Tennessee Titans vs Chicago Bears: Most likely CB/WR matchups
By Will Lomas
Malcolm Butler vs Allen Robinson
This might not be the matchup you were wanting on Allen Robinson, but it isn’t as bad as you think.
For all of the hate that Butler gets, over the last two weeks, he has been the only defensive back doing his job. I think we have seen in the past that identifying a WR and shadowing him is generally the best way to use Butler.
Where he gets over his skis a little bit is when he is left one on one with a speed receiver and his only real chance is to play in trail technique and hope that he can close quickly enough to knock the ball away at the last second.
Allen Robinson is a technician in his route running and that creates more space for him than his actual physical abilities. Not that Robinson isn’t gifted, but it isn’t like he is Will Fuller or other deep threats that can effortlessly create space with their speed.
Where Butler is going to really have to play well is when the slot receiver is to the other side of the field. Robinson is a master of using space to set up defenders and give his QB easy throws. Since the Titans really don’t understand how to effectively blitz, there are going to be plays where Foles has a lot of time to throw, and being patient is going to be key in guarding Robinson.