By Ross Jackson
After a performance etched into the history books, the NFL decided to make the incorrect choice for defensive player of the week for Week 1’s action. Alontae Taylor felt like the obvious decision after becoming the first defensive back in New Orleans Saints history to record three sacks in a single game.
In fact, per Pro Football Reference, he was the first cornerback to do so in their tracking history. The last defensive back to record three sacks in a Week 1 matchup was NFL Hall of Famer Rodney Harrison in 1998. That is not bad company to be in for Taylor, whose performance certainly is not diminished by not receiving the NFL’s weekly honor.
For that matter, there should be no reduction of Chicago Bears defensive back Tyrique Stevenson who did receive the selection instead. Stevenson added four tackles and a pair of pass breakups to his pick-6 that ended up helping the Bears win their opener despite a lack of offensive production.
However, this one seemed like it should have been in the bag for Taylor, who is currently tied atop the NFL’s sack charts. Especially considering his success in coverage to pair with the pass rush. Per PFF, Taylor allowed just a 50% completion percentage and notched a pass breakup in the process.
While the slot cornerback is unlikely to repeat this performance against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 2, perhaps he can make a push for the second week’s acknowledgement with another strong game.
