How Darius Slay shut down Justin Jefferson | Film Room 

Slay balled. Got away with some stuff but kept it subtle. His best game as an eagle. He's on his way to another pro bowl at this rate.

nothing more fun to watch than WR vs DB breakdown

Good job in your overall breakdowns. I disagree with your take on the third down, I’m a former QB and an Eagles fan but no call was a great call and the right call. The push off by Jefferson is noticeable and therefore the subsequent contact/grab was warranted and these refs are being coached to let these plays go when contact is first initiated by the receiver

First off, great video, Sam. Awesome breakdown of Jefferson's snaps, and targets versus one of the most important defensive players on a good defensive squad. #2) Thank you for picking this topic to study and publish. I have stated before, I eat up any film study content- but, receiver/route concepts vs dback/coverage is my bread n' butter. As a lifetime Eagles fan, when I saw the thumbnail.... well, let's just say my shift could not end quick enough! 😏 And, finally, though the thing I always fear the most is injuries- the area that I was most concerned with, heading into this last offseason, was our defensive depth, particularly at LB and DB. Our pass defense has been anywhere from below average to atrocious the last several seasons. The front seven will get their pressures, but our undersized LB's, and consistent miss-tackles from our DB's have allowed teams to gash us in the run game- then capitalize, while we're gassed, through the air. So, season in, season out, I have watched my Birds get decimated by injury, the remnants get run over, and then torched through the air. Seems like it has been that way for four or five years, now. So, having said all of that: I think getting Slay last year, was just as important (just less sexy), as getting Brown this year. I knew the offense was still growing. And I knew the core there is good; they just need time, and good health. All the talk about Hurts and Coach Nick, was just that: talk. Especially, after last year's rush attack and the maturity at QB and WR. But, this last offseason was... man, it was as good an offseason that I can remember. The draft picks, the signings, the trades... it is almost scary how good it was. Now, we just had to see it all come together. Well, so far, so good.

Slay is the most underrated cb in the league 🔐🔐🔐

Awesome explanation, slay put in work this game

These camera angles is what I wish how they showed the game. I can see every breaking out, cuts. It’s beautiful. Helps people understand the game more 1:52

As good as Jefferson is, he has habits in his routes that Slay clearly prepared for. He often gives away what direction he's going at the top of the route. If you sit on the 2nd move like Slay did on the very 1st play shown he tells you where he's going before actually breaking. Now, very easy to say on the internet I know. You have to be equally talented just to stand a chance and many are not, but it's still a habit Jefferson has and to be his best version of himself I think he needs to change it up. He's great regardless but I honestly think he can get even better

Love those vids. Great content

Slay looks healthy again

dope content. keep up the good work and you're not bias ;)

Samuel Gold don't apologize for Slay getting not getting penalized for that DPI. It was clear as day a hold on the wrist. You can tell by how frustrated Jefferson was. But Slay definitely did his job here. I'm proud of his performance. I love DB vs WR breakdowns. I think Slay and Dean are great corners that don't get alot of recognition

BIG PLAY SLAY!

The Viings tried to get their wideout away from Slay, he went 1 reception for 5 targets when Slay had coverage of Justin Jefferson. On the Night I beleive it was something like 2 interceptions and 6 pass break ups or PBU's for 11 targets his way. As cousins throw incomplete passes under the blitz designs from Eagles DC Gannon. Darius 'Big Play' Slay went into legendary mode, 10 years into the leage n per PFF is now rated as the #1 Cornerback in the NFL with his performance on Monday night football a few days ago.

I think the shove and grab cancelled out and that’s why they didn’t call it

Fun watching a thorough breakdown of the All 22 tape. 👍👍

Love it! Keep ‘em coming!

Simple truth, whenever "good" dbs play against "good" wrs, they'll each get some plays. At the end though, the wr usually ends up getting the better but that also relies on the QB to see and make the throw. The NFL doesn't have any real shut down corners anymore. In this particular matchup, there were some tight coverages that shouldn't be thrown to....but there were quite a few OPEN looks also that Kirk missed. Not only that, but Slay, as good as people think he played, he wasn't bad, but he definitely got away with a lot of key calls that on NEUTRAL ground, would of been called. Both picks thrown towards JJ, he was open. You can't give credit for Slay on the coverage, but you can with the pick. In the end, what does it say, not much, nothing that we don't already know.

Solid break down of a great match up. No bias just facts. Darius slay did his thing. And yes it was he committed a PI on that one play but he got away with it and that’s the game. Outside of that his talent and film study was everything against JJ 👏🏽 🦅

I agree with you, Alex. that was DPI all day

5:24 dbs are only as good as you allow them to be. He made his move to far away to shake Slay

Great video bud. Really enjoyed it!

I am so early, this is needed

Slay gets away with that hold because he knows where the ref is at. Even though it’s a little dirty that’s some more veteran play against who he thinks is the #2 WR in the league. All the DBs were really amazing in this one

Dude, this is excellent analysis

Nah you right about Darius slay but that a very veteran move. The way he did it wasn’t noticeable to the refs. He knows exactly what he did 😂

The Dline also played a huge part .. had Kirk and JJ playing ahead of schedule

You're 100% an "anything you can think of", Sam!

Been watching football since I was old enough to sit on my dad's knee, officiating has gotten so bad the past few years that I don't think I could be mad at anyone for their opinion on a penalty. Great breakdown, thank you for the analysis.

Make some merch with “So anyways”

As an eagles fan, you definitely just convinced me that was Dpi lol

I respect how you feel but my counter would be if you start the contact play thru it

Ok. But should we use a possible pass interference as a plus for the offensive player, because referees give the advantage to them in most cases or should we stay true to the game. Your honesty bears the true nature of the game. If this is done then that.... should definitely be a no call.

So if he got away with the throw by why should the arm pull be called?

Even though jj didn’t run the specific route he was supposed to on the first pick. Kirk should be able to see the dbs hips and see slays hips are flipped inside and has inside leverage. I feel ball placement was the biggest thing that gave slay the pick, Kirk could have easily thrown jj open to the outside and it seems jj saw that he had outside leverage by how he broke outside after attempting to cut in. Kirk shouldn’t be throwing blindfolded hoping jj is where the play intends him to be!!

Don’t forget how the D line was all in kirks face

Micah Vs The Bengals?😢

I love your eagles vids because I'm a eagles fan. Lol

Darius slay didn’t shut down jj, Kirk shut down jj lol

E-A-G-L-E-S !!!!!!!! The wrist pull is CLASSIC veteran move....suck it

Yeah I thought Slay was getting flagged for DPI too, guess it is a gift from the football gods for all the years of corners like Nolan Carroll and Jalen Mills, and shame that CJ played that Cover 6 so poorly cause kirk threw a shit ball lol

Slay didn’t grab hip and turn , That’s what refs be looking for when it’s bang bang and physical I like the no P.I call tho let them hand fight

Cousin elite ball placement is not talked about. LOL

Slay yanked his hand but smart players know where the referees are and how to line up so they don’t see the PI that’s how the game is played my friend

Vikings Quarterback had bad throws that was picked off tho

Kirk Cousins and a missed PI call shut down Justin Jefferson. Give them their credit.

He literally didn’t do anything. Darius slay was cousins wr 1

Hold on, first you say Jettas gets away with a veteran shove then proceed to say Slay should get the flag for making up for it? Also you said you he wasn’t able to use both hands to catch but very bottom pic of sequence shows both hands up before the catch? 😂 You’re breakdowns are VERY good but cmon. That’s called letting the premier matchup play out.

and you completely missed javon hargrave getting a piece of cousins on that first slay pick

that was pass interference on jefferson or no call like it was called. and to say the shove was minor while showing a picture of slay getting pushed off balance is just asinine. you have lost all credibility from that statement alone.

You can’t call DPI being fair when Jefferson is the one who initiated contact. Jet got 🔒⬆️. Stop making excuses for him.

So he had help on Jefferson all night ? Just curious?

So, are you going to admit Kirk is an average QB?

I had liked and subbed until the literal climax of your video that should be about Darius Slay's dominance of Justin Jefferson. You chose to end it on the 'hand hold' possible PI? It's not your opinion on it that has me taking back my like and sub, it's its placement in the video... At the climax. Could it have been PI? Sure. Do players get away with way worse all the time? Yes. In literally every game played every week, worse "interference" goes uncalled. Also, the Eagles we're getting utterly nitpicked by the refs to the point of it feeling absurd in that game. Minnesota fans should feel especially ashamed of the loss considering the lopsided treatment they were given by the officials. He held the guys hand for a fraction of a second. Maybe it's a PI. If it got called, whatever, I wouldn't argue it. It didn't though, and the way the refs were piling on the birds in that game, I'm glad it didn't. People could argue about near-calls in every game til the end of time. Again, it's an every week thing. I think a perfectly reasonable argument could be made as to why it's a good no call that matches your PI reasoning tit for tat. For you to end what I felt like was a nice video with something so utterly insubstantial and pretend that it was meaningful (again, considering the lopsided officiating) ... I'm just not going to subscribe to the channel or like your video, because you put such a spicy 'hot' take at the climax of your video. If you want to include garbage takes, put them at the beginning or something. Don't make them your climax. You ruined the nice thing you had, i.e. all the analysis you did. The vikings had literally every opportunity (do I need to list them? Blocked field goal, etc.) to make more out of that game, but they didn't. You make it feel like the vikings had a chance if only Slay hadn't touched Jefferson's hand for that 0.23 seconds, which just isn't the case. The game was still well in hand at that point (and for a lot longer thereafter.) They got outright demoralized, plainly and fairly. And again, I think the eagles got penalized PLENTY in that one. Basically, the eagles won that game fair and square, and to pretend that a split-second hand-hold amounts to game-breaking PI is just asinine. I don't think you're actually saying something otherwise, but it sure sounds like it when that's the topic you choose to end on. I'm really sad because I enjoyed the video so much up until that point. It's really the placement of the subject in the video. Like, you could have opened with it, and I'd have been fine with it. But you end on it. As if the whole story hinges on that ... And it just doesn't.

I’m an Eagles fan and was stoked by this win but Slay def got away with a PI on that one play so no hard feelings bro 😂

Oh I get this by grabbing on to jj and holding him and cheating like watch the game

Jefferson says he is the best receiver, lol.

How? Kirk cousins that’s how

He is flat, slay is flat footed Jefferson breaks in front that’s a Td easy. Jefferson goes outside when he goes in Peyton also broke this same play down last year. Jefferson made the same mistake against Green Bay, That was something you didn’t read correctly.

We were in the stadium and even us eagles fans saw he got away with that PI

The last play isn't QQH. Unless the safety messed up too and Slay was really bating Cousins. Look at the safeties alignment (inside leverage of 2) and eyes at the snap. It's on JJ. If he had the Half he'd be hauling ass over top. It's a Quarters variation called "Palms" or 2 trap. If #2 breaks out usually in the 1st 5 yards the corner jumps it and safety takes #1 vertical. If #2 does not break out in the first 5 yards it becomes Quarters. I think because Jefferson was taking his time and broke out past 5 yards there was some confusion. Slay has #1 vertical If he doesn't break out so he's gotta be careful but he knew it was coming and jumps it. Because JJ did break out past 5 yards and it took a long time the safety was playing Quarters but once Slay jumps #2 he had to get over the top of #1 late.

He’s not going to beat you off the line or with his footwork or route tree. If it’s not a long crossing route or designed to get open he struggles.

🔒