10-05-2009, 03:39 PM
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#22
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Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 9,780
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Re: Darius Butler - Props
Quote:
Originally Posted by hughthehand
I have to agree 100% that Clayton heard the proverbial footsteps. IMO there was no question about it. He was going into turtle mode before he actually caught it, not trying to run before he caught it as the announcers called it during the broadcast. Big hits by the secondary get into the receivers heads.
Kelly Washington also had a Footsteps moment earlier in the 4th quarter. These plays by the WR's are a direct result of DB's consistently arriving with the ball. Give Merriweather the most credit because he was doing it all day with authority.
Not to derail the thread though, I also wanted to hand out major Props to Butler. Big Thank you to the OP since I do not have the post total yet to start a new thread!  Butler showed he has the innate knack to make a play on the ball. An incredibly important skill for any DB.
As for the final play of Baltimore's drive, I personally think Butler played it perfectly. He kept Clayton outside of the endzone, he kept him inside so even if he did catch it, Baltimore would have had to use their final timeout leaving them at 1st and goal from the 5 with about 30 seconds left, that means not having to worry about the run. And even if Clayton did not let it boink of his chest, Butler and the Safety that was there, I think McGowan, were going to crush him. He was in a position to make a play on the receiver, which he did not get a chance to do because the receiver dropped it. Just because he dropped it, does not mean the 2 Pats DBs that were there were not going to jar it loose.
You cant say Clayton choked we got lucky, because both players laid up after it was a drop. Clayton would have had snot bubbles and been lucky to hold on to it IMO if he had put his hands on the ball. |
That's one of the things I've been looking for. This is how we beat the Rams in the 2001 SB - throw them off their rhythm, cover them tight, and beat the crap out of them for every reception. If we do this consistent, our opponents will start making mistakes - dropping balls, rushing throws, not planting well, looking to run (or duck) before holding on to the ball, etc. These little things result in the drops, fumbles and INTs that decide games.
The last catch was clearly makeable, and Clayton should have made it. But I chuck that one up to our tight and physical defense.
The secondary essentially stopped the Ravens on the last possession of each half inside the red zone, for 0 points. Without either of those stops, we probably lose the game.
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The kid is a talent and I only wish we had gotten Louis Delmas paired with him instead of Chung.
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