Green Bay quarterback Matt Flynn and his receivers were testing Arrington with quick slants and crossing patterns, most notably when Arrington got beat by Greg Jennings for a one-yard touchdown late in the second quarter.
Arrington, who was starting for the Patriots for the 12th time in his career, adjusted in time for the Packers' first possession of the second half, sat on a James Jones crossing route and recorded his first career interception, taking it 36 yards for a touchdown that gave the Patriots a 21-17 lead. Arrington attributed it to his experience, mental preparation and on-field awareness, and it’s a play that he might not have been able to make earlier in the season when he took over at right corner for Darius Butler.
Arrington, one of the last Hofstra products who will ever play in the NFL, quickly learned how important it is to pay attention to detail. He was a special teams extraordinaire last season and has earned his stripes since entering the league in 2008, playing on practice squads in Philadelphia, Tampa Bay and New England before getting his full-time promotion to the Patriots' active roster midway through 2009.
The promotion to starting cornerback in Week 3 was his biggest break to date, and it helped him realize just how grueling the day-to-day grind can be in the NFL.
"I thought I had a tremendous work ethic, but your physical talents can only take you so far as a player," Arrington said. "The great ones, or the ones who aspire to be pretty good, they put the time in the film room. They study their opponents' tendencies a lot better, sharper focus on the practice field and just that tenacity, not only on the game field but in practice as well. It matters if somebody catches a ball on you in practice and things like that. Just strive and focus to get better every day."
Arrington has always had the physical talent, and last week, Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said, pound for pound, Arrington is one of the strongest players on the roster.
That goes back a ways, too. Arrington’s high school, Gwynn Park in Maryland, won the Prince George’s County weightlifting competition against the other dozen 3A schools in their conference. Arrington, as a junior, was the pound-for-pound champion, bench-pressing 315 pounds three times, and he estimated that he weighed 165-170 pounds at the time.
In his weightlifting prime, as a junior at Hofstra, he benched 405 pounds while weighing 183 pounds. He doesn’t get up that high anymore because NFL teams lighten the players' weightlifting workloads in order to maintain their strength.
When Arrington was signed by the Eagles as an undrafted free agent in 2008, the book on him was that he had the physical abilities — most notably strength and quickness — but he'd need time to develop. Scouts seemed to know he'd last in the NFL because he projected as a strong special teamer, but his emergence as a starter in 2010 has seemingly widened eyes in some league circles.
"The kid always had tools," said one AFC scout. "He just needed to develop. He was raw early on and developed over time. He’s made himself into the player he is now. He is playing better than we expected — more surprised that he's playing that many snaps on defense and playing fairly well."
Arrington looked back upon the Patriots’ Week 8 victory against the Vikings as something of a turning point. The game plan had Arrington almost exclusively responsible for manning up Randy Moss, and Arrington engaged Moss in a knock-down type of street fight at the line of scrimmage on many plays.
The former Patriots receiver, who spent a number of days playing pickup basketball with Arrington, was a complete non-factor, and that night served as a significant rallying point for the Patriots as a whole. It also doubled as one of those "Hey, I could be good at this" revelations for Arrington.
"It was definitely a confidence-builder, that game in particular," the third-year cornerback said. "I felt I could possibly turn the corner, as not just as a special teamer who is in a replacement role, but I could be a pretty good corner. By no means do I think I'm the greatest or great right now, but I'm still working on it and trying to get better. Every day is a new opportunity to work on techniques, mental toughness. Every day is an opportunity to get better in some area."
When Arrington took over the starting job, his greatest awakening involved maxing out his work ethic and maintaining consistency. He said he's usually at Gillette Stadium from 7:30 a.m. until about 4:30 p.m., and when he’s home, he dedicates at least an hour of time to watching more film, rather than just lounging after a long day.
"It’s crunch time now," Arrington said. "We’ll have plenty of rest after the season, so right now, I’ve just got to keep pushing."
The consistency aspect is a startling wakeup call for every young player. It's a battle to stay completely focused on every one of their responsibilities for each given play. For a cornerback like Arrington, he has to know whether he has to jam a player at the line or stay back, play man or zone, show blitz or a deep cover, and where he's got help, if he's got any at all.
Arrington also has to have a short memory. Because left cornerback Devin McCourty is having such a terrific year, some quarterbacks have shied away from testing his side of the field, which makes them more inclined to go after Arrington. There are plenty of times when a corner can be in tremendous position, but the quarterback can make a great throw to a receiver who pulls off an extraordinary catch, like Peyton Manning’s second-quarter touchdown lob to Reggie Wayne, who was blanketed by Arrington, in Week 11.
Arrington's evolution is by no means complete, but his progression has accelerated faster than many have anticipated. It's the latest example of him taking on a role and maximizing his potential with it.
Last year, when Arrington was on the New England practice squad, he received interest from another team that wanted to add him to its active roster. Because the Patriots saw his potential and coveted his practice ability, they promoted him to their own active roster to keep him in town.
Then, in nine games with the Patriots, he led the team with 18 tackles on special teams, and he entered the 2010 season with a goal to make the Pro Bowl as a special teamer.
Now with more responsibilities on defense, Arrington has stepped up for the Patriots in a tight situation and become a reliable player. It was an unexpected development, especially looking back to training camp, but Arrington’s progression has proven that his time in the NFL can be based on more than just his valuable work on special teams.
"I'm still learning every day. On the field, my comfort level has grown, but off the field, I’m still working, still trying to get better," Arrington said. "Everybody in this league wants to be a starter. It was something I was preparing myself for, and when my number was called, I just tried to maximize the opportunity."
