“Every now and then you itch to make more than just tackles. You want to touch the football.” You’d be unsurprised to know it was New Orleans Saints team captain Tyrann Mathieu who made that statement.
The safety made his name as a playmaker and is one of those defenders who’s really an offensive guy at heart.
Mathieu was finally able to scratch that itch. Against the Atlanta Falcons, he came down with his first interception of the season since Week 3. It came at a pivotal time in the fourth quarter. He anticipated what was coming based on formation and Cousins’ tendencies. By the Falcon formation, Mathieu knew it wasn’t going to be anything deeper than a dig route. That also is one of the quarterback’s favorite routes.
“When we played those guys the first game, it was a lot of digs. Kirk Cousins is comfortable throwing that route when he needs a play,” Mathieu said.
With that in mind, Mathieu “sat at 15 (yards)“ and broke on the pass once he read it.
The Falcons needed a play, and they went for the dig. The Saints needed a play, and Tyrann Mathieu showed he still has a nose for the ball.
