I watched this scene multiple times and have broken it down just a few weeks ago yet another time when that stupid conversation about coaches being able to challenge PI started. What you are writing is simply not true. The pass was right in the basket, and he had both hands available to secure it but failed:
This is a dropped ball.
What do you mean there was nothing he can do ? Just ****ing body check Gilmore into his ribs who cares about any kind of penalty that is called there.
My point is not that he failed to break up the pass but his lack of effort trying to break it up.
Of course OPI is preferable to an INT. I applaud you for going back and checking it out. I actually found a short conversation with Matt Chatham on Twitter about that play back then:
Again, my issue is not that he failed to break it up but the lack of trying. He didnt have enough awareness until it was too late and then showed a half-ass effort to do something. Hell just bearhug the Dolphins player. Anything.
The bigger your contract the more value you have to bring to the team to make it worth the resources that are put into you. Him coming up short on two passes that should have been TDs in the SB comes after last years SB clown show where he first failed to gain an easy first down to instead jump **** first into an opponents face and then perform a comedy routine that got him knocked out.
That is the impression he is leaving in the bigger games. The Rams might be fine with what he is bringing to the table for that amount. But it definitely didnt cut it here and he got shipped out when an opportunity came up.
Nobody is saying he is a bad player. But his skillset and lack of awareness just doesnt fit the the pricetag to play in NE.