1. This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this site, you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Learn More.

Football 101

Discussion in 'Miami Dolphins Forum' started by Fin D, May 4, 2015.

  1. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    I thought it might be nice to have a thread that explains somethings that less knowledgeable fans would want to know, but are afraid to ask. My hope is that gurus and what not will post some info about the game in general that we all should know and this will be stickied.

    So I'll start with a graphic I made illustrating what gaps and techniques are.

    [​IMG]

    Techniques are listed in dark & light blue and green. Green indicates "outside" techniques and light blue indicates "inside" techniques.

    Red obviously indicates how the gaps are labeled.

    (PS, I'm not in anyway a guru or even football smart, I had to look this up to know what it all meant, so if there's any questions, hopefully someone else will take the reins.)
     
    Last edited: Mar 14, 2018
  2. Unlucky 13

    Unlucky 13 Team Raheem Club Member

    51,930
    63,008
    113
    Apr 24, 2012
    Troy, Virginia
    Good idea for a thread, and great idea for a first lesson. Thank you. Even though I mostly knew what the technique terms meant (after years of figuring it out), the graphic is excellent.
     
    Irishman, Fin4Ever and Fin D like this.
  3. Galant

    Galant Love - Unity - Sacrifice - Eternity

    19,127
    11,058
    113
    Apr 22, 2014
    Maybe should be specified that these are labels for defensive techniques. That is, the gaps are the gaps the defensive line might try to break through to get to the qb or running back, although the names work for describing where a running back might be aiming for with a little help from the offensive line.
     
  4. Brasfin

    Brasfin Well-Known Member

    2,435
    1,672
    113
    Apr 27, 2013
    Brazil
    Great idea Fin D! Hopefully some of the football-smart posters will take their time to chime in here once in a while...
     
    Fin D likes this.
  5. JDelenne

    JDelenne Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    4,337
    2,435
    113
    Mar 12, 2009
    Orlando, FL
    When it comes to actual football knowledge i know absolutely nothing so I like the concept of this thread.

    Now my question about the graph.
    Since we run a base 4-3 right our "4 Techniques" would be like OV and Wake, and our "2 Techniques" would be Mitchell and Suh?
    and a "0 Technique" would be a NT in a 3-4 scheme?
     
  6. PhinishLine

    PhinishLine Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    4,276
    2,893
    113
    Dec 3, 2007
    Maryland
    This site has some pictures and breakdown of schemes in the 4-3.

    http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1999358-nfl-101-the-basics-of-the-4-3-defensive-front

    I don't believe the "technique" has to do with the scheme exclusively but mainly where the defender lines up. Based on the offensive formation and maybe down the defender might line up directly over a defender of shade to an inside outside shoulder.

    We have been said to run a 4-3 Under which has some nuance to it. I think mainly it is flexible in that it is a 4-3 but uses many 3-4 concepts. IE: There is still a NT. Below is an article (ableit with older personnel) on the gaps/techniques:

    http://www.thephinsider.com/2014/3/7/5482102/football-101-defensive-line-gap-techniques

    I'm thinking Phillips would be a 1-technique NT in our under, with Suh being the penetrating 3-technique on the other side.
     
    Irishman, Fin4Ever, Boik14 and 2 others like this.
  7. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    23,681
    44,611
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    I figured I could post this here since it incorporates some pictures, gifs and video of Miami's defense and teams that run similar defenses (Cincinnati, Seattle). This was a preview of the 2014 Defense I made in club last fall (I'm planning on doing one again this year when I have time), so keep that in mind as that's why you see guys like Odrick, Starks and Wheeler that are no longer here, and obviously Dion Jordan is now suspended. This also doesn't incorporate the use of the 3-4 alignment Miami used last year as we hadn't seen it yet. This is primarily focused on the defensive front seven, but I figured it'd be good to post. I'm happy to answer any questions.

    I’ve been meaning to put together a 2014 defensive preview for a while, and finally have some time this week. Mostly because watching the Reds makes me want to stick needles in my eyes and I’ve got a brief period of downtime from work. So here goes.

    Ever since Kevin Coyle’s introductory press conference back in early 2012, he mentioned that he’d put together his defense based on 4 other coaches’ defenses. I think we safely now know that 3 of them were Mike Zimmer (Cincinnati), Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati and his work with Baltimore and Washington), and Dick LeBeau (Pittsburgh). The fourth one, I’ve not a clue as to who it may be, but one name that I’ve found linked to the style of defense Miami plays is Bill Dooley. Dooley, the uncle of former Tennessee Volunteers head coach Derek Dooley (who was on Miami’s staff under Nick Saban) was a former head coach mostly known for his time at Virginia Tech where he devised what he called the “Eagle Defense”. I’ve looked at Dooley’s career chronology, along with Kevin Coyle, Marvin Lewis, and Dick LeBeau and I haven’t found a link. But, nonetheless, principles of the “Eagle Defense” are prevalent in Miami’s current 4-3 system.

    Miami’s 4-3 as we know it is basically a carry-over of Cincinnati’s 4-3 that was executed while Coyle was there under Marvin Lewis and Mike Zimmer. Coyle was also there when LeBeau was the Bengals head coach back in the early 2000s. In 2012 we saw the defense look like a mix between Cincinnati’s and Seattle’s with Jared Odrick playing as an oversized DE with bigger, physical, less rangy linebackers in Kevin Burnett, Karlos Dansby, and Koa Misi. That devolved into last year’s defense, which was more of what you look at in a traditional 4-3 with Under and Over fronts and more athletic, smaller linebackers.

    *Poster's note - I've removed the pictures with the Seahawks 4-3 Under/Over as I'm at the limit for pictures in a post and wanted to update the thread with the Eagle images. You can find the Seahawks pictures for reference here: http://www.fieldgulls.com/football-...hawks-and-the-4-3-under-front-winds-of-change.

    These images represent the basic 4-3 Under and 4-3 Over fronts. The FieldGulls blog is a great read if you want to learn more about those systems and how Pete Carroll and the Seahawks have used them to win a Super Bowl.

    In light of last week and this week’s OTAs and the move of Koa Misi to “Mike” Linebacker, I figured I could put together a preview and incorporate the “Eagle Defense” principles that are applicable to Miami; an overview of each unit with a reason for optimism, a cause for concern, and guys we “know” are going to be on the roster along with a guy to watch in the preseason that probably won’t make it, but will make things interesting (all for front 7 only); and finally, my prediction of a 2-deep depth chart for the whole defense (for simplicity’s sake). So, let’s get to it.

    The “Eagle Defense”

    I actually first heard about this defense last summer about this time from my old high school coach. He’s a family friend and I’ve known him since 1st grade – I’m nearing 30 now. He helped me get a part-time coaching gig last summer. Our old high school had always had success and I asked him about how the team was shaping up. He said he wasn’t sure as a bunch of the assistants that were there when I played had moved on and he said he was moving on from his beloved 4-3 (same defense I had been in 10 years earlier which was almost akin to Jimmy Johnson’s 4-3 in Miami – vanilla, but it let the players play and wreak havoc) and switching back to a 5-2 defense. A 5-2, really? He told me yes, it’s what I was running before I moved to Cincinnati and began coaching at Kings (my old high school). I was a bit puzzled, but later that same week I was flipping through and old coaching manual, which was essentially a list of articles compiled by various coaches ranging from Bill Walsh, Dennis Green, Jimmy Johnson, Gene Stallings, etc. Eventually I stumbled upon an article written by Bill Dooley about the “Eagle Defense” and noticed a lot of the diagrams looked similar to the formations I noticed the Dolphins lining up in when in their base package.

    For some context, the manual I have was published 1995, and a lot of the articles in it are from a lot earlier – there’s stuff on the wishbone vs. Flexbone vs. triple-option and how to stop all of them, for example. Dooley’s article was from 1985, so I knew I was reading something relatively “old” compared to the football knowledge I’d acquired.

    The “Eagle” defense, in essence, is what Dooley referred to as a “50 Shade” defense. Essentially, this was a defense that he used to transition from a true 5-2 (50 front) into what we know now as the 3-4 with three down linemen and four linebackers, with the two OLBs acting primarily as pass-rushers. Dooley’s philosophy altered this “Eagle Defense” from traditional 50 and 3-4 defense in that it allowed them to adjust the front seven and not have a true 0-technique nose tackle, with the main components being that they always played their strong safety on the “Eagle” side of the formation; more on that in a second. Secondly, they aligned their “Eagle”, and subsequently, the “Eagle Backer” and strong safety where they wanted to, regardless of the formation and any motion/shifts the offense came out in and presented.

    The “Eagle” is the best pass-rusher. He can be a defensive end or a stand-up outside linebacker like we see in the 3-4 today. The “Eagle Backer” essentially is a “Will” LB in a 4-3, or the Weakside ILB in a 3-4 – moreover, it’s the most athletic of your linebackers that is most adept in pass-coverage. This linebacker is almost always on the same side as the “Eagle”, as is the strong safety. In Figure 2b you’ll see a formation that is pretty much a 4-3 Over formation, or what Miami uses as their base defense. As a simple key, the Dolphins players on the 2014 roster equate as follows:

    [​IMG]

    E or “Eagle” – is Cameron Wake.
    T or 3-technique is Randy Starks/Jared Odrick
    N or 1-technique is Earl Mitchell
    T, opposite E, which is actually another DE in Miami’s case, is Olivier Vernon/Dion Jordan.
    EB – “Eagle Backer” this year appears to be Dannell Ellerbe.*
    B – the “Mike Backer” is Koa Misi
    Delta Symbol – would be the on the LOS linebacker, a “Sam” essentially, and this year it’s Philip Wheeler.^
    SS – “Strong Safety” – Reshad Jones, though Miami drops the safety to the side of the Eagle (think more a right and left safety as opposed to a free and a strong).

    * = Philip Wheeler filled this role in 2013 and Kevin Burnett filled this role in 2012, just for reference.
    ^ = filled by Koa Misi in 2012 and 2013.

    I apologize in advance as the scanner in my office is such that I couldn’t get the pages in the manual fully on screen and still get it to function, but hopefully you see the idea.

    [​IMG]

    In the remaining figures, Miami often aligns up their defense in base formations that look like 3a (in the opposite fashion) 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, and 5b (in the opposite fashion). Again, you have to remember that the “T” opposite the “E” in the pictures is actually another defensive end in Miami’s case. This player could have been a “T” in 2012 with Jared Odrick, but it’s now usually Olivier Vernon, though Odrick did play some DE in the base formation last year against run-heavy opponents (Tampa Bay, New York Jets).

    Most of these fronts are essentially Under and Over fronts that Miami uses. The catch being that their “Eagle”, or best pass-rusher, Cameron Wake, is a predominantly left-side player. This means he’s got the 3-technique (Starks or Odrick) to his immediate inside in most cases, and you can more often than not identify this as an Over front. However, later in 2013, Coyle started using him as the base-end (5 or 6 technique) in Under fronts and aligning Olivier Vernon or Dion Jordan outside the left tackle. This meant Wake was facing the strong side of the offense.

    [​IMG]

    In this GIF, ignore the play for a second, and look at how Miami’s lined up with Wake at LDE and Paul Soliai at the 1-techinque spot. Now, watch the play. Notice how Ellerbe gets caught up in the trash. I tend to doubt Koa Misi has this type of problem. Now, envision Ellerbe where Philip Wheeler is and Wheeler where Koa Misi is, and I think you’ll see one of Miami’s base looks in 2014, which would be their Under front.

    But, remember the second Dooley principle, “We always align the “Eagle” where we want him.” Thus, this is the tie-in with the Dolphins and Cameron Wake, and I think it’s something we’re likely to see again this year. You can spot this when you notice the player immediately to Wake’s inside is the 1-technique, or Nose Tackle, and thus far in OTAs, that’s been Earl Mitchell, who played virtually the same role with the Texans during his time there.

    In 2012, when Miami was closer to the traditional 3-4 type of front (what you saw in Seattle in base packages with Red Bryant playing DE) Miami pretty much solely relied on Reshad Jones as the strong safety to play in the box and he had a career year. I’ll let you come to your own conclusion as to whether or not that was scheme related or if it was just him rising to the occasion in a contract year. Either way, it’s something I think we see more of this year based on Joe Philbin having said they want to see Jones “…improve his play speed.” Jones isn’t ever going to be an Ed Reed, centerfield type of S. He’s much better near the LOS and screaming up to make plays as he did in 2012. What’s interesting is that I’d also argue that this is Louis Delmas’ strong suit as well, so I wonder if we’ll see Miami alternate who the box safety is, depending on where they line up Cameron Wake. Remember, Wake did see some time on the defense’s right side (think Carolina where he jacked up Cam Newton the first play of the game and got fined for it).

    [video=youtube;UZwwrz0c6Vg]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZwwrz0c6Vg[/video]

    Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, I think you’ll have a better grasp of some of these media reports. For example, Omar Kelly wrote that Dannell Ellerbe is playing on the strongside now (opposite a TE). While this is most likely true – I’ll give Omar some credit here – I don’t expect him to know the difference between the duties of a SAM linebacker and a WILL linebacker. Despite hearing that Ellerbe is on the strongside, I’m guessing he’s playing that “Eagle Linebacker” role and is actually there to drop into man-to-man or zone coverage against that tight end. Essentially, he’s playing OFF the line of scrimmage, where as Philip Wheeler is playing on the LOS on the Weakside. That’s another “Eagle” principle and the over-riding theory. In that front, you’ve got fewer, but bigger, more physical players lined up over the offense’s weak side (no TE to that side) and more, but smaller, more athletic players lined up over the offense’s strong side (TE to that side). You’ve got the “Eagle”, “Eagle Linebacker” and strong safety, plus, a DT to that side as well, with your Mike shading that way.

    So, onto Miami’s positions for 2014. First up, the Defensive Line:

    Base Defensive End – this position is going to be the opposite the “Eagle”, usually playing a 5 or 6 technique. In Seattle they used a big, powerful guy – Red Bryant and Michael Bennett here. Miami used Jared Odrick in this role in 2012 and Olivier Vernon here in 2013. Essentially, more often than not, this is the base-end whose responsibility is to set the edge, play the run, and isn’t the same type of pass rusher that the end on the opposite side is. Rather than a true left and right side defensive end, Miami has options here. You’ll see Olivier Vernon there in most base packages, predominantly on the right of the defense opposite Wake. You’ll see Derrick Shelby in this position during rotations, predominantly on the left, opposite Dion Jordan. Jared Odrick also plays here when they go to their “Bear” front.

    [​IMG]

    Players you’ll see there: Olivier Vernon (starter), Derrick Shelby (backup), Jared Odrick (formation-based).

    Player to watch in preseason: Terrence Fede. The 7th round draft pick played DE in a 3-man front at Marist and terrorized the Pioneer Football League (my alma mater Dayton is in this league and Jim Harbaugh once coached the University of San Diego in this league. UD beat him his final year there and gave him his only loss. His QB that year? Josh Johnson formerly of San Francisco, Tampa Bay, and Cincinnati). I don’t think Fede’s going to unseat Vernon or Shelby here, but he might be a guy to stash on the practice squad to develop for down the road.

    3-techinque DT – this is your quicker, more athletic defensive tackle. Think Warren Sapp. Think Geno Atkins. For Miami, this is Randy Starks and Jared Odrick. Both of these guys are quick, striking, penetrators that can disrupt the backfield. What’s also interesting is that Miami’s got Anthony Johnson as an UDFA from LSU that can play here as well.

    [​IMG]
    Starks at 3-technique. Notice Jelani Jenkins is actually the Eagle Backer here and does a nice job of reading and flowing to the ball and combines with Starks on the tackle. One other thing to notice is that Miami has Reshad Jones set in the box on the opposite side of Cameron Wake. You'll notice him coming into view from the left of the screen toward the end of the play. That's one of the few times I've noticed in 2012 and 2013 he's not on the side as Wake and the "Will/Eagle Linebacker". My guess is that it's probably an alignment or matchup thing specific to the personnel. In this case, Trusnik is on the field in place of Misi, so Jones' alignment may be to help on that side as Trusnik isn't as adept at setting the edge as Misi and both were on the wide side of the field - that's just my guess though.

    [​IMG]
    Jared Odrick at 3-technique

    Players you’ll see there: Randy Starks (starter), Jared Odrick (backup)

    Player to watch in preseason: Anthony Johnson. Once one of the top recruits in the country, Johnson was overweight and didn’t live up to his billing at LSU, and went undrafted because of that and a failed drug test. I’m interested to see if he can steal a roster spot as he may be able to play some 1-techinque as well.

    0/1-technique – what used to be a bigger guy – think Paul Soliai, Vince Wilfork, or Keith Traylor, Miami has shifted to more of a quicker, strong, fireplug guy – think Seattle’s Brandon Mebane. Earl Mitchell is the main guy here. His experience in playing a shaded Nose Tackle technique will certainly come in handy as he’s 6’3” 300lbs, though I’ve read he’s played at both more around 310lbs and 295lbs during his time in Houston. He’s got quickness as well, so I’m excited to see what he brings to the table here. Miami often utilized Randy Starks here as well last year to help get Jared Odrick on the field more, and to make a seamless transition to nickel and sub-package formations without having to sub-in for Paul Soliai.

    [​IMG]
    Randy Starks at 1-technique (in Nickel formation - Grimes picked off this pass in the endzone)

    Players you’ll see here: Earl Mitchell (starter), Randy Starks (backup), A.J. Francis (TBD).

    Player to watch in preseason: A.J. Francis. The darling to a lot of this board from last year’s preseason. As of now, he’s the largest D-line product Miami has and is an ideal 1-technique dimensionally. I, personally, don’t think he’s all that good, but he could prove me wrong. I’ll also throw out Kamal Johnson of Temple. Kacy Rodgers worked him out personally at Temple’s Pro Day (there’s video on YouTube).

    “Eagle” Defensive End – this is your primary pass-rusher. Think Chris Clemons from Seattle last year. Think Aldon Smith in stand-up form. Think Cameron Wake. Wake’s the one, true “blue chip” player we have and he’s just an outright stud. I’m not worried about him and if he stays healthy this year, I think he returns to double-digit sacks. Dion Jordan can also line up here, but when he does, he’s more often on the right side of the defense (keep in mind I’m strictly referring to base packages here). He can also play this standing-up if need be, and I suppose technically, you could refer to him as a true “Leo” given his ability to drop in coverage. More on him in sub-packages later on.

    Players you’ll see here: Cameron Wake (starter), Dion Jordan (backup), Olivier Vernon (formation-based). You could also end up seeing Dion Jordan playing this role and Cameron Wake lined up as the base defensive end in fronts if/when Dion Jordan is able to overtake Olivier Vernon as the starter.

    Player to watch in preseason: N/A. Miami doesn’t really have anyone that’s going to give the trio above a run for their money.

    “Reason for Optimism” There are plenty of reasons to be optimistic heading into 2014. Cameron Wake is fully healthy. Olivier Vernon’s got another year under his belt. Kevin Coyle thinks Dion Jordan is going to “explode”. Randy Starks and Jared Odrick were both top 10 rated DTs according to PFF in this scheme last year IIRC, and Earl Mitchell seems like he’ll fit in really well. Plus, Kacy Rodgers is one of the best D-line coaches in the league. Miami’s also got some solid depth with Derrick Shelby having carved out a spot in the rotation and having guys like A.J. Francis, Isaako Aaitui, Anthony Johnson, Terrence Fede and Kamal Johnson to develop in the preseason gives you a lot to look forward to.

    “Cause for Concern” Losing Paul Soliai to Atlanta could hinder the run defense in base packages even more if Earl Mitchell doesn’t take to this defense as well as I think he will.

    Linebackers:

    Will/Weakside LB – this is your most athletic, best athlete type of guy who can roam across the field and can cover. This is also known as the "Eagle Backer". Of Miami’s three linebackers, Philip Wheeler’s skillset best matches this description, but his play on the field serves him best on the line of scrimmage. For now, Miami’s linebacker here is Dannell Ellerbe. Keep in mind that this position in Miami’s defense may not necessarily always be on the Weakside of the formation. Ellerbe hopefully will be able to rebound and should be more protected by the scheme, as he was in Baltimore, and allow him to produce. After all, he’ll now have Randy Starks/Jared Odrick in front of him, along with Cameron Wake, which should allow him to face less bodies coming at him; certainly fewer than he saw last year playing in the middle. That said, I doubt he’s turning into Derrick Brooks or Lavonte David any time soon. Jelani Jenkins also saw time here last season and at times flashed an ability to blitz (Buffalo) and cover (New England). He may well end up here in the long-term if Ellerbe doesn’t return to his Baltimore form.

    Players you’ll see here: Dannell Ellerbe (starter), Jelani Jenkins (backup), Jordan Tripp (TBD)

    Player to watch in preseason: Jordan Tripp. I’m not sold on him playing in the middle in this defense, especially when Kevin Coyle’s gone out and put two of Miami’s three largest linebackers in the middle with Koa Misi and Jason Trusnik. However, Tripp seems like he’s a beggar’s Lavonte David and is certainly athlete enough to warrant a look here. I think he’s going to make the roster, but much like Jenkins last year, will have to earn it on special teams for a season or seasons.

    Mike LB – this is the thumper and the traffic controller of the defense. Well, for now at least, the rumor is true. This is Koa Misi’s spot. He’s a bigger guy at 6’3” 254lbs, much like Rey Maualuga was in Cincinnati when Kevin Coyle was there. He’s been excellent as a run-stopper from the outside in both the 3-4 and 4-3, so I suppose this makes sense. Jason Trusnik also played here in lieu of Dannell Ellerbe in several games last year. The veteran is pretty savvy and has shown he’s been able to fill in adequately when called upon. The biggest thing for me is Koa Misi and how well he’s able to get the defense aligned correctly, make the calls, and ultimately sift through traffic and make tackles against the run. An improved run defense will be a playoff defense for Miami in my opinion.

    Players you’ll see here: Koa Misi (starter), Jason Trusnik (backup), Jordan Tripp (TBD)

    Player to watch in preseason: Misi, for obvious reasons. Tripp, because I don’t believe actually fits here.

    Sam/strongside linebacker – in Miami’s defense, I simply view this as the guy that’s lined up on the LOS or 1x1 off it, which is still close. This has been Koa Misi in years past, but with some of the pictures we’ve seen from OTAs, it appears Philip Wheeler is now this guy. And that is a good thing. He had a career year for the Raiders in 2012 playing this role. He’s certainly not the biggest guy, but he flies around and hits a lot of stuff. I know several times I referred to him last year as a rolling dumpster fire because he looked so out of sorts at Will. I used the adjective “rolling” because even though his impact was far from desirable, he was still flying around. He should also get to show more of his natural pass-rushing and blitzing prowess from this spot as well. See the clips from last year’s Cincinnati game on the AFC East Daily Blog where he’s lined up as a Will and still flies through the hole. Now, imagine this speed coming off the same edge as Cameron Wake in Under fronts and opposite Wake in Over fronts. Jason Trusnik was also the backup here last year, despite Jonathan Freeny being listed there. Freeny is merely a special teamer and I think he gets cut.

    Players you’ll see here: Philip Wheeler (starter), Jason Trusnik (backup), Jonathan Freeny (TBD)

    Player to watch in preseason: Derrell Johnson. I’ll also predict this is one of DJ’s all-stars on his “All Best-Body Training Camp Team”. He’s a 24 year old rookie, but he’s got size at 6’2” 257lbs, and is nasty and has that “old man strength” to set the edge. He might not make the roster, but just from watching him, I think he’s worth it to develop on the practice squad or stash on the 53 as a development project.

    [video=youtube;OZwZf12xW38]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZwZf12xW38[/video]
    Derrell Johnson is #56 for ECU.

    “Reason for Optimism” Miami’s coaches have appeared to have re-shuffled the LB pieces into the correct spots on paper. Moving Ellerbe to Will, Wheeler to Sam, and Misi to the middle should produce better play from the unit as a whole. This should lead to better run fits and ultimately, to helping get the defense off the field faster.

    “Cause for Concern” Koa Misi. It’s not that I don’t think he’ll hold up physically, nor is it do I think he lacks the physical traits and measurable to play in this spot. He’s got both of those, in spades. It’s the mental side of this. A buddy of mine is an F-18 pilot in the Navy. He just returned from his tour in the Gulf and his squadron is soon finding out whether or not they’re moving to the new F-18 Super Hornet or the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (massive, and HUGELY costly lemon, btw). Both of these planes incorporate a new helmet system that essentially slaves the plane to the pilot. This system was incorporated into my buddy's current squadron with the aging F-18C’s they fly. What he said was pilots got “helmet fire” at first. System overload. Too much going on. This is what I think Koa Misi could suffer. There’s a lot mentally he’s got to go through pre-snap: get the defense lined up correctly, adjust for shifts and motions, and then identify his key and reads for the play. Then he’s got to play through the trash and make tackles, that’s his job. Do you trust him to go through all that stuff pre-snap at the same rate as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rodgers, and the other QBs Miami will see this year? I don’t. Not yet anyway. And it’s something I think will happen later as opposed to right off the bat despite what Dannell Ellerbe would have you believe if you read the James Walker piece on ESPN.

    2-Deep Depth Chart

    DE Olivier Vernon (R) - Derrick Shelby (L & R)
    1T Earl Mitchell - Randy Starks or A.J. Francis
    3T Randy Starks - Jared Odrick
    Eagle Cameron Wake (L) - Dion Jordan (R)
    WLB Dannell Ellerbe - Jelani Jenkins
    MLB Koa Misi - Jason Trusnik
    SLB Philip Wheeler - Jason Trusnik or Derrell Johnson
    RCB Cortland Finnegan - Jamar Taylor
    FS Louis Delmas - Michael Thomas or Walt Aikens
    SS Reshad Jones - Jimmy Wilson
    LCB Brent Grimes - Will Davis or Walt Aikens

    There’s my two-deep depth chart based on how things sit right now. Several players are listed at multiple spots. Starks can play both interior spots, and if Miami keeps another 3-tehcnique over A.J. Francis, let’s say Anthony Johnson just for fun, then Starks is the primary backup at 1-technique. Jason Trusnik is probably the backup at Mike and Sam, though I think Derrell Johnson could push for a spot at Sam. Walt Aikens is currently listed at CB, but was originally recruited as a FS and played as one during his year at Illinois. He’s also 6’1” 209lbs according to Miami’s OTA roster (as seen on Twitter) which pretty much makes him the “one that doesn’t belong” in the lineup of Miami’s other CBs. I’ll be interested to see if he’s shifted to safety once they put the real pads on.

    To clarify, I think if you were listing these positions categorically as left and right, you'd see Wake as a LDE and Jordan as a RDE. I've listed those letters in parentheses as to where each player plays strictly as a defensive end in the base package. Obviously they will lineup elsewhere in other packages and formations, but figured this would be helpful.

    As a bonus, since the NFL is a pass-happy league these days, I figure it’s prudent to list nickel formations as one of Miami’s primary packages. Last year we saw both a 4-2-5 front and a 3-3-5.

    [​IMG]
    4-2-5 front with Dannell Ellerbe and Dion Jordan as linebackers. Jordan covers Gates man-to-man on this play.

    [video=youtube;cLaMCf5mPVM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cLaMCf5mPVM[/video]
    3-3-5 front with Odrick, Starks, and Wake on the line and Jordan, Ellerbe, and Wheeler as linebackers. Ignore the guy snoring in the background.

    Joe Philbin said after the first OTA last week that they’ll “…do what we have to do to get off the field on 3rd down…” pretty much verbatim. What this means, I think, is that you can expect to see Dion Jordan playing as a stand-up Linebacker, covering TEs man-to-man, spying, and blitzing from various points on the defense. While I don’t have a breakdown of Miami’s formation use (maybe someone who accesses PFF does?), it appeared to me that later in the year Miami went with more of a 3-3-5 lineup in their sub-packages. So, just as a quick depth chart based on that from last year, I think you’ll see the following lineup quite a bit:

    RDE – Olivier Vernon
    DT – Jared Odrick or Randy Starks
    LDE – Cameron Wake
    OLB – Dion Jordan
    ILB – Dannell Ellerbe or Jelani Jenkins
    OLB – Philip Wheeler
    RCB – Cortland Finnegan
    NCB – Jimmy Wilson or Jamar Taylor or Michael Thomas
    FS – Louis Delmas
    SS – Reshad Jones
    LCB – Brent Grimes

    Uses of Dion Jordan in sub packages as mentioned above:

    [​IMG]
    Blitzing from ILB spot.

    [​IMG]
    Man-to-man coverage on Jimmy Graham from stand-up OLB spot in 3-3-5 front.

    There are plenty more shots on this blog: http://www.thechipwagon.com/eagles/...ns-2013-season-part-2-outside-linebacker.html

    I think in this look that Jared Odrick and Randy Starks are pretty much interchangeable and your simply going to see whatever player is fresher during the course of the game get these snaps. Odrick’s length up the middle also presents a challenge against dump-offs and crossing patterns underneath the defensive backs.

    I’m not sold that Koa Misi is going to see many snaps in the nickel as a LB. He lined up there as a DE several times in 2013, especially in 4-2-5 fronts where they had OV rush over a guard (OV will also rush over a guard in the 3-3-5 with Jordan lined up outside of him…or wherever they see fit to move Jordan). It was reported that Jelani Jenkins was rolling with the 1’s ahead of Ellerbe this week in nickel packages. Based on last year, Ellerbe played the middle and read the QB’s eyes, so I’ve listed Jenkins there.

    As far as the Nickel or slot CB, Jimmy Wilson was solid last year and was reported as running with the 1’s in OTAs. Jamar Taylor also played the slot at Boise State and was good when called upon. Michael Thomas, while listed as a safety, also played here for Miami last year (recall the INT in the Patriots game). Cortland Finnegan could also project here, though it appears for now Miami seems to like him on the perimeter opposite Brent Grimes.

    Overview

    There you have my thoughts on the 2014 version of the Dolphins defense. My primary concerns lay with the run defense, and more specifically with how well the rearranged LB unit plays this season. As far as the secondary goes, my main concern there is how many questions there are. What are you going to get out of Finnegan and Delmas? Will Brent Grimes retain his 2013 form? Will Delmas stay healthy? How good are Jamar Taylor and Will Davis? Where does Walt Aikens play? Catch my drift? That said, Kevin Coyle’s got a reputation as a snake charmer when it comes to the secondary, and as he mentioned, over the last two years only the Seattle Seahawks and their vaunted “Legion of Boom” have allowed fewer passing touchdowns than the Miami Dolphins.

    Colye also mentioned that over the past two years, there are only four teams that have been in the top eight in terms of points allowed in both years. Those teams: Seattle, San Francisco, Cincinnati, and Miami. The Dolphins are in pretty good company in several categories, and if they’re able to improve the run defense, this is a playoff-caliber defense. If Dion Jordan really does explode and Brent Grimes holds his 2013 form, Miami’s going to be cooking with gas and I’m excited to see what Kevin Coyle can cook up as Miami incorporated a lot of interesting formations and personnel combinations last year. Not all of them worked, but the majority of them did. Here’s to hoping the defense as a whole continues to progress in 2014.
     
  8. PhinishLine

    PhinishLine Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    4,276
    2,893
    113
    Dec 3, 2007
    Maryland
    I'd love more information on Quarters coverage and how specifically we use Quarter Coverages in Miami. And why do we choose smaller more athletic corners in that coverage.
     
  9. Larry Little

    Larry Little Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    8,621
    2,680
    113
    Dec 16, 2007
    Nashville, TN
    AWESOME idea for a thread, FinD. I love this stuff!
     
    Fin4Ever and Fin D like this.
  10. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    23,681
    44,611
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    I can try and get something up later this week or over the weekend on quarters/off-man coverage. I'm in the midst of busy season at work and am in the process of moving into a new place (stupid me for moving now). I know alen1 has written about it in the past; you may want to check his Twitter account. @alen1. He may have some stuff up on his blog, The Score, as well. I know he did a profile on Landon Collins from Alabama and was talking about pattern-matching and how Nick Saban coaches it.

    Miami runs some match-coverage, primarily underneath with their slot CBs, box S (mostly Delmas, sometimes Jones) and LBs, so you can glean some of what Saban teaches on that. I'd caution that for 'Bama, they run it across the whole field (i.e. if there are twin WRs to one side, the CB takes #1 unless #2 crosses his face before a particular landmark on the field, usually 5 or 7 yards depending on down & distance). Miami, thus far, has seemed to let their perimeter CBs, especially Grimes, play straight off-man coverage.

    Just from the basic concept of Quarters coverage, technically it's a zone scheme designed to look like man-to-man; you can play press, off man, or just have the CBs bail on the snap. However, there's so much combo coverage now, you could have man-to-man on the outside and a match concept underneath, like Miami. Seattle's base is a cover 3 zone, but they can plan man-to-man outside with how good their CBs have been and that frees them up to put Chancellor in the box. Plus, doesn't hurt that Earl Thomas covers a TON of ground.

    I think the off-man stuff and having smaller, quick-twitch corners may be a Coyle preference. Mike Zimmer, when he was in Cincinnati, had CBs of all shapes and sizes and ran virtually the same defense as Miami does. He's had bigger/taller guys like Terrence Newman, Nate Clements, Deltha O'Neal, Dre Kirkpatrick and smaller guys like Leon Hall, Pacman Jones, and Darqueze Dennard. Personally, I think there may be something to having smaller guys being able to flip their hips easier and be able to plant and drive and break on routes more easily than big guys. Brent Grimes is cat quick in that regard. So is Jamar Taylor, and from what I've seen, Brice and Bobby McCain both fit that bill. I don't think Zack Bowman does, but he's a special teams demon so that may be more his fit. Will Davis' combine numbers would lead you to believe he'd probably be the best at it, but it doesn't show up in games very much, if ever (I think he set a record in either the 3-cone or short shuttle). I think he's probably a goner this year; he's tissue soft when it comes to tackling, hasn't been very good in man coverage (gets lucky a lot), and now he's got an ACL to come back from as well.
     
    Fin4Ever, Boik14, Brasfin and 3 others like this.
  11. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    Thank you mods for sticky-ing this thread.
     
    Fin4Ever and Boik14 like this.
  12. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    23,681
    44,611
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Soo....this move is taking a little more time than I thought and I obviously didn't get a piece up about quarters coverage. In place of that, I offer the following. USA Football shot a series of videos from one of Miami's OTAs prior to the 2014 season. In the series of videos they have info on: zone blocking, pin & pull plays, receiver drills, defensive line drills, taking on double-teams, linebacker drills, and a few other videos showcasing specific drills. Some of the videos are more helpful than others as they give you a basic, high-school level understanding of what the drills in each video are looking to accomplish.

    Again, like my previous post, there are plenty of guys who are no longer on the roster included. You'll see Dannell Ellerbe, Phillip Wheeler, Jared Odrick, Randy Starks, Michael Egnew (yeah, that guy), and others.

    Zone Blocking: [video]https://youtu.be/7x8jsDxn1pI[/video]

    LB Drills: [video]https://youtu.be/7mm8aqveM8s[/video]

    DL Double Team Drills: [video]https://youtu.be/y9WzQB-3cL0[/video]

    You'll see links to other videos with college and high school teams, as well as specific drills with the Dolphins (i.e. continuous line set, ball strip, RB pass set, etc.) as well. Those focus more on a specific technique associated with each individual position. I included the videos above as I think they give you more of a feel for what each unit is being taught. Keep in mind that DL Coach Kacy Rodgers is no longer here any more, so Darryl Williams may teach things differently.

    I did include the double-team drill as a way to show what guys like Earl Mitchell and Jordan Phillips will be doing to free up Suh, and to a lesser extent, what Suh and other quicker, penetrating DL members (Anthony Johnson, Shelby when reduced inside, etc.) do, especially in pass-rush packages.
     
  13. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    23,681
    44,611
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    My post above, as it relates to the 1-technique, or NT position (sometimes played in a 0-technique) I think you see a philosophical difference between what Dennis Hickey comes from and where Kevin Coyle comes from. Remember that Kevin Coyle inherited Paul Soliai when he arrived with Philbin and the staff in 2012. Miami's best year stopping the run was in 2012 when they had Soliai at 1-technique and Jared Odrick playing the 5/6 technique base end spot. Soliai left via free agency, and rightly so; he got paid more than what Miami could, and IMO should have even offered.

    Now, Kevin Coyle's background was in Cincinnati running the same defense under Mike Zimmer. Their 1-technique for the past few years has been Domata Peko, who goes around 6'3" 325lbs. Before that they had the MASSIVE Sam Adams. I got to meet Sam at Bengals camp one year and he was being held out until he got his weight under 375lbs. He checked into camp at 410lbs. I wish I was making that up. Zimmer, now in Minnesota, signed Linval Joseph away from the Giants upon his arrival. Joseph and Peko are of pretty similar builds, and Joseph is probably more explosive and is more adept at penetrating upfield. One of Peko's better attributes, was playing laterally down the line and clogging lanes as the Bengals used Geno Atkins to penetrate. And, if I'm being honest, from 2012 up until the TNF game in Miami where Peko tore his ACL, he was the best 3-technique in the NFL (i.e. better than Suh and McCoy) in terms of getting upfield and disrupting plays, especially in terms of rushing the passer.

    As we've seen in the Draft, Miami added Jordan Phillips, who is 6'5" and around 330lbs to be a 1-technique NT to clog running lanes and eat double teams to allow Suh more 1-on-1 opportunities inside. If teams try and double Suh as well, you're letting Cam Wake get matchups against TEs and RBs, and Olivier Vernon getting 1-on-1 matchups vs. LTs. That's a win across the board as far as a D-line is concerned. Miami though not only added Phillips but signed Ellis McCarthy of UCLA as an UDFA. He's nearly as big. Plus, someone on the staff likes A.J. Francis, or at least Francis' size. We also knew from sources that Kacy Rodgers personally worked out Temple's Kamal Johnson at his pro day in 2014. If you remember, Kamal Johnson signed with Miami as an UDFA last year and did fairly well in the preseason before getting injured; IMO, he would have been worth a practice squad spot, but they stashed him on IR.

    Where I think you see the philosophical difference with Dennis Hickey is that I think he wanted to bring a little bit of what he was familiar with in Tampa Bay to the defense. Tampa Bay for years had always had smaller, quicker guys that could penetrate on the DL like Warren Sapp and Anthony "Booger" MacFarland. Tampa Bay had also drafted Akeem Spence and before that (same draft as McCoy) drafted Brian Price. Those guys are all under 6'2" and under 310lbs. "Fireplugs" they call them. I think Hickey tried to bridge the gap of having a big, space-eating NT by finding Earl Mitchell. Mitchell at 6'3" 310lbs is pretty close to the TB parameters, BUT, he had played NT in Houston's 3-4 and moved pretty well laterally like Peko. And, for the first 3 games last year, you could make a strong case that Earl Mitchell was the best player on the whole Dolphins roster at any position.

    As the year progressed, we saw some more fronts where Earl Mitchell was playing 2 and 3 technique spots, with Starks and Odrick playing the nose. The whole D-line lost its effectiveness, beginning with the Denver meltdown, and continued to nosedive throughout the year. IMO, when Joe Philbin mentioned simplifying the defense and formations earlier this offseason, I think he wants more simplified formations and fronts, with players playing specified roles (something Coyle's been pretty good at identifying in sub packages, but not so much in base packages). I also think that collectively, adding Phillips (i.e. their Peko) will help if he acclimates quickly and gets involved in the rotation. Adding Suh (their Atkins) will have an even greater impact with a solid NT next to him. Earl Mitchell *can* do the job well, but I think Phillips *could* be a stud there. That's something that Miami lacked with Starks and Odrick both seeing time there last year and both seeing the field at the same time, and the run defense finished off worse for a 3rd consecutive year.

    I think that changes in 2015.
     
    PhinFan1968, Fin4Ever, Fin D and 3 others like this.
  14. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    23,681
    44,611
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    [video]https://youtu.be/kM21euJf74g[/video]

    Nick Saban teaching the Rip/Liz Pattern Matching technique. Say what you want about his leaving Miami, but the man can flat out coach football. IMO, he's one of the top 5 coaches at any level. As it relates to what Miami's doing, you can pickup a lot of what the OLBs, slot CBs and safeties do from this video. Just keep in mind that in the video, Saban's defense teaches this concept across the whole field including the perimeter CBs. Miami has done this pretty seldom under Kevin Coyle; Miami's perimeter CBs have pretty much been man-to-man. From what I recall, Miami will play a lot more man across the whole field when defending the redzone and goal line against certain teams/concepts.

    One prime example of pattern matching that Miami used to its own benefit was the Michael Thomas INT of Tom Brady to clinch the Pats game in 2013. I'm not sure how to hold that example though as Miami had Jimmy Wilson and Will Davis on the field as perimeter CBs due to injury, and Michael Thomas playing his first NFL snaps that day. Granted, you still had veteran safeties in Chris Clemons and Reshad Jones directing traffic.
     
  15. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

    52,652
    25,565
    113
    Nov 13, 2009
    Over/Under on the percentage of information in this thread actually understood by Hurricanes head coach Al Golden?
     
  16. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    I just got into an argument with a WVU fan about gaps. Maybe you can settle it. Snapped a photo... Can you tell me which gap is the A-Gap?
    [​IMG]
     
    PhinFan1968 and bigbry like this.
  17. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Wondering if anyone has observations about the formations or packages we used on offense and defense in the first preseason game.

    Anything that is different than last season?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  18. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

    24,217
    36,005
    113
    Dec 1, 2007


    To help give you an idea... 4-3 defenses typically play odd number fronts or techniques. They do this b/c the DLmen's role is to try to shoot up the field into their gaps and penetrate the OL and cause disruption to the offensive play. So, in a 4-3, you usually have a 1-tech (typically Mitchell) and a 3-tech (typically Suh)... with the DT that is on the same side as the TE (if there is one) playing the 3tech. The DEs typically play outside the Tackles (their width pending on the defensive scheme, from as close as 5 to as wide as 9 even if no TE is present).

    3-4 defenses typically play even number fronts or techniques. They do this b/c the DLmen's role in a 3-4 is to tie up offensive linemen to allow the linebackers behind them to flow through the gaps against the run. The DLmen in a 3-4 have "2-gap" responsibility. So, the NT lined up over the Center and is charge of both A gaps. The 3-4 DEs line up over the Tackles and are in charge of the B and C gaps on either side of the Tackle. B/c of this, size and arm length are more important to be able to anchor and be not driven backwards and long arms to hold linemen off of them and then shed them when then need to choose which gap they need to fill based on where the ball is going.


    Defenses mix things up, so based off the strength of the offensive formation (like a TE lined up next to the tackle on one side or the other)... sometimes that will effect the defensive alignment, causing the DL to "shift" over 1 gaps worth. And sometimes they'll just change things up to give the offense a different look (like putting both DTs in the 3 Techs and bringing up 2 LBs near the LOS in both A gaps). And then there is a 1-gap version of the 3-4 (my personal favorite defensive scheme) ala what Wade Phillips typically runs. But that's a different conversation.

    So, that's the basic idea between standard 43 and 34 DL alignments.
     
    77FinFan and Fin D like this.
  19. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

    24,217
    36,005
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    We were pretty vanilla. We ran a TON of man Cover 1 single high safety Nickle. Base D when we ran it seemed to be our standard 43 Under alignment... with Wake out wide at the 9 tech on the strong side and the WOLB playing near the LOS to the right of Vernon.
     
    Bpk likes this.
  20. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Thanks. I remember seeing OV out very wide on one rush as well.

    Anything stand out to you on the offensive side of the ball? I liked how our WRs were either overloaded trips right, or at least paired in bunch right on some goalline plays. It allowed either good run blocking, or rubs/picks on scissors type patterns.
     
  21. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    23,681
    44,611
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Miami was playing around with D-line against the Bears in the nickel package (same thing that got them into trouble late in the season last year in base sets). Miami would have OV out wide in a 6 or 7 technique, with Mitchell at the 3, Suh at the 1, and Wake as a base 5. This may be something to work on in nickel packages quite a bit, as Suh is pretty adept at rushing from inside. Where it gets Miami in trouble is when you play a true Under front when you have all 3 LBs on the field. It forces Wake to play inside against a RT with a TE helping him; teams exposed that and were able to run on the edges last year down the stretch.

    In short, Miami needs to play more Over or straight stacked (typically with TEs to both sides) base 4-3 fronts when they have their standard front 7 on the on the field. They can afford to get a little more creative when they play nickel and other sub-package fronts just because Suh is so good on the interior. That said, it's something I'd be mindful of when the regular season gets here.

    The best look, IMO:

    Wake - playing a 6, 7 or "Ghost" 7
    Suh - 3-technique
    Mitchell - 1/shade technique
    Vernon - 5 or 6 technique

    Typically this look, the 4-3 Over, will have Jenkins lined up on the strong side of the formation but carries "Will" LB responsibilities and McCain ends up on the weak side of the formation but plays more like an on-the-line "Sam" LB. I'm not sure I've seen Miami use any 9-technique looks in Coyle's tenure.
     
    Last edited: Aug 16, 2015
    dolfan22, FinNasty, Bpk and 1 other person like this.
  22. 77FinFan

    77FinFan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    8,215
    1,896
    113
    Mar 10, 2013
    Buckeye Land
    We, along w/ the rest of the league, play nickel most of the time, right?
     
  23. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    23,681
    44,611
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Yep. That's where you saw a lot of the oddities come into play with Miami in terms of how they align their front. In the Bears game, when in nickel, Mitchell was mostly at 3-technique with Suh at 1.
     
    FinNasty likes this.
  24. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box


    What I like there is that Suh and Wake really overlap their stress on their side of the OL. What I don't like is that the opposing team should be able to run through the left B-gap between the LG and LT with little resistance.
     
  25. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

    24,217
    36,005
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    I do remember seeing us run a 4-3 under/over alignment against a balanced 2TE set with OV out wide and the LOLB near the LOS outside of Wake who was in the 5 tech.

    As far as offense, defense is my thing, lol. I wouldn't mind learning more about offensive schemes, alignments route combinations, etc in this thread. I don't remember us using more than 1 back off the top of my head though (could be wrong, would have to review). Either 2TE or 3 wide... all single back. Used a decent amount of flexed TE, not just Cameron but Sims too. Landry and Matthews were the receivers in 2WR sets, with Landry bumping down into the slot in 3WR packages and Jennings playing boundary. Only play I remember Landry lining up outside in a 3WR package was the failed screen attempt to him (which I hope doesn't become some type of stupid obvious tell for the defense). We used some motion presnap, including Landry's TD, who started on the right side of the formation, motioned to the left which made the defense change its responsibility for him from the left CB to the right Safety... which left too much ground for the safety to cover post snap to get to Landry on the quick out. That play was the equivalent of taking candy from a baby lol.
     
  26. FinNasty

    FinNasty Alabama don’t want this... Staff Member Club Member

    24,217
    36,005
    113
    Dec 1, 2007
    I didn't see that but I'll have to look again. It seemed to me like we based Suh/Mitchell and their techniques based on the strength of the offensive alignment. When the offense went strong right, we had Suh in the 3 and Mitchell in the 1. When the offense went strong left, we put Suh in the 1 and Mitchell in the 3. Basically, never flipping our DTs... but having whichever DT was on the strong side align in the 3 and the DT on the weak side playing 1tech.

    I wasn't specifically watching for that though, so I may have just seen it a few times done in coincidence... so I could be wrong? You're saying that when in nickle they were mostly playing Suh in the 1 and Mitchell in the 3 regardless of offensive strength?
     
  27. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    23,681
    44,611
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    I think we're talking about the same thing. The whole first drive the Bears were on the field, Miami did that and Chris McCain wasn't on the field. Miami did it the next drive as well when McCain was on the field, but they did the odd alignment you mentioned when they walked up Jenkins. I'd guess (can't remember the Bears alignment) that that play was some sort of specific coverage/blitz for Jenkins, much like the did with Dion Jordan last year.

    Should be interesting to see. More often than not in the photos from practice, you see Mitchell lined up at 1-technique. But today in his interview he said he'd been playing a lot more 3-technique than last year. Not sure if that's good or bad, yet.
     
    FinNasty likes this.
  28. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
  29. resnor

    resnor Derp Sherpa

    16,329
    9,874
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    New Hampshire
    Shame this thread didn't take off more.
     
    Fin D and smahtaz like this.
  30. Dolphins Dad

    Dolphins Dad Member

    88
    77
    18
    Dec 12, 2016
    This is cool!
     
    Fin D likes this.
  31. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    Ok i ready for 201
     
  32. djphinfan

    djphinfan Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    111,651
    67,543
    113
    Dec 20, 2007
    I think it's an educational piece..Ro knows football.
     
  33. Bpk

    Bpk Premium Member Luxury Box

    201 please. I need summer school for football.
     
  34. dirtylandry

    dirtylandry Well-Known Member

    4,214
    1,750
    113
    Aug 2, 2015
    is the blocking scheme now better for Drake over Ajayi?
     
  35. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

    8,605
    6,743
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    Slightly left of center
    Blocking is better for Drake because Drake is following the blocks he gets and executing plays. That and I just wanted to change the name at the top. Happy New Year all.
     
    danmarino and Fin D like this.
  36. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    23,681
    44,611
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Jim Schwartz explaining the origins of the Wide-9:

     
    Fin D and danmarino like this.
  37. Puka-head

    Puka-head My2nd Fav team:___vs Jets Club Member

    8,605
    6,743
    113
    Nov 25, 2007
    Slightly left of center
    Last in the NFL in Blitz percentage #1 in the NFL in sacks.

    Is that our new OL coach next to Schwartz?
     
  38. MikeHoncho

    MikeHoncho -=| Censored |=-

    52,652
    25,565
    113
    Nov 13, 2009
    Disappointed in the lack of breakdown of "it" factor and Moxy.
     
    Fin D likes this.
  39. Fin D

    Fin D Sigh

    72,252
    43,684
    113
    Nov 27, 2007
    And bootstrap pulling up and clutch.
     
  40. RoninFin4

    RoninFin4 Season Ticket Holder Club Member

    23,681
    44,611
    113
    Dec 11, 2007
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    It is. Good catch.
     

Share This Page