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PLACE YOUR BETS TODAY ~ USE PROMO CODE CLNS50 <\/span>FOR 50% CASHBACK ON YOUR FIRST <\/strong><\/a>DEPOSIT<\/u><\/b><\/span><\/p>\n The 31-year-old safety is another member of a veteran group of players that was wrongfully labeled as washed up at various points last season.<\/p>\n And his leadership on and off the field is paramount to the success of the Patriots\u2019 defense.<\/p>\n \u201cDev’s our leader,\u201d said fellow safety and captain Patrick Chung earlier this year. \u201cHe’s very smart. He gets us lined up, and we feed off of him, [Dont’a] Hightower and those guys.\u201d<\/p>\n Speaking to McCourty\u2019s leadership, Patriots linebacker Elandon Roberts told CLNS Media last season that McCourty was vital in his development as a coverage player.<\/p>\n \u201cDevin is a great leader. He\u2019s a captain and a leader of the team, leader of the defense,\u201d Roberts said. \u201cI asked him to help me out in coverage, and we sat down and watched film together, and we just grinded. Even on the field, I ask him small questions like, \u2018do you think I should go this way or that way?\u2019 and he helps me out from that standpoint and helps me understand it better.\u201d<\/p>\n Along with Roberts, the young players in the Patriots secondary, such as JC Jackson and Keion Crossen, also spoke glowingly of McCourty\u2019s mentoring, in many ways making him sound like another coach.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s not just his leadership skills or football smarts that make him a great Patriot, it\u2019s also his play on the field, and his role in New England\u2019s game-plan defense.<\/p>\n Last season, McCourty ranked 11th among safeties with an 80.5 grade from Pro Football Focus which is considered a \u201chigh-quality starter\u201d by their metrics.<\/p>\n And he did it by playing just about everywhere in the back seven for New England.<\/p>\n McCourty took snaps as a free safety, box safety, slot cornerback and even as a wide corner which is where his career got started as a rookie with the Patriots.<\/p>\n Plus, McCourty also plays on four different special teams units.<\/p>\n The Patriots like to morph their defense week-to-week based on their opponent, and McCourty is Bill Belichick\u2019s chess piece in the secondary that goes wherever he\u2019s needed.<\/p>\n In many ways, he\u2019s an embodiment of New England\u2019s entire philosophy.<\/p>\n \u201cDevin\u2019s a team-first player. Whatever you need him to do,\u201d Belichick said. \u201cIf we need him to play three-technique, he\u2019d go in there and play three-technique. He\u2019d do the best he could. I don\u2019t have any doubt about that. Devin\u2019s as all in on the team as you could be. Whatever we\u2019ve ever asked him to do \u2013 return kicks, cover kicks, corner, safety, play up, play deep, never batted an eye. Has just gone in there and done the best he could. You\u2019d love to coach 53 guys like that.\u201d<\/p>\n Below, we\u2019ll go over some of McCourty 2018 tape to remind everyone of his importance to the team and that he has plenty left in the tank:<\/p>\n If you poll the Patriots\u2019 locker room on the fastest player on the team, most of them will tell you not to sleep on Devin.<\/p>\n McCourty proved multiple times last season that he still has his top gear, and this scribe found it odd that people thought he lost a step.<\/p>\n [arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/cha1h\/zizvhw” \/]<\/p>\n In Week 1, the Texans tried to throw a tunnel screen to wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins on third down. The Patriots shut it down initially, but Hopkins hides behind his blockers and reverses field. Before Hopkins can turn upfield, however, McCourty streaks across with the Houston wideout to make the tackle.<\/p>\n If you need more evidence that McCourty is as fast as ever, here\u2019s some from the Patriots\u2019 win over the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6.<\/p>\n The Patriots\u2019 kickoff coverage units had its struggles this past season, but McCourty saved a touchdown late in the game.<\/p>\n [arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/3r4kg\/fiyngp” \/]<\/p>\n McCourty\u2019s role in kickoff coverage is to be the last line of defense. Here, Chiefs returner Tremon Smith looks like he has a touchdown, but McCourty chased him down from behind to prevent the score.<\/p>\n And finally, there\u2019s McCourty\u2019s pick-six against Buffalo where Next Gen Stats tracked him at a top speed of 22.05 MPH, making him the third-fastest ball carrier in the NFL in 2018.<\/p>\n [arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/hn4kn\/nydhw” \/]<\/p>\n On the play, McCourty and Patrick Chung baited Bills quarterback Derek Anderson into the turnover. Chung let tight end Charles Clay get a step on him while McCourty took his first step like he was widening away from Clay who was running up the seam. Once Anderson locked onto Clay, McCourty jumped the route and reached his top speed on the touchdown return that sealed the victory for New England.<\/p>\n McCourty\u2019s primary role in the Patriots defense is at free safety where he can patrol the secondary to eliminate big plays.<\/p>\n In the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots deployed McCourty as a \u201cghost\u201d on Chiefs wideout Tyreek Hill.<\/p>\n During big moments in the game, the Patriots made a \u201cone double\u201d call on Hill with McCourty and speedster Jonathan Jones primarily in coverage. This defense calls for the opposing team’s number one wide receiver, in this case, Hill, to be doubled, while everyone else is in man-to-man.<\/p>\n [arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/3jfu9\/deevis” \/]<\/p>\n On Kyle Van Noy\u2019s third-down sack in the first quarter, Mahomes wanted to go to Hill, but the Patriots had him doubled with McCourty lurking over the top preventing a deep throw. Mahomes was forced to hold onto the ball, and Van Noy brought him down for the sack as a result.<\/p>\n The Patriots will rotate McCourty between a deep safety and \u201crat\u201d or \u201crobber\u201d position in the middle of the field depending on the situation.<\/p>\n But his role as the deep safety against Hill was a major reason why the Patriots defense held the Chiefs All-Pro in check.<\/p>\n When McCourty isn\u2019t patrolling the deep part of the field, the Patriots will drop him down into the box in more of a strong safety role.<\/p>\n During their Super Bowl run, the Patriots took advantage of a veteran defense by using an \u201camoeba\u201d defense and rotating in and out of cover-zero looks.<\/p>\n In some instances, this called for McCourty to blitz. On other plays, he\u2019d show blitz and drop into a \u201crobber\u201d position as a zone defender.<\/p>\n [arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/v1ve1\/yycnkf” \/]<\/p>\n Against the Chiefs in the playoffs, the Patriots saved a zero blitz for a third down play late in the game, a similar strategy to what they did in the Super Bowl two weeks later. McCourty disguises the blitz well by staying back and coming forward right before the snap and gets a free shot at Mahomes who sails the ball out bounds forcing a punt.<\/p>\n [arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/70o2k\/tuqmbf” \/]<\/p>\n Fast forward to the Super Bowl, and McCourty almost had an interception by bluffing a zero blitz. The Patriots were in their \u201camoeba\u201d defense with multiple players moving around before the snap, and instead of blitzing, McCourty dropped over the middle of the field. The ball was deflected at the line of scrimmage by John Simon, but McCourty would\u2019ve picked it off if Simon didn\u2019t bat the ball down.<\/p>\n [arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/c0foz\/drivsg” \/]<\/p>\n McCourty was also used as a blitzer on Stephon Gilmore\u2019s late-game interception occupying the running back which allowed safety Duron Harmon to pressure Goff into the turnover.<\/p>\n Lastly, the Patriots will also use McCourty at cornerback in more of matchup role depending on the opponent.<\/p>\n Against the Colts, McCourty was in the slot more than usual because the Indy offense frequently throws to their tight ends and running backs.<\/p>\n [arve url=”https:\/\/streamable.com\/s\/9bdrn\/muowdg” \/]<\/p>\n On one of the plays of the year, McCourty was in the slot working out of the Patriots\u2019 cover-3 zone scheme. In this scheme, the slot defender is responsible for the flat. McCourty redirects the slot receiver as he releases, then covers the flat. When the ball goes to the running back, the Pats safety quite literally pries the ball from Colts running back Jordan Wilkins\u2019 hands.<\/p>\n A converted cornerback, who played the position at a high level during his rookie season, Devin McCourty is one of the most versatile players on a team filled with versatility.<\/p>\n Patriots head coach Bill Belichick built a defense that can change its identity week-to-week, and McCourty is at the center of it all as the swiss army knife of the secondary.<\/p>\n ? \u201cI WANNA WORK NEXT WEEK\u201d<\/p>\n Devin McCourty gave a ??? pregame speech for the @Patriots<\/a> before facing the Chargerspic.twitter.com\/Mt0N7UkOk7<\/a><\/p>\n — Sports Illustrated (@SInow) January 16, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.clnsmedia.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/DMacSanps.png\")
<\/p>\nSPEED KILLS<\/strong><\/h3>\n
FREE SAFETY<\/strong><\/h3>\n
BOX SAFETY<\/strong><\/h3>\n
SLOT CORNERBACK<\/strong><\/h3>\n
CONCLUSION<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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