Secondary getting in the zone

[LouGrant]

By Allen Wilson/Buffalo News
Dec. 10, 2002 Print it
Printed in the Sporting News

The Bills are taking some pressure off their young secondary by playing more zone defense. Cornerbacks Antoine Winfield and Nate Clements are good in man coverage, but nickel cornerback Chris Watson gets picked on a lot.

Free safety Pierson Prioleau and strong safety Coy Wire are novices at their positions and prone to assignment breakdowns.

Playing more man than zone may have a bearing on the team's league-low six interceptions. All of their interceptions have come in the zone package, in which defenders are better able to read the quarterback's eyes and jump short routes. .....MORE...

[Cntrygal]

good find Lou. Thanks

[venis2k1]

I disagree with a few parts of that article. "The defensive backs, particularly the safeties, also need to tackle better" I thought the safeties were about the only people on the feild making tackles.

[TigerJ]

I heard an explanation a couple weeks ago for Watson's woes that made a lot of sense. Watson does not like to play the slot receiver because he has a lot of problems with kind of coverage a nickel back has to play. I guess it involves a lot more cutting and changes of direction. So when Watson comes in in nickel coverage he always takes an outside guy. That's why opposing teams were able to get matchups on him all season long. If they know he's gonna play the outside guy it's a lot easier to make sure your best receiver is on him at least part of the time. Buffalo finally started playing Bostic at nickel back because he's a true nickel back (plays the slot receiver). Well duh, why couldn't they figure that out in September?