The New Orleans Saints offense started off hot, with quarterback Drew Brees and wide receiver Michael Thomas putting the first points up on the scoreboard in the opening drive. So it fell to the Saints defense to match their pace.
They were up to the challenge, and nobody emphasized that more than cornerback Marshon Lattimore. Lattimore knifed through a sea of New York Jets blockers to meet running back Ty Montgomery after a modest gain, but Lattimore didn’t just tackle his target — he kept fighting him, tearing the ball away from Montgomery as the two fell to the ground.
Somehow, Lattimore regained his footing and took off towards the end zone. But the Jets were able to force him out of bounds, sending him to the sideline with defensive end Cameron Jordan nearly carrying him as the defense celebrated. It was an electric play that put Lattimore’s rare playmaking ability on full display.
Lattimore has managed to make these big moments look routine. Over his first two years in the NFL, no other player has recorded five or more fumbles and five or more interceptions (Lattimore has seven) while recording 30 or more pass breakups. He’s become one of the NFL’s brightest, youngest stars at the position, and plays like this are exactly what the Saints need to make another deep playoffs push in 2019.
