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Breaking down the game of new Commanders CB Marshon Lattimore and why Washington traded for him
It’s no secret that the Commanders cornerbacks have struggled this year. They had a tough time early in the season matching up in man coverage against teams like the Buccaneers and the Bengals, giving up an average of over 300 yards passing in those games. That forced Commanders head coach Dan Quinn and defensive coordinator Joe Whitt Jr. to go away from the style of play they wanted to use. They want to be able to play man coverage, commit more bodies to the pass rush and pressure the opposing quarterback to hurried passes underneath that the defensive backs can try and intercept.
Adding Lattimore should help this to an extent. The other corners need to continue to improve in this area, but Lattimore has a track record for matching up consistently well in man coverage against all sorts of receivers in all types of situations. This season is no different.
This clip shows two very similar reps of Lattimore in press coverage against a receiver running a fade. The first play comes against Falcons speedster Darnell Mooney. Lattimore isn’t super aggressive at the line. He doesn’t look to jam Mooney or disrupt him largely because he doesn’t need to. Lattimore has enough speed to feel comfortable running down the field if he needs to, so instead of trying to jam the receiver at the line, he displays great patience. His feet remain calm at the snap and wait for Mooney to declare his intentions. Once Mooney commits to an outside release, Lattimore opens his hips and turns to run with him. Lattimore stays on top of the route the entire way, placing his hand on the shoulder of the receiver to gently guide him towards the sideline. By staying on top of the route, Lattimore is able to force Mooney to work wider and wider, closing any potential throwing window as Mooney is eventually forced to the sideline.
The second play of the clip is very similar. This time, the Bucs send Sterling Shepard out to Lattimore’s side and have him try to run a fade. It plays out almost exactly like the previous play did, with Lattimore staying patient at the line, forcing the receiver to declare his intentions before reacting. Once the receiver works outside, Lattimore opens his hips, stays on top of the route and guides the receiver to the sideline, closing the throwing window and taking the route away.
It’s not just on fade routes that Lattimore’s press coverage ability stands out. Cornerbacks like Lattimore often are left on the side of the single receiver with three receivers on the other side of the field. In that situation, the single...
