The Lead
In the inaugural episode of Good Morning Football's segment The Belt — which recognizes the game's best defensive backs with a belt as the ultimate prize — NFL Network analyst Jason McCourty led off with an All-Pro cornerback.
Broncos cornerback Pat Surtain II matched up against an elite receiver last weekend in Raiders wide receiver Davante Adams, and he more than held his own as he recorded a career-best three pass breakups.
"When you get matched up against the best, you get the opportunity to earn your right to say, 'I am one of the best DB's,' and that was Surtain matched up with Davante Adams," McCourty said during the segment.
Denver held the unenviable task in facing a Las Vegas offense headlined by Adams and running back Josh Jacobs, but Surtain's lockdown coverage helped limit the Raiders' passing game and keep the ball out of the hands of a big-time playmaker.
According to NFL Next Gen Stats, Surtain held Adams to two catches for 11 yards in their matchups, while plays in which Raiders quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo targeted Adams with Surtain in coverage had an Expected Points Added result of -1.5.
"The man's name is PS2 — looking like a PS5 out there locking down Davante Adams," McCourty said. "That's what it's all about, going up and getting it."
Adams wasn't the only one who Surtain foiled on Sunday. McCourty, who has Adams on his fantasy football team, acknowledged Surtain's role in hampering his fantasy team's performance, but he couldn't ignore Surtain's big day in ranking him at No. 5.
"He was just ruining fantasy owners' days," McCourty said. "I had Davante Adams [and] I only needed 10 points, but he wasn't getting anything when Surtain was lining up across from him."
