Seahawks’ Richard Sherman in new role as he prepares to face Aaron Rodgers
RENTON, Wash. – When the Seahawks beat Green Bay to open the 2014 season, Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers famously did not throw in the direction of Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman.
Not once in 33 attempts.
Rodgers didn’t look Sherman’s way much more during the NFC Championship Game in January, especially after a Sherman interception during the first quarter in the end zone. (Recall that Sherman suffered an elbow injury in the fourth quarter, and the Packers were criticized by many for throwing his way only once after he was hurt.)
The teams are preparing for their third meeting in just over a year Sunday night in Green Bay, Wisconsin, but before deciding to throw at Sherman, Rodgers first might have to find him on the field.
Lost amid all that happened Sunday during the Seahawks’ 34-31 overtime loss at St. Louis was a subtle shift in how they at times deployed Sherman.
The Seahawks had him move inside to cover the slot receiver when Seattle brought in a third cornerback (DeShawn Shead). According to Pro Football Focus, Sherman played 13 snaps in the slot Sunday. It’s something he had done only sparingly in the past (he had 16 snaps there last season, according to Pro Football Focus).
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said it was designed to provide flexibility in the secondary. They also had some questions at nickelback after the release of veteran Will Blackmon in the roster cutdown to 53 players.
“It presented us with an option that we can match up according to the players that we’re going against however we feel we need to, and that’s a real good positive for us,” Carroll said Wednesday. “Putting Richard inside, it allows him to use all of the savvy and the instincts that he has.”
As Carroll noted, the opponents will dictate how often Sherman is used as a de facto nickelback.
But given that the Packers often use three receivers and have one of the NFL’s better slot receivers in Randall Cobb, Sherman could find himself playing nickel often again Sunday.
Though the nickel role sometimes can be viewed as less glamorous than being an outside corner, Sherman said he’ll do whatever he is asked.
“Like I’ve always said, whatever my coach asks me to do is what is going to be done,” Sherman said. “If they ask me to go inside, I will go inside. If they ask me to go outside, I will go outside.”
Sherman said he first got word that the Seahawks wanted to use him in the nickel against the Rams in a text message Sept. 7.
He practiced there often throughout the week, with the Seahawks unveiling it Sunday against the Rams, even after an injury to Tharold Simon late in the week. Simon likely would have filled the role as the third corner in the nickel with Sherman and Cary Williams had he been healthy. Simon is expected to be ready this week.
Sherman said the biggest adjustment is in understanding that receivers in the slot have more options with their routes.
“Route combinations are different, so you have to be aware of that at all times,” Sherman said.
According to Pro Football Focus, Sherman gave up just one reception in the slot last week, a 22-yard completion from quarterback Nick Foles to Steadman Bailey in overtime on a pass and catch that was almost undefendable.
Some might wonder why Seattle would alter a pass defense that has worked so well in the past against Rodgers.
Rodgers has lost his past three games against the Seahawks. In both games last season he completed 42 of 67 passes for 367 yards two touchdowns and three interceptions and a passer rating of 68.65 (he was at 106.3 for all of his other games, according to ESPN).
Carroll, though, laughed off the idea that the Seahawks have the answer for Rodgers, saying, “We’ve survived games is what it amounts to.”
Green Bay, meanwhile, will be without receiver Jordy Nelson, out for the year because of a knee injury.