Jimmy Graham spends more time studying than ever thanks to diverse coverages

The possibility of Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman guarding him Monday night is one of the major reasons why New Orleans Saints tight end Jimmy Graham spends more time these days watching film. That's because opponents are trying to implement anything they can to slow Graham.

But for the most part, nothing has worked. Graham entered Week 13 tied for the league lead in touchdowns with Lions receiver Calvin Johnson, Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch and Vikings running back Adrian Peterson. Graham has been by far the Saints' most prolific offensive weapon for Drew Brees this season.

Graham said he's not sure if Sherman will defend him in one-on-one coverage Monday night when the Saints face the Seahawks. New England assigned its best corner, Aqib Talib, to Graham, who was held without a catch vs. the Patriots. But the way in which teams try to take Graham out of the Saints' offensive equation is more diverse than ever.

Seahawks coach Pete Carroll wasn't dropping any hints as to how Seattle will defend Graham, but added, "We think he's a great player, and it's going to take everything we've got to try and slow him down. That doesn't mean you will, even when you're trying that hard."

That's why Graham tries to plan for everything.

"You definitely try to learn the tendencies," Graham said. "More or less me, I just look at it across the board and learn everyone's tendencies, everyone's weaknesses, everyone's strengths because there's many times in a game when I'll have any one of the corners or safeties or linebackers on me split out in the slot or at the tight end position. 

"For me, it's all around getting a feel for what everyone does best and try to use that to my advantage."

Graham said only two games threw him off of what he anticipated in a defensive matchup: the second half of the Tampa Bay game in Week 2 when he was bracketed by two defenders and the majority of the game in New England when Talib defended him before leaving with an injury in the second half.

Graham described Talib's coverage as "a guy who has no responsibilities but to really just hold me."

But because of the way the Saints use him flexed out in formations in the role of a wide receiver, Graham said he finds himself studying players such as Calvin Johnson and the Texans' Andre Johnson to learn how they work their way through different coverages.

"I feel like these days I could be split out and run my sluggos (slant-and-go routes) or my seam routes and there was no help behind them," Graham said. "But you'll see now even looks where a cover 1 where a safety will cheat over my way. 

"Safeties used to not pay attention to me, but now it looks like they're instantly sprinting back to cover the seam route."

Saints coach Sean Payton said he pays a lot of attention to a team's game plan for  Graham during the course of a game.

"It's fairly common, and a lot of teams do this in the opening groups of plays," Payton said. "There's usually a mix of personnel to try and see (if) we are getting nickel or are we getting base and what are the matchups. I think that's pretty significant as to what we can gather early in the game and pay attention to how they're treating Darren Sproles or how they're treating certain personnel groupings."


(nola.com)