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Xavien Howard Always Turns His Head Back

xSxPxHx

xSxPxHx

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Why is this guy a ball hawk and INT leader?

Simple, the guy turns his head around and looks for the ball when its thrown up in the air.

How many of you feel my pain that when a ball is thrown at our corners, you see the WR looking up but the CB never looking back for the ball! Just trailing and putting their hands up when they are less then a foot away from the WR. JUST TURN AROUND! Its so frustrating to see that. If our CB's always look back for the ball there would be higher % of INT and also lower % PI against out CB's. Someone correct me if im wrong but its not a PI if the CB looks back for the ball?

Howard does this beautifully!

I would be ok if a TD is given up if the CB looked back for the ball. Ill live and die with that because its a higher success they break up the pass or INT.

Anyone agree with this? or am I missing an important element?
 
xSxPxHx said:
Why is this guy a ball hawk and INT leader?

Simple, the guy turns his head around and looks for the ball when its thrown up in the air.

How many of you feel my pain that when a ball is thrown at our corners, you see the WR looking up but the CB never looking back for the ball! Just trailing and putting their hands up when they are less then a foot away from the WR. JUST TURN AROUND! Its so frustrating to see that. If our CB's always look back for the ball there would be higher % of INT and also lower % PI against out CB's. Someone correct me if im wrong but its not a PI if the CB looks back for the ball?

Howard does this beautifully!

I would be ok if a TD is given up if the CB looked back for the ball. Ill live and die with that because its a higher success they break up the pass or INT.

Anyone agree with this? or am I missing an important element?
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Minkah is an example of how it's not done. He struggled with that last year.

You always take the penalty over the touchdown, though.
 
marino13zach54 said:
Minkah is an example of how it's not done. He struggled with that last year.

You always take the penalty over the touchdown, though.
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Minkah is an example of everything you look for in a rookie. He was asked to come into a new system and play 3 different positions and still did well.

He was put on the boundary last year and was not drafted as a boundary player.
 
Cornerback with WR instincts. Wonder how many former receivers would have done changing positions to CB.
 
SCLSU Mud Dogs said:
Minkah is an example of everything you look for in a rookie. He was asked to come into a new system and play 3 different positions and still did well.

He was put on the boundary last year and was not drafted as a boundary player.
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Oh, dude. I am by no means bashing Minkah. Talk about an amazing pick. The kid is a stud.

But I believe he was the most blatant example of not getting his head around. My memory is for **** because I tend to drink too much during games but I specifically remember yelling at the tv to get his f@cking head turned around.

He was always in the WRs bread basket so the coverage was superb. It was just that final detail.

Oh, no, no, no, brother. I am NOT hating on Minkah. Faaaaaar from. It's just something he was not doing well. That's all.
 
eger said:
Cornerback with WR instincts. Wonder how many former receivers would have done changing positions to CB.
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It was always pretty cool seeing Bellicheck do it with Troy Brown.
 
marino13zach54 said:
Oh, dude. I am by no means bashing Minkah. Talk about an amazing pick. The kid is a stud.

But I believe he was the most blatant example of not getting his head around. My memory is for **** because I tend to drink too much during games but I specifically remember yelling at the tv to get his f@cking head turned around.

He was always in the WRs bread basket so the coverage was superb. It was just that final detail.

Oh, no, no, no, brother. I am NOT hating on Minkah. Faaaaaar from. It's just something he was not doing well. That's all.
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All the years of misery tends to do that to you, doesn't it?
 
xSxPxHx said:
Why is this guy a ball hawk and INT leader?

Simple, the guy turns his head around and looks for the ball when its thrown up in the air.

How many of you feel my pain that when a ball is thrown at our corners, you see the WR looking up but the CB never looking back for the ball! Just trailing and putting their hands up when they are less then a foot away from the WR. JUST TURN AROUND! Its so frustrating to see that. If our CB's always look back for the ball there would be higher % of INT and also lower % PI against out CB's. Someone correct me if im wrong but its not a PI if the CB looks back for the ball?

Howard does this beautifully!

I would be ok if a TD is given up if the CB looked back for the ball. Ill live and die with that because its a higher success they break up the pass or INT.

Anyone agree with this? or am I missing an important element?
Click to expand...
Well, you can't REALLY defend it if you can't see it; so yes I agree.
 
xSxPxHx said:
Right, Thats my point, how many times do we see the CB never turning around to see the ball? Its mostly all the time.
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I don't think that is an easy thing to do and is part of why Howard is special. He runs the WR route for them and has great ball instincts.
 
You're never willing to give up touchdowns just for the sake of turning your head to the ball. There's not a football coach in America that will subscribe to that.

DB's have to be in phase with the receiver in order to have the option to turn their head and attempt a play on the ball. In phase meaning, you can touch the inside hip of the receiver with the back of your outside hand. If you can't do that, you're not in phase.

If you're out of phase with the receiver - meaning the receiver has vertical or horizontal separation from you to where you can't touch his inside hip with the back of your outside hand - you're not in position to turn and look for the ball. You keep running and shoot your hand through his hands at the catch point when the receiver puts his hands out and play the ball through his hands.

Anytime you turn to look for the ball even if you are in phase, you're taking a risk. It's really just up to the DB to be able to make this decision when he feels like it's ok to turn and when it isn't. Instincts, ball skills, and ability of the DB - along with situation of the game are all factors.

You can go from in phase to out of phase in a fraction of a second just by turning to look for the ball too early - creating separation for the receiver at the moment of truth that he didn't have to create for himself. You created it for him by turning your head to look for the ball.

Minkah chooses to play the technique that Saban taught him. The one he's repped thousands of times. He doesn't feel comfortable turning to look for the ball when he's in phase. He'd rather not take a chance on creating that separation for the receiver at the last second. Go ahead and shoot his hands through the receiver's hands at the catch point for the PBU.

Howard's technique gets more interceptions with the more gambling type of style, but will also put himself at risk to give up more touchdowns and big plays. It's usually good to have a few guys who like to play both techniques so they kinda balance each other out.
 
X turns his head to look for the ball because he's already on top of the receiver. That's why he's good. He gets interceptions because he covers them so easily that he can then play WR better than them.

It's not as simple as saying "Such and such corner never turns around to look for the ball!" It's because that corner isn't good enough and he's already trailing, so he doesn't have that option.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
Howard's technique gets more interceptions with the more gambling type of style, but will also put himself at risk to give up more touchdowns and big plays. It's usually good to have a few guys who like to play both techniques so they kinda balance each other out.
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Pat Surtain and Sam Madison are a good example of 2 gambling type players and they were very good at it. However they did have the benefit of 2 deep safeties on most plays.
 
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