With pressure defenses evolving in the NFL, they are a bonus. Matt Bowen
Is there such a thing as a “lockdown corner” in the NFL outside of a few select players? And, do defenses even need to have a player of that caliber to be successful and produce?
I still lean to three names when talking about the true cover corners in today’s game: Darrelle Revis of the Jets, Nnamdi Asomugha of the Raiders and Champ Bailey of the Broncos. Top tier talent that can eliminate an opposing offense’s No.1 WR, allow the deep middle of the field safety to lean to the opposite hash in certain Cover 1 schemes and force offensive coordinators to script their game plan to compensate for their abilities.
They are rare, and in today’s game, they are also complete players. We aren’t talking about a Deion Sanders type here. Instead players that can tackle, set the edge of the defense and become part of the blitz front in certain situations. Plus, they display technique that we usually only see on teaching tape and in coaching clinics around the country.
However, defenses have changed in the NFL. The Tampa 2, the zone teams, are a dying breed. Yes, every club still plays a form of Cover, 2, Cover 3 and even some Cover 4 in the red zone, but the focus has shifted. Pressure is the No.1 goal in the NFL today, and with pressure comes accountability from the secondary. Regardless of the 3-4 or 4-3 front, pressure is king.
But, you don’t need a corner with the skills of the Jets' Revis to pressure. Just yesterday I broke down a complex blitz scheme from the Saints defensive playbook under Gregg Williams—a coordinator who uses pressure as a weapon. Does he have the best talent at CB? Not really. Solid play and accountability, but not a player who can take away a Randy Moss or Larry Fitzgerald every snap.
Defensive schemes in the NFL have shifted to the point where corners don’t have to cover routes that have three different breaks. With six and seven-man pressures (and even eight-man pressure at times), corners can react faster, take more chances and rely on the pressure to allow them to make plays. You can get by with second tier players at the position because of this.
Does that mean that a player like Bailey isn’t wanted or isn’t a big part of the game plan? No, but I would call them a luxury. A great thing to have (for big money) that can create endless possibilites, but they aren’t a necessity to play winning defense.
Not many players out there that we can call “lockdown corners” anymore, but that won’t stop the defenses of this league from attacking. The ball has to come out quickly, and corners are talking advantage of it.
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Good post Matt.... Maybe Lovie will read it and the Bear can stop playing that soft Cover 2 and actually go after some teams this year.
Good article Matt. The current trend is toward pressure DEF after the success PIT and others had a couple years ago. The same was true after CHI won the SB in '85. The trend is toward pressuring the QB and having to cover only 2-3 seconds on most plays, which allows for lesser quality CBs.
The one problem with this logic is that there aren't enough quality rushers and S around for every team to employ a pressure scheme. PIT gave up a lot of big plays without Polamalu last year and had to back off of their pressure scheme.
So shut downs are necessary for a majority of teams. And like with 1985, someone like Bill Walsh will develop or move to a West Coast style get rid of the ball quick scheme that negates the pressure. Then teams will switch out of pressure schemes and shut down corners will be needed again.
So, I don't think they ever go away. There just are never enough guys that fit the role for GMs.
Remember the 01 Pats? Shut down the greatest show on turf with a couple mediocre CBs who only needed to jam at the line long enough for the rest of the D to take care of business.
Based on Matt's portrayal of the effects of pressure scheming, one may be able to argue that Asomugha should be given even more credit than he gets, especially compared to Revis. Unlike Revis, Asomugha's front seven gets no pressure to speak of. He doesn't have Rex Ryan's creative blitz packages. This isn't to take anything away from Revis who is simply phenomenal at what he does. However, his job is made that much easier due to the Jets scheme.
Even though I'm a huge Woodson fan, I waver on whether he should be included here only because he's rarely asked to take on an opponent's top receiver one-on-one. I think he should certainly be considered, especially given the Packers reliance on man schemes and lack of pressure packages prior to this past season--Woodson was just as phenomenal then. However, when both he and Al Harris are on the field, Harris typically draws the opponents #1 (allowing Woodson freedom to cover the slot, blitz, and do all the great stuff he does). However, whenever he's been asked to take out the opponent's #1, Woodson does it effectively (see: TO and Reggie Wayne 2008, Jason Witten and Calvin Johnson 2009), the lone exception being against Fitzgerald in the playoff game, though one could argue that Fitzgerald's two TDs came on offensive PI.
Good stuff. I have been having this debate for a while about the impact of guys like Ed Reed and Troy P. and how the rule changes have shifted the value from cover C to cover S with the range and ball skills to make the cover 1 blitzes work.
Revis is a great CB, but the way Rex sends teh front 7 and secondary at teh QB on every pass down, he only has to cover for like 2.5 seconds and he knows it so he can anticipate routes and not worry much about double moves and intricate patterns.
The Raider and Bronco defenses have been decent at times with the top 2 CBs in the NFL, you would think they would have had units more like the Ravens and Steelers if the CB value was as high as the playmaking S, who is a lot harder to avoid.
You can take away the #1 WR 1 on 1 and still get carved up. The key is pressure and confusion on the QBs and OL. 2,5 seconds vs 3.5 where almost any WR will get open.
Great article! The Bears D in '85, The Ravens D in 2000, and the Bucs in '03 didn't have a "shutdown" corner. Yet those defense are 3 of the best defenses of all time, because as the writer stated, pressure was the key.
Recent Super Bowl winners haven't had shut down corners either.
It has ALWAYS been around pressure. Champ Bailey is still great for my Broncos and will look even better if our front 7 gets consistent pressure on the quarterback. Come on Darrell Reid, I love you and we were both born on June 20, 1982 but STEP YOUR GAME UP. The same goes for Mario Haggan, Wesley Woodyard, etc. Doom is going to wreak havoc on the quarterback again and with Justin Bannan and Jamal Williams, the Denver D-line could be impenetrable!
Great article! The Bears D in '85, The Ravens D in 2000, and the Bucs in '03 didn't have a "shutdown" corner. Yet those defense are 3 of the best defenses of all time, because as the writer stated, pressure was the key.
I agree, and the same argument could be made for elite QB's as none of the aforementioned Super Bowl Champs had what anyone would consider an elite QB.
Revis played cover 2 in college for Wanny. That's why I thought his game had upside, he was always good at playing the line of scrimmage and jumping routes or coming up on tackles. He had the game to turn and run with anyone and could pair speed and quickness with his phsyicality.
@ Jay, the Raiders front 4 might have been a lot of things last year but they did rank near the top of the NFL in sacks and pressure by a front 4.
Matt - talk here in the Rockies is that Champ wants to potentially retire a Bronco best way to do that is after this year he's a free agent - switch him over to safety - and quite honestly while most consider him a "lockdown/shutdown" whatever name you wanna apply to his coverage skills, those of us that have watched him over the years are equally impressed with the man's tackiling skills as a CB - never have seen another corner make quality sure handed tackles as Champ does consistently and the Steelers Woodson made the conversion successfully and athletically would compare the two favorably - this of course would also allow the Bronco's to resign Champ at a slightly more manageable rate as well...obviously this would either necessitate Dawkins retirement if that's the case or if Dawkins still is playing to a level to stay on the field then those two could be very nice paired - what's your opinion on that viewpoint Mr. Bowen...
BTW Matt - your opine while very important in my world is the second most important opinion with the other guys coincidentally rhyming with your's - a certain Mr. Bowlen...
Matrixnov-
I agree with you on Champ. One of the best tackling corners I have ever played with or watched on tape. He can make the switch to safety and still have an impact....
In short, the answer is absolutely not. Who are the memorable starters on recent Super Bowl winners?
Corey Webster, Bryant McFadden, Jason David, Nick Harper, Andre Dyson, Deshea Townsend, Randall Gay, Tyrone Poole. Reggie Howard, Tory James
Invest the precious coins elsewhere.
The point of the game is not to shut down the other team's #-1 WR; it's to win the Super Bowl. The league's true#-1s rarely make it to that game, and even when they do, they are often on the loser. Units win Super Bowls.
Matt, your usually on top of things but you really missed when you said Williams doesn't have some talent at CB to work with. When Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter were in the starting lineup they held opposing QB's to a QB rating of under 80 all but once when they let Manning get to an 88 in the Super Bowl. And it should be noted that Manning's only TD came against Usama Young when Greer suffered a stinger and had to miss a play. When those 2 were out of the lineup, New Orleans pass defense suffered greatly.
@ Johnny Z, I wasn't aware Jason David was on a Super Bowl team. The last I heard of him the Saints cut him during preseason. I know this totally discredits your argument but you should have mentioned Jabari Greer and Tracy Porter. I'm sure you remember Porter, he's the guy who picked off Manning in the Super Bowl. Good CB's make up good units, and like you said units win Super Bowls.
When you say that a team doesn't need an elite CB to win a title, this is true... but a team doesn't need an elite ANYTHING to win a Superbowl. While it's rare to win it all without having an elite QB it's certainly possible (Ravens with Dilfer, Giants with Eli).
There is no position that you can list that is an absolute necessity for winning a title. Take ILB for example... of the past 10 Superbowl champions how many had an elite ILB? 2 if you include James Farrior, but more realistically 1... Ray Lewis.
Does that mean having an Elite ILB like Patrick Willis is a "luxury item"? According to Matt's definition it does.
So cross ILB off the list of needs, right along with CB. What else? Oh... Matt lists pass rushers... hmm... lets see... who has the most sacks over the past 4 years?
DeMarcus Ware - No Title
Jared Allen - No Title
Aaron Kampman - No Title
Trent Cole - No Title
John Abraham - No Title
Guess pass-rusher must also be a "luxury item" since have an elite pass rusher leads you to.... no Superbowl titles...
But there is another option, oh yes, and that's to accept the fact that there is no silver bullet. There is no 1 position that is a must (arguable QB, but otherwise no). Can you win a title without an Elite CB? Yes. Without an Elite ILB? Yes. Without an Elite Pass Rusher? Yes. Without an Elite Left Tackle, Elite Runningback, Elite Wide Receiver, Elite Safety? Yes, Yes, Yes, and Yes.
What you need to focus on is having a team that fits and works together, rather than focusing on which position is a "luxury" position and which position is a "must"; because NO positions are an absolute must, and all positions can be a luxury position. Accept the fact that you can't zero in on a single position as a reason for anything and maybe you'll recognize that it's a team working together that matters... while little else does.
Jack, Jason David started for three seasons for the Colts and managed to be a pretty solid contributor on a pretty good defense. Matt may be able to explain his success at Indy and his failure in New Orleans. For whatever reason, he performed well enough in Indy's system to get a ring. I remember watching a New Orleans game in which Jason David appeared to be the worst CB in the history of the world, and yet, as a starter for the Colts at RCB, he played in three postseason campaigns, and I believe is 5 and 2 with one Super Bowl ring.
I think the Saints CBs are pretty good.
@Johnny Z, my apologies, I thought you were referring to David when he was with the Saints. I think the biggest difference with David between the Colts and the Saints is the amount of zone the Colts run as compared to the Saints. David was horribly inept in man-to-man coverage but like you said was pretty decent in zone. I'm surprised he hasn't caught on with another NFL team, even the Colts didn't bring him back when they had their rash of injuries last year. Last I heard he was working in a shoe store or something.
good post!!Thanks for your suggestion!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jul 07, 2010
07:43 AM
Charles Woodson also deserves mention. Had his agents not been so difficult he could have been part of what would perhaps be the best ever modern pairing at the position. At least since since the Raiders had Mike Haynes and Lester Hayes.
Love the pic Nnamdi on the line of scrimmage. Low base, make the guy step over your frame and when he does you can get under with leverage and direct where he goes as you turn hips out of your stance.