Playbook - Covering Slot Receivers
Earlier this week I looked at Welker and Hernandez having success from the slot. Splitting a RB out wide makes it easy for the slot WRs to get an inside release without getting hit by a LB. The Patriots do this as well as anyone, but now let's see them defend against it. I had to go back to The Texans game to find some solid defense, but the key here is just good tackling after the catch. Let's take a look:
As you can see, #51 Jerod Mayo is lined up over Arian Foster, split wide. The Patriots are in Dime personnel with #23 Marquis Cole and #27 Tavon Wilson the extra DBs. Houston faces a 3rd and 10 here, so The Patriots have both Safeties lined up 15 yards of the line in a cover-2 shell. We are well prepared to handle the vertical routes, but the middle of the field is pretty vacant. Slot CBs Dennard and Cole are alone in man-coverage, and that is where Schaub looks to attack.
Matt Schaub sees the Safety depth, and he knows that he has #80 Andre Johnson isolated on the rookie Dennard. Instantly, Schaub motions Arian Foster out of the backfield to draw Mayo out of the middle. He's pretty sure that he's going to Johnson even before the snap. It's a pretty safe throw, and the space in the middle should give Johnson a chance to reach the sticks. He just has to get some space on Dennard, which he cannot do here.
Dennard gets a solid jam, and he forces Johnson to the inside. Dennard doesn't let Johnson get very deep off the stem of his route, so he needs to angle his route upfield. This allows Dennard to keep up, and stay hip-to-hip. Likewise, the jam delays the timing of the QB affording an opportunity to the pass rush. The rush doesn't get too close to Schaub, but he has to release the ball before Johnson can get to the sticks. Dennard makes the quick tackle to stop him short and finish the play.
Overall, this is a solid team effort, but credit has to go to Dennard for being competitive in a 1-on-1 matchup against a great WR in Andre Johnson. The Patriots have had their troubles in preventing the deep ball, and so they really need to keep a cover-2 shell in obvious passing situations. However, if we can't be competitive in the 1-on-1 battles underneath, then we will have to compensate, leaving us susceptible to the quick strike TD. We've got to get back to playing stout on these slot receivers. We play a pretty conservative defense, so we really need to make the easy plays when they are there.
Matt Schaub sees the Safety depth, and he knows that he has #80 Andre Johnson isolated on the rookie Dennard. Instantly, Schaub motions Arian Foster out of the backfield to draw Mayo out of the middle. He's pretty sure that he's going to Johnson even before the snap. It's a pretty safe throw, and the space in the middle should give Johnson a chance to reach the sticks. He just has to get some space on Dennard, which he cannot do here.
Dennard gets a solid jam, and he forces Johnson to the inside. Dennard doesn't let Johnson get very deep off the stem of his route, so he needs to angle his route upfield. This allows Dennard to keep up, and stay hip-to-hip. Likewise, the jam delays the timing of the QB affording an opportunity to the pass rush. The rush doesn't get too close to Schaub, but he has to release the ball before Johnson can get to the sticks. Dennard makes the quick tackle to stop him short and finish the play.
Overall, this is a solid team effort, but credit has to go to Dennard for being competitive in a 1-on-1 matchup against a great WR in Andre Johnson. The Patriots have had their troubles in preventing the deep ball, and so they really need to keep a cover-2 shell in obvious passing situations. However, if we can't be competitive in the 1-on-1 battles underneath, then we will have to compensate, leaving us susceptible to the quick strike TD. We've got to get back to playing stout on these slot receivers. We play a pretty conservative defense, so we really need to make the easy plays when they are there.
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