Horton made his presence known as he took over the starting safety role from Doughty. He had two interceptions one of which closed the door on a Saints final drive on the game and sealed the win, as well as, a fumble recovery. Doughty was out sick with a stomach bug and couldn't start.
Although Doughty is an inspirational and great story in the NFL his best fit on the team would be a nickel or dime defensive back in a reserved role. He's more like a cagey veteran in the way he prepares and performs. He doesn't have blazing speed or the ability to land bone crushing hits (like the Md defense vs. Cal) but he's learned where he needs to be even if he's a half step slow.
Horton has better speed and has a more imposing physique to jar the ball loose when hitting someone. Horton ultimately has more upside, but his weaknesses haven't had a chance to be exploited yet either. The good news is appears similar to the days or Richie Pettibone's defense when players could be shuttled in depending upon down and distance. Remember the days of Milot, Kaufmann, Coleman, Murphy, and Neil Olkewicz?
The real pressure in on LaRon Landry. He's proven that he's excellent in both run stopping and pass defense situations. He must now learn to cover for the deficiencies of his partners.
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