New England Patriots vs. Detroit Lions: Four Matchups To Watch
By Cyrus Geller
Nov 9, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) during the third quarter against the Miami Dolphins at Ford Field. Detroit won 20-16. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
Megatron/Tate vs. Patriots’ CB’s
I might as well get this one out of the way first.
A lot of Pats fans (hell, NFL fans it general) had this game circled from the beginning of the year because of the possibility of seeing the best cornerback in the game in Darrelle Revis, go head-to-head with the best wideout in Calvin Johnson. And while those two will certainly cross paths multiple times on Sunday, I don’t think Bill Belichick will elect to simply lock Revis in on Johnson from start to finish.
Instead, look for the Patriots to give Revis the assignment of taking Golden Tate out of the game, and let Brandon Browner try to handle Johnson, with safety help at all times. Browner is the biggest corner in the game, and his 6’4 height will really help against the 6’5 Johnson. Revis’ technique when covering wideouts is simply remarkable, but Revis gives up a good six inches against Johnson, which would allow him to beat great coverage by just using his height.
Anyway, that is not the real reason I believe the Pats should use Browner and safety help on Johnson. By taking Tate away with Revis, that will severely hinder Matthew Stafford’s ability to move the ball against a stiff New England secondary. Tate is his security blanket, and his go-to man on third downs. Tate is targeted on 26.1% of Stafford’s passes (6th in the league), and has a catch rate of 71.6% (also 6th in the league).
If the Pats can take him away, Detroit will struggle.