Wilcox Play Analysis

[xwalker]

This is a play that people blame on Wilcox but he was in a no win situation.

If Wilcox holds up or goes inside #77, then DeSean just goes outside and there are no defenders in place to stop him.

The problem starts with Cam Lawrence blitzing.
Then Church lets himself get taken completely out of the play.
Next the LBs Hitchens and Carter ran too much horizontally instead of running down field to have a possible angle to cut off Jackson.
Normally you would expect to see the far side (right) CB to be coming down field also, but he was nowhere in sight.

 

[black label]

we need a cover safety

wilcox went into ghost mode against greenbay

 

[DCBoysfan]

They made a good play, sometimes an offense just catches you in the wrong defense. Wilcox I think will progressly improve. The same people that want him cut wanted Free and Scandrick cut early in their careers.

 

[reddyuta]

The problem with Wilcox(IMO) is that he still has not developed instincts to play as a free safety.I really dont know if he ever will .we should always be on the lookout to improve that position but its not a high priority right now.

 

[jobberone]

They made a good play, sometimes an offense just catches you in the wrong defense. Wilcox I think will progressly improve. The same people that want him cut wanted Free and Scandrick cut early in their careers.

Yep.

 

[RonSpringsdaman20]

Wilcox has his moments... good and bad....
You have to give him a chance to take another step forward this year.
If he regresses, move on. It would be good on our part to have another safety that could push either position.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I don't blame Wilcox for that one.

Nor do I give the "Wrong defense" all the 'credit' for the blown play.

Lawrence was clearly the main culprit. And then other pieces fell into place to all the long TD.

 

[Crown Royal]

I don't blame Wilcox for that one.

Nor do I give the "Wrong defense" all the 'credit' for the blown play.

Lawrence was clearly the main culprit. And then other pieces fell into place to all the long TD.

I'm critical of Wilcox, but this has never been a play I'd pointed to. As soon as Lawrence crashed down and they threw the ball you could tell it was going a long way. Wilcox could have made a better play, but it would have been incredible for him to have made the stop with the tackle crashing down like that.

 

[Alexander]

That entire play was doomed by Lawrence.

I fail to see how this makes Wilcox even a point of discussion.

 

[LatinMind]

This is a play that people blame on Wilcox but he was in a no win situation.

If Wilcox holds up or goes inside #77, then DeSean just goes outside and there are no defenders in place to stop him.

The problem starts with Cam Lawrence blitzing.
Then Church lets himself get taken completely out of the play.
Next the LBs Hitchens and Carter ran too much horizontally instead of running down field to have a possible angle to cut off Jackson.
Normally you would expect to see the far side (right) CB to be coming down field also, but he was nowhere in sight.

LOL thank you. And im glad you posted this so I CAN SHOW YOU THAT DISPITE YOU HAVING ALL22 YOU REALLY DONT UNDERSTAND WHAT YOURE WATCHING.

Blame Cam Lawrence? The guy was supposed to blitz. Thats what the call is.
Blame Hitchens and Carter? Really Carter? The guy is the SAM he's first job is to contain the run. Fill the gap. Hitchens bites on the fake which leaves 2 OL to account for Church. Im sorry but if you think Church has a chance with a wall like that then i dont know what to tell you.

That leaves Wilcox, there is a OL in front of jackson But you can clearly see he over runs and cheats to the outside as jackson makes it an easy cutback. If he simply holds his ground and doesnt cheat to the otuside Carter and Hitchens make the tackle from behind

Again thats right in front of your eyes. And its clear that all22 might be a good tool but that dont mean people understand what theyre seeing still.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

I'm critical of Wilcox, but this has never been a play I'd pointed to. As soon as Lawrence crashed down and they threw the ball you could tell it was going a long way..

LOL!

I wonder what the % of fans who were watching the game thought the same thing as soon as the ball left Griffin's hand.

I bet it was pretty large!

You could just tell it was going to be ugly for the defense.

 

[btcutter]

The problem with Wilcox(IMO) is that he still has not developed instincts to play as a free safety.I really dont know if he ever will .we should always be on the lookout to improve that position but its not a high priority right now.

I asked myself if Wilcox has even shown any flash plays in defending a pass. Honestly I can't recall a single one right now.
To me that tells me he doesn't have the instincts to play FS. You either have it or you don't. IF you do then we would have seen flashes of it. But he hasn't.

Time to find one.

 

[waving monkey]

There is the relationship between instincts and experience called learned instincts.
This young man is in his second year and third year of total experience playing
safety.His play is not remarkable but to say he lacks instincts to play the position
we'll have to disagree.Now at the end of his rookie contract if some [being in place]
aren't corrected then yes ,Dallas we have a problem.

 

[Bluestang]

This play highlights Wilcox's lack of instincts more than anything, however the LBs get caught up in the fake which is another problem, and leaving Jackson uncovered with Church 10+ yds on top of him is a recipe for disaster.

It's a bad defense, but also bad play by Hitchens, Lawrence, Church and Wilcox that make the defense collapse on that one play.

The formation is classic flank with 2x2 receivers on each side. It flexes the threat of the run on one side and and the receiving speed on the other side.

Right away this should be an alert for Wilox to play the pass because the late shift puts Crawford in the B gap, Selvie will attack the C gap, and Carr will keep outside contain and force the ball back inside. The LBs, Carter and Hitchens, will go after the ball carrier. Hitchens gets sucked in too far down the line and allows the OL to seal him away from the play. Carter is too far as well, and Lawrence is on a blitz call.

Wilcox stays flat footed which allows the play to develop down field and Church being 10+ yds off of Jackson is win for Jackson all day long.

Fingers can be pointed all day long on this one, but you never should see a safety flat footed unless they are playing red zone defense. The lack of basic fundamentals is concerning.

 

[tm1119]

It was a terrible angel by Wilcox. Watching that video only reaffirms that. And what exactly are people blaming Lawrence for??

He read the play and pulled off of his blitz to try and bat the pass down. The only thing he did wrong was not get a piece of the ball, but you can't blame the play on him for that.

 

[Plumfool]

That's D. Jackson coming full speed. Wilcox was gonna try and push him to the sideline, but because of play design it left a lot of room for Jackson to operate. Jackson is great in the open field. Wilcox was in no mans land.

 

[dantheman41]

This is a play that people blame on Wilcox but he was in a no win situation.

If Wilcox holds up or goes inside #77, then DeSean just goes outside and there are no defenders in place to stop him.

The problem starts with Cam Lawrence blitzing.
Then Church lets himself get taken completely out of the play.
Next the LBs Hitchens and Carter ran too much horizontally instead of running down field to have a possible angle to cut off Jackson.
Normally you would expect to see the far side (right) CB to be coming down field also, but he was nowhere in sight.

They caught the Cowboys in the exact same look they were waiting for. That was pure coaching. Wilcox didn't have a chance against Jackson's speed in open field

 

[AsthmaField]

My few observations:
1. Cam Lawrence blitzing did create issues on the play. However, I don't think he was free lancing at all. To me it looked like he was designed to go after the QB on that play, in which case you can't blame him for that. It looks like a case of bad timing for that. If Lawrence missed a key and wasn't supposed to blitz there, then that's something that Marinelli will take up with him.

2. The LB's Hitchen's and Carter both came in at the wrong angle to stop Jackson but I think just about any LB takes about the same angle they took. When a guy catches a ball at the line of scrimmage, you just don't normally turn and start running into the secondary. Maybe they went too shallow but I think it was just a case of a crazy fast WR catching the defense with the wrong call.

3. To me, it looks like Wilcox flat out over ran the play. He came in a little fast and out of control and he left a cut back lane for Jackson there. That much is clear from the video. Now, if Wilcox comes in more cautiously and breaks down just inside of the blocker, then the cut back lane isn't there. However, if JJ does that then there is a very good chance Jackson cuts back to his left and runs right by Wilcox anyway.

To me, it is a case of a young, developing safety put in a no win situation by a play call that was ideal for the defensive play that had been put in. Wilcox over ran it, for sure... but it likely wouldn't have mattered anyway.

It is extremely difficult for fans to look at it and know who messed up in this particular instance because we lack all the information we need to know that. If Wilcox is the subject that is being critiqued here then not a whole lot can be decided by just looking at this. I do think he took some poor angles this season but any safety you have will make his share of mistakes. Wilcox is learning and learning quickly. He has plenty of athleticism and he's a thumper... he just needs his head to catch up, and it is.

One thing for sure: I trust Marinelli to play him if he plays well and replace him if he messes up. Marinelli has proven time and again that he will pull guys and put someone else in if he thinks they're stinking it up.

 

[RS12]

The problem with Wilcox(IMO) is that he still has not developed instincts to play as a free safety.I really dont know if he ever will .we should always be on the lookout to improve that position but its not a high priority right now.

This. FS is more or less the QB of the defense. I just dont see it in this guy. I am always going to have visions of him standing like a statue while Adams runs by him in the GB game. He seems slow to diagnose plays and that is a major negative at his position.

 

[texbumthelife]

I am usually one of Wilcox's biggest detractors, but that was just a case of the offense getting caught. When they shifted they were already set to over-pursue.

That said. Wilcox has to engage the blocker. It's his job.

Also, that sure does look close to illegal man down field and an illegal block.