Forgive me for the carnage that is about to follow but I think we should talk about one of the patriot game threads third rails... Defensive backs looking or not looking back for the football. I'm not as technically equipped/savy to get fancy screen shots of the game in here nor am I as well versed in the finer details behind the Xs and Os but I'd like to tee up the conversation.
Couple things to try to keep us grounded:
1. No one thinks that it's realistic or even possible for a DB to get his head around on every play
2. No one thinks thinks that a DB should never look back for the football
3. On his very best day Kyle Arrington is at best a league average corner but his average play is below replacement level.
4. The patriots are not always successful at getting their heads around even when they have good position, there is a margin of error.
I think a lot of the backlash in the game threads comes from a difference of opinion about when a defender is capable of turning around to look for the ball vs when it's not realistic due mostly to his position or angle to the play. Basically it's a difference of opinion on when a defender is already beat or not.
My reasoning is that once a receiver is a half step/step in front of the defender then the proper technique is to basically play the man not the ball. On e you are beat you are beat, turning around to look for the ball is going to lead to more negative then positive consequences.
I am going to throw out some examples from the 4th quarter of today's game.
Dennard ran down the sideline stride for stride with a WR he was in perfect position, he looked up with the receiver and made a play on the ball. Great play, great technique.
Cotchery's TD against Ryan. Cotchery was within arms length but had a step on Ryan. If he turned his head around maybe he gets an arm on the ball. But from a chase position he runs the risk of cotchery cutting inside of him while he isn't looking for an easier TD. Ryan's only play is to try to keep himself between the receiver and the ball and hope that the QB is not perfectly accurate.
Now I want to touch the real hard one. Cotcherys TD against Arrington. Cotchery is running what looks like a post towards the left goal post. He has Arrington beat. He is a stride to half a stride in front of him. Rapist could have tried to throw on to the goalpost and cotchery would have had a play on the ball. Instead he threw it to the open space at the right goal post. It was kind of like a back shoulder throw. Cotchery adjusted and made the catch. I'm not sure what else Arrington could have done after he was already beat but trail the WR and try to force the more difficult throw to the left goalpost. I don't know what he gains by looking back at the QB there considering the position he was in.
Please someone correct me if I'm wrong here but I don't see what a lot of you are asking for once a WR is past a DB but not necessarily wide open.
Happy fighting.
Couple things to try to keep us grounded:
1. No one thinks that it's realistic or even possible for a DB to get his head around on every play
2. No one thinks thinks that a DB should never look back for the football
3. On his very best day Kyle Arrington is at best a league average corner but his average play is below replacement level.
4. The patriots are not always successful at getting their heads around even when they have good position, there is a margin of error.
I think a lot of the backlash in the game threads comes from a difference of opinion about when a defender is capable of turning around to look for the ball vs when it's not realistic due mostly to his position or angle to the play. Basically it's a difference of opinion on when a defender is already beat or not.
My reasoning is that once a receiver is a half step/step in front of the defender then the proper technique is to basically play the man not the ball. On e you are beat you are beat, turning around to look for the ball is going to lead to more negative then positive consequences.
I am going to throw out some examples from the 4th quarter of today's game.
Dennard ran down the sideline stride for stride with a WR he was in perfect position, he looked up with the receiver and made a play on the ball. Great play, great technique.
Cotchery's TD against Ryan. Cotchery was within arms length but had a step on Ryan. If he turned his head around maybe he gets an arm on the ball. But from a chase position he runs the risk of cotchery cutting inside of him while he isn't looking for an easier TD. Ryan's only play is to try to keep himself between the receiver and the ball and hope that the QB is not perfectly accurate.
Now I want to touch the real hard one. Cotcherys TD against Arrington. Cotchery is running what looks like a post towards the left goal post. He has Arrington beat. He is a stride to half a stride in front of him. Rapist could have tried to throw on to the goalpost and cotchery would have had a play on the ball. Instead he threw it to the open space at the right goal post. It was kind of like a back shoulder throw. Cotchery adjusted and made the catch. I'm not sure what else Arrington could have done after he was already beat but trail the WR and try to force the more difficult throw to the left goalpost. I don't know what he gains by looking back at the QB there considering the position he was in.
Please someone correct me if I'm wrong here but I don't see what a lot of you are asking for once a WR is past a DB but not necessarily wide open.
Happy fighting.