Horrible defensive backs

[Bart]

Trying to react to receivers moves and anticipating to where he may run is not an easy task, especially when trying to cover much taller players but good golly Miss Molly. I've never seen so many out of position , easilly fooled, air tackling dolts as in the last couple years. I read an S.I. writers's commentsabout the TD pass thrown over Buckley in the Giants game, that had me wondering. How is it possible for T. Buck to be in the league for 14 years, after being run out of Green Bay on a rail a decade ago? Yet, at this position, only one or two whites get a shot every few years?


WHAT I SAW: Relatively early in the second quarter the Panthers had a first down on the Giants' 22. Steve Smith, who was lined up in the slot, left, received man to man coverage by nickel back Terrell Buckley. This was a fairly elemental situation. Best receiver in the league against worst cover man ... OK, let's say among the worst three or four.


"Delhomme to Smith for 22 and a touchdown," I announced in the press box. Smith bent his route inside and caught a 22-yard TD. Two writers fainted. A mystic approached me and offered to make me a partner. Folks, it didn't take a genius to figure it out.


Why Buckley was even still in the league, after the way he killed the Jets last year, was a mystery, but it was just one of many screwups the Giants were guilty of on Sunday.

 

[Don Wassall]

JDO74 pointed out how Kaesviharn was made a goat in the Bengals loss to the Steelers because even though overall he made some nice plays and a lot of tackles, he was beaten deep on a couple plays. (BTW, where the heck was the cornerback on those plays???) Fans aren't used to seeing white defensive backs and they notice when one is beaten. Meantime black ones are beaten all the time but the fansoften assume it was a great play by the receiver.


I agree that there are many bad d-backs when it comes to pass covering fundamentals. And of course the "tacklingskills" ofmanyare close to non-existent.


Artificial black monopolies at so many positions have caused this to happen,similar to the morewidely recognizeddecline of play in the NBA.

 

[SteveB]

I agree with you guys on DB play. The key to playing DB well is watching lots of film and understanding the WR tendencies in certain situations, ie. third and long, the WR will likely run an out route in that situation. If the DB can anticipate and read the route, he can be in position to make a play. It doesn't take world class speed to play DB if you're smart. Heck, you have a 5 yard headstart on the guy, he should never beat you deep, no matter how fast he is.

The best example of good DB play that I have seen in a long time was OSU safety Donte Whitner in the Fiesta Bowl. He read every route that Jeff Samardzija ran and was running the route for him. Some DBs could get some pointers by watching that game.

Another thing that I think coaches are missing is matching up DBs to WRs. Think about basketball, they always match up a tall player to defend a tall player and a small player to defend a small player. If you are playing against a 6'4" WR, why cover him with a 5'9" CB? Why not cover him with a tall safety? If they practiced the matchup during the week before the game, it would work. Edited by: SteveB