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The waiver claim of Vitale got me thinking...

OCinBuffalo

By OCinBuffalo
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cale RFA

cale

Posted
Posted (edited)

I don't know much about Vitale. But based on this highlight reel, I think it's even more basic.

 

 

The kid can catch the ball out of the backfield. The play action pass out of a strong running game is the simplest explanation. Especially those wheel routes.

 

Or more importantly Jon Gruden's favorite play Spider 2 Y Banana. A staple in WCOs.

 

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/jon-gruden-spider-2-y-banana-play-monday-night-football-explained-video-history-what-it-means/kxcnsl13211n1nw261jlmro7s

 

Vitale can run this all day long and catch balls that would make him hard to defend.

C

Edited by cale
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3rdand12 Hall of Famer

3rdand12

Posted
Posted

I don't know much about Vitale. But based on this highlight reel, I think it's even more basic.

 

 

The kid can catch the ball out of the backfield. The play action pass out of a strong running game is the simplest explanation. Especially those wheel routes.

 

Or more importantly Jon Gruden's favorite play Spider 2 Y Banana. A staple in WCOs.

 

http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/jon-gruden-spider-2-y-banana-play-monday-night-football-explained-video-history-what-it-means/kxcnsl13211n1nw261jlmro7s

 

Vitale can run this all day long and catch balls that would make him hard to defend.

 

C

Geebus i love a good highlight reel !!

Thanks for the share C

 

:)

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klos63 Veteran

klos63

Posted
Posted

...yes, it's always a danger to many when I start thinking, I know.

 

However, I've done some research on Vitale, which only adds to my prior thinking, after seeing us run the wishbone :lol: last game. I noticed his position was "super-back" at Northwestern, because he would line up in so many different positions. The Bucs drafted him, and some of their fans hyped it, because of this versatility, and because he was thought of as a possible successor to Mike Alstott.

 

However, during their camp, 2 things became clear: 1. They already had 5 TEs on their roster(so...why the F did you draft him with your 6, and ask him to not be versatile, but play straight TE instead?) 2. He didn't block better than the other 5 TEs, which is ostensibly why they released him. The entire thing seems like an exercise in stupid choices.

 

Now, we pick him up. Hey, he was a NFL Combine champion, so why not, right? No. There are some key differences to our offense compared to theirs both from a scheme and personnel viewpoint:

Personnel: we have Shady, Reggie(Gil is a backup to these 2), Williams, and Gronkowski made the team. They have 3 RBs total(including Doug Martin who requires being featured), no Fullback, and all of their TEs are "standard" TE body-types.

 

Scheme: First, understand that I'm talking "normal offense" here. Anybody can line up anybody for things like goal line, 4th down and inches, etc. Tampa runs some 2 TEs plays(or else why did you keep 5?), but, they are never going to do anything more than have a single back, or no back, with only 3 RBs on the team.

 

Our scheme...is where things get interesting. We already expect to see RB/FB/TE/WR/WR on the field for say 30% of the plays, at least. That is a Roman base package. We should see RB/RB/TE/WR/WR, or, RB/RB/FB/TE/WR given Reggie Bush.

 

So, why Vitale? To compete with Gronk? Nah. He's more of a pass catcher than a runner, but, unlike a normal TE, he can run the football. How about to compete with our other TEs? Maybe. But, we already have Clay, and O'Leary is already the pass-catching TE type, who made the team because his blocking improved(thus, why would we claim a guy who's blocking hasn't?)

 

What the hell is it then? My hypothesis: we are getting set up to run the single-wing. Just replace the left side "end" with Cordy Glenn reporting as eligible. Perhaps not the actual single-wing, but something fairly close. Vitale is the wingback in that formation. Evidence: we kept 4 OTs, Henderson is good enough to start, and KJO could do the extra OT job too. There's your unbalanced guy(the single wing uses 3 OTs). Adding an extra OT is damaging to teams that are set up to defend the pass. Then, consider the buck-lateral series. Which, from, the link:

 

 

 

Vitale's "super-back" position is defined by the bolded above.

 

What's to stop us from going RB/FB/FB(or wing back)/TE or WR, with an extra OT, as called for by the single wing? Can you imagine the play action on that thing. Actually, it would be play actions, because we could be faking to 3 different guys coming out of the backfield(RB/FB/WB), at least one of whom will release into a short out pattern as a safety valve.

 

Also, consider the damage that a direct snap to Gronk/Vitale causes. He can "buck", which means run over the center, guards or extra tackle, or behind one of them as they pull. (EDIT: and don't forget, the extra lineman means double teams on all DTs, or firing right off the ball at the LBs) But, he can also hand the ball off to the QB, or pitch it back. :wacko: He can hand it off to the WB, as the WB cuts back across the field, where he can either run it, or, pitch it back to the QB or RB. Meanwhile, if the TE/WR or TE/TE or WR/WR have run patterns, it sets up a 2nd line of blockers behind the line, for the QB to wait until they get open. In all cases, it creates overloads, on either end, of more blockers, and bigger guys, that the CBs and Ss should lose to.

 

Rather than ask Vitale to block LBs and DEs, this scheme asks him to block CBs and Ss, or release into a pattern, both of which play to his his strengths.

 

I dunno about all this, but there has to be a reason we would pick this guy up, and right now, running the single wing, against defenses that are designed to blitz and cover, with smaller, faster guys? When you have bigger guys that are going to move the point of attack away from where the D wants it to be? And, you have a running QB, who is also athletic enough to run, then set his feet, then throw 60 yards down the field, as we saw against the Giants?

 

This seems like a logical explanation, at least.

I really doubt we are going to restructure our offense off a rookie we just picked up off the waiver wire. We are going to hand the ball off to McCoy a lot and we are going to try to throw to Sammy a lot.

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BuffaninATL Veteran

BuffaninATL

Posted
Posted

I really doubt we are going to restructure our offense off a rookie we just picked up off the waiver wire. We are going to hand the ball off to McCoy a lot and we are going to try to throw to Sammy a lot.

I would not consider it a restructuring as much as an expansion of the entire playbook & vision which GRo wants to roll out in season 2. Last year was just the 1st chapter.

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3rdand12 Hall of Famer

3rdand12

Posted
Posted (edited)

I would not consider it a restructuring as much as an expansion of the entire playbook & vision which GRo wants to roll out in season 2. Last year was just the 1st chapter.

absolutely

and i am expecting a compelling Novel

Edited by 3rdand12
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hondo in seattle All Pro

hondo in seattle

Posted
Posted (edited)

I really doubt we are going to restructure our offense off a rookie we just picked up off the waiver wire. We are going to hand the ball off to McCoy a lot and we are going to try to throw to Sammy a lot.

 

Man, what a party pooper! But I'm sure you're right.

 

Still, it's interesting to wonder what Greg Roman, the mad scientist, might cook up with versatile athletes.

Edited by hondo in seattle
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klos63 Veteran

klos63

Posted
Posted

 

Man, what a party pooper! But I'm sure you're right.

 

Still, it's interesting to wonder what Greg Roman, the mad scientist, might cook up with versatile athletes.

I swear I didn't know we were going to cut him today. Now what will Roman do????

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