Safety Darrick Forrest impresses in place of Kam Curl
Breaking down the performance of safety Darrick Forrest in the Commanders opening game.
Second-year safety Darrick Forrest was forced into starting action in the Commanders opening game against the Jaguars. Forrest had been tipped to be part of the buffalo nickel package this year, playing as the strong safety while Kam Curl shifted to the nickel spot. However, Curl missed the game through injury which meant Forrest had to step in alongside Bobby McCain.
Forrest had a significant impact in the game, ranking joint second in tackles with five to go along with two pass break ups and the game-winning interception. He first caught the eye late in the second quarter when he landed a huge hit and a quick pass to the flat.
On this play, Forrest aligns about 10 yards off the line of scrimmage. The Jaguars run a pick concept with the receiver to the right running a quick hook route to try and create traffic for Forrest while the running back works to the flat. However, Forrest reads the play extremely quickly and immediately works to the flat, avoiding the receiver attempting to pick him. The quarterback delivers the throw to the running back, but Forrest arrives shortly after and lands a huge hit on the back. The hit causes the ball to fly out of the hands of the running back and out of bounds, causing the Jaguars to lose eight yards on the play.
It was a tone-setting type of play from Forrest, which the Commanders needed at that point given how nicely the Jaguars had been driving the ball down the field in the two-minute drill. It set up a third and long situation on the next play, which Forrest then made another strong play.
On the very next play, Forrest aligns in a similar spot, but slightly deeper as part of a two deep safety look. The Commanders appear to be in a form of quarters coverage, which means Forrest had to check the single receiver to his side of the field and also be ready to read to the other side of the field in case one of those three receivers crosses over to his side. The Jaguars indeed have the inside receiver to the left running a deep over, but Forrest again reads the play well. He very quickly checks off the receiver to his side and locks in on the receiver crossing the field. Forrest then opens his hips to turn and run with the receiver through the end zone.
The receiver does his best to run by Forrest, but Forrest’s positioning forced the receiver to go over the top of him, making the throw much harder for the quarterback. Forrest forces the receiver to the back of the end zone and the quarterback attempts to fit the ball into a tight window. Forrest stays with the receiver and does well to get his hands in at the catch point to disrupt the pass and force an incompletion.
While Forrest made plenty of impactful plays, he did also have a few mistakes. As I wondered during preseason, I don’t think he matches up particularly well in man-to-man coverage at this point in time. At safety, he doesn’t always have to do this, but occasionally certain coverages and offensive alignments lead to him being matched up on a slot receiver or tight end. The couple of times the Jaguars got into those looks, they took advantage.
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