Darrelle Revis Once Again Making Dominance Look Easy

Darrelle Revis is challenging receivers at the line of scrimmage, playing with leverage and showing the closing speed that has him back in the mix again as one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL.

Today, let’s break down the tape on Revis and focus on the technique that is allowing the veteran to win one-on-one matchups in the New England Patriots' defensive schemes.

After doing a four-game study (Bengals, Bills, Jets, Bears), here are my notes on Revis as the Patriots prep for this Sunday’s matchup versus Peyton Manning and the Denver Broncos.

Press-Man Ability

I want to start with Revis playing press-man because this is the exact reason Bill Belichick added the veteran cornerback during the offseason. Revis challenges receivers on the release and mixes his techniques on the jam to stay in phase (on the hip) through the initial route stem in the Patriots’ Cover 1 and 2-Man schemes.

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Revis is quick on the jam, and he will mirror the release to quickly flip his hips while alternating the hands to keep contact with the receiver’s chest plate/shoulder pad. This puts the cornerback in a position to take control of the route and either flatten the release of the receiver or pin an outside stem to the sideline. 

That’s why Revis was able to limit Bills rookie wide receiver Sammy Watkins and compete at the line of scrimmage versus the Bengals' A.J. Green and the Bears' Brandon Marshall.

Here’s a quick All-22 example of Revis matched up versus Watkins, with the rookie in a plus split (outside of the numbers).

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

With a focus just on the release, we can see Revis getting the jam versus Watkins. This allows the cornerback to disrupt the initial release while staying in phase to run with the vertical stem (play for fade or comeback on outside release with plus split).

Now let’s check out Revis mixing up his look on the “taxi” technique (inch off at the snap, catch on the jam) versus Watkins running the comeback route (bottom of the screen). 

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

By utilizing the “taxi” technique, Revis can inch off and keep his shoulders square before Watkins declares on the outside release. That put Revis in a position to get a hand on the rookie, take control of the route, stack to the upfield shoulder and then chop down at the break point.

This is when you talk about a defensive back “dancing” with the receiver and matching his steps at the release, through the stem and finally at the top of the route. 

Revis had a very good night back in Week 5 versus the Bengals playing from a press look both inside and outside of the numbers when he matched up to Green. I pulled this clip from the tape because it highlights Revis’ ability to play a “two-way go” in the slot (inside or outside release) while getting hands on the receiver to impact the stem.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Instead of opening the hips to run with the release (called “opening the gate”), Revis challenges Green and attacks the chest plate of the Bengals receiver. You can see that here as Revis jams Green and then drives to the inside hip of the receiver to take away the quick wheel route.

These are just a couple of examples from the tape, but they both highlight the ability of Revis when he aligns in a press-man look. Given the hand placement and footwork at the point of attack, along with the flexibility to open or close his hips, Revis is quick to take control of the route.

And it’s all over the tape. Think pro-level technique here combined with the top-tier skill set of Revis in one-on-one matchups versus quality talent.

Off-Man Alignment

I like watching Revis play from an off-man alignment because his footwork is always under control and he shows little wasted movement when receivers press up the field. Revis is confident playing off, and he will allow receivers to eat up his cushion before driving downhill or funneling the route to his safety help in the deep middle of the field.

He is very smooth in his transitions (plant and drive, hip turn), plus we get to see more examples of Revis’ closing speed from an off-man alignment when he drives on the three-step game, matches to the dig (square-in) or pushes to the upfield shoulder on the post route.

This is an example of Revis driving on the curl route from this past Sunday versus the Bears and wide receiver Brandon Marshall.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

With the Patriots playing Cover 3 (same as man coverage for the cornerback versus a vertical release), Revis shuffles through a quick stutter from Marshall and is in a position (outside leverage) to drive on the throw. Check out the entire route and focus on Revis coming out of his break to make a play on this ball.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

This is about the cornerback playing with proper leverage while controlling his footwork to challenge the curl route. There is no panic here or a situation where the defensive back pedals too quickly up the field to create a large cushion for the receiver to work. 

Back in Week 7 on Thursday night versus the Jets, Revis ran with the post from an off-man alignment versus Eric Decker. In this example, focus on the hip turn (within the route) to match speed up the field.

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

With Decker taking a straight vertical release, Revis opens to the receiver and then uses a closed-angle technique (or baseball turn). This is the same drill you will see in the NFL combine every February with defensive backs flipping the hips.

The key here? Revis opens his hips (with speed) and closes immediately to Decker to funnel the receiver inside to the free safety sitting in the post. That is a hard technique to use as defensive backs will often allow the receiver to separate once they show the hip turn.

If you want to see more examples of Revis playing from an off-man alignment, check out the Bears tape. With matchups versus both Marshall and Alshon Jeffery, Revis showcased his ability to drive the short-to-intermediate routes while playing through the deep cuts to stay in phase on the wheel, 7, etc.

Veteran Experience in the Secondary

Revis understands wide receiver splits and formations, and he will adjust his alignment versus stack or bunch looks to avoid getting picked on the release.

I’m talking about veteran awareness based on down and distance, field position and the depth of the break point (12-15 yards) in core route schemes that allows Revis to play aggressively throughout the stem. That’s why we see Revis stacking to the upfield shoulder versus the double move and jumping an intermediate cut to put himself in a position to make a play or take away the route.

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Does Revis ever get beat? Sure, every defensive back in the NFL is going to give up a play now and then. But in this four-game study, you won’t find many situations on the tape where Revis is getting worked over.

Watkins caught a 7-route in the red zone, Decker beat Revis inside once on an underneath smash route and Green pulled in a fade down the sideline on a nice throw from Andy Dalton over the outside shoulder. However, in the majority of the reps I watched, Revis is winning one-on-one matchups while playing at a level that is starting to remind me of his time in New York before the knee injury.

A complete player at the position who will tackle in the run game, the veteran is winning with technique and a skill set that fits in the Patriots game plan. Given his talent, Revis can make it look easy at times. 

Seven-year NFL veteran Matt Bowen is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report.

Follow @MattBowen41