One of the many questions facing the 2020 New York Giants is how their secondary would fare in the new season. Former first-round pick DeAndre Baker was recently waived after armed robbery charges, and the secondary was a weak spot last season. On Monday Night Football, however, recently acquired cornerback James Bradberry displayed some teaching tape at the position breaking up a throw from Ben Roethlisberger intended for James Washington:
Nice play by Bradberry on Washington #Steelers pic.twitter.com/ueSkehjwR0
— Steelers Depot 🏆👑 (@Steelersdepot) September 15, 2020
As you can see on the replay angle, Bradberry plays “up through the pocket,” reaching up towards the catch point to make the deflection. This is textbook cornerback play. For example, while he was still with the New England Patriots as their defensive coordinator, Matt Patricia gave a clinic presentation at Notre Dame.
During his discussion, he talked about this very technique and how the Patriots’ coaching staff instills it in their players. It comes around the 36-minute mark of this video:
Former NFL defensive back Will Blackmon agreed:
I mean teach tape text book late win by Bradberry
— Will Blackmon 🍷 (@WillBlackmon) September 15, 2020
Sure, the Giants’ running game is struggling and Daniel Jones has had an up-and-down night. But in Bradberry the Giants might have at least one answer in the secondary, or at least some teaching tape.
