup Trey Hendrickson appearing on 34 plays. That’s obviously not the kind of disparity Saints fans would hope to see out of that duo.
However, it makes sense in context of New Orleans’ game plan for the Buccaneers. Saints coach Sean Payton noted that his defense spent a lot of time in their sub-package with three down linemen rather than four. With Tampa Bay playing from behind for most of the game and dialing up so many dropbacks for Jameis Winston, the Saints responded by fielding more defensive backs than usual, which meant fewer opportunities for Davenport.
“Part of it was that a lot of our sub plan was out of a three-down look, so the rotation, if you’re playing four, it’s just going to be that many more snaps for the guys in the rotation,” Payton said. “A lot of it was just by, the three down sub package plan that we had.”
As for why more of the few snaps to go around went to Hendrickson rather than Davenport: consider each player’s skills set. Hendrickson is a quick-twitch pass rusher who bursts off the edge with great speed, and has several different arm-fighting moves at his disposal to disengage blockers. But he’s a relative lightweight for the position and can get bullied in run defense, lacking the sand in his pants to hold his ground against a 300-pound offensive tackle.
That’s not the case for Davenport, who is a prototype for an NFL defensive end. Much like teammate Cameron Jordan, Davenport is a naturally-gifted run defender thanks to his size, length, and agility. And also like Jordan, he’s taking some time to develop into an NFL-quality pass rusher. Jordan only had 9 sacks and 17 quarterback hits in his first two seasons, a stretch of 32 games. Davenport is already up to 7.5 sacks and 25 hits in his first 23 games. During his first 23 games, Jordan amassed just 4 sacks and 8 hits.
So there’s your answer: when forced into a pass-heavy game script, the Saints are going to give Hendrickson more opportunities thanks to his upside in those situations. When opponents are committed to remaining balanced on offense or showing the Saints looks that demand more of a four-down alignment, Davenport will get more chances. It’s not the ideal return on a player the Saints invested two first-round picks in, but it’s a reminder to fans that Davenport’s best football is still ahead of him.
Carolina fans may not like such bad odds, but it’s difficult to argue that the Saints shouldn’t be heavily favored.
The Panthers just got embarrassed by one NFC South rival. The oddsmakers seem to think another one is coming down the pipe. Next up, they will visit the division-leading Saints, who are 4-1 at home this season. According to BetMGM, the Panthers are 9.5-point underdogs for Sunday’s matchup.
Carolina fans may not like such bad odds, but it’s difficult to argue that the Saints shouldn’t be heavily favored. Aside from the meaningless Week 17 victory to end last season, New Orleans has dominated this rivalry or late – winning the previous four games between the two.
One silver lining could be the status of the Saints’ top cornerback, Marshon Lattimore. He sat out Sunday’s win over the Buccaneers with a hamstring injury. If he can’t play or isn’t 100%, it might open up the game even more for D.J. Moore, who has been on a tear the last three weeks.
That said, this New Orleans roster is far deeper and more talented than the Panthers’ and they have a coach that knows how to get the best out of them.
[Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.]
Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey, Drew Brees and Jimmy Garoppolo had huge weeks.
Week 11 provided another Lamar Jackson showcase. Christian McCaffrey delivered a stellar effort in a stinker by the Panthers.
Arizona Cardinals: Kyler Murray
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Facing the Niners in SF did not derail the No. 1 overall pick. He threw for a pair of TDs and ran for one, which gave the Cardinals a late lead that faded. Good performance against a strong team.
See what ESPN’s Tony Kornheiser said on “PTI” about Buccaneers quarterback Jameis Winston and his future in Tampa Bay.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers lost 34-17 to the New Orleans Saints yesterday, and whether he deserves it or not, quarterback Jameis Winston is receiving the brunt of the criticism.
Winston had four interceptions yesterday, putting his season total at 18, which matches his career-high. The numbers on the quarterback don’t lie, and given that he’s playing on the fifth-year option of his rookie contract, the Bucs aren’t obligated to keep him beyond this season.
And, it seems one ESPN personality thinks the Buccaneers would benefit by looking to the 2020 NFL Draft for a new quarterback.
On ESPN’s “Pardon the Interruption” today, Tony Kornheiser was asked during the show’s “Big Finish” about Winston’s performance against the Saints and what it means for his future.
Here was the exchange:
WILBON: “Jameis Winston threw four picks in a loss to the Saints. Is it time for a change?”
KORNHEISER:”I don’t know about right now. But, it’s time to look to the draft at the end of the year.”
Kornheiser is repeating what a lot of people are saying. It’s just not working out in Tampa Bay. Winston is still young and talented enough to find an opportunity elsewhere.
It might be best for him and the Buccaneers to just start fresh after five seasons.
New Orleans Saints LB Kiko Alonso and LG Nick Easton saw their highest snap counts of the 2019 season against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
The New Orleans Saints defeated the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 11, but they did so with some uncommon splits in their snap counts. Second-year pass rusher Marcus Davenport was the third wheel in the defensive end rotation. Backup left guard Nick Easton played a full game in his first appearance on offense this season. Linebacker Kiko Alonso played the second-most snaps at his position group. Six difference defensive backs played more than 50% of snaps. Here’s how everything shook out against the Buccaneers:
Offensive backfield
QB Drew Brees, 67 (96%)
RB Alvin Kamara, 43 (61%)
RB Latavius Murray, 29 (41%)
FB Zach Line, 23 (33%)
QB Taysom Hill, 10 (14%)
FS Marcus Williams, 2 (3%)
The Saints may have caught some flak from the broadcast team for putting Hill in for a pass attempt rather than Brees, but it’s a look they’ve had success with before given Brees’ subpar arm strength on passes deeper downfield. This time it happened to bite them when Hill was surprised by an unblocked blitzer. Kamara improved as the game wore on and steadily looked more comfortable after he bounced off of some Buccaneers defenders. Williams got in on the victory formation to close out the game, which is always nice to see.
Skills positions
WR Michael Thomas, 57 (81%)
TE Jared Cook, 49 (70%)
WR Tre’Quan Smith, 42 (60%)
WR Ted Ginn Jr, 38 (54%)
TE Josh Hill, 32 (46%)
WR Krishawn Hogan, 13 (19%)
It’s a shame that the Saints can’t get any consistent production out of their wide receivers besides Thomas, because they’re all getting on the field very often without justifying it. This is now two weeks in a row where multiple receivers played 50% or more of snaps on offense but failed to combine for multiple catches. The clock is ticking on Smith and Ginn’s job security. Hill was on track to see his usual workload (39 snaps per game) but a concussion sidelined him.
Offensive line
T Terron Armstead, 70 (100%)
C Erik McCoy, 70 (100%)
T Ryan Ramczyk, 70 (100%)
G Larry Warford, 70 (100%)
G Nick Easton, 70 (100%)
G Will Clapp, 14 (20%)
G Patrick Omameh, 1 (1%)
It was a heck of an outing for Easton, who got his first snaps on offense of the year and turned them into a game-long performance. He effectively came off the bench to pitch a no-hitter. When Hill went out with a concussion, the Saints’ go-to adjustment was increased snaps for Clapp as a blocker, though Omameh joined him in a heavyset offensive line look on Brees’ leaping fourth-down conversion.
The Patriots have been the dominant team of the 2010s. How has everyone else fared?
USA TODAY Sports
The 2010s are coming to an end. Time to look at the good, bad and ugly seasons and records for all 32 NFL teams in this decade after Week 11 of the NFL season.
32. Cleveland Browns: 40-113-1
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There is no surprise the Browns are at the bottom of the list. They have been awful throughout the decade. Turning things around last year have not made a dent in the damage.
The analysts at Pro Football Focus singled out left guard Nick Easton as the best New Orleans Saints player against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
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The Tampa Bay Buccaneers boasted the NFL’s best run defense, but it didn’t matter against a New Orleans Saints offensive line that bullied them on Sunday. It’s not uncommon to see the Saints’ big blockers doing damage up front — four of the unit’s five starters were recognized at last year’s Pro Bowl or on the All-Pro lists. But what’s unexpected is how well the unit’s newest addition performed.
According to snap-by-snap charting from Pro Football Focus, backup left guard Nick Easton was the best Saints player on offense. Their grading system credited him with an 83.5 overall mark (third-best in the league this week, going into Monday Night Football) and a no-hitter in pass protection, with 37 snaps logged against the Buccaneers pass rush but no quarterback pressures allowed. Easton’s aggressiveness on run plays was a big part of New Orleans’ success, with the veteran often moving the man across from him before advancing to the second level.
Fans couldn’t have hoped for a better NFL debut for Easton in black and gold, especially given his lack of playing-time so far. Easton signed a four-year, $22.5 million contract with the Saints in the spring but had only played a handful of snaps on special teams going into Week 11. An unfortunate injury to starting left guard Andrus Peat opened the door for Easton to get on the field.
There was some debate among fans about who would start in Peat’s place, though Easton was the popular pick. The doubt surrounded his lack of appearances going into Sunday’s game. Easton was a healthy scratch in six of the Saints’ first nine games, with backups Will Clapp and Patrick Omameh ahead of him on the depth chart. Clapp and Omameh have the versatility to play both guard and tackle (and Clapp has proven he can hold it down at center in a pinch), but Easton’s limitations at guard and center kept him on the bench until the Saints needed him.
And they’re happy to have him. Saints coach Sean Payton can be counted among the group that was impressed by Easton’s performance, saying after the game, “He has been getting a lot of practice reps, but there wasn’t a lot of discussion. We felt like he was going to be the starting left guard. That gave us the ability to keep Will Clapp in his role. Nick [Easton] has played a lot of football in our league — he has started a lot of games. I am anxious to see the film because I think he played pretty well.”
Peat is going to be out about five more weeks while recovering from surgery on his broken arm, so that gives Easton plenty of opportunities to make plays for New Orleans. If he keeps up the pace he started with against Tampa Bay, he might just hold onto the starting job if Peat leaves in free agency in the offseason.
Most NFL teams have six weeks left in the NFL season (excluding the Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers, who play on Monday night). With just a handful of games left, the AFC’s hunt for a first-round bye may not be all that competitive. But the wild card should be fierce, even if it’s likely to boast teams with worse records (and worse talent) than the hunt happening in the NFC, which is intensely competitive from top to bottom. The NFC West, in particular, has been fun to watch. The division probably boasts three playoff-worthy teams. (Yes, even the struggling Los Angeles Rams are OK, even if they’re not quite as good as last season.)
Here’s a look at the current NFL playoff picture, with a focus on who or what matters most to each team after Week 11.
1. New England Patriots (9-1)
Week 12: vs. Dallas
Who matters most: Cornerback Stephon Gilmore.
The Patriots (best?) defensive player has allowed Bill Belichick tremendous schematic flexibility for the last two seasons. But the Patriots coach has flexed it more than ever in this 2019 season, with an Amoeba defense that has given fits to everyone but Lamar Jackson. Even Tom Brady admitted on Monday morning that the Patriots defense is the strength of the team — and it shows. Gilmore is the most important player on that defense. He’s a shutdown corner, who can erase a top receiver. In Week 11, he took Zach Ertz on third downs, and the Eagles went 3 of 13 on third-down conversions.
2. Baltimore Ravens (8-2)
Week 12: at L.A. Rams
What matters most: Lamar Jackson’s arm.
Much has been made of Jackson’s speed. But those who think that he can’t pass aren’t watching the games. And those who think he hasn’t been passing as well in recent weeks, again, aren’t watching the games. He did struggle against the Seattle Seahawks. But Jackson has been brilliant with a small sample size, in an era where most quarterbacks make their money off volume. Jackson doesn’t need to “get into a rhythm.” With a flick of the wrist, Jackson can deliver a beauty, even on a drive when the Ravens run the ball four times and pass just twice.
His keg-stand celebration is all that matters — ever. Nelson served as a fullback, and got a touchdown in Week 11 (and let’s just ignore the fact that touchdown didn’t end up counting). The Colts offensive line has been stellar in 2019. Nelson is the spirit animal of that line: tough, athletic, versatile. His unspoken chemistry with his teammates (demonstrated during the keg stand) is noteworthy.
Week 12: (still have MNF to play, then) vs. Raiders
What matters most: An improved secondary.
At this time last season, Kansas City’s most glaring flaw was their secondary. They couldn’t defend the 2019 version of Jared Goff, let alone the 2018 version. But this season, Kansas City boasts the ninth-best passing defense (221.4 yards passing yards allowed per game). We’ve seen huge steps forward with strong play from defensive backs Charvarius Ward, Juan Thornhill, Tyrann Mathieu and Bashaud Breeland. Mahomes hasn’t had to throw for over 500 yards per game, because the Chiefs aren’t allowing over 500 passing yards per game.
5. Buffalo Bills (7-3)
Week 12: vs. Denver
What matters most: Their schedule.
The Miami Dolphins and New York Jets have taken turns looking like the worst team in the NFL. And the Cincinnati Bengals are right there with them. So it helps that the Bills have five games against those three putrid teams. Because of that easy schedule, they are probably the least talked-about playoff team, except for when people say, “Yeah but they probably actually stink.” The truth is that they’ll probably make the playoffs because of that schedule. We’ll see once/if they’re in the postseason whether they deserve to be there.
6. Houston Texans (6-4)
Next up: vs. Indianapolis
What matters most: The Raiders/Steelers/Titans/Browns.
The Ravens embarrassed Houston, which sure seems like it isn’t a playoff-caliber squad. So if the Texans aren’t going to take their postseason fate into their own hands, they’ll have to watch what else happens at the bottom end of the AFC’s playoff hunt.
Still chasing
Oakland Raiders (6-4): I’ll tell you what man, Jon Gruden can coach. Knock on wood if you’re with me.
Pittsburgh Steelers (5-5): A loss to the Browns showed they’re still not a playoff-worthy team — yet. There’s still time for improvement.
1. San Francisco 49ers (9-1)
Week 12: vs. Green Bay
Who matters most: Kyle Shanahan.
He is low-key looking like Sean McVay did last season. Maybe Shanahan doesn’t list off every player on the opponents roster (which wasn’t that cool anyway). Maybe Shanahan doesn’t need a get-back coach (which, again, wasn’t that cool anyway). But Shanahan’s offensive innovation has been superb, with an unstoppable running game that band-aids Jimmy Garoppolo’s shortcomings. (The defense is also really, really good.)
2. Green Bay Packers (8-2)
Week 12: at San Francisco
What matters most: This photo of a bro-hug.
That is all.
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images
3. New Orleans Saints (8-2)
Week 12: vs. Carolina
Who matters most: Sean Payton.
He is to Bill Belichick what Peyton Manning was to Tom Brady. Payton has long been deserving of the Head Coach of the Year award. He’s supremely talented. But Belichick always gets the media’s argument for he’s-won-it-but-still-deserves-it angle. And then someone else wins it. Payton’s Saints have just two losses despite losing Drew Brees for five games. He’s good at this, folks. We give him plenty of credit, but maybe still not enough.
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-4)
Week 12: at New England
What matters most: Receiver Randall Cobb’s back-to-back 100 yard games.
In the larger playoff picture, Cobb doesn’t matter much. What matters is that the Cowboys passing offense is productive enough to support three productive receivers. Even in a game when Amari Cooper (3 catches, 38 yards) struggled to produce in Week 11, Cobb and Michael Gallup stepped up. The Cowboys offense has proven it can keep up with just about any offense in the NFL.
5. Seattle Seahawks (8-2)
Week 12: at Philadelphia
Who matters most: Russell Wilson.
Wilson has shown in past years he needs no support, but this season, the Seahawks may be overusing Wilson’s supporting cast at running back. Pete Carroll seems to be taking the ball out of Wilson’s hands too much in an MVP-caliber season. Wilson has been brilliant, even with Carroll limiting the amount Wilson gets to throw. The Seahawks WILL establish the run, even if it would probably easier to just let Wilson do his thing.
6. Minnesota Vikings (8-3)
Week 12: at Seattle (after the bye)
What matters most: Their 20-point deficit against the Broncos.
Yes, the Vikings won, 27-23, after falling into a 20-0 hole in the first half. I get that it’s impressive that they came back from that deficit. But why did they fall into that hole to begin with? I am as dubious about the Vikings as I am about the Bills. Minnesota runs well, defends well and — when Stefon Diggs is involved — passes well. Am I crazy to think think they don’t do those things well enough to win a playoff game?
Still chasing
Los Angeles Rams (6-4): Jared Goff seems to matter most to this team. When he’s incompetent, they struggle to win games.
Philadelphia Eagles (5-5): They gave New England a run for their money, but Bill Belichick eked out what he felt like was a “fun” win. (Lane Johnson, you mad, bro?)
Carolina Panthers (5-5): Kyle Allen isn’t good. Four interceptions in one game isn’t good.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans talked in the locker room yesterday about the bizarre PI penalty against the Saints.
The Bucs fell to the Saints yesterday, 34-17, in a game that saw some sloppy and bizarre football all around.
Quarterback Jameis Winston had four interceptions and a fumble (recovered by Bucs). Two of those picks, however, weren’t entirely his fault, especially the one he threw to tight end O.J. Howard.
Regardless of who’s to blame, though, the fact remains that Tampa Bay is just 3-7 now after Week 11’s loss, which was filled with turnovers and poor officiating, especially that bizarre pass interference call against Mike Evans in the fourth quarter on a crucial fourth-and-1. Winston hit Evans for a six-yard gain, but refs called the receiver for offensive pass interference. Bruce Arians challenged the call, but lost.
As for Arians, well, he had only this to say about the refs:
“I have no comments on officiating. They already wrote up the letter on my fine. You guys saw it. You write what you saw. I’m not saying anything about the officials.”
Arians has clearly learned his lesson from the last time he blasted officials. Following the team’s Week 8 loss to the Tennessee Titans — in which a bogus call negated a fumble recovery and go-ahead touchdown by the Bucs — Arians lit up the officials, calling for more accountability.
While it’s of little to no consolation for the Bucs, this new pass interference (replay) controversy is an issue around the league, not just for them.
