Did you guys notice Roy Williams on nickle packages?

[theogt]

OK, then when we're not in the 3-4, we've played mostly dime defense and very little nickel defense.

Yeah, I've been surprised at how much dime we've played. Perhaps it's the result of our opponents having longer 3rd downs on average than usual. If you look at Wade's old playbook I believe much more is dedicated to dime defenses over nickel defenses. I think it's a pretty smart move if you have 3 competent safeties.

 

[Rack]

We haven't played that much "DIme".

WE have our Dime Defense (with our playing DB) and we have two different Nickel defenses (at least), one with Roy at LB, and the other with Carp at LB.


Just cuz Roy is on the field and there's only one other LB on the field doesn't mean it's necessarily a Dime D.


I've seen him line up as a LB a few times. That's not a Dime, that's a nickel. Other times I've seen him as a NB (sometimes in the NIcke, sometimes in the Dime).

But it's really a moot point cuz a lot of the responsibilities of the NB in a Dime and the LBs in a nickel are the same. A lot of it is really just alignment.

 

[theogt]

We haven't played that much "DIme".

WE have our Dime Defense (with our playing DB) and we have two different Nickel defenses (at least), one with Roy at LB, and the other with Carp at LB.


Just cuz Roy is on the field and there's only one other LB on the field doesn't mean it's necessarily a Dime D.


I've seen him line up as a LB a few times. That's not a Dime, that's a nickel. Other times I've seen him as a NB (sometimes in the NIcke, sometimes in the Dime).

Ehh....Wade calls it a dime.

 

[Rack]

Ehh....Wade calls it a dime.

You've heard Wade name every single defensive formation he has in his playbook?

Wow. I must of missed that press conference.


It isn't a "Dime" every time Roy is in that formation. He has a "Dime" with Roy at NB and he has a Nickel with Roy at LB. Just cuz he didn't mention the Nickel version doesn't mean it's a dime.


I have seen Roy line up at LB in the Nickel.

 

[AdamJT13]

I've just been referring to all of them as nickel, since I don't think I've seen one time yet when we haven't had two guys lined up at "linebacker" positions. If we ever move Roy out of the box and play him deep, with one linebacker and four linemen, I'll call it a dime. But to me, when he's in the box with a four-man line, two corners, two deep safeties and a third corner in the slot, he's playing nickel linebacker, not dime safety. To me, it's more about the formation than the personnel.

Whether the team uses different terms to signify different personnel packages is another matter. But Wade has talked plenty about using Roy as a "nickel linebacker," so maybe he's not even sure what to call it.

 

[Rack]

To me, it's more about the formation than the personnel.

Exactly.


That's what I mentioned above:

A lot of it is really just alignment.

 

[theogt]

I've just been referring to all of them as nickel, since I don't think I've seen one time yet when we haven't had two guys lined up at "linebacker" positions. If we ever move Roy out of the box and play him deep, with one linebacker and four linemen, I'll call it a dime. But to me, when he's in the box with a four-man line, two corners, two deep safeties and a third corner in the slot, he's playing nickel linebacker, not dime safety. To me, it's more about the formation than the personnel.

Whether the team uses different terms to signify different personnel packages is another matter. But Wade has talked plenty about using Roy as a "nickel linebacker," so maybe he's not even sure what to call it.

Actually, it was when someone referred to Roy as a "nickel linebacker" that he corrected him and said it was a dime defense. I don't believe he has ever referred to Roy has a "nickel linebacker."

If I recall correctly, in his old playbook, the two different positions (dime safety in the hole vs. nickel linebacker) have different responsibilities.

 

[Frozen700]

Actually, it was when someone referred to Roy as a "nickel linebacker" that he corrected him and said it was a dime defense. I don't believe he has ever referred to Roy has a "nickel linebacker."

If I recall correctly, in his old playbook, the two different positions (dime safety in the hole vs. nickel linebacker) have different responsibilities.

hmmmm, i think you are right, in that he hasn't called Roy a nickel back

 

[Biggems]

i only read page 1 of this thread...but whoever said burnett was the LB on the Bruce play was correct. Also, the CB was 33 (Jones).....

On the play, Jones took a step inside and then ran outside. Burnett was late getting on the WR and Bruce caught it and got some good YAC. Bruce caught the ball and ran through the space directly vacated by Jones. if Jones just says where he lined up, Bruce runs right into him and then Burnett gets over there immediately to assist on the tackle.

 

[AdamJT13]

Actually, it was when someone referred to Roy as a "nickel linebacker" that he corrected him and said it was a dime defense. I don't believe he has ever referred to Roy has a "nickel linebacker."

If I recall correctly, in his old playbook, the two different positions (dime safety in the hole vs. nickel linebacker) have different responsibilities.

Maybe you're right, and it was our trusty media (and DallasCowboys.com -- including Spagnola in TODAY'S column) who have repeatedly referred to Roy as a nickel linebacker. I'd have to go back and see how Phillips has been referring to those formations.

I did find this quote from Phillips, though: "Some people call it a linebacker, some people call it a dime back. Whatever. But he's not playing deep half or deep quarter or anything like that. He's playing short zone and blitz."

 

[silverblue]

You've heard Wade name every single defensive formation he has in his playbook?

Wow. I must of missed that press conference.


It isn't a "Dime" every time Roy is in that formation. He has a "Dime" with Roy at NB and he has a Nickel with Roy at LB. Just cuz he didn't mention the Nickel version doesn't mean it's a dime.


I have seen Roy line up at LB in the Nickel.

There are copies of some of Wade's old defensive playbooks out there and you can see most of the stuff he runs with a formation like that he calls dime and goes into a lot more detail on dime back responsibility vs nickel LB responsibility.

Whatever you want to call it, I like it. I like Roy playing up sometimes.

 

[AdamJT13]

i only read page 1 of this thread...but whoever said burnett was the LB on the Bruce play was correct. Also, the CB was 33 (Jones).....

On the play, Jones took a step inside and then ran outside. Burnett was late getting on the WR and Bruce caught it and got some good YAC. Bruce caught the ball and ran through the space directly vacated by Jones. if Jones just says where he lined up, Bruce runs right into him and then Burnett gets over there immediately to assist on the tackle.

It was third-and-23, and Jones was dropping into a deep zone. If he stands where he is and Bruce runs a deep route, he's toast. Burnett is supposed to get over on the slant, but he was a fraction too late, and our safeties (Hamlin and Watkins) didn't get there with the support. It took Roy to come over from his side and grab Bruce from behind and save a potential touchdown. (Incidentally, Roy grabbed just below Bruce's nameplate on the outside of his jersey, which is almost the same place he grabbed Clark and was called for a horse-collar last week. Like I said then, the rule prohibits grabbing inside the collar, not grabbing the outside of the jersey.)

 

[Biggems]

It was third-and-23, and Jones was dropping into a deep zone. If he stands where he is and Bruce runs a deep route, he's toast. Burnett is supposed to get over on the slant, but he was a fraction too late, and our safeties (Hamlin and Watkins) didn't get there with the support. It took Roy to come over from his side and grab Bruce from behind and save a potential touchdown. (Incidentally, Roy grabbed just below Bruce's nameplate on the outside of his jersey, which is almost the same place he grabbed Clark and was called for a horse-collar last week. Like I said then, the rule prohibits grabbing inside the collar, not grabbing the outside of the jersey.)

i wasnt blaming jones at all.....i know he was just going to his assigned area. just thought it was funny that bruce ran right to where jones was about a second earlier. it was so obvious that burnett was the guilty defender on the play. he was definitely slow getting to his assigned area.

 

[theogt]

Maybe you're right, and it was our trusty media (and DallasCowboys.com -- including Spagnola in TODAY'S column) who have repeatedly referred to Roy as a nickel linebacker. I'd have to go back and see how Phillips has been referring to those formations.

I did find this quote from Phillips, though: "Some people call it a linebacker, some people call it a dime back. Whatever. But he's not playing deep half or deep quarter or anything like that. He's playing short zone and blitz."

Yeah, it's just words. Doesn't really matter. I just think that the purpose of a dime is to replace a slower linebacker with a defensive back and that's exactly what we're doing when Roy goes in there -- we're replacing a slower linebacker with a defensive back. Hence, a dime. And, there's the fact that the responsibilities are slightly different between the two (dime backer and nickel LB).

There are copies of some of Wade's old defensive playbooks out there and you can see most of the stuff he runs with a formation like that he calls dime and goes into a lot more detail on dime back responsibility vs nickel LB responsibility.

Whatever you want to call it, I like it. I like Roy playing up sometimes.

That's all that really matters. It's a smart move by Wade.

 

[Rack]

And, there's the fact that the responsibilities are slightly different between the two (dime backer and nickel LB).

Not necessarily. It depends on the defensive play called.