Asking the tough questions: Lattimore & Cam Jordan (1 Viewer)

Players ebb and flow, it's rare to see elite level play game after game, season after season. How defenses and offenses call games also has something to do with it as well. I thought the defense noticeably improved this season. They were carrying the team the last several games of the season, so I can't really complain too much.

Cam had an excellent season and is super reliable. Not worried at all about him. Latt started a little slow, improved a good bit later in the season. It happens. Even the greats have slow starts. Nothing to really be too concerned with imo.

Don't forget the team had the top ranked rush defense for nearly the entire season and near the top of the league with 49 sacks. Tbh, we are spoiled, lol.

I agree. The defense has been the MVP of the team for the past 2 years. When was the last time we were able to say that?

As I stated earlier, Lattimore & Cam are the cornerstones of our defense. I was asking if anyone noticed that they were different compared to 2017.

A few months before Will Smith was murdered (RIP), he was interviewed on WWL and they asked him why he didn't have the same success in 2010 like he did in 2009. Smith stated that the front of the defense changed, and so did his responsibilities. So sometimes the philosophy can change and it has an impact on a player.
I think Sheldon Rankins is a perfect example of this. I was curious if Lattimore or Cam were impacted by this.
 
Lattimore's rookie season was so good that the bar was set exceptionally high. I did notice that he seemed to give up a LOT more this year. Now, I don't know for certain but I seemed to remember reading several times that his work-ethic slacked off because of his wild success in year one. Again, I DON'T KNOW IF THAT'S TRUE. But it was evident to me that he was beaten more in his sophomore year than his rookie year.

Cam is still great but he needs a consistent threat on the other side. I think with Davenport fully healthy next year and HOPEFULLY Rankins doing his thing fully healthy next year, we can all see how ridiculously good Cam is.

Unfortunately, I think it’s safe to assume Rankins won’t be playing in 2019.
 
I love Cam’s motor and leadership and I almost feel blasphemous in suggesting that Cam maybe a bit overrated as a pass rusher, lacking explosive speed. Unlike a prototypical speed rusher he gets a lot of sacks late in the play due to good coverage or flush from another DLineman.

Wait, what? So a sack late in the play doesn't count? In the NFL a Sack is Sack, I don't care how you get it.

He may lack explosive speed like Khalil Mack but the production is there. Just compare Mack's numbers this season to Jordan's in a "down year":

Khalil Mack - 12.5 Sacks, 18 QB Hits, 10 Tackles For Loss

Cam Jordan - 12 Sacks, 21 QB Hits, 18 Tackles For Loss
 
Lattimore: Has it appeared to anyone that Lattimore isn't as fast as he was in 2017? I've noticed a few times this year where some receivers simply out ran him. I don't really recall this being an issue in 2017. If so, is it due to his ankle that he had surgery on during the off season?

Jordan: Has Cam Jordan regressed in 2018 compared to 2017? If so, was it injury related or due to a style of change in the defense?

To be clear, I am not suggesting or saying that Cam & Lattimore or bad in any way. They are the cornerstone of our defense. I am just asking to see if anyone else has noticed this, or are my eyes playing tricks on me.
I think your eyes may be playing tricks, quite frankly.

But even if true, what would it change? Both are cornerstone players that have no peer ( and therefore no replacement) on this roster, even after the most feverish of forumite trade/draft scenarios.
 
I think your eyes may be playing tricks, quite frankly.

But even if true, what would it change? Both are cornerstone players that have no peer ( and therefore no replacement) on this roster, even after the most feverish of forumite trade/draft scenarios.
Mainly just observation.
 
The whole season? Why? What makes you say that? I can see him missing the start of the season and maybe not being back to form until the 2nd half of the schedule.
I think they projected him to come back towards the middle of next year. If true, it may take him an additional few weeks to get to where he left off (hopefully). So I can understand if the Saints is treating the position like he won't be available until 2020.
 
pretty sure it came out that Latt had an ankle injury. Outside of getting dusted by antonio brown he was pretty much lockdown second half of the season; and i'm not even sure the AB game was totally on him
 
My first reaction is why are you questioning what to do with the best 2 defensive players and the leader of the defense (Cam)?

My second is who exactly would you find that would adequately replace them? I think those are tougher questions than your original....
 
My first reaction is why are you questioning what to do with the best 2 defensive players and the leader of the defense (Cam)?

My second is who exactly would you find that would adequately replace them? I think those are tougher questions than your original....
I don't think you understood my question. My question was have either Cam or Lattimore regressed in 2018 compared to 2017. This had nothing to do with replacing them. As I mentioned, they are the cornerstone of our defense.
 
I think Lattimore's 2018 offseason was the reason that he did not match his 2017 All Pro performance. Hopefully, lesson learned.

A concern not discussed is Marcus Williams, who also did not play to his 2017 level.
 
I think Lattimore's 2018 offseason was the reason that he did not match his 2017 All Pro performance. Hopefully, lesson learned.

A concern not discussed is Marcus Williams, who also did not play to his 2017 level.
Good point.
I'm curious if the change in defensive philosophy took away his ability to roam the field? I am not 100% sure if that's the reason why his INTs were down.
 

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