Aqib Talib on Stevie Johnson
Buffalo Bills star wide receiver Stevie Johnson created quite a stir a couple of days ago when he stated that nobody on the New England Patriots secondary could cover him, and he also received some laughs from those who know that Patrick Chung signed a sizeable deal with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason and is no longer a member of the Patriots organization.
Buffalo Bills wide receiver (13) Stevie Johnson against the Arizona Cardinals at University of Phoenix Stadium. The Bills defeated the Cardinals 19-16 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Patriots No. 1 cornerback Aqib Talib was asked about Johnson’s comments, and he basically stated that he never heard them and doesn’t focus on what others say. In fact, he stated that he shuts out NFL talk and just focuses on the NBA, and I’ll leave you guys to be the judge of that.
Talib, like fellow corner Kyle Arrington, did not go after Stevie Johnson for those rather foolish comments, and he instead praised the Bills top wideout, “He definitely demands a lot from a defense. He’s a good receiver, we’re preparing for him.”
“He’s sharp on his routes. He’s really good in his releases off the line, so we’ve just gotta, you know, prepare for him.”
I’ve noticed something about Aqib Talib, and that is the fact that he loves to praise receivers who release off of the line of scrimmage well. I bet that’s because Talib is regarded as one of the best corners in press coverage, and his forte is facing against possession receivers (he’s not as good against speedsters who can beat him deep). Johnson will play in the slot in three-wide sets, where he can create a lot of mis-matches. I do expect him to be lined up against Talib at times on Sunday, and I’m sure he’ll find that he won’t have it easy against Talib on Sunday. Johnson is a very talented wideout who is in line for a big game against the Patriots, but I’m sure he’ll find that the Patriots secondary isn’t exactly filled to the brim with incompetence.