Bryce Young just can’t seem to shake the New Orleans Saints-and there’s one defender in particular who’s been a consistent thorn in his side: Alontae Taylor.
The Saints cornerback has made a habit of showing up in a big way whenever he lines up across from the Carolina Panthers, and especially when he’s facing Young. While Taylor downplays any personal rivalry, his track record tells the story of a player who knows exactly how to disrupt Carolina’s offensive rhythm.
“I think I just prepare the right way,” Taylor said this week. “I feel very comfortable knowing their receivers.
I feel very comfortable with knowing their scheme, knowing their formations. And (I’m) just very confident in our defensive calls.”
That familiarity is translating into production. Since 2022, Taylor has stacked up 29 tackles, six tackles for loss, three sacks, and a pick against the Panthers.
Those numbers aren’t just eye-catching-they’re disruptive. And when it comes to Bryce Young specifically, Taylor’s impact becomes even more apparent.
According to Pro Football Focus, Young has a passer rating of 75.1 when targeting Taylor-completing 23 of 35 passes for 174 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. That’s actually better than Young’s overall rating against the Saints (61.1 over five matchups), but the numbers don’t tell the whole story. Taylor has consistently made plays in crucial moments that don’t always show up in the box score.
Take last month’s meeting, for example. With the game hanging in the balance, Taylor came up with a fourth-quarter interception that flipped momentum and set up a game-sealing touchdown for New Orleans.
Earlier in that same game, he stuffed a third-and-1 attempt that killed a promising Panthers drive. These are the kinds of plays that swing games-and Taylor keeps making them.
And let’s not forget last season’s opener, when Taylor sacked Young three times. That’s not a stat line you expect from a cornerback, but it speaks to how the Saints use him creatively and how disruptive he can be when he’s locked in.
Young, the No. 1 overall pick in 2023, is just 1-4 against New Orleans in his young career. That’s not the kind of start you want against a division rival, and Taylor has had a lot to do with that.
Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley put it best: “There’s some intangibles with that, where sometimes you just play well against a team and you feel it go the right way. You’re one game away from feeling humbled in this league-I know that as well.
All of us. You’ve just got to take that for what it’s worth.
“But Alontae, when he’s played at his best… is when he keeps it simple, when he plays his game, when he stays within himself because then the quality really shows up to everybody.”
Taylor doesn’t need to talk trash or chase headlines-his play does the talking. And if history is any indication, he’ll be ready to speak loud and clear again this Sunday.