Richard Sherman is one of the most polarizing players on the Seahawks and the NFL in general. Against the Green Bay Packers, he faced Aaron Rodgers and multiple receiving threats. Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and up-and-comer rookie Davante Adams all tested his coverage abilities. Sherman played well in coverage receiving a +3.0 grade from ProFootballFocus. In this game, he only allowed one catch for 6 yards on two targets with the other target resulting in an interception in the endzone. Let’s take a look at some of his plays.
Pass Coverage
Sherman stayed in his usual position as left cornerback playing man-to-man coverage on the line of scrimmage and occasionally switching to zone. If he did switch to zone it was primarily in Cover 3 playing the deep left zone. In this game, it was Sherman’s man-coverage that were truly the most impressive as he used his physicality to blanket receivers and exclude them from the game. Let’s take a look at some plays.
Play 3
Situation: 3rd and 10 at SEA 29
Description: Q1 – (11:23) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass deep right intended for D.Adams INTERCEPTED by R.Sherman [C.Avril] at SEA 0. Touchback.
Here is Sherman’s interception. Rodgers lines up in an 11 set in shotgun with trips right and WR17 Adams alone on the right outside. Sherman plays bump-and-run coverage with Adams running a go-route to the back of the back right of the endzone. Rodgers takes the snap and scrambles around the pocket looking downfield for his wide receivers before settling on Adams. This is an awful throw. Watch Rodger’s footwork as he is releasing the football.
http://i.imgur.com/FXMUFB4.png
Rodgers’ is sliding outside throwing across his body trying to lob the ball over Sherman. This is an easy inteception for Sherman who effortlessly cuts off the ball returning it to the offense. Adams actually has a slight edge over Sherman as he is entering the endzone but that’s only because Sherman was turning to locate Rodgers and the play.
Play 6
Situation: 1st and 10 at GB 44
Description: Q1 – (3:39) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass short left to J.Nelson to SEA 41 for 15 yards (B.Maxwell).
Sherman lines up against Adams on the right outside and easily covers him throughout the entire play as Adams attempts to run a curl route to the outside. Seeing Rodgers scramble around the pocket, Adams attempts to run up the sideline to get open for his quarterback, but Sherman sticks to him the entire way. Great coverage.
Play 11
Situation: 2nd and 7 at SEA 30
Description: Q4 – (11:11) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass incomplete deep right to J.Starks.
Rodgers has trips right with Sherman playing WR87 Nelson in the slot right who runs a spot route over the middle. This route is typically run to the find the whole between two interior zones of inside linebackers, but since only one is present Nelson is covered the entire way. I wanted to show this play to show just how Sherman latches on to the player and doesn’t release from them in coverage.
Edit: Plays 11-15 were played with an injured elbow that Sherman suffered in Play 10 (on the next page).
Play 12
Situation: 3rd and 7 at SEA 30
Description: Q4 – (11:04) (Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass incomplete short left to J.Starks [B.Irvin].
Sherman lines up against WR87 Nelson on the right outside who runs a go route. Kam Chancellor is playing Cover 2 over the top to bracket cover him as well, so Nelson can’t get open. In this play, Sherman plays phyisically on Nelson almost too much as a liberal referee might have flagged this for defensive holding. Near the 20 yard line it looks like Nelson’s right arm is extending backwards getting pulled by Sherman, but that could just be them fighting each other in the route to create/diminish separation on both sides.
This article continues on the next page.
