I will preface this by saying I have never been a big fan of Brooks..
However, I feel like he is pretty spot on with all of this.
What's wrong with Amari Cooper?
The Raiders' WR1, who earned Pro Bowl berths after his first two seasons (both 1,000-yard campaigns), has hardly made an impact as a playmaker this season, to the point where I don't recognize No. 89. Although there are only five games in the books in 2017, Cooper's pedestrian stat line -- 13 receptions, 118 receiving yards and one touchdown -- suggests that something isn't right with his game.
Whether it's the chemistry between the third-year pro and his MVP-caliber quarterback, adjusting to a new role in a retooled offense led by a new play caller (first-year offensive coordinator Todd Downing) or opponents paying close attention to his tendencies as a route runner and playmaker, there is something going on with Cooper that is keeping him from playing like a superstar on the perimeter.
From a production standpoint, Cooper certainly isn't impacting the game like a No. 1 receiver. He's averaging just 6.6 targets, 2.6 receptions and 23.6 receiving yards per game in 2017, after averaging 8.2 targets, 4.8 receptions and 69.5 receiving yards during his first two seasons (2015 and '16). Not to mention, Cooper ranks worst in the NFL among receivers with at least 30 targets in drops (five), drop percentage (27.8), receiving percentage or catch rate (39.4), receiving yards per target (3.6) and passer rating when targeted (34.7).
If that's not enough to set off alarm bells, the fact that he hasn't posted a 100-yard game since Week 8 of the 2016 regular season (when he had 12 receptions for 173 yards against Tampa Bay) should raise some serious concerns about his disappearing act on the perimeter.
Elite receivers are expected to produce big numbers as the focal point of the passing game, and those expectations don't change when opponents begin to send double-coverage or brackets to their side. The best pass catchers in the business not only find a way to get open against loaded coverage, but they punish opponents who leave them alone in one-on-one matchups.
"A wide receiver is really a No. 1 guy if he commands a double-team," a former NFL defensive coordinator told me. "If we need to give him special attention to prevent him from dominating the game, then you know you're dealing with a real dude on the perimeter. If we feel like we can cover him without tricks or gadgetry, then he's not a real No. 1 in my mind."
While that coach's opinion is certainly subjective, he does bring up a good point when discussing Cooper and his disappointing production this season. Is it a byproduct of Cooper facing more double-teams on the outside, or have opponents figured out his game?
Having studied the All-22 Coaches Film, I believe opponents have read the book on Cooper and adjusted their coverage tactics accordingly. As one of the top prospects in the 2015 draft class, the 6-foot-1, 210-pound receiver out of Alabama was an outstanding playmaker with polished routes and strong hands. He torched defenders with his diverse route-running skills, exhibiting exceptional timing and precision getting in and out of breaks. In addition, Cooper kept defenders off-balance with an assortment of stems and releases that compromised their leverage.
As a pro, Cooper continued to torment defenders with his clever route-running skills. If defensive backs attempted to shadow him from distance (7 or 8 yards off at the line of scrimmage), he consistently ate them up on a variety of short and intermediate routes. Cooper's stop-start quickness and burst made it nearly impossible to stay with him on quick-rhythm routes like slants, hitches, digs and outs.
Fast-forward to 2017, and defensive backs have figured out that eliminating free access at the line makes it tougher for Cooper to impact the game on the outside. Thus, you're seeing more defenders walk up and press him at the line (bump-and-run coverage), to make him earn his catches and yards.
"He doesn't respond well to press coverage and physicality," an AFC secondary coach told me. "When defenders put their hands on him and knock him around a little bit, they can take him out of the game."
Studying Cooper's performance against the Denver Broncos (two catches for 9 yards in Week 4) and Baltimore Ravens (one catch for 8 yards in Week 5), I noticed that each team primarily used press techniques in its man and zone coverages to prevent him from rolling right into his route. The defenders used one- or two-hand jams at the line of scrimmage to disrupt the timing and rhythm of his route. With defenders staying attached at the hip down the field, Cooper has been unable to consistently get open against press coverage.
According to Next Gen Stats, Cooper produces the fifth-worst passer rating against press coverage (64.2) and the eighth-worst catch rate (46.2 percent) in the league (among pass catchers with 10 or more press targets). That's certainly not the production that you expect from a WR1, particularly a two-time Pro Bowler who was expected to dominate as Derek Carr's favorite playmaker on the outside.
Looking at the Raiders' scheme and tactical approach, I believe Oakland could do more to help Cooper escape press coverage. Downing can move his WR1 around via motion, shifts or exotic formations to give him more room at the line of scrimmage. In addition, the Raiders can position him in the slot, to allow him to use "two-way" releases against softer nickelbacks in coverage.
The Raiders also need to consider mixing up Cooper's route tree to prevent defenders from squatting on his routes. Just looking at the tape, I noticed that he runs a lot of slants, hitches and hinges (deep hitch) from an out-wide alignment. Cooper also tips off his routes with his alignment at the snap. Defenders can quickly anticipate which routes he is running based on his proximity to the numbers (hash-split rules), and they are adjusting their leverage accordingly. Not to mention, defenders are also clued in to Oakland's passing-game tactics from certain formations, particularly 3x1 formations and empty sets.
With defenders fully aware of what's coming from No. 89, the Raiders' No. 1 receiver has been essentially eliminated from the passing game this season. In fact, I will suggest that Cooper has been erased from the Raiders' aerial attack since the middle of last season, when the Broncos and Texans provided a blueprint for defending the crafty pass catcher.
Considering his struggles date back to Week 9 of 2016, the onus is on the 2-3 Raiders' coaching staff to come up with some creative ways to free Cooper from coverage. With the season hanging in the balance, we will see if Oakland can expand the playbook to get No. 89 back on track
