Data provided by @ZebraTechnology for #NextGenStats showed us @CGJXXIII recorded the fastest sack of week 10 when he reached Nick Mullens in 2.84 seconds.#Fast
— Sean Payton (@SeanPayton) November 19, 2020
If you blinked during the New Orleans Saints’ win over the San Francisco 49ers last week, you probably missed Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s critical sack against 49ers quarterback Nick Mullens. And you might have missed it even if you were paying rapt attention: Gardner-Johnson’s takedown was the fastest sack of the NFL’s schedule of games in Week 10, per Zebra Technology.
And that stat was pointed out by none other than Saints coach Sean Payton, who has frequently talked up what he’s learned from partnering with Zebra Technology in the past. Their advanced analytics and on-field tracking devices have helped Payton and his staff shape their practice schedule and inform decisions about where players sometimes line up, and in this case provide proof to how impressive a play looked in action.
On 1st-and-10 from the 49ers’ own 19-yard line late in the third quarter, Gardner-Johnson lined up on the line of scrimmage to telegraph a blitz coming after Mullens. San Francisco did not adjust to the look, however, and rolled protection away from him once the ball was snapped — creating the easiest tackle of Gardner-Johnson’s career.
The second-year pro rushed after Mullens and send him crashing to the turf for a loss of six yards in just 2.84 seconds, leading to a punt from deep in San Francisco territory to end the possession. Already up 17-10 at the time, the Saints would go on to extend their lead on the following drive with a Wil Lutz field goal. They ended up winning 27-13.
It was an impressive moment for Gardner-Johnson and the Saints defense, proving he can help his team in different ways and that they can step up when called upon. Here’s hoping they can all build upon it moving forwards.
