Cincinnati Bengals defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has a reputation as one of the league’s premier halftime adjustments guys and a big part of that is an amoeba-like defense that can do a ton of different things depending on the matchup.
Buy Bengals TicketsTre Flowers is a great example.
A veteran cornerback who doesn’t see a ton of snaps and is generally just a tight-end stopper, Flowers was a key component in the Bengals defense forcing four Tom Brady turnovers in Week 15.
On his key interception, Flowers did an uncharacteristic thing and wasn’t in man coverage. Instead, he dropped back into a zone, confusing Brady and ultimately picking him off.
“We’ve expanded his role where he’s not just going in there and playing man, Anarumo said, according to Charlie Goldsmith of the Cincinnati Enquirer. “You saw the interception he had, he was in underneath zone and really make a heck of a play. Really happy with Tre.”
Flowers is the latest example of Anarumo’s skill craft in squeezing the most out of his players and giving opposing offenses problems.
As such, its no wonder that even though he only played 15 snaps, Flowers ended the day as the defense’s highest-graded player:
