The NFL’s All-Underrated defense in the first half…

(Sam Greene-USA TODAY Sports)

It’s not often that you see free agents getting obviously better when they sign with the Bengals (sorry, Bengals), but in a defense that has made a nice turnaround this season, defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has overseen the improved efforts of two players — the aforementioned Trey Hendrickson, and Awuzie, who seemed betwixt and between in four years with the Cowboys in a variety of less effective concepts. Awuzie has allowed the occasional big play in his new home, but that generally happens when he’s asked to play off the line of scrimmage. When he’s pressed up against a receiver from the snap, even when that receiver is as great as Green Bay’s Davante Adams, Awuzie generally wins the day.

Obviously, if your technique isn’t together, and you’re up on Davante Adams from the first step, you are going to have a Very Bad Day. Chidobe Awuzie is a different cornerback than the one I saw in Dallas. pic.twitter.com/0ZIP5Tf01c

— Doug Farrar ✍ (@NFL_DougFarrar) October 24, 2021

I spoke with another NFL defensive back about this play, and here’s what he said: “Beautiful. Soft-shoed to the angle of the fade, but kept his hip towards the slant so he could defend both. Almost funneled him into the slant. Not many can mirror step with [Adams].”

That’s who Awuzie can be. On the season, he’s allowed 32 catches on 59 targets for 306 yards, 101 yards after the catch, three touchdowns, one interception, five pass breakups, and an opponent passer rating of 78.8. Awuzie’s low interception numbers may have you thinking that he shouldn’t be on anyone’s All-Underrated team, but there’s a lot more to cornerback play than interceptions.

Our next two cornerbacks are living proof of that.