49ers film room: How Jets Jamal Adams would take Niners to next level

No. 4: 49ers would utilize Jamal Adams in many unique ways to take advantage of his coverage ability

What do you do when Jamal Adams is too good for your best pass catcher and your quarterback’s favorite target? You use him as a diversion, obviously.

Even though the Patriots used Rob Gronkowski to remove the defender in the middle hook zone, in Cover 2, thus creating a wide-open throwing lane the pass was not completed.

But, why?

Tom Brady threw at Adams.

Big mistake.

The tight end, Jacob Hollister, ran a post route at 15 yards. The Patriots tried to get the middle hook defender to follow Gronkowski, which worked, to leave the post route wide open in the space vacated by that middle hook defender. The throw was there, but so was Adams. Adams was covering the deep left side, in the Cover 2 defense the Jets played, which was right over Hollister. Adams read Brady’s eyes all the way and broke down hard to break up the pass:

Even though the throw was wide open, Adams was able to make a play on the throw because of his eyes, instincts and rapid reaction time.