The only instincts that guy has are bad instincts. Just absolutely NO reason that 4th and 11 SF completed on that last drive should've happened. Torii Smith ran right to McCain's zone and McCain should've just been able to move about 3 total yards and easily knock down that pass (no point to intercept cuz it was 4th down). I'm watching the play and kind of annoyed that Smith pulled away from Maxwell. The camera pans and there's McCain RIGHT THERE and Smith runs a yard past him and catches the 1st-down conversion pass. This is just one play but it could've been a killer. McCain just seems unable to compete against NFL players. Either he's missing the tackle on a bigger WR, or getting blown past by smaller receivers. He doesn't seem to have a feel for zone, like, at all, and is just not athletic enough to cover in man. It's embarrassing. Once in a while he'll make a play that every other slot-corner or dime DB in the league makes, but that's about the extent of his usefulness. If he's out there against a good team Miami's D is playing 10 vs 11 with rare exception. What bothers me is that last year I felt differently. He was a rookie who I thought had potential as a slot corner, but he seems to be playing a lot worse and maybe it's just because he was protected better in Coyle's scheme.
He did have a strong game yesterday. Reality is that the slot CB will get beat for the catch at least 50% of the time assuming you have a very good one. It's the nature of the position in today's game. You just hope he can make some key plays for you and yesterday he did.
I think I know what the OP is talking about. Look, the kid is young. The coverage was suppose to be passed to him over the middle from Maxwell. He missed it. Yes, it sucked. But he's a second year player in his second scheme. Give him a break. There's more good than bad with him, which at this point in his career, is all you can ask for. Now his game against....SD or the one before? Yeah, he was totally hot garbage.
"Now his game against....SD or the one before? Yeah, he was totally hot garbage." Yeah. I also really remember him getting completely punked by AJ Green, shaken off like he was a fly. I know Green is big but if you're already right there and you already have your arms around the guy, you can either bring him down or you don't belong on a football field.
To flesh out my point: Xavien Howard earned a starting job after missing part of training camp and having very little time to learn stuff. He earned it because his athletic ability allows him to compete against NFL receivers. Give Howard time to learn schemes and get his techniques fine-tuned and we should have an elite corner there. Somewhere in the middle of McCain and Howard, these 2 examples, are most guys who are decent NFL athletes and trained in their craft. Michael Thomas is still a Miami Dolphin to this day because he made a great play vs the Patriots in 2014 even though he had been a Dolphin for less than 36 hours prior to that. He just had the athletic ability to be there and make that play. Since then he's been tutored up to be at least a serviceable DB in the NFL. I still think he'd be a better nickel defender than safety but the Dolphins feel otherwise or just hadn't gotten the piece to replace him. Rambo is here and has replaced him.
The biggest problem with McCain is he has no speed, he's too slow and doesn't have the experience or smarts to make up for it at this point. I would like us to try Lafayette Pitts in the slot. He is the fastest and quickest corner on the team by far and has been playing and practicing very well. Mccain is not the worst player on the defense right now though, that title goes to Jelani Jenkins.
Are you thinking of Lippetts missed tackle where Green scored? McCain is a gamer, man! He's as feisty as they come! He's just making some mistakes right now but I'm very optimistic about him. Ball skills are there, physical skills are there and attitude is definitly there!
Oops. You're right, mcDuffie81. I'm pretty sure I could find other examples of McCain missing tackles, though, because I see it in my mind's eye. I admit the tone of my thread title is over the top. However, I do greatly hope we can upgrade over McCain in 2017.