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View Full Version : Preseason: Week Two Thoughts



Chidi29
08-22-2011, 07:39 PM
You never want to make too much out of a preseason game, but it was certainly nice to watch such a strong showing. Let's get into the breakdown.

First Half

- Kickoffs: All by Swayze Waters. 4.45 (-9 TB), 4.25 (out EZ), 4.3 (out EZ), 4.44 (-8), 4.35 (-2)

- Kickoff by Philly: 3.56 (-8 TB)

- Starting offensive line: J.Scott, Foster, Pouncey, Hills, Colon

- Gilbert replaced Scott at LT after the injury

- Saw Dwyer at FB in a few "Pony" formations

- Do like the idea of throwing out of the 1 WR, run-heavy set like we did early in the game. Defense stacks the box, Philly would have nine in some instances, and then you can look fown the field to Wallace.

- 2nd and 20 incompletion on a quick slant to Brown. Looks like Ben lost his handle on the ball and double-clutched.

- Have to love Ben sneaking righ up the middle, taking advantage of the fact that the Eagles DTs were shaded to the outside of the guard and the middle of the field was wide open. Heads up play.

- Slip screen play we ran a bunch. Usually out of Strong I, C and RT get downfield. RG stays in to block.

- Samuel caught looking at Ben on the Antonio Brown TD.

- Troy running around as only Troy can. Forced a run play to the inside by darting in and cutting the RT.

- Timmons reading Vick all the way on his deflection. Think he wanted the interception though.

- FB dive to Dwyer out of the Pony.

- Hills to LT, Legursky to RG after Gilbert's injury.

- Unfortunate we couldn't get a longer look of Hills at RG. I don't see him as ever being a left tackle.

- FB dive in Pony to Redman.

- Great read by Ben on 3rd and 4 dumpoff to Moore. Sees heavy blitz to the right, knows Brown is on a slant to take the LCB away, hits his safety valve for a large gain.

- "In the grasp" call. Ref trying to protect Ben as an Eagles DL was coming in free and ended up smacking Ben anyway.

http://i52.tinypic.com/1ifz8h.jpg

- Bad play design by Philly on the Ward touchdown. Their LE looped to the inside and let Ben roll out to his right where he's most dangerous.

- Great disguise on the Clark interception. Looks like a heavy blitz though we only bring 5 and it's Cover 2 Man. "A" gap ILB blitz. Vick thinks it's zero coverage and Clark burns him.

- Second team O-line. Hills, Williams, Legursky, Foster, C.Scott

- Why Hills is a poor tackle. His hand placement seems off and he's grabbing to the outisde of the jersey. He's bear-hugging the end. This is letting the DE get into his chest and run him into the pocket or swim off him.

http://i55.tinypic.com/jpd2yo.jpg

Hills is a nasty lineman and finishes his blocks, like Tomlin said, so if he's going to have a chance anywhere, it has to be at right guard. And even then, his pass protection is lacking.

- Same play as the above pic. McCoy turns his shoulder as he makes contact with the end who brushes him off. Not going to make the team playing scared and I'm sure he was chewed out for it in the film room the next day.

- 3rd and 9 - 8:50 left in 2nd. Terrible job in pass protection despite facing just a four man rush. Chris Scott gets beat on a dip move by the end, Hills can't push his end upfield, and Foster isn't able to pick up a stunt. It was pretty obvious they were stunting when looking at the DT. His feet dont' change from when he first set but he changed and changed back once. That should've been an indication something was up.

- Blocked kick on Waters. Jamie McCoy seems to pay too much attention to the outside rusher, letting the inside guy come free.

- Great containment on Vick by Harrison on one playfake. Didn't bite on the run action.

- Tried a little razzle dazzle with Brown on a WR pass.

- Foster and Scott have trouble picking up another stunt. Led to a holding call on 3rd down that negated a first down though we picked it up on the next play. This could have been picked up by looking at Darryl Tapp's feet. Normally, they're set like this.

http://i55.tinypic.com/2qa740z.jpg

On the stunt, they're like this.

http://i55.tinypic.com/1z5jck6.jpg

- Battle with a nice bounce back game as a receiver even if he won't be used there in the regular season. Still nice to see.

- At one point, we were 8/10 on 3rd down conversions!

- Brinkley and Curtis Brown gunners right before the end of the half.

- One of my favorite blitzes from LeBeau. Simple yet so deadly. Have one LB crash down to take the guard, have another LB come from the outside to occupy the tackle, and run the CB through the middle. If the back is lined up on the other side or looks that way, the corner has a free shot. That's how Warren got his sack; Harrison also came in on that play and helped clean up.

http://i55.tinypic.com/21mtdnl.jpg

This can also be done with the DE and two linebackers. Where someone like Keisel crashes down, Harrison goes to the outside and Timmons shoots through inbetween.

- Troy's INT. Loved that we were able to keep Vick in the pocket with him moving around like he did. Kudos to Keisel and Timmons. Mad hops by Woodley to tip that pass, too.

- I think all of our TDs came with 4/5 WR sets. Opens up holes in their zone and you don't have to attack Aso or Samuel if you don't want to. The one TD was against Hansen and the other was on Nate Allen. The third coming against a blown coverage.

- Second Half

- Curtis Brown started the 2nd half at RCB.

- Corbin Bryant on the 2nd team. Moving his way up after not playing until late last week IIRC.

- Mundy with two huge tackles on the RB on 3rd and 4th and short to force a turnover on downs. He's had a great preseason and I'm very comfortable with him as the backup safety.

- New o-line: Jolly, Williams, Legursky, Hills, C.Scott

- Foster replaced Keith at LG.

- Broke out a 3 TE set with them all to the right. Sanders, Gilmore, and McCoy.

- Two INTs came with us dropping 8 into coverage. No throwing lanes.

- Change in o-line again. Jolly, Williams, Malecki, Hills, C.Scott

- Have to love Clark, Tomlin, and Pouncey getting giddy about Dwyer's 14 yard run. Love it.

- Saw Harrison's back was wrapped.

- New O-line: Jolly, Williams, Malecki, McCaskill, Turner

- Speaking of him, Dwyer did look good. Had more burst than what I've seen in the past probably as a result of him dropping all that weight. He's now showing he can earn a roster spot, not just be given one.

- Colin Miller got his first reps at LG late in the game.

- DE converted to TE Miguel Chavis getting work in the 4th quarter.

- Had to laugh at one of Bradshaw's responses. Well, I laughed at them all but this was the funniest.

Aikman: "You against player safety?"
Bradshaw: "Absolutely!"

- Dion Lewis juked DCS and Greenwood out of their jocks on the same play.

- Vaughn Charlton with his first offensive snaps.

- Second delay of game of the preseason with Dixon under center.

- Dixon did play much better, not that is saying a lot considering what happened last week. But he looked sharp. Of course, he did in the preseason last year so I'm not changing my opinion of him. He's still a poor option.

- Dockery and Macho Harris were gunners late in the game.

- Chris Carter working on dropping into coverage.

- Curtis Brown with some solid tackling.

- Legursky in SO BAD at enaging at the second level. He simply can't do it and the difference between him and Pouncey is of Grand Canyon proportions. Outside of Pouncey and maybe Colon, our lineman are so fat and slow. Chris Scott is constantly on the ground, Keith Williams is terrible in pass protection, the list goes on and on.

- Chris Scott also had two penalties. Ugh. Bad day for the line in that department. Had at least four in all, probably more. Gilbert and McCaskill each got flagged once.

- Cam Heyward was collapsing the pocket well even if he did little on the stat sheet.

Sacks

- 3rd and 8, 2:28 left in 2nd. 11 personnel with the TE in the backfield. Hargrove the DT gets to the inside of Foster and able to get under and through, dropping Leftwich.

Sack Counter (Game)

Ramon Foster: 1

Sack Counter (Season)

Ramon Foster: 1
Wes Saunders: 1
Chris Scott: 1

Chidi29
08-22-2011, 08:22 PM
My first crack at the 53. Will obviously be updated over time.

QB: Ben, Leftwich, Batch (3)

RB: Mendenhall, Redman, Moore, Dwyer (4)

FB: David Johnson (1)

TE: Miller, Gilmore (2)

WR: Ward, Wallace, Sanders, Brown, Cotchery, Battle (6)

OT: J.Scott, Colon, Gilbert (3)

OG: Kemoeatu, Foster, Hills, Essex (4)

C: Pouncey, Legursky (2)

DE: Smith, Keisel, Hood, Heyward, Corbin Bryant (5)

NT: Hampton, Hoke, Anthony Gray (3)

OLB: Harrison, Woodley, Worilds (3)

ILB: Farrior, Timmons, Sylvester, Foote (4)

CB: Taylor, McFadden, Gay, Brown, Lewis, Warren (6)

S: Polamalu, Clark, Mundy, Allen (4)

K: Suisham (1)

P: Sepulevda (1)

LS: Warren (1)

------------

Inactives (Typical)

RB: Dwyer
OL: Gilbert, Foster
DL: Gray, Bryant
CB: Warren
S: Allen

Practice Squad:

WR: Grisham (Think this is last year of eligibility)
TE: Saunders
OL: Keith Williams, Chris Scott
LB: Carter
CB: Cortez Allen, Butler
S: Cromartie-Smith

Last Three in: Gilmore, Gray, Essex

First Three Out: DCS, C.Scott, Carter

Honestly, I got down to about the last five spots left and thought, "There are no good options left". I had to convince myself the rest of the way to fill up the 53.

Steeltreal
08-22-2011, 08:36 PM
I just dont see reason to keep Mewelde Moore as a 3rd down pass catching back type when Redman shows he can do the same but better. With Dwyer playing in the "pony" / FB role he should become # 3 on the depth chart with Moore out.

vader29
08-22-2011, 08:38 PM
Speaking of him, Dwyer did look good. Had more burst than what I've seen in the past probably as a result of him dropping all that weight. He's now showing he can earn a roster spot, not just be given one.

I was ready to kick Dwyer off the team especially with him coming into camp out of shape but he was impressive against the Eagles, hopefully he makes the most of his oppurtunity.

Steeltreal
08-22-2011, 08:42 PM
I would also like to see Dwyer get a shot to run behind Pouncey and see what happens.

Chidi29
08-22-2011, 08:42 PM
I just dont see reason to keep Mewelde Moore as a 3rd down pass catching back type when Redman shows he can do the same but better. With Dwyer playing in the "pony" / FB role he should become # 3 on the depth chart with Moore out.

It's never a bad thing to have as many pass catchers and blockers as you can. Moore is slowing down but still offers something there, something Dwyer doesn't, and is one of the team's top effort players.

I doubt we see the Pony much in the regular season. And if we do, it'll be with Mendenhall and Redman, not Dwyer.

86WARD
08-22-2011, 08:52 PM
Samuel was actually trying to jump a slant route that he thought Brown was going to run because of the blitz the Eagles had on and Brown just blew by him for the wide open TD after Ben froze the blitz with a pump fake.

Foster was accountable for 2 sacks and Colon one.

Chidi29
08-22-2011, 08:57 PM
Samuel was actually trying to jump a slant route that he thought Brown was going to run because of the blitz the Eagles had on and Brown just blew by him for the wide open TD after Ben froze the blitz with a pump fake.

Foster was accountable for 2 sacks and Colon one.

It's still Samuel's responsibilty. He took the gamble and it didn't pay off.

86WARD
08-22-2011, 08:59 PM
Absolutely...he took a big gamble and lost...BIG. He thought he was going to jump a hot route and just got burnt...lol.

Psycho Ward 86
08-22-2011, 09:10 PM
anything specific you can tell us about Anthony Gray?

The Duke
08-22-2011, 09:14 PM
Nice breakdown Chidi

but you're projecting 8 dlinemen? I'm worried they're only going to keep 6 like last year, especially with what Gray has shown so far, but 8 seems kind of unlikely. It will likely be a hard decision to choose between that 8th lineman, 7th CB and 4th OLB. My money would be on the 4th olb though, we lost Gibson last year, can't risk Carter too

Chidi29
08-22-2011, 09:17 PM
anything specific you can tell us about Anthony Gray?

I didnt't get a real good look at him last game. Got more out of the Washington game.

Conditioning is obviously an issue. Tires out and becomes completely ineffective. And from what I saw at Southern Miss, he needs to be more consistent off the ball.

But he's a firepulg with a lot of strength that can be a force when everything is gelling.

Chidi29
08-22-2011, 09:20 PM
Nice breakdown Chidi

but you're projecting 8 dlinemen? I'm worried they're only going to keep 6 like last year, especially with what Gray has shown so far, but 8 seems kind of unlikely. It will likely be a hard decision to choose between that 8th lineman, 7th CB and 4th OLB. My money would be on the 4th olb though, we lost Gibson last year, can't risk Carter too

Adding Gray and Bryant, two unconventional picks, does take that DL total pretty high.

I just felt keeping 11 DBs is crazy high, even with the importance of being able to counter high powered offenses.

I'm not really a fan of Carter to begin with and don't think he'd help much this season because he's so far behind everywhere just like Gibson. That's why I left him off.

shutdown
08-22-2011, 09:24 PM
One thing I noticed watching Gilbert is he was pretty slow off the line.

To me it's kind of nit-picky seeing as he's only a rookie, however the hype led to me to expect more I guess? I dunno....

Chidi29
08-22-2011, 10:06 PM
One thing I noticed watching Gilbert is he was pretty slow off the line.

To me it's kind of nit-picky seeing as he's only a rookie, however the hype led to me to expect more I guess? I dunno....

In run blocking, pass pro, or both?

Chidi29
08-23-2011, 01:44 AM
Quick edit. In the pictures of Tapp, he is the under tackle in both pictures.