Some readers are going to take this with derision. Others could argue rookie pass rusher Payton Turner should get the nod, and I’d tend to agree with them. But when reviewing the New Orleans Saints’ loss to the Carolina Panthers, only one player consistently stood out from start to finish with a strong case as their best player in the game: Blake Gillikin. The second-year pro joined the Saints with plenty of talent, and a year spent studying behind Thomas Morstead has served him well.
His first punt of the afternoon came from midfield, sending the ball 44 yards from New Orleans’ 49 yard line to be downed by Tony Jones Jr.