Darius Butler - 2010 week 2 Jets

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Being a young corner in the NFL has to be one of the most difficult jobs. When you don't play well, everyone sees it, unlike a lot of positions. When a linebacker misses a tackle, the guy is going to get tackled ten yards down field. A corner is usually directly responsible for huge yardage and touchdowns. In addition to that, you are playing in a passing league that favors QBs and receivers. You rarely see a CB come into the league and dominate from the beginning. Even Revis took a few years to get to his level.

 

[Ring 6]

Butler is starting by default.

Bodden is out and he is in. He may get better or stay the same, but Bodden was ahead of Butler for playing time.

Yup. It seemed pretty clear that if Bodden got healthy he and McCourty would start, if not right off the bat pretty early into the season and Butler would be the nickel.

 

[RayClay]

When you are out of control and flailing your arms around you will get called for pass interference.

It is amazing to me, watching the slow motion replays. It's almost like he tried to look like he was grabbing and pushing while hardly touching him.

Professional cornerbacks grab and hold and virtually molest receivers while nothing is apparent to officials most of the time. Sorry, that's life in the big show. There are no bad calls, only bad actors. If you hogtie receivers and get away with it you go to the hall of fame, don't touch them or divert them but look like you did, you are a sucker and need to shape up.

 

[BradyBranch39]

I couldn't understand pass interference today. Cromartie and Revis were grabbing people out there. Butler's 1st flag looked like a good play to me, and in the end zone, it certainly looked like Edwards pushed him in the back to prevent a INT.

Yep. It's amazing what Revis (and to a lesser extent Cromartie) got away with.

 

[Tyler.Durden]

Yea edwards had 45 yards on him plus 39 penalty yards and Cotchery had a 11 yd reception against him as well.

So butler gave up 95 yards. It's not the total that's the problem, it's the mistakes.

2nd and 7 at NE 49	M.Sanchez pass incomplete deep left to B.Edwards. PENALTY on NE-D.Butler, Defensive Pass Interference, [B]23 yards[/B], enforced at NE 49 - No Play.

2nd and 5 at NE 21	M.Sanchez pass incomplete deep left to J.Cotchery. PENALTY on NE-D.Butler, Defensive Pass Interference,[B] 16 yards[/B], enforced at NE 21 - No Play.

1st and 10 at NYJ 41	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short left to J.Cotchery to NE 48 for [B]11 yards[/B] (D.Butler).

 

[Nikolai]

He's definitely a flag magnet. He's either going to have to fix that or sit against Zebranapolis.

 

[The_Riddler]

Butler's issue is strictly with technique, he needs to turn to face the football. His lack of height doesn't allow him to face up taller WRs on ball arrival, he has to turn himself around. He had this issue all last season and he just hasn't been coached up to correct it yet.

He's a WIP and will continue to improve game by game. We'll just need to be patient with him.

 

[WelshPat]

Being a young corner in the NFL has to be one of the most difficult jobs. When you don't play well, everyone sees it, unlike a lot of positions. When a linebacker misses a tackle, the guy is going to get tackled ten yards down field. A corner is usually directly responsible for huge yardage and touchdowns. In addition to that, you are playing in a passing league that favors QBs and receivers. You rarely see a CB come into the league and dominate from the beginning. Even Revis took a few years to get to his level.

I get your point, but just look at the guy opposite Butler. McCourty is already a very competitive corner. The problem i have with Butler is i didn't see much promise from him in year 1 and now as a starter he doesn't even look like he's competitive.

From 2 games it's clear that the other teams #1 target is Butler

 

[upstater1]

He needs to be put in the best position to succeed, which is play press man coverage. We came out on soft zone coverage, Sanchez got his rythm and it was too late by the time we started playing man. He got screwed on a couple of underthrows by Sanchez which are impossible for a DB to defend. He got cleanly beat for the two point conversion, but no one should expect a CB to never get beaten.

I still think Butler's going to be our best COVER corner, but if they keep playing him 10 yards off his guy backpedaling at the snap of the ball, we'll never know.

Did anyone get to see a good replay of the 2 point conversion? I was distracted. I saw Butler fly off to the side. Almost like he was in perfect position for an INT and deliberately tried to get out of the way. He had to be pushed. Either that or he has some kind of spastic condition.

 

[upstater1]

When you are out of control and flailing your arms around you will get called for pass interference.

It is amazing to me, watching the slow motion replays. It's almost like he tried to look like he was grabbing and pushing while hardly touching him.

Professional cornerbacks grab and hold and virtually molest receivers while nothing is apparent to officials most of the time. Sorry, that's life in the big show. There are no bad calls, only bad actors. If you hogtie receivers and get away with it you go to the hall of fame, don't touch them or divert them but look like you did, you are a sucker and need to shape up.

What about the first PI?

That was pretty well done.

 

[upstater1]

Yea edwards had 45 yards on him plus 39 penalty yards and Cotchery had a 11 yd reception against him as well.

So butler gave up 95 yards. It's not the total that's the problem, it's the mistakes.

2nd and 7 at NE 49	M.Sanchez pass incomplete deep left to B.Edwards. PENALTY on NE-D.Butler, Defensive Pass Interference, [B]23 yards[/B], enforced at NE 49 - No Play.

2nd and 5 at NE 21	M.Sanchez pass incomplete deep left to J.Cotchery. PENALTY on NE-D.Butler, Defensive Pass Interference,[B] 16 yards[/B], enforced at NE 21 - No Play.

1st and 10 at NYJ 41	(Shotgun) M.Sanchez pass short left to J.Cotchery to NE 48 for [B]11 yards[/B] (D.Butler).

Looked like Banta-Cain had Cotchery on that play and Butler was playing deep.

 

[upstater1]

I get your point, but just look at the guy opposite Butler. McCourty is already a very competitive corner. The problem i have with Butler is i didn't see much promise from him in year 1 and now as a starter he doesn't even look like he's competitive.

From 2 games it's clear that the other teams #1 target is Butler

It's hard to say. One thing to do is to stick McCourty on the other team's #1. McCourty gave up 2 scores in the end zone yesterday (I'm not being critical of him for those, I'm OK with it) but how would a CB fair against the opposition's #1? Covering Cotchery is one thing, but Edwards is quite another. Edwards is literally a stud with the worst hands in the entire NFL. This guy is as good as any of them--except he can't catch a football.

 

[Sicilian]

Butler had a bad game, flat out no question. He's a second year player who probably shouldn't be starting yet, so that's to be expected, especially early in the season.

I think the safeties had a far worse game in my opinion though. I'm not sure if it was the scheme or just poor play, but there never seemed to be any safety help for the corners on receivers, and they weren't exactly making a ton of plays in the running game late to make me think they were cheating up.

Butler was easy to pick on because of how visible his mistakes were, but I think the defense as a whole just basically disintegrated in the second half. We got good pressure in the first half, very little in the second. We stuffed the run in the first half, gave up consistent yardage and some big plays in the second. This all trickles down to the corners and puts a lot of pressure on them. Then when they fail, it just looks bad all around.

 

[makoute]

So he let up more passes than were caught?
It isnt a matter of stats, its a matter of saying he couldn't cover the guy who caught passes for fewer yards than a #1 WR typically does.
Are you saying Edwards had a tremendous game?
WRs catch passes, corners let up receptions. The average team throws for more than 200 yards each game. Corners allow completions. 5 is not a lot.

He didn't do too well against Cotchery either.

 

[Sicilian]

He didn't do too well against Cotchery either.

Yeah. Andy, I usually like your insights, but it was pretty clear that the corners assignments were fluid in this game. Butler wasn't matched up 1 on 1 on Edwards the whole game, so just using Edwards stats is deceiving (for more than one reason).

I agree on the second PI call though, that ball was not catchable. The way the D was playing on that drive, I'm not sure it would have mattered though.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

We can argue back and forth using stats but it's clear that offensive coordinators have decided that Butler is the weak link right now. They're starting to target him, and every OC we play will do the same until Butler starts making plays.

Butler wasn't as bad as he looked. He was always in a decent position, but just couldn't turn around in time or make a play on the ball. Of course this is the same criticism of Wilhite, who drives me insane. But I believe Butler will improve with more experience. It also happened to McCourty several times, though they didn't throw to his side very often. The coverage was often decent, but the young secondary couldn't make any plays on the ball. The Pats had 0 passes defensed.

I still think Butler has a lot of potential and will get better. But it's like Miami's secondary last year after injuries forced them to start their kids. It's a trial by fire, and there will be ups and downs. Long-term though, I wonder if Butler would be better off handling a slot receiver as a nickelback instead of trying to fight against a bigger guy.

 

[Garbanza]

For 2 weeks straight he has been horrible and a flag magnet. I thought he may have become someone and I'm trying not to be too reactionary but he has looked lost out there.

Any chance Shawn Springs may reappear anytime soon.

He has regressed. Looks like he plays the man instead of the ball. Last year I saw flashes of good instinct and anticipation too. This year I see someone struggling and over-compensating for his height? Weight? I 'dunno....but it's something. The Patriots have a new DB coach, right? Corwin Brown. Well, Mr. Brown, are you the problem or does Darius just suck out loud. Because make no mistake about it - he sucks out loud right now and is a major liability. Buffalo's game plan should be: Run outside, throw to Butler's man. Boom!

Speaking of Safties:

They were useless in coverage. Sanders, god bless his heart, can't. Merriweather - meh and Chung hits like a truck, but covers like a duck. Where was the new guy? Didn't even notice. I was too disgusted.

 

[Garbanza]

We can argue back and forth using stats but it's clear that offensive coordinators have decided that Butler is the weak link right now. They're starting to target him, and every OC we play will do the same until Butler starts making plays.

Butler wasn't as bad as he looked. He was always in a decent position, but just couldn't turn around in time or make a play on the ball. Of course this is the same criticism of Wilhite, who drives me insane. But I believe Butler will improve with more experience. It also happened to McCourty several times, though they didn't throw to his side very often. The coverage was often decent, but the young secondary couldn't make any plays on the ball. The Pats had 0 passes defensed.

I still think Butler has a lot of potential and will get better. But it's like Miami's secondary last year after injuries forced them to start their kids. It's a trial by fire, and there will be ups and downs. Long-term though, I wonder if Butler would be better off handling a slot receiver as a nickelback instead of trying to fight against a bigger guy.

Butler is a liability - no doubt - but who would be better? Arrington? Wilhite? LOL!

 

[convertedpatsfan]

Butler is a liability - no doubt - but who would be better? Arrington? Wilhite? LOL!

The Bodden injury really hurt us here. And sadly, we don't have many options.

Either Butler grows up in a hurry, or we dedicate some help to that side, or pray that Wheatley has a break-out season (I wouldn't even bet a dollar on this), or we make a trade. I haven't really seen enough of Arrington to judge, but I'm guessing he's probably not the answer or else he'd have gotten a lot more opportunities.

Signing an available vet probably doesn't help us since the guys out there aren't as good as Butler anyways. Maybe one puts Wilhite into a relief role instead of a primary nickelback role.

 

[nantucketguy]

yeah we need to replace butler. he may have potential.....but he's not ready