DeAndre Hopkins has dominated opponents in 2015, and in week 11 the Texans would face the New York Jets and their star CB Darrelle Revis. Hopkins, once again, dominated the game finishing with 5 catches for 118 yards including a 61 yard TD leaving the All-Pro defender in the dust. For only having 5 catches, he single-handedly dominated the game for his team averaging 23.6 yards per reception and making 2 of those receptions TD’s. On plays that Hopkins didn’t catch the ball he still had an impact for his teammates. I also like to see how WR’s play when the ball is not coming in their direction, and film is the best way to judge that.
Play 1: 3rd & 4. -26. 13:45 1st.
Coverage: 2-Man
The first thing that I noticed on the play is how scared the Jets are of Hopkins as a deep threat, even early on in the game. Watch as the Safety (#21) immediately runs over top of the defense as soon as the ball is snapped for the extra coverage of deep routes. On this play, the Texans just want to get the ball moving. They use the popular pick concept, using their point WR to run into the man guarding him in order to get him free for the catch. Also, notice as soon as the ball is thrown towards Hopkins the defenders immediately close in on him so he can’t use his speed to beat them after the catch. Even with a gain of 5 yards, you see how scared the Jets defense is of Hopkins, and even then he will hurt them badly in this game.
Play 2: 1st & 10. -31. 13:00 1st.
Coverage: Cover 1
On this play, the Jets go away from their over the top coverage, relying only on Revis to shutdown Hopkins. Revis sags off before the play to starts to give himself a little bit of a head start of Hopkins. Once the ball is snapped, Hopkins shows his explosion, closing the gap between him and the defender within 10 yards. Hopkins lowers his hips and stutters for a second to get Revis to bite and break down. Once Revis comes forward, Hopkins uses his strength to get past him and then it’s a foot race, which Hopkins will win more often than not. The only thing keeping him from scoring on this play is a throw just out of his reach but this is a sign of things to come for the Texans.
Play 3: 2nd & 10. -31. 12:52 1st.
Coverage: Cover 1
This is an example of how Hopkins impacts the game even without getting the ball thrown his way. The Jets are again in man-to-man coverage, this time with a Safety walked down onto him and giving him plenty of cushion. But what makes this play is how the Jets WLB gets so much depth on his drop into coverage in order to have underneath coverage on Hopkins post route. With the LB out of the way and Hopkins running a vertical route, it allows the outside WR to come underneath and although he drops the pass, he was open.
Play 4: 2nd & 7. 49. 5:03 1st.
Coverage: Cover 1
The Jets once again leave Revis 1-on-1 with Hopkins and it again costs them. By bringing the blitz, it causes the down Safety to take the slot WR man-to-man leaving help of the top. He runs a go route and his QB makes a nice back shoulder throw and left it up to Hopkins to make the catch. It is good coverage by Revis but he is too big and too strong for the smaller defender, grabbing the ball with the defender all over him for a gain of 14.
Play 5: 3rd & 2. 2. 15:00 2nd.
Coverage: Cover 1
This is a negative play from Hopkins. The ball is not coming his direction, that is clear but it is 3rd down with only 2 yards to go. He runs his route with no urgency or interest, had he ran with a sense of urgency and tried to get open in the end zone it could have given the QB another option since the first option was covered up quickly by the Jets.
Play 6: 2nd & 12. -13. 4:28 2nd.
Coverage: Cover 1
This is an interesting play from the Texans. The Jets are in Cover 1, once again, with the Saftey over the top of Hopkins to protect against the deep route. Revis has excellent coverage on Hopkins on this play, essentially running the route for him but he pushes his route up field just a bit instead of coming back downhill as Revis anticipated. The QB throws the ball up the field where Hopkins is and then he makes a phenomenal one-handed catch for a gain of 18 and a first down.
Play 7: 2nd & 2. -39. 3:13 2nd.
Coverage: Cover 0
This is the game breaking play that we have been waiting for from the Texans. It is 2nd and 2 and the Texans are in 22 personnel (2 backs, 2 TE’s) showing the run. The Jets counter by stacking the box in order to stuff the run, leaving Revis on an island by himself in Cover 0. Hopkins pushes up the field as the QB executes the play fake and as soon as the QB sets himself, he breaks off his route towards the post and leaves Revis in the dust. The separation is there and even though the ball is slightly underthrown, it is still hauled in for a 61 yard TD.
Play 8: 1st & 10. -44. 0:33 2nd.
Coverage: Cover 1 (Bracket)
The Jets finally seem to have learned their lesson as you’ll see their coverage on this play is bracketing Hopkins. The Safety to the single WR side is playing underneath coverage to prevent in-breaking routes, while the CB is playing in man-to-man coverage with outside leverage since he has inside help. The Safety to the strong side is playing over the top of the defense to prevent the deep ball. This is a similar play to play 6, but this time Hopkins comes back downhill on his route rather than drifting up field because the defender is playing the deep ball. The QB throws a poor pass and it is over the head of everyone and falls incomplete.
Play 9: 3rd & 13. -17. 10:42 3rd.
Coverage: Cover 1 (Bracket)
Once again the Jets play bracket, or double coverage on Hopkins but this time he is used as a decoy to free up other players and routes. Initially when the ball is snapped, the slot CB has inside leverage on Hopkins with the Safety over the top. This leaves the inside CB with inside leverage on the WR in the slot. With Hopkins running a deep route, it allows the other WR to run a deep out right underneath the vacated space but the clear-out route, leaving him with no one covering his outside. The help defender comes but it is too late and the ball is completed for a first down.
Play 10: 1st & 10. 20. 3:30 3rd.
Coverage: Cover 1
At this point in the game, Darrelle Revis had been injured and removed from the game, leaving the Jets with their second CB facing Hopkins. Had the Jets continued with their bracket coverage to stop the long balls they may have been alright but they chose to bring the blitz on this particular play. The slot CB blitzes as the play starts and the Safety rolls down to cover the slot WR running an out route, leaving Hopkins and the CB 1-on-1. The CB actually does a nice job at the initial part of the play but Hopkins is a big and fast WR and he uses his lengthy arms to extend himself from the coverage. Once he has space it is just the QB’s job to throw the ball where it needs to be, the result is a 20 yard TD and the game is sealed for the Texans.
