Just past the midway point of the season and it’s about the time where sample sizes get large enough to accurately assess positions that aren’t directly involved in as many plays. This week we’ll be looking at which cornerbacks have been preventing and allowing yards in coverage. Our work collecting snap and role data as well as assigning coverage responsibility on each play allows us to bring you one of our unique signature stats, Yards per Coverage Snap (YpCS).
Before we get into individual performers, let’s look at some miscellaneous data about the cornerback position this season. A starting cornerback will be tasked with coverage around 30-50 times a game, but they amount of plays they are targeted on can be a fraction of that. The league-average cornerback sees a target on 16.6% of their coverage snaps and allows completions on 59.8% of those targets. The league average YpCS is 1.27 while throwing at cornerbacks has yielded a passer rating of 87.7 for quarterbacks.
Now that we have some context, let’s take a look at the top performers:
Top 15 Yards Per Cover Snap:
| # | Name | Team | Snaps | QB Rating | Yards / Cover Snap |
| 1 | Darrelle Revis | TB | 292 | 59.9 | 0.40 |
| 2 | Kareem Jackson | HST | 234 | 85.3 | 0.59 |
| 3 | Nickell Robey | BUF | 224 | 53.4 | 0.70 |
| 4 | Orlando Scandrick | DAL | 389 | 68.4 | 0.71 |
| 5 | Xavier Rhodes | MIN | 267 | 73.4 | 0.77 |
| 6 | Aqib Talib | NE | 230 | 28.9 | 0.81 |
| 7 | Chris Owens | CLV | 294 | 91.6 | 0.83 |
| 7 | Keenan Lewis | NO | 263 | 44.5 | 0.83 |
| 7 | Walter Thurmond | SEA | 229 | 79.2 | 0.83 |
| 10 | Joe Haden | CLV | 398 | 72.5 | 0.87 |
| 11 | Brandon Browner | SEA | 247 | 78.5 | 0.89 |
| 12 | Patrick Peterson | ARZ | 352 | 66.4 | 0.91 |
| 13 | Alterraun Verner | TEN | 291 | 23.2 | 0.92 |
| 14 | Vontae Davis | IND | 290 | 84.5 | 0.93 |
| 15 | Tramon Williams | GB | 298 | 97.4 | 0.96 |
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Keenan Lewis has quietly been one of the top free agent signings in the NFL this season. He’s never given up more than 44 yards in a single game and his coverage ability has allowed Rob Ryan’s blitz-heavy schemes to be so effective. If you think that’s stingy, though, just look at some of Darrelle Revis’ stat lines for the season. The last four games the All-Pro has given up a total of 14 yards in 131 coverage snaps. Teams just don’ t bother challenging the Bucs’ corner as he’s targeted on just over 10% of his coverage snaps, the lowest rate in the NFL. Much has been made of the schemes in Tampa and the insistence on zone coverages, but even playing zone Revis has proven that he’s still at the top of his game.
Bottom 15 Yards Per Cover Snap:
| # | Name | Team | Snaps | QB Rating | Yards / Cover Snap |
| 61 | Corey Graham | BLT | 233 | 120.6 | 1.51 |
| 62 | Morris Claiborne | DAL | 308 | 97.9 | 1.54 |
| 62 | Janoris Jenkins | SL | 293 | 120.3 | 1.54 |
| 64 | Johnny Patrick | SD | 203 | 103.4 | 1.57 |
| 65 | Charles Tillman | CHI | 204 | 92.9 | 1.58 |
| 65 | Brandon Boykin | PHI | 284 | 74.9 | 1.58 |
| 67 | D.J. Hayden | OAK | 235 | 110.0 | 1.60 |
| 68 | Brandon Flowers | KC | 271 | 89.3 | 1.66 |
| 69 | Derek Cox | SD | 270 | 109.1 | 1.79 |
| 70 | Chris Houston | DET | 296 | 95.6 | 1.80 |
| 71 | Ike Taylor | PIT | 259 | 101.3 | 1.81 |
| 72 | Lardarius Webb | BLT | 273 | 101.1 | 1.83 |
| 73 | Darius Butler | IND | 206 | 83.2 | 1.84 |
| 74 | Josh Robinson | MIN | 333 | 127.3 | 1.86 |
| 75 | David Amerson | WAS | 253 | 82.9 | 1.87 |
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Josh Robinson has been a disaster this season in coverage. He has the worst mark among corners in the following categories: completion percentage (86%), quarterback rating (127.3), yards after catch (303), yards (618), and receptions (51). Somehow he’s second in YpCS, though, just a hair behind rookie David Amerson who has struggled with big plays all season. The Washington corner’s 18.92 yards per catch is second only to Antonio Cromartie (20.0).
Other Notables:
• Chris Harris’ 35 snaps in Week 4 versus Philadelphia were the most in a single game this season without being targeted.
• On the other hand, the most targeted corner in a single game this season was Bradley Fletcher, who saw 19 targets back in Week 5 against the Giants.
• Alterraun Verner has the best passer rating against this season at 23.2 while his YpCS of .92 fell just outside the Top 10.
• It’s tough to stay on top of your game in the NFL Brandon Flowers, Lardarius Webb, and Charles Tillman have all made at least one PFF All-Pro team since 2009 and all fall into the Bottom 10.
• Brandon Browner has allowed just 1.1 yards after catch on average this season, easily the lowest in the league.
Follow Mike on Twitter: @PFF_MikeRenner
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