An Innovative Approach to Improving Cornerback Play

[Fan_in_Kettering]

The Cincinnati Bengals have had some effective cornerbacks on the roster since Marvin Lewis too over in 2003 -- and especially in the Mike Zimmer/Paul Guenther era. With Cincinnati having to face Antonio Brown at least twice every year and since in 2017 the Bengals will face Matthew Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, and Andrew Luck, it's time to kick cornerback play up a notch, and here's how:

For a significant amount of the off-season, let's have the cornerbacks train with the wide receivers. I'm talking about running routes, catching passes, making cuts, and even working on sideline catches keeping both feet in bounds. My rationale is this: If cornerbacks learn to play like a wide receiver they'll eventually think like a wide receiver! The Bengal cornerbacks will be able to recognize routes better if they've run those routes themselves a few hundred times.

This should increase the rate of successful passes defensed as well as increase the amount of interceptions.

[*jason*]

We should let Ogbuehi practice rushing the passer then too.

[wolfkaosaun]

Practicing routes doesn't help you defend them as much as you'd think.

Playing cornerback, you have to get used to back pedaling and being aggressive. You have to be able to read the receiver more than the quarterback when it comes to deeper routes.

Plus, the secondary learns routes. They see it on film. Not every cornerback is a possible receiver. Some cornerbacks excel in zone coverage. Some excel in mirroring a receiver and rather than running a route they think the receiver will run, they run with the receiver and watch for key movements and pivots to know where to go.

And yes, cornerbacks can read the quarterback as well. Especially in zone coverage, but they also watch offenses to know where the ball is going and what routes the offense likes to call.

I don't think running routes with the offense is going to help a cornerback on an option route. Cornerback can say oh this is a curl, and run that route, whereas the receiver runs a different route and he's way out of position.

[CageTheBengal]

I think Marvin has shown he knows to coach CBs. Let's stick with whatever his strategy is.

[CageTheBengal]

(01-28-2017, 01:30 PM)jason Wrote: We should let Ogbuehi practice rushing the passer then too.

Bullock says he's ready to practice kick returns.

[Derrick]

(01-28-2017, 01:51 PM)CageTheBengal Wrote: I think Marvin has shown he knows to coach CBs. Let's stick with whatever his strategy is.

Vance Joseph, YES; Marvin Lewis, Not so much!

[BengalsRocker]

(01-28-2017, 01:30 PM)jason Wrote: We should let Ogbuehi practice rushing the passer then too.

It couldn't hurt.








I might have to get rid of my custom Ced O Jersey though...

[CageTheBengal]

(01-28-2017, 06:00 PM)Derrick Wrote: Vance Joseph, YES; Marvin Lewis, Not so much!

There's plenty of blame for Marvin to go around but most of the time he has had pretty good corners to great corners on his teams.

 Vance Joseph was here a whole 2 years Marvin coached O'Neal, Torry James, J.Joe, Hall, Jones and Kirk who were good/great corners and Kevin Coyle our current DB coach was the coach before Vance.

[samhain]

The solution is less innovative. Draft or sign some d-linemen that can rush the qb and stop giving opposing teams forever to find open receivers. This concept is lost on this organization.

[*SHRacerX*]

(01-28-2017, 01:30 PM)jason Wrote: We should let Ogbuehi practice rushing the passer then too.

Well, Villenueva was a defensive player and became a starting LT in the NFL.  Maybe Ogbuehi would become a starting DE, since he can't play LT?

I'm kidding, obviously, but your post was pretty funny.