The Carolina Panthers are celebrating a rare victory. They dug deep to secure a much-needed divisional triumph over the New Orleans Saints, something that came with a demoralized reaction from their opponents on the back of a seventh-straight loss.
Concerns about coaching and acting out after the contest were rife with some of the most established figures in the Saints' locker room. They thought big things were coming after a 2-0 start. Things have completely unraveled since then and confidence has sapped almost entirely from this group of players along the way.
Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn claps back at Cam Jordan
Cam Jordan is among those who seem to be accepting their changed outlook. The defensive end was spotted petulantly refusing to go into the locker room before being talked around by quarterback Derek Carr. The Pro Bowl defensive end also took to social media to apologize to fans, taking a misguided swipe at the Panthers for good measure.
We just lost to the panthers… I love y’all New Orleans truly had higher expectations and the best of hopes for us, y’all deserve it.
— Cam Jordan (@camjordan94) November 3, 2024
This deluded statement missed the point entirely. Carolina's stud cornerback Jaycee Horn bit on the bait, burying the veteran with a harsh reality check that centered on the fact New Orleans has the same record as the lowly Panthers through nine games.
Don’t we got the same record or I’m trippin? Man watch out🤣 dubs! https://t.co/OSKIpeLwA8
— Jaycee Horn (@jayceehorn_10) November 3, 2024
The Panthers' social media also couldn't help but get in on the act with a hilarious response to Jordan in the post's immediate aftermath.
https://t.co/qGotCk73ro pic.twitter.com/Uo8XV3NPul
— Carolina Panthers (@Panthers) November 4, 2024
The truth hurts. This is not the Saints team that dominated the NFC South during the heydays of head coach Sean Payton and quarterback Drew Brees. They are swimming against the tide with a bunch of past prime players who are grossly overpaid.
Jordan fits this mold perfectly. His career accomplishments are there for all to see, but the player's powers are waning. The former first-round selection has a 49.8 pass-rush grade this season, ranked No. 173 of 191 qualifying edge defenders. His run-stopping grade of 44.7 from Pro Football Focus is even worse, placing him at No. 177 out of those eligible.
This immediately brings the phrase, 'People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones', to mind. The Panthers are being perceived in a bad light around the league, that's no secret. But the fact Jordan thinks the Saints are somehow superior based on this season's efforts is nothing short of asinine.
Considering the Saints' salary-cap predicament in 2025 - where they find themselves facing a $61.5 million black hole right now - one could make a strong case for the Panthers being in a better long-term position. Especially considering the encouraging impact being made by general manager Dan Morgan's first draft class and undrafted free agents such as Demani Richardson and Jalen Coker.
Jordan's bitterness burned brightly after this one. Unfortunately for the veteran, it doesn't change his team's reality.