NFL's most underappreciated players: One for each NFC team

K Major · 05-22-2020, 07:54 PM

Originally Posted by SaintGnome

As DC, it's DA's job to put people in the right place, but in the end it's the player's job to make the friggin' play. In the Minnesota game Marcus was right there, with the receiver, in perfect position to make the play and he whiffed. That's a DC's fault? Do you think DA told him to close his eyes and go low (too low)?! I've seen stretches, but that's really thin. I've seen other games, not just that one where frankly it looks like Marcus closes his eyes before impact and has whiffed.

SG, I think you are missing the bigger picture here. So basically you are speaking of less than 3% of Marcus Williams overall body of work where you outlined that he "whiffed". I remember reading an article from Domonique Foxworth (former NFL CB/now tv analyst) following the Minnesota Miracle that highlighted Williams wasn't the only failure on that play. He pointed out that the play call by Dennis Allen wasn't good. Saints played a type of Cover 2 shell/fence when they should have played a Cover 3 shell fence. The main problem was Robertson dropping into the middle of the field with no one to guard and it forced a DB to have to guard the route by the TE. The previous play had Robertson picking up the route and should have been the same play call.

Circle back to 2019 last minute wildcard loss vs Vikings on a poor play call that gave up 40+ yards to Adam Thielen ... equally as bad. It was a 5 man pressure vs a 6 man protection with the rest of the DB's/LB's in man and the one FS in zone. The CB (Robinson) was in press coverage and then settled into a trail technique. Only way to beat this was over the top. The Vikings called two routes that threatened the Seam and held Williams in place long enough for Thielen to beat Robinson. The 5 man rush of course didn't get there and Robinson was beat and you can't help but think...why do you call that play with your best CB on the sideline?

The package was 4DL, 2LB, 5 DB's and it featured Jordan as a stand up Rusher and Chauncey Gardner as the other stand up rusher in a 3-4 look with a TNT look among the other Dlineman. It was sort of an inside stunt with Hendrickson playing on the inside shoulder of the LT and going inside leaving 5'11 Johnson to rush against a 6'5 + TE. None of the dlineman outside of Jordan got pressure and CJGJ was of course stonewalled.

It certainly looks like Williams gets there late but he wasn't in a position to play that route at all and if that's Lattimore you feel much better about that being a deflection. The blitz,, the coverage, the front, the personnel. None of that did any favors for anyone defensively.

Dennis Allen is the lone common denominator in a bunch of "meh" situations. Arguably after an off sophomore season you could say that Williams was part of the problem, but his 3rd year was a superb bounce back depending on how you view PFF Grades. Yet the gaffes and big plays(3rd in 40+ yard plays allowed) still exist...eyeballs should definitely be turned towards Allen now.

Believe it or not, coaching and putting players in positions to succeed still matters at this level of football.

05-22-2020, 07:54 PM	#6
K Major Site Donor 2019 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Bedford, TX Posts: 24,831 Blog Entries: 3	Re: NFL's most underappreciated players: One for each NFC team Originally Posted by SaintGnome As DC, it's DA's job to put people in the right place, but in the end it's the player's job to make the friggin' play. In the Minnesota game Marcus was right there, with the receiver, in perfect position to make the play and he whiffed. That's a DC's fault? Do you think DA told him to close his eyes and go low (too low)?! I've seen stretches, but that's really thin. I've seen other games, not just that one where frankly it looks like Marcus closes his eyes before impact and has whiffed. SG, I think you are missing the bigger picture here. So basically you are speaking of less than 3% of Marcus Williams overall body of work where you outlined that he "whiffed". I remember reading an article from Domonique Foxworth (former NFL CB/now tv analyst) following the Minnesota Miracle that highlighted Williams wasn't the only failure on that play. He pointed out that the play call by Dennis Allen wasn't good. Saints played a type of Cover 2 shell/fence when they should have played a Cover 3 shell fence. The main problem was Robertson dropping into the middle of the field with no one to guard and it forced a DB to have to guard the route by the TE. The previous play had Robertson picking up the route and should have been the same play call. Circle back to 2019 last minute wildcard loss vs Vikings on a poor play call that gave up 40+ yards to Adam Thielen ... equally as bad. It was a 5 man pressure vs a 6 man protection with the rest of the DB's/LB's in man and the one FS in zone. The CB (Robinson) was in press coverage and then settled into a trail technique. Only way to beat this was over the top. The Vikings called two routes that threatened the Seam and held Williams in place long enough for Thielen to beat Robinson. The 5 man rush of course didn't get there and Robinson was beat and you can't help but think...why do you call that play with your best CB on the sideline? The package was 4DL, 2LB, 5 DB's and it featured Jordan as a stand up Rusher and Chauncey Gardner as the other stand up rusher in a 3-4 look with a TNT look among the other Dlineman. It was sort of an inside stunt with Hendrickson playing on the inside shoulder of the LT and going inside leaving 5'11 Johnson to rush against a 6'5 + TE. None of the dlineman outside of Jordan got pressure and CJGJ was of course stonewalled. It certainly looks like Williams gets there late but he wasn't in a position to play that route at all and if that's Lattimore you feel much better about that being a deflection. The blitz,, the coverage, the front, the personnel. None of that did any favors for anyone defensively. Dennis Allen is the lone common denominator in a bunch of "meh" situations. Arguably after an off sophomore season you could say that Williams was part of the problem, but his 3rd year was a superb bounce back depending on how you view PFF Grades. Yet the gaffes and big plays(3rd in 40+ yard plays allowed) still exist...eyeballs should definitely be turned towards Allen now. Believe it or not, coaching and putting players in positions to succeed still matters at this level of football. jeanpierre and MarchingOn like this.