Baldy Breakdown - Defense Chasing Ghosts

[stilltheguru]

Don't know which plays.

The ones above are not on Micah.

It's those plays. He referenced the opening drive. So again somebody is wrong. You or the super bowl champ.

 

[zrinkill]

Cant really argue with Baldy ....... guy knows his stuff

 

[Floatyworm]

Micah should never play end unless he's in obvious passing situations.

.....knew this tape was going to be bad. It's just inexcusable....
Guy literally cares more about podcasts than doing his job....should tell you what kind of person he really is.

 

[NoLuv4Jerry]

I'd love to be able to get a film review session from Zimmer to know for sure the responsibilities here, but that will never happen. I highly suspect that this isnt a Parsons issue though....outside of not getting set, no real excuse for that. That first play though when the LT blocks down like that typically your DE is supposed to crash down with him, and get underneath the pulling player to not leave a massive gap. Someone should have been following the Y on that play....I just cant say it enough, but if you get a 2 wr look with the Y playing off the LOS they will take you to the ball nearly every time. I can't say for sure because we dont know everyones specific responsibilities but I have to believe that is either a backer or whoever the box safety was on that play who needs to be covering the outside once Micah crashed down. The reads from the 2nd level just seem to be oddly off, which is the last thing I would have expected from a Mike Zimmer defense.

The 2nd play in that video once again, what is the 2nd level reading here? Someone has to be reading the Y, and once again he didn't crash down so the backer can't bite. I'm guessing Zimmer is having these guys do some version of a triangle read, but this is two weeks in a row where it really looks like they are dialed in on one player and not the full triangle. I would say this is a player issue, but its literally every single 2nd level player who is getting sucked in. Also I would imagine someone is responsible for Lamar Jackson on this play so how you dont have two guys covering that side of the field is beyond me.

A week ago I said it was the players, not coaching, but if its not getting fixed, especially to this degree, that's a coaching issue. A lot of pressure should be on Zimmer this week, NY lacks talent (aside from Nabers) but they try to make up for a lot of that lack of talent with a ton of misdirection. No reason to think they wont steal a lot of these same concepts that have been used the last couple weeks that have left the Cowboys defense with absolutely zero answers.

I agree with almost everything you said except the pressure on Zimmer.

Like McCarthy, Zimmer was home on the couch. And both are on 1-year deals. They've both made a lot of money coaching in the NFL....I don't think they are under any pressure at all!

 

[Bagman]

IMO until he's an OLB in a 3-4 he'll never be used correctly.

Thank you !!! Somebody finally said it. He's a HOF quality 3-4 rush linebacker. THAT'S where he should be playing and that's the defense Dallas should employ.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

It's those plays. He referenced the opening drive. So again somebody is wrong. You or the super bowl champ.

Unless Micah has edge containment and is just completely ignoring it on the read option (which is the opposite of how it is usually played), then he is wrong.

Nate doesn't know the playcall any more than you or I, but just assuming that 11 is totally ignoring his assignment is dumb.

 

[Jarntt]

Micah has correctly called out their defensive front for all wanting to be superman and not just playing their role. But, he is the biggest offender of this. You just can't crash down like that looking to make a splash play and give up the edge in the NFL and against a QB like Lamar it's mind boggling to do so. I can't believe there isn't a coach pretty much every play reminding them to hold the edge against a team like this. Bet the over for Daniel Jones rushing yards this week...

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Micah has correctly called out their defensive front for all wanting to be superman and not just playing their role. But, he is the biggest offender of this. You just can't crash down like that looking to make a splash play and give up the edge in the NFL and against a QB like Lamar it's mind boggling to do so. I can't believe there isn't a coach pretty much every play reminding them to hold the edge against a team like this. Bet the over for Daniel Jones rushing yards this week...

Yes that is exactly what you do against read option like that lol

Edge crashes to the RB, LB scrapes over top to the QB.

This is fundamental stuff

 

[thunderpimp91]

I agree with almost everything you said except the pressure on Zimmer.

Like McCarthy, Zimmer was home on the couch. And both are on 1-year deals. They've both made a lot of money coaching in the NFL....I don't think they are under any pressure at all!

That's a fair take. Honestly probably more pressure on McCarthy because he may have an actual chance at another job after this season. Zimmer is likely going to have to settle for a lesser role or hang em up after this year unless a miracle happens.

 

[khiladi]

That first play was a great play fake by Lamar, off Henry. It’s called a dual threat and Lamar is one of the best at actually doing it. Lamar does that to a lot of defenses in the regular season.

The Dallas defense also plays against the speed of Dak in practice, so it’s not like they are chasing chickens in practice.

It’s clear the opposing teams are attacking the edges, particularly with their speed, and playing off over-pursuit.

 

[fivetwos]

IMO until he's an OLB in a 3-4 he'll never be used correctly.

Could be.

And that’s where Rex Ryan comes in. He will absolutely sell Jerry that he will turn Micah into a stud and fix the entire defense, while all he wants is that final pay day that NO other team would offer him.

Jerry will insist on keeping Schottenheimer for continuity on offense, and yet another coordinator is forced on a HC, as he does every time, and never works out.

Bank on this. People want to talk Belichick but that’s all it is. BB would want 15m a year and Jerry and kid to stop talking. It ain’t gonna happen. It’ll be Rex for half the money and they can continue to be celebrities while Rex funds his retirement account.

 

[thunderpimp91]

Nate Newton blamed micah for the first few read option plays. Who knows more about football you or Nate?

I have a ton of respect for Nate Newton, but he can be wrong just like everyone else. Zimmer and McCarthy have forgotten more football than 99% of this board knows, but its still fair to call them out at times. I wont instantly dismiss anything someone who played in the league says, but we cant always take what these guys say as the gospel either.

 

[Coogiguy03]

I wonder how many times they ran the scout offense to mimic these playcalls. You have at home Lamar Jackson in Trey Lance

that's what they did, obviously they weren't practicing well enough as it was stated, and maybe Trey Lance ran all over them as well in practice

 

[stilltheguru]

I have a ton of respect for Nate Newton, but he can be wrong just like everyone else. Zimmer and McCarthy have forgotten more football than 99% of this board knows, but its still fair to call them out at times. I wont instantly dismiss anything someone who played in the league says, but we cant always take what these guys say as the gospel either.

nates assertion lines up with pff and other outlets on Micah. If micah wasn't at fault his grade would've showed that he was a diamond surrounded by trash......but he was knee deep in the same trash.

 

[thunderpimp91]

sometimes I wonder how hard we're scouting these teams. They said we used Lance as Lamar Jackson to give them a look at what he'll be doing, so how exactly did they look in practice is what I want to know,that's where it starts. IT was said that Thursday's practice wasn't good, I wonder why nobody mentioned this before the game????????????/

To be honest I'm not even sure that Lamar Jackson was the issue. The issue seems to be that this team has struggled and been confused the the opponents OL for two straight weeks.

 

[Jarntt]

Yes that is exactly what you do against read option like that lol

Edge crashes to the RB, LB scrapes over top to the QB.

This is fundamental stuff

Wrong. Watch it again and look at the defensive alignment. There isn't even a LBer there to get to the edge. He has edge responsibility on that play. Kendricks is a base MIKE and has the RB and Overshown might have edge responsibility on the other side. In what world do you think any DC is going to ask Kendricks to get outside before Lamar from where he is lining up?

 

[khiladi]

Also, Lamar rushed for 122 yards on 16 attempts against the Chiefs, who have Chris Jones. They play him more than the Cowboys and they know it’s pretty basic, yet that’s what he does. The guy is averaging 7.6 YPA when rushing and already has 35 attempts.

 

[thunderpimp91]

nates assertion lines up with pff and other outlets on Micah. If micah wasn't at fault his grade would've showed that he was a diamond surrounded by trash......but he was knee deep in the same trash.

And to be fair I haven't heard exactly what Nate said on the issue, so Ill be careful about how hard a I push this issue. I would agree that his PFF grade from this week seems pretty accurate, but as far as that 1st drive goes I'm just not seeing a lot of Micah errors there. That first play especially I dont see any reason Micah shouldnt be crashing down, I think the issue is at the 2nd level, but Ill look into Nates take on it too. Do you remember where he talked about this, was it the radio yesterday?

 

[stilltheguru]

And to be fair I haven't heard exactly what Nate said on the issue, so Ill be careful about how hard a I push this issue. I would agree that his PFF grade from this week seems pretty accurate, but as far as that 1st drive goes I'm just not seeing a lot of Micah errors there. That first play especially I dont see any reason Micah shouldnt be crashing down, I think the issue is at the 2nd level, but Ill look into Nates take on it too. Do you remember where he talked about this, was it the radio yesterday?

Hanging with the boys. Think second or third segment.

 

[Mac_MaloneV1]

Wrong. Watch it again and look at the defensive alignment. There isn't even a LBer there to get to the edge. He has edge responsibility on that play. Kendricks is a base MIKE and has the RB and the other LBer MIGHT have edge responsibility on the other side. In what world do you think any DC is going to ask Kendricks to get outside before Lamar?

Nope. Mazi is supposed to be in the A gap and Overshown is a gap too far over. The second that puller comes, Kendricks (it might have been the safety in this play) has to set the edge him to the edge. Kendricks is in a no-win here because he has two gaps, but that doesn't mean 11 has the edge - he still has the C gap on the outside shoulder of the T. If Micah goes upfield, he gets sealed by the puller and the T is easily to Kendricks at the second level. 11 coming down stretches the play out.

The more I watch, the more I think this is a keeper just based on pre-snap - the Cowboys were totally outgapped.