Will Witherspoon cover AJ?

[n1997y]

Just wondering if Witherspoon will celebrate his new contract by trying to shut down AJ Brown? Or at least, by trying not to be lit up by AJ? Or will he get Doubs? Or maybe Kyle Williams?

Anybody have any idea how Seattle is likely to use their high paid #1 CB against the Pats receivers?

Would Gonzalez benefit from waiting, if Drake Maye slices and dices Witherspoon and his new contract numbers?

This could be an interesting post-game analysis. Or fun watching during the game. Maybe assign a dollar value to every PBU by ‘Spoon, or every catch against him? What would be a good valuation?

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Just wondering if Witherspoon will celebrate his new contract by trying to shut down AJ Brown? Or at least, by trying not to be lit up by AJ? Or will he get Doubs? Or maybe Kyle Williams?

Anybody have any idea how Seattle is likely to use their high paid #1 CB against the Pats receivers?

Would Gonzalez benefit from waiting, if Drake Maye slices and dices Witherspoon and his new contract numbers?

This could be an interesting post-game analysis. Or fun watching during the game. Maybe assign a dollar value to every PBU by ‘Spoon, or every catch against him? What would be a good valuation?

Seattle is a heavy zone team.
Witherspoon can play man, but that's not Seattle's bread and butter.
I wouldn't expect much Witherspoon on AJ man coverage.
Witherspoon is a competitor, but he would get bullied trying to man up an AJ all game.

 

[Real fan 02]

Just wondering if Witherspoon will celebrate his new contract by trying to shut down AJ Brown? Or at least, by trying not to be lit up by AJ? Or will he get Doubs? Or maybe Kyle Williams?

Anybody have any idea how Seattle is likely to use their high paid #1 CB against the Pats receivers?

Would Gonzalez benefit from waiting, if Drake Maye slices and dices Witherspoon and his new contract numbers?

This could be an interesting post-game analysis. Or fun watching during the game. Maybe assign a dollar value to every PBU by ‘Spoon, or every catch against him? What would be a good valuation?

I hope he does! AJ is reinvigorated here in NE and he looks like a man on a mission. Where AJ thrives is against press man.. Seattle isn't going to have the same benefits they had in the superbowl. I can bet you Vrabel and Josh have looked the game film on how Stafford carved them up in the NFCCG somehow that keeps going forgotten. I believe Josh will get rham and the running game going early to wear down Seattle's front and eat up clock. AJ will command double coverage this allows Doubs and Pop along with Henry and raridon to feast on thier LBs in coverage.

 

[PatsFan2]

I hope he does! AJ is reinvigorated here in NE and he looks like a man on a mission. Where AJ thrives is against press man.. Seattle isn't going to have the same benefits they had in the superbowl. I can bet you Vrabel and Josh have looked the game film on how Stafford carved them up in the NFCCG somehow that keeps going forgotten. I believe Josh will get rham and the running game going early to wear down Seattle's front and eat up clock. AJ will command double coverage this allows Doubs and Pop along with Henry and raridon to feast on thier LBs in coverage.

 

[Real fan 02]

 

[n1997y]

I hope he does! AJ is reinvigorated here in NE and he looks like a man on a mission. Where AJ thrives is against press man.. Seattle isn't going to have the same benefits they had in the superbowl. I can bet you Vrabel and Josh have looked the game film on how Stafford carved them up in the NFCCG somehow that keeps going forgotten. I believe Josh will get rham and the running game going early to wear down Seattle's front and eat up clock. AJ will command double coverage this allows Doubs and Pop along with Henry and raridon to feast on thier LBs in coverage.

I’m wondering how much Josh and Drake will be able to read Seattle’s zone and dictate coverage based on what they see.

I think it would provide a very interesting dimension to the Gonzo contract impasse to have the player everyone is using as a benchmark for that negotiation blown up in the first game after signing a market setting deal.

 

[Uptown]

If he does; Godspeed…

 

[cmasspatsfan]

I hope he does! AJ is reinvigorated here in NE and he looks like a man on a mission. Where AJ thrives is against press man.. Seattle isn't going to have the same benefits they had in the superbowl. I can bet you Vrabel and Josh have looked the game film on how Stafford carved them up in the NFCCG somehow that keeps going forgotten. I believe Josh will get rham and the running game going early to wear down Seattle's front and eat up clock. AJ will command double coverage this allows Doubs and Pop along with Henry and raridon to feast on thier LBs in coverage.

AJs gonna have a big game, Gonzos gonna want more money

 

[Real fan 02]

I’m wondering how much Josh and Drake will be able to read Seattle’s zone and dictate coverage based on what they see.

I think it would provide a very interesting dimension to the Gonzo contract impasse to have the player everyone is using as a benchmark for that negotiation blown up in the first game after signing a market setting deal.

Spot on!! Perfect analogy there. As we've mentioned regarding Gonzo if NFL people are being honest they would say Gonzo is the best CB in the game simply he doesn't have the front that Surtain, Witherspoon, Stingley Jr his contemporaries have to help them. He locks down one side of the field is Marcus Jones is a huge beneficiary of Gonzo because he and Davis lock down the outside.

 

[Huckleberry1]

It's going to be interesting to see how the 2 highest paid cornerbacks in the NFL fare in the game tomorrow? If either has a rough night it's going to get played up big time.

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

Just wondering if Witherspoon will celebrate his new contract by trying to shut down AJ Brown? Or at least, by trying not to be lit up by AJ? Or will he get Doubs? Or maybe Kyle Williams?

Anybody have any idea how Seattle is likely to use their high paid #1 CB against the Pats receivers?

Would Gonzalez benefit from waiting, if Drake Maye slices and dices Witherspoon and his new contract numbers?

This could be an interesting post-game analysis. Or fun watching during the game. Maybe assign a dollar value to every PBU by ‘Spoon, or every catch against him? What would be a good valuation?

Gonzo did the right thing by signing before the season starts. It could go the other way where Witherspoon has a big night and Gonzo has a rough night. Then it looks like he should get less than Witherspoon deal.
Saying that I think AJ will fare just fine and Gonzo will be Gonzo

 

[Uptown]

AJ is too physical for Witherspoon. DW is too frail..It would be like Emmanuel Forbes trying to cover Anquan Boldin.

 

[MrTibbs]

Just wondering if Witherspoon will celebrate his new contract by trying to shut down AJ Brown? Or at least, by trying not to be lit up by AJ? Or will he get Doubs? Or maybe Kyle Williams?

Anybody have any idea how Seattle is likely to use their high paid #1 CB against the Pats receivers?

Would Gonzalez benefit from waiting, if Drake Maye slices and dices Witherspoon and his new contract numbers?

This could be an interesting post-game analysis. Or fun watching during the game. Maybe assign a dollar value to every PBU by ‘Spoon, or every catch against him? What would be a good valuation?

NO, Seattle is a heavy zone team and Witherspoon doesn't travel with the #1 receiver. It would still be a mismatch as AJ has him by 2 inches and almost 50 lbs.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

AJ is too physical for Witherspoon. DW is too frail..It would be like Emmanuel Forbes trying to cover Anquan Boldin.

While I agree AJ would bully DW if he tried to man up on him all game (I said exactly that earlier), DW is not frail, he's nothing like Forbes.
He plays bigger than his size and is not a twig like Forbes. He's also a hell of a competitor.

 

[n1997y]

While I agree AJ would bully DW if he tried to man up on him all game (I said exactly that earlier), DW is not frail, he's nothing like Forbes.
He plays bigger than his size and is not a twig like Forbes. He's also a hell of a competitor.

Speaking of Forbes, I loved that the DC news radio reporting today about Gonzo’s contract included a heavy dose of discussion about him being taken one pick after Forbes. It wasn’t even sports radio and the main announcers not the sports guy were being very salty about it.

 

[DoubleDeluxe]

Speaking of Forbes, I loved that the DC news radio reporting today about Gonzo’s contract included a heavy dose of discussion about him being taken one pick after Forbes. It wasn’t even sports radio and the main announcers not the sports guy were being very salty about it.

And Pitt traded up into our pick to take Jones, who they just traded.
Big miss by both Pitt and Wash.
I was happy to hear Forbes actually played decent last year and salvaged his career.
Also very glad Wash took him and not Gonzo!

 

[Uptown]

While I agree AJ would bully DW if he tried to man up on him all game (I said exactly that earlier), DW is not frail, he's nothing like Forbes.
He plays bigger than his size and is not a twig like Forbes. He's also a hell of a competitor.

He’s a competitor indeed. All-Pro player. However, he’s still only 185 lbs. AJ is 226+ lbs….difference of 40lbs of muscle. If Brown wants it, there’s not much DW can do..

 

[ScottishPatriot]

When he isn’t ‘exotic’ blitzing, he’ll be on Doubs.

Doesn’t have the physical goods to handle AJ at the catch point.

 

[Triumph]

Seattle is a heavy zone team.
Witherspoon can play man, but that's not Seattle's bread and butter.
I wouldn't expect much Witherspoon on AJ man coverage.
Witherspoon is a competitor, but he would get bullied trying to man up an AJ all game.

Most teams play a mix of Man/Zone. 100% Man or 100% Zone. Its a cat and mouse game to where your defense is not predictable otherwise top QBs figure you out and carve your defense up.

You must have an elite Gonzo type CB who can get the job done otherwise matching up an inferior CB in Man vs elite WRs results in disaster. Man coverage wears a defensive player down. When Ty Law was here, I recall him pleading with the Pats DC in a playoff win to switch to Zone because the secondary was spent playing Man.

This should be a much different game than SB60. Vegas seems to agree since SEA is only favored by 3.5. The Pats went out this past offseason to shop for specific offensive players - AJB, Doubs and Gilliam.

PFF Wide Receiver Rankings: Top 32 ahead of the 2025 NFL season

A.J. Brown comes in at No. 1 on PFF's 2025 wide receiver rankings, with Justin Jefferson, Ja'Marr Chase and Amon-Ra St. Brown closely following.

www.pff.com

• A.J. Brown is the league's best wide receiver: Brown earned the league's highest receiving grade versus single coverage in 2024 (96.6) and leads the league in that category over the past three seasons (2022–24) with a 97.0 grade.

 

[jdlboot14]

At the same time, I'm concerned for the fan reaction if AJ doesn't come out like Moss vs Jets in 07 and light it up.
I don't want this offense to become suddenly AJ-driven. We all know what happens when QB's get stuck on 1 WR or pass catcher and a team figures out how to shut them down. Drake needs to start the season with a well-rounded approach. He can't lean on AJ like he did with Diggs - and then Diggs was essentially shut down in the playoffs and Maye struggled a lot.