WRs prepared to break free

Bucs receivers must discourage man coverage to counter Eagles blitz.

By ROGER MILLS, Times Staff Writer
© St. Petersburg Times
published January 15, 2003

TAMPA -- At home watching ESPN Tuesday night, Bucs receiver Keyshawn Johnson couldn't believe what he was hearing.

On NFL Tonight, analysts Sean Salisbury, Mark Malone and Mike Golic, all former players, contended the Bucs receivers would be incapable of consistently getting separation from the Eagles Pro Bowl cornerbacks, Johnson said.

If so, the Bucs offense would see a lot of man-to-man coverage and be particularly vulnerable to the blitz, a common feature in Philadelphia's scheme.

The remarks irked Johnson and underscored a prevailing point of interest as the Bucs prepare for their NFC Championship Game in Philadelphia.

Can Tampa Bay's receivers make the Eagles pay when they blitz?

"When you have these so-called experts, who were average players in the league, making those statements about you and your teammates, that really p----- me off," Johnson said. "Look, the Eagles have a great secondary. They have three deserving Pro Bowlers, so they must be good. But you think Keenan McCardell played 11 years in this league and caught over 600 balls by being unable to get separation? As many years as I have been in the league, with the kind of numbers I have put up, you don't think I can get separation? Same with Joe (Jurevicius). He's in his fifth year now and could be starting for half the teams. Please. Some people don't know what they're talking about."

And the talk of the town is that success against such relentless blitzing will require, among other things, Tampa Bay's seasoned receivers to make plays.

"That's true," Johnson said. "We have to make them pay. The opportunities will come to us but we're not in this league and at this point because we're below-average players. You're talking about one guy in his 11th year, one guy in his seventh year and the other in his fifth."

For the receivers, neutralizing Philadelphia's blitz may mean more slant routes (diagonally across the middle), more short out routes (to the sidelines) and hitch routes (back toward the passer) and even an occasional fade route (over the head of the secondary) to keep the defense thinking.

"We can't worry about them blitzing us because they're going to blitz, that's what they do," McCardell said. "That's what got them there. We've got to realize that we have to make plays into the blitz. We've got to recognize it and get into the right play."

Receivers coach Richard Mann said all eligible receivers, including tight ends and running backs, can play a huge role in thwarting the blitz, or at least controlling the number of times the Eagles go to it.

"If you're on your p's and q's and you're sharp, you can stop them from blitzing," Mann said. "You burn them once or twice or you show you're prepared to try to burn them, they'll back off. A lot of times you can just come close to hitting the big one and that would deter them. Next time, they're going to be thinking about it and they might be a little less enthusiastic."

The logic behind Philadelphia's penchant for blitzing is fairly simple. It can bring extra linebackers or safeties to the line of scrimmage because it is convinced Pro Bowl cornerbacks Bobby Taylor and Troy Vincent can handle most receivers. And it has equal faith in nickelback Al Harris and in Pro Bowl safety Brian Dawkins.

"How many guys in their secondary you have going to the Pro Bowl, three?" Jurevicius said. "That's all you need to say. But we're competitors; we're professionals. We have to go play a football game, and we're not laying down."

Because Taylor and Vincent are particularly effective at man-to-man coverage, the Eagles are more willing to leave their corners on their own and pursue the quarterback with an extra defender or two. That means the cornerbacks routinely have no help inside, and a team capable of making plays outside can move the chains.

"Those guys are good players, no question, but they are out there on an island," Mann said. "If we execute our system, it'll work."

Mann said making plays against the blitz is a product of what offensive play is called at the time, the side of the field the blitz is coming from and the personnel grouping on the field.

But, he said, the receivers will need to think and execute quickly.

"You know everything is going to happen super fast, so you have to think and act even faster," Mann said. "It's important that we have proper technique. You can have routes where the blitz control is built in, where the receiver has a chance to do something quick. It could be slants, it could be hitches, it could be quick outs or fades. It all depends on what you have called and game-planned.

"It might be a situation where you have a slant called and you leave it on, or you have a slant called and he's sitting inside and you try to beat him up top."

Quarterback Brad Johnson said the Eagles have made a number of offenses look bad with their pressure, but shying away from their corners isn't going to help.

"You have to attack them," he said. "They are Pro Bowlers and that's why they get into the playoffs year in and year out. But if you're scared of them then you're in for a long day."

The past two playoff games, both losses, have indeed been long days for the Bucs. But though Philadelphia's blitz was effective, Keyshawn Johnson found a way to make plays, finishing with a combined nine catches for 181 yards.

Things have changed. Rather than Reidel Anthony and Jacquez Green, Keyshawn Johnson now goes to war with McCardell (61 catches, 670 yards, six touchdowns) and Jurevicius (37 catches, 423 yards, four touchdowns). All three were there in the Bucs' 20-10 loss to the Eagles on Oct. 20, but Keyshawn Johnson said something else has changed for the Bucs.

"Now, when Brad sees the blitz he knows exactly where his checks are going to be and are supposed to be," he said. "And as receivers, we know exactly where we're supposed to be. ... I'm ready to go. I'm ready to play right now."