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CLICK HERE to Register for a free account and login for a smoother ad-free experience. It's easy, and only takes a few moments.The biggest difference is between nickel backs and outside guys, simply because of the type of WRs that they're covering.
Nickel backs spend a lot of time covering slot receivers, so they need a skillset that's similar to a slot receiver: great burst, quick change of direction, solid tackling since a lot of slot receivers murder you on YAC, etc. With an edge WR, it's more important they they be able to backpedal quickly, turn their hips, get into a full-on sprint, and have the leaping ability to contest jump balls.
Personally, I figure that the Pats want McCourty on the outside because, if they wanted a nickel back, they could have just picked Kyle Wilson. Wilson's skills are better for playing the Welker types, McCourty is better for playing the Moss types.
Nah, it started when one of the rejects at ESPN, while shuffling through his papers, said "still, it's strange that they'd pick a special teamer in the first round" or something to that effect. The ESPN guys were convinced that we had taken him for his special team skills, but to be fair everyone here *should* have realized that that assessment said more about ESPN than McCourty.
The biggest difference is between nickel backs and outside guys, simply because of the type of WRs that they're covering.
Nickel backs spend a lot of time covering slot receivers, so they need a skillset that's similar to a slot receiver: great burst, quick change of direction, solid tackling since a lot of slot receivers murder you on YAC, etc. With an edge WR, it's more important they they be able to backpedal quickly, turn their hips, get into a full-on sprint, and have the leaping ability to contest jump balls.
Personally, I figure that the Pats want McCourty on the outside because, if they wanted a nickel back, they could have just picked Kyle Wilson. Wilson's skills are better for playing the Welker types, McCourty is better for playing the Moss types.
Right, but I'm mainly wondering the difference between LCB and RCB. Or does our defense use a strong side/weak side alignment with corners? Or do they line up based on matchups with certain receivers?
I must say that I'm starting to feel really good about this kid. I knew nothing of him coming out of college, as I have not watched many Rutgers games (or Big East games for that matter). Everything I've read thus far suggests that he is going to be really good (understanding that they haven't been in pads yet). To those who have actually seen the kid, is he really that good?
Here is another short excerpt that speaks to his positive play so far:
Quick-hit thoughts around NFL & Pats - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston
Teams dont draft corners to be nickels. Drafting a corner in round 1 means you are drafting a starter, but most corners start out playing in nickel packages. Sometimes the 3rd corner plays outside and the 'starter' moves inside. Of course that assumes its man coverage also. In any event, McCourty is BOTH more skilled covering outside recievers and slot receivers than Wilhite. We aren't going to put Wilhite in and leave McCourty on the sidelines because Wilhite is better inside than outside (which I don't accept as an assumption) when McCourty is better at everything than Wilhite.
I went to Rutgers undergrad and grad school and have seen every Rutgers game for the last 8 years. I can say that I was super pissed when the Pats took him. I have never seen him make an impact play on defense, however he made many impact plays on special teams. However that could be because nobody threw to his side.
I can say without a doubt that he had outstandng "system" coaching from Schiano. Maybe the best defensive mind in college football. He is an outstanding kid who has never gotten in to trouble, he was also an excellent student. So while I never saw him dominate the game, I never saw him lose the game either.
In the last 38 contests, Rutgers has allowed the opposition to complete 572-of-1,038 passes (55.11 percent) for 7,144 yards, 36 touchdowns and 32 interceptions. Against McCourty, the Scarlet Knights opponents attempted 249 throws, completing just 88 (35.34 percent) for 684 yards and only two scores, an average of 7.77 yards per pass completion. He has allowed just 2.75 yards per pass attempt, the lowest figure of any active player in the Big East Conference.
While those figures are very impressive, they do not tell the entire story of this shutdown cornerback's ability. Against his main pass coverage assignments, McCourty has held those receivers to only 42 receptions for 386 yards on 158 passes targeted into his area, meaning that quarterbacks have completed just 26.58 percent of those tosses and their intended targets were limited to 9.19 yards per pass completion and 2.44 yards per attempt.
Those same receivers averaged 33.84 catches for 430.05 yards (12.71 yards per catch) and 2.47 touchdowns per season vs. other cornerbacks they faced. Devin has proven to be an excellent press coverage defender, as his excellent field vision has seen him make plays on the ball 45.39 percent of the time outside his area, coming to the aid after a teammate had blown an assignment. He has jammed/rerouted those pass catchers away from 148 incomplete attempts (average of 3.84 per game), the most of any cornerback in the Division I ranks during that span.
While developing his shutdown cornerback skills, McCourty is not only a top-notch coverage defender, but has also excelled playing inside the box. He made 91 of his 236 tackles in run support (38.56 percent) and has proven to be a drive-killer, as he registered an incredible 94 third-down stops and 33 more on fourth-down action (38.60 percent of his plays made resulted in killing the opposition's series).
I was watching ESPN coverage. No one implied he was picked for his special teams skills. They mentioned it in the analysis which is uncommon, but they didnt come close to implying we were picking a special teamer, that was this board.
YouTube - 2010 New England Patriots 1st Round Pick-Devin McCourtyI was watching ESPN coverage. No one implied he was picked for his special teams skills. They mentioned it in the analysis which is uncommon, but they didnt come close to implying we were picking a special teamer, that was this board.
YouTube - 2010 New England Patriots 1st Round Pick-Devin McCourty
Listen to the end, the guy said "in the first round of the draft?" as if the Pats wasted a 1st rounder on a special teams only player.
He sticks to the man, he just needs to learn to look for the ball.
The times i've seen him beat badly are when he's been lined up out wide and ended up matched up with a beast WR like Andre the Johnson or Reggie Wayne.
A team's number 1 WR usually lines up on the strong side, since most QBs are right handed and the TE usually lines up there as well.
Lat year. Wheatley had experience, but BB played Butler.
It isn't whether a guy has experience that counts, or if he is a rooke, or whatever. It is who is the best player that week.
Usually being about 55%, right?
There isn't a team in the NFL that doesn't move their receivers back and forth because of matchups.
You might be suprised by the number of teams that usually line their WRs in the same spot most of the time.
Could you point one out, because I've never seen a team that doesn't move receivers over the course of the game.