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What’s up Who Dats!? Heading into the 2016 season, I had Saints rookie wide receiver Michael Thomas pegged as an X-Factor candidate.
Thomas has established himself as the No. 2 offensive stud, second only to Drew Brees. Many were fooled by Thomas’ second-round selection; the 2016 draft class was actually pretty deep at wide receiver. Thomas has already shown flashes of what’s to come, and it’s hard not to project a healthy career with him ending as the most productive receiver in Saints history.
Thomas has chipped in 51 catches on 69 targets for 613 yards and 5 touchdowns this season. His catches on the sideline are a thing of beauty, as he uses his hand strength to secure the football and THEN make a big stiff-arm on defenders to gain yards after the catch.
Early reports from Saints camp were filled with promise as the hype train surrounding "Can’t Guard Mike" began to leave the station. Given what we’ve all been able to see of the rookie, it’s hard not to imagine the potential greatness that awaits him as he is paired with Brees to start his career. While he’s stolen the show at times and often out-shined Brandin Cooks and Willie Snead, Thomas is not without fault.
Thomas is coming off of his worst game as a professional when he fumbled twice against the Denver Broncos and was the target on one of Brees’ interceptions as well. You could say the young man had a tough day at the office. Faced with adversity, now is the time to find out just what type of character accompanies his undeniable talents.
I trust my eyes on this player and I can foresee great things, given that he’s far exceeded expectations of most casual Saints fans. Tonight, against a division opponent on the road, in front of a national audience, we will all witness the ultimate bounce-back game. As long as Thomas is healthy and shows up focused on doing what has worked since he became a Saint, I wouldn’t be surprised if we see "Quiet Storm 2.0". Better yet, expect "Hurricane Mike ~ Cat 5" to ‘touch down’ in Carolina!
Well good people, you heard it here first, Michael Thomas will play lights out on Thursday Night Football! As always, thank you for reading and Be Cool Who Dats!