PFF Article on Coenerbacks:
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/06/10/the-art-of-tracking-and-the-nfls-best-cornerbacks/
Essentially argues that shutting down one side of the field is as good or sometimes better than shadowing a #1 receiver, since it allows the rest of the defense to adjust and overcompensate to track specific players.
Also argues that based on the numbers, Patrick Peterson really needs to be used in a Richard Sherman type role. He was great on the left side, iffy elsewhere, got destroyed in the slot.
Again points out Revis' 2009 season as basically the standard-setter for the modern era.
"The other point worth making is that taking the top receiver away only helps the defense if you play to a certain level every down you’re tracking him.
Patrick Peterson surrendered seven touchdowns through the air last season tracking receivers. Is that really taking away an opponent’s best weapon? Revis gave up just eight over four seasons of shadowing for the Jets (from his second season onward). There’s no doubting that Peterson is a very good corner, but is he really lockdown all over the field?
Take a look at what Golden Tate was able to do to him when he lined up at RCB during an encounter last season. He turns him inside out at the line and then beats him again after the catch for a big gain. If the idea is to follow the offense’s best guy to neutralize him then plays like this are a major problem.
Joe Haden was beaten for six touchdowns in 2013 performing a similar role for the Browns. Here he gets caught peeking in the backfield against the Jaguars while playing RCB and was beaten on a double move for a score that cost the Browns the game. I’m not saying either Haden or Peterson are bad players – far from it – but would the Browns and Cardinals have been better off just leaving them to play left corner and tackling troublesome receivers by schematic adjustments?
The numbers at least suggest they probably would have been. Four of Haden’s six touchdowns surrendered came away from the left side while all of Peterson’s were given up while playing a position other than left corner. The passer rating into Haden’s coverage was more than 20 points better when he was at left corner than playing either the slot or right corner while Peterson’s passer rating allowed while playing left corner alone was a pretty ridiculous 9.9.
Haden and Peterson were both asked to shadow receivers because they were good enough to take away that weapon and allow the rest of the defense to concentrate on the rest of the offense, but were they actually good enough away from left corner to justify that tactic?"
