Playbook - Single Safety
For all the criticism and venom being spewed at The Patriots DBs, they had some very good moments in coverage against the same concepts that they were beat on. In this specific play, Russell Wilson tries to go deep, but ends up losing a fumble. The corners do a really good job on the receivers, staying with them the whole way. The Defense looks good on this play, but the difference here is not that the coverage was significantly better. Instead, this was a complimentary effort by the pass rush and the secondary. On all of Wilson's deep completions, he had time or was able to buy time by leaving the pocket. Here, Chandler Jones makes the whole Defense look good by winning a one-on-one battle with a TE. See for yourself:
The outside receivers run verticals with double moves, but McCourty and Arrington are not tricked. Likewise, Alfonzo Dennard does a nice job in the slot to cover his man on a deep post pattern in front of the Safety Tavon Wilson. Tavon Wilson splits the difference between Rice and Tate, poised to break on a throw by Russell Wilson.
However, this play is made by the Defensive disguise. On 3rd and 10, Seattle shows 3-WR and 2-TE. The Patriots counter with Dime personnel. Dennard lines up on the slot man (not Arrington), Ras-I Dowling looks like a LB in the "money" position, and Patrick Chung is down in the box threatening to blitz pre-snap. The Patriots have 6 men up on the line of scrimmage showing pressure. Instead of blitzing though, The Patriots drop into an 8-man coverage.
Only 3 men rush the QB, but Chandler Jones still gets matched-up 1-on-1 against a TE because of all the bodies stacked on the other side. Seattle wastes blockers trying to account for Chung, Mayo, and Ninkovich. Likewise, Vince Wilfork does a good job of forcing the LT to block him, freeing up Jones on the outside.
This play just goes to show how Defense always requires the 3 levels (DL, LBs, DBs) to compliment one another. The Patriots don't have an ideal coverage for Seattles vertical threat. With only 1 safety, there are favorable match-ups on the deep outside. This coverage is really designed to stop short routes. Still, if the DL can pressure the QB, those deep routes don't have time to develop. With 8 men in coverage (but only 3 deep) The Patriots could have been burned deep in this same coverage if Wilson had more time. When breakdowns happen (and they will), we can't rush to put it all on the DBs. Defense is always complimentary, and all 3 levels need to be better.
The outside receivers run verticals with double moves, but McCourty and Arrington are not tricked. Likewise, Alfonzo Dennard does a nice job in the slot to cover his man on a deep post pattern in front of the Safety Tavon Wilson. Tavon Wilson splits the difference between Rice and Tate, poised to break on a throw by Russell Wilson.
However, this play is made by the Defensive disguise. On 3rd and 10, Seattle shows 3-WR and 2-TE. The Patriots counter with Dime personnel. Dennard lines up on the slot man (not Arrington), Ras-I Dowling looks like a LB in the "money" position, and Patrick Chung is down in the box threatening to blitz pre-snap. The Patriots have 6 men up on the line of scrimmage showing pressure. Instead of blitzing though, The Patriots drop into an 8-man coverage.
Only 3 men rush the QB, but Chandler Jones still gets matched-up 1-on-1 against a TE because of all the bodies stacked on the other side. Seattle wastes blockers trying to account for Chung, Mayo, and Ninkovich. Likewise, Vince Wilfork does a good job of forcing the LT to block him, freeing up Jones on the outside.
This play just goes to show how Defense always requires the 3 levels (DL, LBs, DBs) to compliment one another. The Patriots don't have an ideal coverage for Seattles vertical threat. With only 1 safety, there are favorable match-ups on the deep outside. This coverage is really designed to stop short routes. Still, if the DL can pressure the QB, those deep routes don't have time to develop. With 8 men in coverage (but only 3 deep) The Patriots could have been burned deep in this same coverage if Wilson had more time. When breakdowns happen (and they will), we can't rush to put it all on the DBs. Defense is always complimentary, and all 3 levels need to be better.
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