Upon closer inspection, Sherman -- much to my surprise -- wasn't nearly as polished or flawless as he had been in previous years. He appeared to lose his balance more than ever at the line as crafty wide receivers avoided his jams with stutter-steps and fakes early in routes. In addition, big-bodied receivers like Brandon Marshall and Julio Jones were able to create separation by pushing off or boxing out Sherman at the top of their routes. Granted, those two receivers typically have their way with corners on the perimeter with their rugged style, but I'm not used to seeing Sherman frequently out of sorts. To his credit, Sherman responded by making a number of critical plays against each receiver (two interceptions against the New York Jets and a pair of pass breakups against Atlanta) that tilted the outcome in the Seahawks' favor.