Why the LSU game endeared A.J. Terrell to Raheem Morris the most

[Goober Pyle 4,981]

https://www.atlantafalcons.com/news/why-the-lsu-game-endeared-a-j-terrell-to-raheem-morris-the-most

 

One game shouldn't overshadow an entire career, but A.J. Terrell's performance against Ja'Marr Chase in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game had a massive impact on the public's perception of him.

It also had a pretty big impact on Falcons defensive coordinator Raheem Morris, who knows a thing or two about coaching cornerbacks at the highest level. But while public opinion soured on Terrell because of his play against LSU, Morris came away with an entirely different reaction.

"The things that people didn't like about him was his LSU game that he got beat on a couple of times, but that was what made me like him probably the most," Morris told AtlantaFalcons.com. "In that game, I saw a guy go out there and challenge a guy. Get beat, not be afraid, make a play. Get beat, not be afraid, make a play."

It's true that Terrell did get beaten by Chase, who finished his sophomore season with 84 catches for an NCAA-best 1,780 yards and 20 touchdowns, in the title game, but practically everyone did in 2019. A mere glance at Chase's stat line from that game – nine catches, 221 yards, two touchdowns – might leave Falcons fans anxious, but there are two important things missing from those raw numbers.

The first, Clemson had so much faith in their top corner that they tasked Terrell with shadowing Chase around the field and often asked him to cover him one-on-one. Seeing how Terrell didn't back down from that challenge and seemed to relish it gave Morris even more belief in the player he can become.

"That's kind of our game, that's kind of the life we live, especially when you live at corner," Morris said. "People call it an island, but when you have the ability to go out there and play in a big-time game and be competitive that way and not be afraid to lose sometimes, which is going to happen, to be able to come back that next play to really make a play, those are the kind of guys that I love."

The second aspect of Terrell's performance against LSU that's important to consider is that he played much better than the stat line reflects. Terrell was in position to make a handful of plays against the nation's leading receiver, who also benefitted from having Heisman Trophy winner Joe Burrow throwing him the football. On a couple of occasions, Terrell was in the right place at the right time only to have a Burrow dime make the difference.

When you're playing in the title game, that's how life is sometimes.

However, that performance doesn't change what the Falcons like about their newest first-round corner, namely: his speed, length and competitive attitude. It's not as though Terrell hasn't proven he can play against top competition, either. If he had ended his college career after returning an interception for a touchdown against Alabama in the 2019 College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Terrell would have been riding high heading into draft season.

Instead, he enters the NFL coming off that LSU performance, but it might work out in the Falcons' favor. Terrell now has a chip on his shoulder that will motivate him to prove he's more than one game.

"You know, I always carry a chip on my shoulder, but that one game definitely gave me a chip on my shoulder," Terrell said after the draft. "… For me, that game was definitely a learning experience of just never being satisfied. I'm just ready to get back to work, get back in the lab."

That's the kind of mindset Morris can't wait to work with.

 

[blkbigdog35 10,279]

Thanks for posting Goober!  I'm all in on A.J. people have to judge his whole body of work not just one game.

[FalconsIn2012 28,256]

I’m tired of hearing about the NCG.  AJ was beat several times but was in phase most of the game.  He will be fine.

[wartownfalcon 2,138]

AJ also got pushed off during that game and didn’t get the Off PI call

[Tim Mazetti 11,638]

Thanks Goober!

[Charles Wright 628]

 I like Morris a lot. If he's excited about Terrell I'm excited.

[kiwifalcon 17,729]

Nice article.

I mentioned this in another thread how a lot get influenced by the talking heads and how the Falcons may look at players totally in a different light.I even had a poster say Terrell wasn’t the BPA for the Falcons at the time and asked how is it that you know this,with zero response.

I knew all along that our coaches look at the talent available totally differently than the casual fan talking head media types.In fact opinions are night and day different.

Combines a great example the media sells 40s bench cone times the teams covert interviews and medical what do you know fans fall in love with a 4.2 40 35-40 on the bench lol.

[g-dawg 40,871]

I never thought the LSU game was bad for Terrell.   He was close enough in both of those TDs.     Sometimes you have good coverage yet still give up a TD - most fair-weather fans or casual fans don't know this.  There is no defense for a perfect pass - a perfect pass gets it done almost every time.

[OrthoPTSD 455]

He's right about some of the dimes that Burrow was throwing, my god that kid was in a zone. Frankly Id be bummed if I was LSU to of only had one season of that. They can forget it happening again of that precision and execution QB wise

 

[wuskillzz 469]

1 hour ago, blkbigdog35 said:

Thanks for posting Goober!  I'm all in on A.J. people have to judge his whole body of work not just one game.

This.  The people who were mad at the pick because of the LSU game remind of the people on these boards who wanted us to draft Kevin Dodd in the first based on his performance in the BCS game versus Alabama.  He lasted two years in the NFL

[dirtybirds233 327]

1 hour ago, OrthoPTSD said:

He's right about some of the dimes that Burrow was throwing, my god that kid was in a zone. Frankly Id be bummed if I was LSU to of only had one season of that. They can forget it happening again of that precision and execution QB wise

 

Got to see Burrow live in their season opener. We (Georgia Southern) usually play P5's very well and keep them nervous into the 4th quarter. But that game...was over by the 1st quarter. I've never seen a QB throw with such precision and calmness as Burrow did. I wasn't even upset, I was in awe and half chuckling watching him throw. He's going to have a great NFL career. 

[Spts1 5,480]

eeeh.  a corner can have a bad game here and there.  Terrell still has to live up to being selected as their first pick though because they reached for him...

[MD-FalconFan13 3,451]

No corner can cover elite QB and WR combos. The game has evolved to make it virtually impossible. Best you can hope for is that the CB makes it tough on the WR and shrinks the window for a throw to the point that it requires a great pass.

What's really required is pressure on the QB to make the probability of a great pass low. 

[g-dawg 40,871]

4 hours ago, Spts1 said:

eeeh.  a corner can have a bad game here and there.  Terrell still has to live up to being selected as their first pick though because they reached for him...

“Reached” 

[Cole World 5,623]

10 hours ago, Spts1 said:

Terrell still has to live up to being selected as their first pick though because they reached for him...

I’m like @kiwifalcon on this one. 

According to?

[RetroRoq 23]

11 hours ago, Spts1 said:

 Terrell still has to live up to being selected as their first pick though because they reached for him...

Is it really a reach if he is what they wanted? Re-read the article, sounds like he was what the DC wanted.

We all knew they were gonna go defense, seems like the DC would have a say.

[Vandy 35,447]

15 hours ago, g-dawg said:

I never thought the LSU game was bad for Terrell.   He was close enough in both of those TDs.     Sometimes you have good coverage yet still give up a TD - most fair-weather fans or casual fans don't know this.  There is no defense for a perfect pass - a perfect pass gets it done almost every time.

LOL. AJ just got him some Prison Love  in that game. 

 

 

[Spts1 5,480]

3 hours ago, Cole World said:

I’m like @kiwifalcon on this one. 

According to?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/24/atlanta-falcons-get-bad-grades-from-draft-analysts-after-drafting-a-j-terrell/amp/

I mean, which source do you want me to pick from?  That pick was universally panned by football analysists.  I myself predicted that the Falcons would have a questionable first round pick, the fans would hate it, then by day two praise the pick .  It happens every season....

 

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has A.J. Terrell to Falcons as his No. 1 head-scratching move: “The Falcons reached for a need, plain and simple. ... He was way too inconsistent throughout the season, and he didn't play well down the stretch. He has a tendency to get grabby.’’

 

Touchdown Wire’s Luke Easterling expressed similar sentiments in his first-round draft grades, giving the Falcons a “D” for picking Terrell:

The first big reach of the first round, Atlanta wanted a corner badly, but they passed up a handful of prospects far more worthy of being selected in the top half of thefiyrst round.

 

Edited May 13 by Spts1

[falcndave 3,986]

12 minutes ago, Spts1 said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/24/atlanta-falcons-get-bad-grades-from-draft-analysts-after-drafting-a-j-terrell/amp/

I mean, which source do you want me to pick from?  That pick was universally panned by football analysists.  I myself predicted that the Falcons would have a questionable first round pick, the fans would hate it, then by day two praise the pick .  It happens every season....

 

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has A.J. Terrell to Falcons as his No. 1 head-scratching move: “The Falcons reached for a need, plain and simple. ... He was way too inconsistent throughout the season, and he didn't play well down the stretch. He has a tendency to get grabby.’’

 

Touchdown Wire’s Luke Easterling expressed similar sentiments in his first-round draft grades, giving the Falcons a “D” for picking Terrell:

The first big reach of the first round, Atlanta wanted a corner badly, but they passed up a handful of prospects far more worthy of being selected in the top half of thefiyrst round.

 

The term "reach" is relative. The alternative term is "settle." It is better to "settle" for BvA than it is to "reach" to fill a need at a position of weakness? I don't do draft analysis, but I am curious, how many CB's came off the board between the Falcons first round pick and their next pick? Were any of the CB's left when the Falcons picked in second round in the same talent tier as A.J.? If so, "reach" will get less of an argument from me. 

 

 

[FalconsIn2012 28,256]

18 hours ago, g-dawg said:

I never thought the LSU game was bad for Terrell.   He was close enough in both of those TDs.     Sometimes you have good coverage yet still give up a TD - most fair-weather fans or casual fans don't know this.  There is no defense for a perfect pass - a perfect pass gets it done almost every time.

My one big concern about AJ is his tendency to give up the explosive play.  7 times he was beat for a 30+ yard completion and twice was cleanly beat and had to PI to prevent a TD.  

[Francis York Morgan 22,093]

24 minutes ago, FalconsIn2012 said:

My one big concern about AJ is his tendency to give up the explosive play.  7 times he was beat for a 30+ yard completion and twice was cleanly beat and had to PI to prevent a TD.  

"Beat"

[FalconsIn2012 28,256]

4 minutes ago, Francis York Morgan said:

"Beat"

Balls caught while he was in man coverage.  Some were great catches despite solid coverage while others he was simply beat or high pointed

[GrimeyKidd 997]

31 minutes ago, FalconsIn2012 said:

My one big concern about AJ is his tendency to give up the explosive play.  7 times he was beat for a 30+ yard completion and twice was cleanly beat and had to PI to prevent a TD.  

How many of those is there safety help?

[FalconsIn2012 28,256]

3 minutes ago, GrimeyKidd said:

How many of those is there safety help?

3 for sure.  
 

Safety can’t help with this

Jarrod (@jhardy575) Tweeted:
Dyami Brown shesh I remember seeing this vs 16th overall draft pick last year. https://t.co/495n8U4GY0

[Cole World 5,623]

1 hour ago, Spts1 said:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/thefalconswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/24/atlanta-falcons-get-bad-grades-from-draft-analysts-after-drafting-a-j-terrell/amp/

I mean, which source do you want me to pick from?  That pick was universally panned by football analysists.  I myself predicted that the Falcons would have a questionable first round pick, the fans would hate it, then by day two praise the pick .  It happens every season....

 

ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. has A.J. Terrell to Falcons as his No. 1 head-scratching move: “The Falcons reached for a need, plain and simple. ... He was way too inconsistent throughout the season, and he didn't play well down the stretch. He has a tendency to get grabby.’’

 

Touchdown Wire’s Luke Easterling expressed similar sentiments in his first-round draft grades, giving the Falcons a “D” for picking Terrell:

The first big reach of the first round, Atlanta wanted a corner badly, but they passed up a handful of prospects far more worthy of being selected in the top half of thefiyrst round.

 

Exactly my point