.@Saints @Mathieu_Era career is as strong as ever…All he does is lineup every Sunday and enforces the middle of the field and will take all of your gifts to help the offense. #whodat #BaldysBreakdowns pic.twitter.com/kXwq6ORDHm
— Brian Baldinger (@BaldyNFL) November 29, 2023
NFL analyst Brian Baldinger is known for his enthusiasm and keen eye, and he knows a great player when he sees one. The New Orleans Saints may have fallen short against the Atlanta Falcons last week but Baldinger made time to talk up Tyrann Mathieu’s performance.
The 11th-year safety is still making plays. Mathieu did his part to help the Saints compete in Atlanta by twice intercepting quarterback Desmond Ridder and coming through with some much-needed stops in the secondary.
“He’s still doing this kind of stuff,” Baldinger said, focusing on a touchdown-saving tackle against Falcons running back Cordarrelle Patterson, who had just bowled over one of Mathieu’s teammates. “He just finishes these plays. He’s always been an excellent tackler.”
Baldinger pointed to a big hit on tight end Kyle Pitts later in the game — which is no small feat considering Pitts outweighs Mathieu by about 60 pounds. Pitts didn’t catch another pass throughout the game.
And then there were the interceptions. As Baldinger put it, Mathieu was in the right place at the right time to make a play: “32 career interceptions, 150 starts. What a player. What a career.”
Mathieu has been a great signing for the Saints since he came home to New Orleans. Hopefully the team can do a better job capitalizing on the opportunities he’s giving their offense with these takeaways and stops in the open field. It would be a shame to waste his efforts in the twilight of his career.
