(No Longer) Joe Woods’ Defense

[CBBI]

I don’t even remember seeing Delpit out there yesterday. The whole secondary is being used incorrectly. Need a lot more man coverage need delpit and JJ farther back and Harrison in the middle. Ward and greedy need to be in man coverage that zone shit is the opposite of their strengths.

one of these days I’d like to finally get a DC who cares about their teams strengths rather than their own scheme.

Delpit only played 9 defensive snaps. Not sure if he's dinged up or what, but Harrison and Johnson both played 100% of the snaps.

 

[Kbiz]

It's not a personnel issue. Harrison is playing great this year. Johnson is capable of playing great. These guys are not being put in position to make actual plays on the ball - they all look reactive...a step slow almost, leading to penalties - that is coaching. If players are confused, that is coaching.

Woods needs to get his head out of his ass and spend the next three days figuring out what the fuck is going on with this secondary or else we are going to make Teddy Bridgewater look like Joe Montainya.

 

[Zeus69]

Woods needs to get his head out of his ass and spend the next three days figuring out what the fuck is going on with this secondary or else we are going to make Teddy Bridgewater look like Joe Montainya.

Woods is who he is. He has been Peter Principled. And he’s not going anywhere according to his head coach/friend. This is what we got.

 

[CBBI]

Woods is who he is. He has been Peter Principled. And he’s not going anywhere according to his head coach/friend. This is what we got.

Woods was a successful DC in Denver. 11th and 6th in Defensive DVOA his two years in charge there and that was only 2017/2018.

I don't think the game has passed him by or anything like that, it's just not working right now. Far too many breakdowns where guys clearly don't know what they're doing, which is a function of coaching more than personnel.

 

[Damage]

It's not a personnel issue. Harrison is playing great this year. Johnson is capable of playing great. These guys are not being put in position to make actual plays on the ball - they all look reactive...a step slow almost, leading to penalties - that is coaching. If players are confused, that is coaching.

Woods needs to get his head out of his ass and spend the next three days figuring out what the fuck is going on with this secondary or else we are going to make Teddy Bridgewater look like Joe Montainya.

What the fuck? Harrison is playing the opposite of great this year. Look, as with most things there's so much nuance to what's happening on the field that you cannot blame everything on Woods.

Unless it's a talent issue where you'd blame Berry (it's not), the scheme fits their defense perfectly: monster front 4 creates pressure, athletes littered throughout the secondary and at LB to starve off deep throws. Front 4 are doing their jobs. JOK is doing his job. Man coverage, our DBs are doing their jobs sans the PI bullshit. Zone and specifically Quarters is where things go to shit.

For example, Harrison is routinely rolling under coverages and eating up the CB's space, leading to wide-ass open throwing windows that lead to big plays. He's not the only one (JJ is also playing like ass) but he has been guilty of this seemingly every fucking game.

It's not the scheme thats wrong - it's the players not knowing what the fuck they're doing. That is on coaching and also the players. These guys are too talented in the secondary to be routinely fucking up coverages every other series. You fire Woods, then what. Change scheme mid-season? What's the new DC gonna do? This is mostly on the players not doing their fucking jobs AND Woods not educating these guys on where to be.

 

[Los216]

What the fuck? Harrison is playing the opposite of great this year. Look, as with most things there's so much nuance to what's happening on the field that you cannot blame everything on Woods.

Unless it's a talent issue where you'd blame Berry (it's not), the scheme fits their defense perfectly: monster front 4 creates pressure, athletes littered throughout the secondary and at LB to starve off deep throws. Front 4 are doing their jobs. JOK is doing his job. Man coverage, our DBs are doing their jobs sans the PI bullshit. Zone and specifically Quarters is where things go to shit.

For example, Harrison is routinely rolling under coverages and eating up the CB's space, leading to wide-ass open throwing windows that lead to big plays. He's not the only one (JJ is also playing like ass) but he has been guilty of this seemingly every fucking game.

It's not the scheme thats wrong - it's the players not knowing what the fuck they're doing. That is on coaching and also the players. These guys are too talented in the secondary to be routinely fucking up coverages every other series. You fire Woods, then what. Change scheme mid-season? What's the new DC gonna do? This is mostly on the players not doing their fucking jobs AND Woods not educating these guys on where to be.

The scheme does not fit the defense perfectly. Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams are better suited playing more man than zone but that's not what we're doing.

 

[Kbiz]

I am not calling for Woods to be fired. I am calling for him to figure out why there are so many breakdowns in the secondary.

I am not calling for a switch to an entire new scheme. I am saying that I would like to see more man looks in coverage and would like to see our DBs get more physical at the line (one of Ward's strengths) if the system allows it.

Look, I don't know the first thing about NFL defensive schemes and why one is better than the over. Statistically if this type of defense is good, great.....but it's obvious that a lot of our players are not comfortable in the system leading to bad tackling angles and blown coverages left and right.

It's on the players to execute better but it's on the coaches to tell them how to execute in the first place.

 

[LeeBuckeye]

If I had a scheme that gave the opposing #1 WR wide open TD's in every game, I would re-consider my scheme and maybe do something else.

The scheme does not fit the defense perfectly. Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams are better suited playing more man than zone but that's not what we're doing.

Ward went from being a great CB who was injury prone to not so good as a result. He's often giving too much space to WR and that is not his preferred playstyle. Why do guys literally guard an empty space instead of getting near the opposing player only to tackle them after they've gotten the 1st down or TD. In a league where QB's are really accurate do they honestly expect those throws to not be completed? I almost expect every 3rd and long to be completed against the defense.

 

[FrontPageNews]

Woods was a successful DC in Denver. 11th and 6th in Defensive DVOA his two years in charge there and that was only 2017/2018.

I don't think the game has passed him by or anything like that, it's just not working right now. Far too many breakdowns where guys clearly don't know what they're doing, which is a function of coaching more than personnel.

Vance Joseph was the HC during that time. Are we sure woods actually called defensive plays?

 

[CBBI]

Vance Joseph was the HC during that time. Are we sure woods actually called defensive plays?

Woods called the plays, yes.

Vance Joseph doesn't want to call plays on defense - ProFootballTalk

The Broncos hired Vance Joseph as their new head coach this week and held a press conference on Thursday to formally introduce him in his new job.Joseph comes to the Broncos after spending a year as the defensive coordinator for the Dolphins and many years as a defensive backs coach. While his...

profootballtalk.nbcsports.com

Joe Woods now has the Broncos’ corner office. Coaching Denver’s defense is a big responsibility.

Between his sudden promotion last month and his formal introduction from coach Vance Joseph on Tuesday, Broncos defensive coordinator Joe Woods finally got into his spot: A prime desk at Dove Valle…

www.denverpost.com

Joseph confirms Joe Woods will continue to call defensive plays

Changes? What changes?

247sports.com

They even had a bad loss in week 5 of 2018 where they gave up 34 to the Jets and Joseph didn't take play calling duties away from Woods.

They went on the rest of that season to give up under 20 PPG over the final 11 games.

 

[Randolphkeys]

The scheme does not fit the defense perfectly. Denzel Ward and Greedy Williams are better suited playing more man than zone but that's not what we're doing.

Ben Solak wrote the following a few days ago on why teams aren't blitzing Mahomes this season, and I feel it's also the reason you aren't seeing man coverage and blitz packages from the Browns:

If elite quarterbacks are now just as good off their spot as they are on it, sending five or six or seven players just makes it easier for them to find downfield throwing windows to hit with their absurd arm angles, scramble drills, and launch points.

https://www.theringer.com/nfl/2021/10/14/22725590/blitzing-coverage-patrick-mahomes-defense-strategy

Here's the problem - in that sound and reasoned philosophy the pre-snap coverages should still be a puzzle for elite QBs to solve. So far, the Browns are just trying to keep up with the offensive trickery, failing to provide trickery of their own.

Switching out of Cover 3 into other zone looks is the answer.

That said, I cannot put all the blame on scheme when all over the NFL, the most successful and competitive DCs are mirroring schemes I'm seeing from the Browns.

There is an execution crisis, but firing a DC is just the emotional reaction from fans who don't want to dig any deeper Monday morning.

 

[Kbiz]

I am willing to give Woods the benefit of the doubt but execution is on him. I am just puzzled by the regression and think he deserves a hotter seat and perhaps he is on one. Stefanski and Berry strike me as the type to keep all that in-house.

Is this scheme that much harder to learn than other schemes? I just don't know why we still look so lost so all I can assume is coaching.

Our offensive blocking scheme seems pretty advanced and requires everyone to be on the same page. Bill Callahan has had little issue with working in new guys and getting the most out of them, oftentimes getting more than we expected. That is a sign of someone who knows how to teach concepts and relay that information to his players effectively.

Woods needs to figure out how to do that and if he can't do that by the end of the season, then he isn't a good coach, IMO.

 

[Lee]

I am willing to give Woods the benefit of the doubt but execution is on him. I am just puzzled by the regression and think he deserves a hotter seat and perhaps he is on one. Stefanski and Berry strike me as the type to keep all that in-house.

Is this scheme that much harder to learn than other schemes? I just don't know why we still look so lost so all I can assume is coaching.

Our offensive blocking scheme seems pretty advanced and requires everyone to be on the same page. Bill Callahan has had little issue with working in new guys and getting the most out of them, oftentimes getting more than we expected. That is a sign of someone who knows how to teach concepts and relay that information to his players effectively.

Woods needs to figure out how to do that and if he can't do that by the end of the season, then he isn't a good coach, IMO.

At this point even with injuries there is no defense for Joe Wood's defense.

He should be on the hottest of seats.

 

[CBBI]

It's not a personnel issue. Harrison is playing great this year. Johnson is capable of playing great. These guys are not being put in position to make actual plays on the ball - they all look reactive...a step slow almost, leading to penalties - that is coaching. If players are confused, that is coaching.

Woods needs to get his head out of his ass and spend the next three days figuring out what the fuck is going on with this secondary or else we are going to make Teddy Bridgewater look like Joe Montainya.

Harrison is arguably the biggest "I don't know what the fuck I'm supposed to be doing in coverage" offender on the entire defense.

Delpit has to play more ASAP.

 

[The Oi]

I just purchased firejoewoods.com

Head over for nuanced Browns takes every Monday until this season is over in early December