It wouldn’t be rivalry week without some pre-game trash talk.

Whether it was intentional or not, Alabama’s Cyrus Jones stirred the pot this week when asked about Auburn’s group of wide receivers.

“I don’t think they’re nothing special, honestly,” Jones said, according to AL.com. “But we still can’t overlook them. We’ve still got to prepare for them like we’re playing the best guys in our conference. I just think we have to come in there ready to do our job, which we do every weekend.”

Honesty followed by a back-handed compliment ending with team-based fact.

You’ll have to excuse Jones for being blunt. He’s coming off the best game of his career against Charleston Southern when he returned two punts for touchdowns and recovered a fumble. Jones is one of the headliners in a secondary that’s shown vast improvement this fall, a group that’s helped the Crimson Tide lead the SEC with 15 interceptions this season.

Alabama’s giving up just 187.2 yards passing per contest, nearly 40 yards less than last season’s average.

During last season’s Iron Bowl, Auburn quarterback Nick Marshall carved up Kirby Smart’s defense to the tune of 456 yards and three touchdowns. Deep threats Sammie Coates and Duke Williams are no longer with the team, but senior pass-catcher Ricardo Louis has emerged as a reliable No. 1.

One can assume this week’s tweet from Louis published on Monday is in reference to Jones’ pre-game commentary:

Saturday’s game can’t get here fast enough. Second-ranked Alabama (10-1) wraps up the SEC West with a victory, but a loss for the two-touchdown favorites likely squanders any shot at the College Football Playoff and could cost the Crimson Tide the West if Ole Miss beats Mississippi State.