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Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson's lockdown performances were key in Panthers grounding of Saints passing offense

Matt Alquiza

Bob Donnan-Imagn Images
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The Carolina Panthers defense has been much maligned in recent weeks. Career days from Bo Nix and Caleb Williams compounded by relentless rushing attacks from Atlanta and Washington have left the Panthers looking like they only had 10 players on defense for most of their recent outings. All of that changed on Sunday when Derek Carr and the New Orleans saints marched into town.

Boundary corners Mike Jackson and Jaycee Horn were notably stellar on Sunday afternoon. In fact, according to ESPN's Seth Walder, the dynamic duo did something he can't ever recall seeing.

Horn and Jackson shut down the Saints passing game

Talk about having a Sunday. New Orleans was without both of their top receiving targets for most of the afternoon (Rashid Shaheed is on IR, and Chris Olave was carted off with a scary head injury), but NFL competition is NFL competition, and the Panthers cornerback pairing shut it down at Bank of America Stadium. In fact, the Saints passing offense did everything they could to keep the ball away from the Panthers number one defensive back Jaycee Horn.

Defensive back dominance

According to NFL Pro, Horn was only targeted one time on Sunday afternoon. The film bears it out: New Orleans did everything in their power to funnel the ball away from the Panthers' elite defensive back. Horn has been stellar since the Panthers' first matchup against the Saints when he was the nearest defender on the first (of many) New Orleans touchdowns that afternoon.

On the other side of the field, Mike Jackson had the defense's most important play of the day. On the last offensive snap that New Orleans ran Jackson was in single press coverage against Cedrick Wilson, on an island with the game on the line. The veteran defensive back locked up Wilson, swatting the ball away, ultimately delivering the Panthers their first home win of the season.

The pairing of Horn and Jackson has been a bright spot in an otherwise dreary season for the Panthers defense. Horn, a fifth year player out of the University of South Carolina, is playing for a contract this season, and his week-to-week performance (and more importantly, health) is continuing to add to his pay day.

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Matt Alquiza
MATT ALQUIZA

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