FOXBORO, Mass. — The Chicago Bears’ receivers typically have an edge over NFL secondaries because of their size and strength, but when they take the Gillette Stadium field on Sunday, a giant-slayer awaits.
Cornerback Brandon Browner’s history of dominance against bigger wide receivers certainly played a big role in the New England Patriots’ decision to sign him. It will come in handy on Sunday when the Patriots face 6-foot-4, 230-pound Brandon Marshall and 6-foot-3, 216-pound Alshon Jeffery.
Browner said he prefers to line up against bigger wideouts, and the numbers agree.
“Yeah, just because the little guys, the little quicker guys, I have a tendency to have a little problem with those guys because they can duck under my jam at times,” Browner said in the Patriots’ locker room Friday.
Look at Browner’s career coverage stats (which aren’t perfect since they don’t track when the corner wasn’t targeted) based on height of the receiver he’s matched against, via some exhaustive digging through ProFootballFocus.com:
Under 6-foot: 27 catches on 40 targets for 384 yards with three touchdowns, no interceptions and two pass breakups. 67.5 completion percentage, 9.6 yards per attempt and a 123.3 passer rating.
6-foot and over: 76-148/1,047 yards/4 TDs/6 INTs/22 PBU/51.4%/7.1 YPA/66.5 passer rating
6-foot-3 and over: 30-56/349 yards/1 TD/3 INTs/6 PBUs/53.6%/6.2 YPA/56.3 passer rating
The bigger they are, the harder they fall against the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Browner, who likely will take on Jeffery, since fellow Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis has a history of success against Marshall.
So, why is Browner so good against bigger receivers? Mostly because they’re not used to playing against a cornerback with strength and length to match.
Houston Texans wide receiver (and constant Pats Nation object of affection) Andre Johnson is one of the most physical wide receivers in the game. Browner had no problem overmatching him last year while still a member of the Seahawks’ Legion of Boom secondary, however.
Browner, positioned at the bottom of the screen opposite Johnson, simply tracks the receiver down and across the field and uses his tree-trunk arms to power the ball out of the All-Pro’s hands.
Browner also can use a powerful jam at the line of scrimmage to redirect, and sometimes altogether halt, his opponent, as he did in a game-winning play last year against the St. Louis Rams in Week 8.
Browner typically plays outside, but in this instance, he’s in the slot across from Rams receiver Brian Quick. Browner wouldn’t allow Quick to finish his route, and Kellen Clemens’ throw fell dead in the back of the end zone. The Seahawks won 14-9.
Browner played all 71 defensive snaps against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, and he allowed just one reception on two targets against 6-foot-5, 241-pound Vincent Jackson. Jackson is one of the few wide receivers in the NFL who actually looks down on Browner, but the physical cornerback still had no problem rerouting Jackson, and fending the ball away from his big mitts.
Browner, at the top of the screen, shoves Jackson with his left hand, and fits the same arm between the football and receiver as Mike Glennon’s pass fell incomplete.
Seen enough impressive play from Browner? Or, as Kevin McCallister would say, “are you thirsty for more?”
Browner played in the same division as one of the all-time greats for three seasons and frequently lined up across from Larry Fitzgerald. The 6-foot-3, 218-pound wideout only caught two passes on eight targets for 40 yards against Browner in those three years.
Browner, lined up at the bottom of the screen, doesn’t bump Fitzgerald at the line of scrimmage, but he displays his ability to make subtle contact down the field, forcing the receiver to the sideline. Browner then uses his length to tip the ball, and Seahawks safety Earl Thomas makes an insane play by traveling halfway across the field for a diving interception off the deflection.
Browner likely won’t have to face any smaller receivers on Sunday, unless the Bears deploy Santonio Holmes, but the cornerback wasn’t lying when he said he’s had some trouble against shiftier players.
Then-Carolina Panthers receiver Steve Smith dodges Browner (at the top of the screen) before the cornerback is able to go for the jam and gains immediate separation by crossing over the field. Quarterback Cam Newton’s pass was errant, but there was plenty of space to fit that ball in as the 5-foot-9, 195-pound wideout ran past Browner.
Browner also had trouble against Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton.
The big cornerback gets heavy footed as Hilton makes a quick cut across the field. Credit goes to Browner for adjusting quickly and using his catchup speed to chase down Hilton and tackle him immediately.
The Patriots’ secondary will be tested since defensive end Chandler Jones has been ruled out against the Bears, but if history repeats itself, Revis and Browner should have no problem with Marshall and Jeffery.
Photo via Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press
