Are Opposing Wide Receivers Intimidated by Charles Tillman?

by Dane Noble on May 14, 2009 3:46 PM CDT

Statistics have always intrigued me... a lot of people don't put too much merit into random stats, but I happen to think they can be very helpful in discovering trends. And this article possibly does just that. It says that opposing wide receivers of Charles Tillman dropped more passes in 2008 compared to opposing WRs of any other cornerback in the NFL.

Of the 113 passes thrown in his direction, 10 were dropped. For the purposes of this study, FO defined a drop as an "uncontested pass the receiver should have caught." Imperfect passes or those knocked away by simultaneous contact didn't count.

The article goes on to wonder what reason could be behind the stat. Is Tillman intimidating, or could it be his well-known ability to strip the ball?

It makes intuitive sense, and I'm sure there have been instances when a receiver loses concentration because he's aware Tillman is preparing to swipe at the ball. But Football Outsiders' study offers no evidence to suggest Tillman has consistently "forced" receivers to drop the ball during his career. In 2007, for example, receivers dropped four of 93 passes against him, which finished below the NFL average that season.

Whether there is merit to be had from this statistic is up in the air. But as a Bears fan, I am hoping that this is indeed a trend that continues into the 2009 season. With the current state of our defensive backs, we will need all of the help we can get.

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I wouldn't say intimidated

I could buy the part about stripping the football. They may be trying to locate him when they should be focusing on the ball.

Being Who You Thought We Were Since 2005!

by Adam T on May 14, 2009 3:54 PM CDT reply actions

I bet

Reggie Wayne is intimidated.

Be nice. Flag comments that you think are offensive. Use the "reply" button. Drink plenty of water. Compliment others. Rec comments and posts you like. Don't call people names. If you don't like someone's comment, attack the comment and not the commentor. Learn the difference in your/you're, then/than, to/too. Exercise. Relax. Stretch often. Find good in the world.

by Dane Noble on May 14, 2009 4:02 PM CDT up reply actions 3 recs

Love that, wrecked

by Mike Mueller on May 14, 2009 4:25 PM CDT up reply actions

Double wrecked!!!

Love how you Film games Geaux!

I've officially adopted #94 Marcus Harrison!

by scespy12 on May 14, 2009 5:37 PM CDT up reply actions

Lol. Right.

by Dane Noble on May 14, 2009 5:44 PM CDT up reply actions

If Madden was here he'd say

Boom!

"I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." - Dick Butkus

by propheteer on May 14, 2009 9:46 PM CDT up reply actions

I love Peanut

R.I.P. Nick Adenhart

by Jbasic89 on May 14, 2009 4:21 PM CDT reply actions

Just wish we could give him a couple of good shoulders

by Mike Mueller on May 14, 2009 4:26 PM CDT up reply actions

Steve Smith missed the Carolina game

Or else he would not have led that category.

Somebody should make a comic called "Tulowitzki the Combat Shortstop". I'd read it.

UMD 8/04 - 5/08: Go Terps!

by ES46NE10 on May 14, 2009 4:29 PM CDT reply actions

Not really sure what your angle is there buddy.

by Dane Noble on May 14, 2009 4:31 PM CDT up reply actions

I think he is implying that Smith would have scorched him for three touchdowns.

Passion For The Game, Loyal To The Name, Chicago Bears, I Trust In Thee, Standing Strong Since 1983.

by Haightminow on May 14, 2009 4:58 PM CDT up reply actions

I can't see any receiver being intimadated by a corner in the Cover 2

by BearFan611 on May 14, 2009 5:30 PM CDT reply actions

whoa whoa

seriously?

There are guys that drop the ball all the time when they hear footsteps.

Tillman is a beast, plain and simple, just hope he stays healthy this year.

Over on the Daily Norseman they were dissing him, but I hope he knocks Berrian into next week for that touchdown he scorched him on.

If you want to crown em...

by JohnnyTruant on May 14, 2009 8:38 PM CDT up reply actions

Not sure

what you’re referring to, but it doesn’t matter what scheme good players play in.

"I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." - Dick Butkus

by propheteer on May 14, 2009 9:49 PM CDT up reply actions

Huh?

Receivers will only ever be intimidated by one thing when it comes to corners in the NFL: taking the big hit. In other words, they’re not going to be “intimidated” by a good cover corner although they might be frustrated.

The zone scheme and cushion that the cover 2 allows the corner to taken makes for for MUCH bigger hits on receivers than a tight man coverage.

Therefore, i have no idea what you are talking about when you make this statement. If anything, the cover 2 will cause more intimidation for receivers than any other defensive formation when it comes to hearing footsteps from a corner back.

by The Kaiser on May 15, 2009 12:18 AM CDT up reply actions

Not what we've seen here

That only comes into play on underneath routes IF the corner can come up and make the hit, which we haven’t seen a lot of. After that they drop off for the safeties to take over, which if it’s on a post route there could be a big hit. Think about it though, last year where did we get beat all the time, outside on the mid to deeper routes (ask the Falcons). This scheme has become too predictable and offenses have caught up to it. That being said, I agree the receiver shouldn’t be intimidated just because of a “coverage” corner, so put the two things together and you have the reason for my original post. I do understand your position, though, if the Cover-2 were played perfectly and the offense ran the inside routes, I’d agree with you.

by BearFan611 on May 15, 2009 8:47 AM CDT up reply actions

Scheme

It has nothing to do with the scheme, and everything to do with the execution of it. Every scheme has a few weaknesses, the cover-2 needs pressure by the front four…the Bears had virtually none last year, thus bad play by the secondary. Another tidbit- Urlacher and Briggs were often caught out of position because Babich had them stacked at the line after having success against the Colts. This caused teams to adjust, which provided more openings in the middle of field, alla the skinny post, quick-in, slant patterns.

"I'm not so mean. I wouldn't ever go out to hurt anybody deliberately - unless it was, you know, important, like a league game or something." - Dick Butkus

by propheteer on May 15, 2009 10:34 AM CDT up reply actions

Peanut cost us the playoffs !!!

I don’t care if Tillman occasionally causes a receiver to do what receivers do naturally. I just wish he wouldn’t run halfway across the field to pull someone’s head off when it’s fourth down and the punting team are coming on. because it costs your team the game, and that costs them the playoffs. Dickhead.

by Irish Bears Fan on May 15, 2009 3:44 AM CDT reply actions

BS!

Pull someone’s head off? Say what? Tillman did know such thing. That was a frickin garbage call and everyone who watched the game, knows it. Tillman plays aggressively and pursues. I don’t know if the whistle was even blown when he leaned onto the pile. Calling that a personal foul was ludicrous and in no way do I hold that against Pnut. For you to go off and call him a dickhead is revealing—about you.

by The Kaiser on May 15, 2009 4:01 AM CDT up reply actions

Actually...

My bad. That was the play where the Bucs player was beating our guy while he was on his back, a pile on ensued and Tillman ran over and leaned on the pile. Still think it was a total BS call and the Bucs player should have been penalized, not Tillman. Regardless, Tillman does play agressively and pursues and I’ll take that any day.

by The Kaiser on May 15, 2009 4:17 AM CDT up reply actions