Fumble man: Punchin’ Coby Bryant teaming with Tariq Woolen in wondrous Seahawks rookie duo
Coby Bryant has a Halloweeen-themed secret to his skill at forcing so many fumbles.
Be a ghost.
“It’s like you have to time it up perfectly,” the Seahawks’ ball-thieving rookie cornerback said. “The ball carriers can sometimes be extremely vulnerable when they are about to go to the ground or when they don’t see you.
“I catch them when they don’t see me.
“That’s the perfect time to be able to punch — and make a tackle at the same time, because the tackle is just as important.”
Last weekend Bryant appeared out of nowhere for a big play. Again.
He did it in front of his older brother Christian. He flew west from the family’s hometown of Cleveland. Christian, 30, preceded Coby playing at Cleveland’s Glenville High School. Christian then played for Ohio State before the St. Louis Rams drafted him in the seventh round in 2014.
Christian was with the Rams, Arizona Cardinals, New York Giants and hometown Cleveland Browns from 2014-17. He appeared in a handful of games, on special teams, and had five career tackles. He’s now works in commercial real estate in northeast Ohio.
Christian got to see his younger brother make a pivotal play in Seattle’s home win over Arizona.
In the third quarter of a 12-3 game, Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray didn’t see Bryant zoom across from his inside, nickel back spot coach Pete Carroll moved him to in August. Murray had just run for a first down on third down. He was headed inside the Seattle 20-yard line. Then Bryant left his coverage responsibility, Arizona running back Emo Benjamin, outside left, and ran to Murray. He punched the ball from Murray’s grasp with his left hand and arm coming in from the side.
For the second time in two games, fellow Seahawks standout rookie cornerback Tariq Woolen recovered a fumble Bryant forced. Pro Bowl safety Quandre Diggs ran back upfield and immediately congratulated Bryant for the latest turnover he created.
Drive repelled. Seattle wins.
Another game, another job done by the Seahawks’ fourth-round draft choice from Cincinnati.
Three games ago at Detroit, Bryant’s parents and family made the three-hour drive from Cleveland to see their guy play the Lions. They saw their Seahawks jump Detroit receiver Kalif Raymond from behind after his catch, slamming his arm down onto the Raymond’s holding the ball and causing another fumble. Seahawks teammate Jordyn Brooks recovered near midfield. That led to Seattle increasing its lead to 24-9 in its win at Detroit.
Bryant is the first NFL player with four forced fumbles in his first six career games since the Elias Sports Bureau began tracking that statistic. That was in 2000.
The NFL rookie record for forced fumbles is nine, by pass rusher Dwight Freeney in 2002.
Only 11 players have had more forced fumbles in their rookie season in the league than Bryant’s already had in six games, with 11 still remaining in the regular season.
“It’s special. It’s like seeing your little brother shine,” said Diggs, who plays directly behind Bryant and next to Woolen as Seattle’s deep free safety.
“For me, those are really like my little brothers. I’ve been super excited about both of them since the jump. Seeing them go out there and make the plays and bring that to life, you can just watch it. I have a front-row seat. I’m in the back just trying to patrol, which I’m happy about being in the back, being able to see those guys. Just letting those things go.
“Those guys are getting after it, and they have to continue doing it. We have 17 games. We’re only in Week 6. When the turnovers come, they come in bunches.”
Coby Bryant, Tariq Woolen lead defense
Seattle is plus-2 in the game’s most important statistic, turnover margin, and 3-3 entering its game Sunday at the Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) in Inglewood, California, largely because of Bryant and Woolen. Each have produced four turnovers in six games.
Woolen is the NFC defensive player of the week for his fourth straight game with an interception. He picked off Murray in the fourth quarter to effectively end the Seahawks’ 19-9 victory.
Diggs, often a locker-room jokester, has been razzing Bryant and Woolen to keep them from getting too full of themselves — not that there’s any evidence of that.
“Coby is one of those feisty guys, anyways,” Diggs said. “I try to tell him something that he doesn’t like, he gets an attitude with me. But, I still let him know I’m the big brother.
“But, it’s cool. I’m excited about those guys’ growth.”
Also cool, and nostalgic: A Coby Bryant is playing in Inglewood this weekend.
SoFi Stadium, site of Sunday’s Seahawks-Chargers game, is across the street from The Forum, the still-standing arena where Kobe Bryant began his legendary career for the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Seahawks’ Bryant was indeed named after the NBA legend.
The Jim Thorpe Award winner last season as college football’s best defensive back is making his own name six games into his NFL career.
Pete Carroll’s move paying off
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll has hit jackpot on his decision in mid-August to move Bryant from outside cornerback to inside, slot nickel back. Bryant had never played the position before then.
Carroll’s rationale: Today’s NFL offenses feature slot receivers that would give Bryant more opportunities to make plays on the ball inside.
The move freed Bryant from Seattle’s glut of outside cornerbacks: Woolen, the veteran coach’s other rookie project who has soared to early stardom outside, plus veterans Sidney Jones and Artie Burns and Tre Brown, the 2021 starter currently on the injured list.
Forcing the fumbles has become the skill that is keeping Bryant at nickel, playing 75% of defensive snaps last week, and keeping veteran Justin Coleman on the bench.
“His skill is standing out,” Carroll said. “It is a fundamental as a punch when you are tackling. He had a collision tackle, just a contact, hit, and knocked it out (against the Cardinals).
“He definitely has a knack. And we always talked about it. You’re looking for guys that have knacks. ...You can see the impact of any guy who that has that knack about it. It’s an incredible asset and it’s cool to see. ..
“He’s just better at it than other guys.”
The encouraging thing for Bryant and the Seahawks: he’s two months into this role. He’s still learning — and isn’t exactly hurting the defense as he does.
What is different about nickel inside compared to outside cornerback he played his entire football life until now?
“Just the space,” he said. “I’m getting more routes now and I’m dealing with faster guys, as well, versus on the outside when you are getting a handful of routes. But now, I’m getting more routes, ‘overs’ or whatever the case may be.
“But I like the challenge. And I’m just going to keep on working.”
