A New Orleans Saints player fires a shot in Denver’s direction
Sep 19, 2023, 5:39 PM | Updated: 5:41 pm
The New Orleans Saints are one of the NFL’s nine 2-0 teams. And that has the Black and Gold feeling their collective oats — and, for Saints wide receiver Michael Thomas, lobbing a stray shot in the direction of the new team for which their former head coach works.
The connective tissue was running back Tony Jones Jr. The Broncos signed Jones in the offseason, but released him at the 53-player roster deadline.
Jones ran for two touchdowns in the Saints’ 20-17 win over the Carolina Panthers on Monday night. New Orleans signed Jones to its practice squad after the Broncos released him, then elevated him from its practice squad for each of its first two games.
He notched 34 yards and 2 touchdowns on 12 carries last night, which left Thomas jubilant.
“Even I told Tony, I said, ‘Man, when you’re on the field with me, when you’re on the field in a Saints jersey, man, you ain’t in Denver no more, man. You’re with the Saints. We move the chains,’ and that’s what I told him,” Thomas said to NewOrleans.Football.
“And when I told him that, he started moving it.”
Mike Thomas to Tony Jones Jr: “You ain’t in Denver no more man” pic.twitter.com/DhWTnNmMMW
— NOF (@nofnetwork) September 19, 2023
Of course, it’s worth noting that Payton’s Broncos have moved the chains and lit up the scoreboard more than the Broncos.
Yes, New Orleans is 2-0, whilst the Broncos languish at 0-2. But when it comes to offense and “moving the chains,” Sean Payton’s new unit in Denver is the more productive group. Denver has 13 more points than the Saints — 49 to 36 — and, to allude to the “move the chains” comment, Denver has 5 more first downs than the Saints’ 38.
Denver also averages greater than one point more per possession than the Saints — with a 2.88 average that towers over the Saints’ 1.71 PPP pace.
Certainly, the proof is in the pudding of the Broncos’ offensive results. By any reasonable metric, Denver’s offense is better than it was last year.
But as Thomas’ comment shows, it’ll take some time for the Broncos to change that perception.
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