Denzel Ward

[Out of the Rafters at the Q]

Appreciate it, I read a time stamp of 2020 but you are right, it's from 2017. I think I read it in 2020 and thought it was publish date. My bad there!

I would also like to find more analysis on the direction of coverages since then... my understanding has been that man coverage is in decline with mobile QBs gaining starting jobs.

The blitz matter is a work in progress as the defensive personnel becomes comfortable with the franchise and terminology. So many new faces this year, many of whom are 1st and 2nd year pros.

The most valuable part of your article is the fact the blitzes were not an overall success last season. That's something to keep track of as the Browns begin to blitz more in 2021.

No data in this post--ignore if you want.

I feel like 2017 was around the swan song of nearly every single team in the league playing Seattle-style Cover 3. The transition away from that defense likely accounts for a lot of "zone vs man" numbers changing over the past five years.

If our goal is to play more zone against mobile QB's so that our secondary can keep their eyes forward, on the QB in case he decides to run, then I feel like every DB needs to put in double-shifts in practice because I didn't see that happen these past two weeks.

 

[mAo_mAo]

By no means a football expert, but against mobile qbs will it not be better if the edge rushers just set and contain the edge in passing situations rather than rushing deep.

In that Tyrod TD run, Takk overextends opening the right side to run.

 

[blommen]

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[blommen]

Edit. Wrong thread

 

[Vee-Rex]

Lots of complaints about heat on the QB - can I remind that despite only sending four in week one, they had heat on Mahomes 44% of the plays?

Week 1's pressure felt deceiving. Our edges would get deep which created holes that Mahomes would simply maneuver into and extend the play. I'm not sure if there's just a single entity to blame here. Is the d-line not disciplined enough and not working well together? Are the guys in zone standing like statues instead of playing "MAN-zone"? Should Woods take some blame for trying to rely too heavily on a 4-man rush to get pressure?

Probably a mixture of it all. Interesting in Garrett's post-game conference he said everyone should take the blame, including Woods. Not sure what to make of that.

 

[CBBI]

Lots of complaints about heat on the QB - can I remind that despite only sending four in week one, they had heat on Mahomes 44% of the plays?

They tried the same thing in week two, it wasn't as successful for pressure numbers, but the team still won comfortably. Why try exotic and risky blitz packages if the team is up and a shaky rookie QB is in for the opponent?

People keep referring to the Texans driving on us in the second half... you guys realize the offense was substantially below average in yards and scoring, right?

I'm not saying it's all a dance in the daisies, but this defense did what it had to do against a bad team at home. Style doesn't get you more points. Against the Bears, it has to be better.

In my opinion, the pressure rate from week 1 was as much of a product of Mahomes taking deeper drops and typically holding the ball much longer than other quarterbacks than anything else.

The defense as it has been schemed the first two weeks, is extremely vulnerable to the short, quick passing game because they just have not given the opposing QB's much to be concerned about from a disgused coverages standpoint.

Will it change as players and coaches get comfortable? Hopefully yes.

 

[Randolphkeys]

In my opinion, the pressure rate from week 1 was as much of a product of Mahomes taking deeper drops and typically holding the ball much longer than other quarterbacks than anything else.

The defense as it has been schemed the first two weeks, is extremely vulnerable to the short, quick passing game because they just have not given the opposing QB's much to be concerned about from a disgused coverages standpoint.

Will it change as players and coaches get comfortable? Hopefully yes.

Makes sense. I feel like there are coverages Woods wants to put into place but for one reason or another he is covering some remedial points of emphasis first.

My takeaway was that he saw something he didn't like against the Chiefs and focused on that instead of another coverage scheme. Could have been rush lane integrity, since Mahomes was able to duck out of pressure so easily? Hard to tell, but a vanilla scheme means they worked on something basic all week.

 

[Bob_The_Cat]

By no means a football expert, but against mobile qbs will it not be better if the edge rushers just set and contain the edge in passing situations rather than rushing deep.

In that Tyrod TD run, Takk overextends opening the right side to run.

Yup. It's basically the same way you defend the option. Set the edge and force the QB to either pitch it or cut inside where you have more help.

Plus, as an offensive lineman, they're mostly trained that if a guy is rushing as hard upfield like Takk was on that play, you just ride him and let his momentum wash himself out of the play. Takk was just running straight up the field, and he was 10 yards off the LOS before he made any attempt to stop or make a move. Pretty horrible DL play right there.

 

[Los216]

 

[Ohio]

Again, in no world is that pass interference. Frankly, that's perfect, textbook coverage. Just absolute garbage officiating for the second consecutive week.

Outside of the 2nd PI call on Ward, which I do think was fair, I actually thought he had a pretty good game.

 

[Los216]

Again, in no world is that pass interference. Frankly, that's perfect, textbook coverage. Just absolute garbage officiating for the second consecutive week.

Outside of the 2nd PI call on Ward, which I do think was fair, I actually thought he had a pretty good game.

The bad part is for the majority of the game Denzel was not playing man coverage like this. He spent most of his time giving the receivers a 7 yard cushion. There were a few times when he was playing man on an island but I wish for one game we would just stick him on the opposing teams best receiver and tell him to man up.

 

[Ohio]

The bad part is for the majority of the game Denzel was not playing man coverage like this. He spent most of his time giving the receivers a 7 yard cushion. There were a few times when he was playing man on an island but I wish for one game we would just stick him on the opposing teams best receiver and tell him to man up.

I would love this for a variety of reasons. At this point, the secondary very clearly does not know where they are supposed to be on a frequent basis, which is a coaching/schematic issue. Coaching is failing our defense right now. So, how about we trying taking it out of the coaches hands and putting it on the players for once? Just one week, play aggressive and let guys man up more. Lets see what happens. It honestly can't get any worse than what we're seeing now, which is somehow even worse than the defense we had last year.

Let your players make plays instead of having them sit back and react.

 

[Lee]

Again, in no world is that pass interference. Frankly, that's perfect, textbook coverage. Just absolute garbage officiating for the second consecutive week.

Outside of the 2nd PI call on Ward, which I do think was fair, I actually thought he had a pretty good game.

He had his left arm on him, technically its a PI, but the spirit of the rule is if Ward turns his body, which he did not. It should have been called.

We had 3 bad calls this game, but unlike SD, it did not cost us the game. We played like shit, that cost us the game before we can bitch about 3 calls.

 

[adam81king]

Again, in no world is that pass interference. Frankly, that's perfect, textbook coverage. Just absolute garbage officiating for the second consecutive week.

Outside of the 2nd PI call on Ward, which I do think was fair, I actually thought he had a pretty good game.

Unfortunately there *is* a world where that's pass intinference, and we happen to live in it...unless this really is the Matrix???

 

[Douglar]

Is there any update on Ward’s hamstring?