Smoot: Time to sit on the bench.

[T.O.Killa]

Originally Posted by Southpaw

Fred Smoot should not be covering a starting wide receiver on third down. He doesn't get burned deep, but that's because he plays with a ridiculous cushion on every passing down. I was at the game, and watched him give an eight yard cushion on multiple third and shorts. It's like the term press coverage isn't even in his vocabulary.

And while I do think he should be on the field in nickel situations, he's a liability when he's one on one. I'm hoping it's because he's banged up, but he's always been pretty soft in single coverage.

Man coverage is his strong suite, he loves press coverage, when he is not in press coverage it is because Blache does not want him to.

[Southpaw]

Originally Posted by T.O.Killa

Man coverage is his strong suite, he loves press coverage, when he is not in press coverage it is because Blache does not want him to.

I know that "keeping the receiver in front of you" is a staple of the Williams/Blache defensive gameplan, but I doubt very seriously that when Fred Smoot gives up seven yards on third and five, Blache is happy, simply because Smoot kept the guy in front of him.

Also Smoot is not, and has never been a suffocating, press coverage corner. His strength has been his ability to read the quarterback and jump routes, and I still believe he's servicable in that capacity. That's why he should be on the field in nickel situations.