Category: The All-22

The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Inside the NFL’s press coverage revolution

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” the guys get deep into a new press coverage revolution in today’s NFL.

Over the last few seasons in the NFL, a lot of coaches and executives have tailored their defensive schemes in one specific fashion — an increase in press coverage from their cornerbacks. Not only the old-school aggressive press-man coverage we all know, but also mirror-match press man coverage, where a cornerback trails the receiver through his route as the route is declared.

Why? Because NFL offenses have found all kinds of ways to beat the old Seattle Cover-3 stuff from a decade ago with 3×1 and 2×2 receiver sets, and the route concepts inherent in those deployments. Now, if you’re rolling out that “Country Cover-3,” your defense is going to be in trouble.

There’s also the element of quick game in the league, which has increased in recent years. When the quarterback is throwing out of zero- to three-step drops, there are times when edge defenders simply don’t have time to get to the quarterback before the ball comes out. So, logic dictates that if you can’t disrupt the quarterback in the timing of the down, you need to disrupt the timing of the receivers’ routes, forcing the quarterback to delay his reads and throws, and giving those pass-rushers that extra split millisecond to get home.

In this week’s edition of “The Xs and Os,” Greg Cosell of NFL Films and ESPN’s NFL Matchup, and Doug Farrar of Touchdown Wire and the USA Today Sports Media Group, investigate the NFL’s changes in press coverage, and the players who do it the best, including...

  • L’Jarius Sneed of the Titans;
  • A.J. Terrell of the Falcons;
  • Martin Emerson Jr. of the Browns;
  • Patrick Surtain Jr. of the Broncos;
  • Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner of the Jets; and
  • Joey Porter Jr. of the Steelers.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell” right here:

You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Despite quarterback dysfunction, the Falcons’ offense has the chance to be great

The Falcons’ new quarterback situation confused everybody, but their offense can still be great in 2024 and beyond.

Okay… we know. This is not how anybody saw it going.

Less than two months after the Falcons signed Kirk Cousins to a four-year, $180 million contract with $100 million guaranteed, the Falcons selected Washington quarterback Michael Penix Jr. with the eighth overall pick in the 2024 draft.

Whatever reasons the Falcons had for signing Cousins and then adding Penix when this means that Penix may have to sit for multiple years, there’s a lot to say about what Atlanta did to the rest of its offense that could make it far more dynamic than it has been in years. And that’s been eclipsed by all the weirdness. In addition to Cousins’ NFL pedigree, and Penix’ explosive potential, there’s the matter of three other offensive skill players selected in the first round by this team — tight end Kyle Pitts in 2021, receiver Drake London in 2022, and running back Bijan Robinson in 2023.

In addition to all those moves, the Falcons moved on from head coach and offensive shot-caller Arthur Smith, who was hamstrung by his quarterbacks last season, and didn’t seem to understand how to best use his best players anyway. In comes head coach Raheem Morris and offensive coordinator Zac Robinson, firmly from the Sean McVay tree.

But wait… there’s more! The Falcons also signed former Eagles and Bears receiver Darnell Mooney to a three-year, $39 million contract with $26 million guaranteed, and they also added former Cardinals receiver Rondale Moore.

That’s a lot of targets for those footballs — whoever may be throwing them — but again, let’s cast aspersions aside and look at the talent here. Robinson should have a much better sense of how to use his talent, Cousins is a natural fit in Robinson’s offense if Robinson brings the heavy play-action/motion stuff with three-receiver sets, and we’ll see in the preseason how Penix fits in after playing in Ryan Grubb’s NFL-conversant offense.

The Falcons’ passing game could be one of those great marriages that just started off with a really weird first date.

 

 

Will Caleb Williams be the one to erase the Bears’ 75-year quarterback curse?

Caleb Williams will have a lot of help in his quest to break the Chicago Bears’ 75-year Quarterback Curse.

“It pisses me off a little bit, to be honest with you. We were hired to break a cycle. The same thing when we were in Kansas City. Coach [Andy] Reid, all of us were brought there to break a cycle. And we did. And no one talks about those days anymore; it’s all about what they are right now.”

That’s what Chicago Bears general manager Ryan Poles said in March about his franchise’s historic quarterback drought. You can understand the sensitivity here — when your last great quarterback was Sid Luckman just after World War II, and you’re still riding on those fumes, it’s a bit embarrassing. Not that it’s Poles’ fault — he inherited Justin Fields when he became the GM in 2022, and the cycle-breaking he talked about with Andy Reid happened in 2017 when Poles was the Chiefs’ director of college scouting, and Kansas City took that Patrick Mahomes guy.

So now, there’s USC’s Caleb Williams, selected first overall to break that cycle. There isn’t much Williams can’t do on the field, and while he could stand to be a bit more regimented in the pocket, the explosive plays (he had 59 as a passer and 17 as a rusher for a USC offense that was not designed well) are singularly impressive.

Then, with the ninth overall pick, the Bears selected Washington’s Rome Odunze, who has the attributes to make that passing game much better on the target side. Odunze gives Williams that most valuable of receivers — the guy who’s open, even when he isn’t open.

Receiver D.J. Moore was highly productive in his first season with the Bears in 2023 as part of the trade with the Carolina Panthers that ultimately gave Chicago the Williams pick, and he’s the ideal go and post and corner receiver to scald cornerbacks deep in new offensive coordinator Shane Waldron’s system.

And then, there’s veteran Keenan Allen, acquired in a March trade as the Los Angeles Chargers were offloading players as part of their salary cap issues. Allen has never been known for his breakaway speed, but he’s still a near-peerless route runner, and he was good for 19 explosive plays last season… so this isn’t just an old guy standing on the field waiting for the ball to come to him so he can catch it and fall down.

Add in Cole Kmet as a more than serviceable tight end option, and let’s just say that if Caleb Williams ultimately adds his name to the Bears’ Quarterback List of Doom, it won’t be for lack of trying on Poles’ part. Perhaps this is where the Bears finally break that cycle.

How the Steelers switched their offensive line from weakness to strength

In the last two drafts, the Pittsburgh Steelers transformed their offensive line from a glaring weakness to a potential strength.

“We’re looking for guys with talent. Oftentimes that talent is coupled with experience. It’s good to have a group that is mature as players and as people, and I think that’s reflective of the collective that you’re talking about. All that means is we should expect those guys to have a high floor and maybe have a good presentation of what they’re capable of early on, and for that, we’re excited certainly.”

That’s what Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said of the offensive line pieces he and general manager Omar Khan put together in the draft, and why wouldn’t he be excited? The Steelers’ offensive line has been a major problem for multiple years and multiple offensive playcallers, and new OC Arthur Smith will at least have a wildly upgraded front five with which to do whatever it is he is going to do with his playbook.

The Steelers went all-in here, selecting Washington tackle Troy Fautanu with the 20th overall pick, West Virginia center Zach Frazier with the 51st overall pick in the second round, and South Dakota State guard Mason McCormick with the 119th overall pick in the fourth round. Add in veteran guard Isaac Seumalo (one of two bright spots on that line last season), and 2023 first-round pick Broderick Jones (he was the other), and all of a sudden, Pittsburgh’s primary weakness outside of that pesky quarterback thing becomes a serious strength.

Last season, Fautanu allowed two sacks and 23 total pressures for a Washington passing game in which Michael Penix Jr. attempted 117 passes of 20 or more air yards. So, we’re pretty sure he can hold his position for a long time at any level. And he’s got some interesting tricks up his sleeve.

I didn’t get to McCormick’s tape until I was at the Indianapolis airport about to fly home from the scouting combine, but he stood out right away when I did. Ignore the small-school bias — this guy is a wrecking machine inline and as a puller.

As for Frazier, this guy is pure nasty on the field, and his determination showed up at West Virginia with his ability to play through injuries, as well as an on-field demeanor that might give even NFL defenders pause after he rounds out the technical aspects of his position.

“Sometimes in the draft, a lot of great players and, selfishly, certainly things break your way, and they feel like that, last night, and today or tonight,” Smith said after the Steelers had taken Fautanu and Frazier, and before they selected McCormick. “But I’m just really excited to get a chance to work with both of them. And, you know, even Broderick [Jones], still early in his career as well. There’s a lot of guys, Isaac [Seumalo], all these linemen. I’m really fired up to get a chance to work with them.”

Once again, the excitement is palpable — and certainly understandable.

The Titans are betting on a new aggressiveness to fix their ailing pass defense

The Titans didn’t play a lot of press coverage last season, and their defense suffered. It’s all about to change in a big way.

“Confidence, resiliency, relentless. I am a hell of a player. I love my game. I don’t fear anything. I am not afraid to lose, but I am going to win most of my reps.”

That’s what former Chiefs and new Titans cornerback L’Jarius Sneed said in his first press conference in Tennessee after the March 22 trade that sent Sneed to his second NFL team. And it doesn’t take a football expert to realize that Sneed is exactly all that. Last season for the Super Bowl champs, Sneed allowed 53 catches on 102 targets for 545 yards, 216 yards after the catch, two touchdowns, two interceptions, 12 pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 66.0. It was his best season in a remarkable four-year career, and Sneed was rewarded after the trade with a four-year, $76.4 million contract with $55 million.

This, or something like this, needed to happen.

Last season, the Titans’ cornerbacks allowed 141 completions on 235 attempts for 1,805 yards, 12 touchdowns, four interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 94.0, eighth-worst in the NFL.

The Titans also signed former Bengals cornerback Chidobie Awuzie to a three-year deal, and this is where it gets interesting for new defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson. During his appearance with Buck Reising and Greg Cosell on a post-draft episode of “The Install,” general manager Ran Carthon got into why the Titans are switching to a new coverage philosophy.

“It’s huge, especially for our defense, and what Dennard wants to do,” Carthon said about Sneed’s press ability, and alpha playing personality overall. “He wants to challenge guys at the line of scrimmage, which is also a reason we went after Chidobie Awuzie. Get two guys in here who are going to match that, and that’s also how [slot defender] Roger [McCreary] plays. Roger is a linebacker on first and second down, and on third down, he can play the C-gap, stick his face in there against the run. But he can also challenge guys [in press coverage] on third down. So, adding someone like LJ to the mix is what’s going to drive this defense, and what will make it go.

“[You have to disrupt receivers] at the line of scrimmage. That forces the quarterback to hold the ball a half-second or a second longer, and it gives your rush another step to get there. It will be cool to see both of those units together, the coverage and the rush, and they’re going to benefit from each other.

Carthon also had thoughts on why Sneed is so cherished now, as opposed to when he was selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft.

“When he was coming out those years ago, the game and the way we play coverage has changed. A few years ago, illegal contact was a real thing. They were calling it a lot more, especially down the field, and you needed more guys who played off. Plus, Seattle had that nice run, and everybody wanted to adopt the Seattle defense, playing Cover-3 and playing off. Now, you have so much exposure to Cover-3, you have all those Cover-3 beaters. Now, teams are like, ‘You know what? We’re going to play more man. We’re going to get in these teams’ faces, and we’re going to challenge them.’ Guys slip [in the draft], but the NFL has a nice way of correcting itself. Players like [Sneed] rise to the top.”

Under former defensive coordinator Shane Bowen, the Titans were not big believers in press coverage. They had no cornerbacks in press coverage on 63% of their snaps — the NFL’s second-highest rate behind the Panthers’ 73%. They had one cornerback in press coverage on 25% of their snaps; only the Panthers had a lower rate at 23%.

That is absolutely going to change now.

Last season, Sneed had more snaps in press (393) than any other cornerback not named A.J. Terrell of the Falcons, who had 413. And when targeted in press, Sneed allowed 24 catches on 50 targets — which is a pretty nice percentage when you’re on a receiver from step one, and you’re on an island more often than not.

As for Awuzie, he’s always been a better press cornerback than when he’s playing off — that was true during his time with both the Cowboys and the Bengals, and it was certainly true in 2023. Awuzie can be befuddles at times in off coverage, but with minimal exceptions, he can match and carry all over the field from the first step in press, and it doesn’t matter how fast and slippery the receiver is.

The aforementioned McCreary stuck around because he’s a great fit in a more aggressive set of schemes, especially in situations where it’s tougher to win as a press and match defender.

The Titans may find this drastic transition to have its rough spots, but it’s nice to see them swerving decidedly in the direction of what the NFL requires in 2024.

The Rams have taken a Moneyball approach to replacing Aaron Donald

Can the Los Angeles Rams’ defensive line actually be better in 2024 without Aaron Donald? Les Snead has prepared the team for minimal dropoff.

Remember when the Oakland A’s lost Johnny Damon, Jason Giambi, and Jason Isringhausen in free agency, and general manager Billy Beane had to replace them in the aggregate? Beane’s successful path led to Moneyball, and now, Rams general manager Les Snead and his crew are having a bit of the same issue.

When Aaron Donald retires, you do not replace him with one human being, because Aaron Donald is not a human being — he is an alien from the planet Destructo. The Rams don’t have Beane’s financial limitations; it’s simply a matter of fact that you don’t ever get an Aaron Donald unless you’re exceedingly fortunate, and when you don’t have an Aaron Donald anymore, you have to replace him in the aggregate. 

So in this draft, the Rams set out to do exactly that. They started out by selecting Florida State edge-rusher Jared Verse with their first first-round pick since 2016. Then, in the second round, they took Verse’s teammate, defensive lineman (and combine star) Braden Fiske. Then, with the 154th overall pick in the fifth round, they took Washington State edge-rusher Brennan Jackson, and rounded it all out with Clemson defensive tackle Tyler Davis, taken with the 196th overall pick in the sixth round.

“Yeah, I mean I think when you look at it, to be able to get two guys on the edge, two guys inside that we feel like can affect the game in a positive way, that was something that we had identified,” head coach Sean McVay said after the draft came down. “Obviously Aaron creates a big void. You’re never going to ask somebody to replace that void he created, but you can do that by the unit. So to be able to get Jared, to be able to get Brennan on the edges. The way that they play the game. Then to be able to add Braden and Tyler, we were really excited about that.”

Well, it’s easy to see why. These four players work well on their own, and have the potential to really ace it playing together.

Fiske and Verse already have a serious chemistry, as they showed throughout the 2023 season — especially against Louisville, when they were either stunting or collapsing the pocket together, and nobody had a solid idea of how to stop them from doing it.

“Yeah, if you’re ever bored go start to finish Florida State at Louisville, whatever ACC Championship game,” general manager Les Snead said. “Obviously, Florida State didn’t have a quarterback. They may have been down to their third and it was just pure defense to win the ACC Championship, get their ring, get their trophy because it could have easily gone the other way. It would’ve been a season for naught had they lost it. So, if you’re ever bored, watch those two players in that game. You’ll come back and do a rerun.”

 

“I think it was interesting because this was Braden’s first year at Florida State so it did take probably, let’s call it first four or five weeks for them to get in tandem, in sync,” Snead said of the on-field link between Verse and Fiske after Fiske transferred from Western Michigan. “And I know even Florida State adjusted a little bit their defensive scheme or what they allowed Braden to do and attack the line of scrimmage, attack some edges. What’s interesting as you watched that team evolve over the course of season and become… when they finished that night in Louisville, one of the really dominant defenses. But you saw that group get in tandem. That was a good defensive line.

“But those two doing their thing, again, with Florida State and allowing them and designing those stunts, twists, whatever we call them. It’s fun to watch.”

As for Brennan Jackson, the Washington State alum had nine sacks and 40 total pressures last season, and while he needs to refine his handwork as most collegiate defensive lineman do, he already brings an inside counter, a formidable bull-rush, and a snatch-and-shed move than can be lethal. 

Finally, there’s Tyler Davis, the 6-foot-2, 301-pound fire hydrant who amassed two sacks and 22 total pressures in just 277 pass-rushing reps last season, and did it everywhere from head-over nose tackle to the edge. 

And when you add these four gentlemen to last year’s draft picks Byron Young (who had eight sacks and 51 total pressures last season) and Kobie Turner (who was my choice for Defensive Rookie of the Year with his 12 sacks and 50 total pressures), new defensive coordinator Chris Shula has a lot of options in his rotations.

So yes, the Rams’ defensive line has the potential for overall improvement even without the greatest defensive player of his generation. Not a bad outcome, really.

The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell: Best defensive scheme fits from the 2024 NFL draft

From the Cardinals’ new secondary to cornerback talent for the Eagles and Lions, Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar get into the best scheme fits from the 2024 NFL draft.

When teams select players in the draft, they’re not just basing those picks on the prospects’ athletic attributes — they’re also looking at how those prospects fit in the structures of their schemes.

In this week’s “Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” Greg (of NFL Films and ESPN’s NFL Matchup) and Doug (of Touchdown Wire and the USA Today Sports Media Group) discuss their favorite defensive scheme firs from the 2024 NFL draft. Greg and Doug already discussed their favorite offensive scheme fits in this draft, and you can find that right here.

  • The Arizona Cardinals’ secondary with cornerbacks Elijah Jones and Max Melton, and safety Dadrian Taylor-Demerson;
  • The Detroit Lions’ cornerback group with Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw Jr.;
  • The Philadelphia Eagles’ secondary with cornerback Quinyon Mitchell and defensive back Cooper DeJean;
  • The Dallas Cowboys’ defensive line with DL Marshawn Kneeland;
  • The Buffalo Bills’ secondary with safety Cole Bishop;
  • The Green Bay Packers’ safeties with Javon Bullard and Kitan Oladapo;
  • The San Francisco 49ers’ secondary with Renardo Green and Malik Mustapha.

You can watch this week’s “Xs and Os” right here:

You can also listen and subscribe to the “Xs and Os” podcast on Spotify…

…and on Apple Podcasts.

Cincinnati Bengals’ best sleeper pick: Josh Newton, CB, TCU

TCU rookie cornerback Josh Newton has everything it takes to become a big part of the Cincinnati Bengals’ secondary.

After three seasons at Louisiana-Monroe, Newton transferred to TCU in time for the 2022 season. All he did for the Horned Frogs over the next two season was to make All-Big-12 twice, so the jump to a higher level was no issue whatsoever. Perhaps he dropped in the draft as a smaller cornerback who didn’t test well at the combine, but defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo knew exactly what his team was getting with the 149th overall pick in the fifth round.

“He was real good. [Secondary/cornerbacks coach Charles] Burks did a great job with him communicating. I sat in on a Zoom, and again, he can really talk the game. Smart football guy, good football awareness. As I mentioned, that kind of comes through when you talk to the guy. He’s just an overall good human being, which is always good to add.”

If Uncle Lou likes him, we’re in. Not that we already weren’t. The 5′ 10⅝”, 190-pound Newton can play inside and outside (which is how the Bengals envision his deployment), and last season, he allowed 25 catches on 52 targets for 303 yards, 120 yards after the catch, one touchdown, one interception, six pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 64.8.

Chicago Bears’ best sleeper pick: Austin Booker, EDGE, Kansas

Kansas rookie edge-rusher Austin Booker could be a surprise star for the Chicago Bears’ defense.

Bears fans who were over the moon with the picks of Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze in the first round might have cooled a bit when their team selected an offensive tackle and a punter with their remaining two picks. What about the need at edge-rusher? Well, general manager Ryan Poles apparently had similar concerns, so the Bears traded back into the fifth round and took Kansas edge defense Austin Booker with the 144th overall pick.

Last season for the Jayhawks, Booker had nine sacks and 38 total pressures, and though he’s a smaller man for the position (6′ 4½’, 240), his speed off the edge speaks volumes, and it will be accentuated over time with a more complete palette of pass-rush moves.

Carolina Panthers’ best sleeper pick: Chau Smith-Wade, CB, Washington State

Cornerback Chau Smith-Wade could be an immediate slot force for the Carolina Panthers.

Smith-Wade played quite a bit outside in college, but projects to the slot for his NFL team. He was strong in coverage over four seasons with the Cougars (three as a starter), allowing 60 catches on 113 targets for 790 yards, 247 yards after the catch, four touchdowns, three interceptions, 16 pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 76.2. He also has experience in the box and as a blitzer at the line of scrimmage, but the Panthers want to see him in the slot, and he’s ready for that challenge, despite the fact that he had just 30 snaps there in college. The Panthers got him with the 157th pick in the fifth round.

“At nickel you’re never cold, you’re either in the run fit, you’re in the box or you’re guarding those quick guys in the slot, so you’re never cold at nickel,” he said. “I really love that about nickel and the defensive back variety pack, out of the corners and safety, just being that nickel, you’re closer to the ball.”