PatsPropaganda

An Independent Patriots Blog

by

https://www.patspropaganda.com/8624/

The All-22: Teams are turning primary receivers into slot machines | Audibles – SI.com

by

The All-22: Teams are turning primary receivers into slot machines | Audibles – SI.com

Good stuff from one of the best out there, Doug Farrar. Really the terms “slot corner” and “slot recevier” have changed and are more play-to-play than player-to-player.

Admit it — if I say “slot receiver,” you probably think of Wes Welker, and why wouldn’t you? Welker has redefined the position as it’s grown in importance throughout the NFL with his uncanny command of option routes and short-area concepts. But there’s more to the slot role than a bunch of seven-yard slants these days. Victor Cruz of the New York Giants has become a new kind of speed slot receiver, putting safeties to the test with elite speed up the seam. Other teams have followed that paradigm, but the really interesting thing about the slot position these days is how many teams are taking their star receivers and putting them inside to create matchups that are nearly impossible for defenses to win.

I understand from the Christensen article that the Patriots are not ready to play man coverage with Logan Ryan in the line up. My question is: is he only a pure zone corner in the Devin McCourty mold? Or is it just the coaching staff opting to ease things up for him as he still is a rookie?

by

Yeah, I’d say more of the later, but still, certain guys like Dennard just have a knack to play man. Ryan still has a lot of development in front of him and believe me, there’s always a place for a smart zone corner who knows how to pattern read and jump routes (see Asante).

The biggest piece as I see it is Talib. The number one corner who can man up a number one receiver. If you’ve got one of those the trickle-down effect will be positive even if you have a bunch of corners behind him who are better zone guys.

Ultimately it’s about playing to your strengths, but I think if you have three good man corners like the Pats now have in Talib and Dennard on the outside and Arrington on the inside, you’ll have a good pass defense in today’s NFL.

I’d say the Pats defenses of the 2000’s, especially the later teams like 2006 and 2007 were veteran crews that were good at pattern reading. They’d give up yards but they’d make you pay for mistakes, often with pick-sixes. It’s just that now, there are too many good quarterbacks, too many good schemes, to sit back in zone consistently. 

Defenses have to challenge and attack now.