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The defensive secondary for the Arizona Cardinals has taken a lot of heat for their performance this season, allowing a ton of passing yards up. All the while, cornerback A.J. Jefferson has held his own. However, he has gotten solid reviews and has missed a few plays.
PFF pointed out Jefferson's coverage stats on Sunday. He was thrown at 12 times and allowed 10 catches for 89 yards. It was a fact given as a negative.
But not all things written about Jefferson were critical. ESPN's Mike Sando gave his thoughts on Jefferson, some positive ones.
Sando wrote this:
The Cardinals have suffered through obvious issues in their secondary, especially at cornerback. Jefferson is a converted receiver finding his way in a new defensive system. I can see why coaches wanted him on the field, however. Jefferson supported the run aggressively in this game and wasn't afraid to cut down the Seahawks' power back, Marshawn Lynch, near the line of scrimmage. Jefferson also stood out a couple times on special teams.
Jefferson obviously fits the mold of the type of cornerback that Ray Horton wants. He tackles and covers. as for last week, the observation made on TV was that he was playing a little safer and softer on his man, not making many plays. He, of course, after that comment, almost picks off a pass.
I have been impressed by Jefferson so far. He has been a welcome surprise. Plus, he can return kicks. I like how fearless he is, the way he gets his hands on the ball to make plays. I imagine that by the end of the year, he will have been one of the team's most pleasant surprises.
What do you think of him so far?