6 rings: 3 matchups to watch in patriots vs. saints on sunday
Following two road contests, the 1-3 Patriots are back at home this weekend for a matchup against the 2-2 New Orleans Saints.
It’s Thursday, so let’s talk about the matchups. In this week’s edition of both WEEI.com’s and the 6 Rings and Football Things podcast’s crucial clashes, here are three key ones to keep an eye on during Sunday’s 1 p.m. kickoff at Gillette Stadium:
- Saints wide receivers vs. Patriots banged-up secondary
The Patriots secondary is banged up.
On Sunday, rookie cornerback suffered a torn labrum in his right shoulder according to WEEI.com, and he’ll have surgery “soon”, that will likely end his season according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.
Gonzalez’ injury adds to a laundry list of New England cornerbacks with ailments:
Jack Jones (hamstring)
Marcus Jones (shoulder)
Jonathan Jones (ankle)
To help said banged-up secondary, the Patriots traded for cornerback J.C. Jackson from the Chargers on Wednesday. Jackson started his career in New England when the team signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Maryland in 2018. He played four seasons in Foxborough, was an All-Pro in 2021, and tallied 17 interceptions over his final two campaigns with the team.
Heading into his 2022 free agency, Jackson signed a massive five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Los Angeles Chargers. He has, however, struggled in L.A. over the last 18 months both on the field and off the field. He’s played poor football, ruptured his patellar tendon, been a healthy scratch, and a warrant was issued for his arrest last week after he failed to appear at a court hearing in Massachusetts on traffic charges.
However things are, again, bleak in the cornerback room, so there’s a good chance Jackson will start right away this coming Sunday. He’ll join a room with (potentially) Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, and Shaun Wade.
This group will have their hands full as they line up against New Orleans wide receivers Chris Olave and Michael Thomas.
Olave, a 2022 first-round pick out of Ohio State, is the Saints leading receiver with 306 yards on 23 receptions this season. He was their lone 1,000-yard wide receiver in 2022 and is on pace to do the same this season.
Thomas, though he’s fallen off a bit as of late, was dominant for a four-year stretch to begin his career and is always a candidate to have himself a Sunday. That’s especially the case given the current state of the New England secondary.
- Bill Belichick vs. Dennis Allen
Sunday is a matchup between two coaches in Bill Belichick and Dennis Allen who are very much in different places in their careers, yet also at a similar crossroads.
Bill Belichick is 71, Dennis Allen is 51. Bill Belichick the greatest head coach of all time, Dennis Allen has a head coaching record of 16-38 (.296). Bill Belichick has eight Super Bowl rings, Dennis Allen has one.
Like I said, Different places.
Yet in 2023, Allen has a better record than Belichick and both could be considered on the “hot seat” heading into Week 5.
They’ve done a really good job with the team,” Belichick said on Wednesday of Allen and Saints general manager Mickey Loomis. “They’re well balanced. This is a solid team. Mickey [Loomis] and Dennis [Allen] have acquired a lot of players here to, say, compensate for some of the losses they’ve had. You know, drafted well. So, a really, really solid group here.”
Like Belichick, Allen’s specialty is defense. He was the secondaries coach when the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV, and he was their defensive coordinator for six years before taking over as head coach when Sean Payton decided to step away.
His lack of offensive experience is waning on his team, however, and is the reason he could be out of a job in short order. New Orleans is averaging just 15.5 points per game.
The matchup of defensive geniuses on Sunday is also a game of chicken between head coaches fighting for their coaching lives. We’ll see who ultimately comes out on top this weekend.
- Mac Jones vs. himself
The Patriots can beat this Saints team. They’re 2-2, but are coming off of two straight losses as they enter Foxborough on Sunday.
While their offense, as mentioned above, is struggling, their defense has some guys on it. cornerback Marshon Lattimore, Cameron Jordan, and Demario Davis are players at all three levels that you have to worry about, but Mac’s No. 1 battle on Sunday will be the one with himself.
“Just want to try and move forward,” the Patriots quarterback told WEEI’s Jones and Mego on Monday. “I’m glad we watched it but at the same time I’m excited to move on and go against the Saints.”
Mac had arguably the worst game of his career last Sunday. He completed just 12 of 21 attempts for 150 yards, turned the ball over three times, and was benched for his backup Bailey Zappe. He was then asked where his confidence is at on Wednesday:
“Confidence is something that comes from years of practice and it grows over time. I think that’s what I have to look back on is, I’ve played well at times and I’ve just got to be more consistent, so. I know it’s there, like I said just focus on my job, play by play, take the emotion out of it, and go out there and try and distribute the ball to the right people.”
Taking the emotion out of it, and just going and playing ball like he knows he can, should be first on Mac’s to-do list this Sunday.
Make sure to follow Mike on Twitter @mikekadlick, and follow @WEEI for the latest up-to-date Patriots and Boston sports news!
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