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Benoit's tweet about Hyde and how it relates to 2017 Bills D

Logic

By Logic
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Logic All Pro

Logic

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So today Andy Benoit tweeted the following. Forgive me, but I have no idea how to embed Tweets.

https://twitter.com/Andy_Benoit

Micah Hyde will be missed. He was big reason #Packers were comfortable playing so much nickel and dime packages on 1st+2nd down.

Interesting comment in and of itself. Hyde, I think, was a lot more important a signing than many realized, and NOT as a traditional every down safety.

How is this relevant to the Bills? Well, take the following article:


http://www.heraldonline.com/sports/nfl/carolina-panthers/article12310142.html


"Carolina being in nickel for nearly 94 percent of its defensive snaps last week was by far the most the Panthers have done this season. In wins against Tampa Bay and Detroit, Carolina was in nickel for 71 percent and 77 percent of the snaps, respectively."


Obviously, the percentage of time that teams are in nickel defense is up across the league and climbing every year. McDermott's Panthers defenses in particular, though, seemed to employ this tactic to great effect the last couple of seasons.

This tells me that OLB is perhaps slightly less of a need than CB and S at this point. CB because we still need bodies there and S because Hyde won't be a full time safety. We still NEED an OLB, of course, but to the extent that the Bills will likely spend so much time in a nickel and thus, will only have two LBs on the field, I can't help but wonder if they feel pretty good about Preston and Reggie and feel the more pressing needs lie in the secondary.

Anyway...excited to see what Hyde brings to this defense!

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billspro Veteran

billspro

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So really we are going to be a nickel based defence rather than a 4-3. We need more corners and more hybrids. Seems like this system is built on versatile players. Hyde can play S, hybrid S/LB, and nickel.

 

Peppers fits a similar type of mold in the draft. The next most versatile defender in the draft would be Reddick. It will be interesting if that trend continues.

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ajmac Practice Squad

ajmac

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That may Ben the thinking at OBD and r a son behind notmgoing hard after Zach. Peppers, Reddick, Tabor, all good options. Don't you think Ihedigbo would fit that profile? I think his skills as a hybrid-zone scheme player are really above average. Man cover, not so much...might we bring him back?

 

Interesting to say the least. Thanks OP. Nice post.

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WhitewalkerInPhilly Veteran

WhitewalkerInPhilly

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I know I've mentioned it before, but I honestly wouldn't be shocked if we are building a base Big Nickel, and I think that our FA targets, or more specifically who and what we haven't targeted, seem to reflect that.

 

Right now, we only have two established starters at Linebacker: Brown and Ragland. Yes, we have Lawson, but last year he was used more like how Hughes and Lawson are set to be this year as outside rushers.

 

Neither Brown nor Ragland are amazing in coverage (Brown is ok, Ragland we didn't get to see but is more projected as a thumper). Rather than really getting on the bandwagon for Zach, we feel ok letting him shop the market for a long period of time, so he doesn't seem like a huge priority.

 

But we've already heard that McDermott likes to play a safety in the box, so what if we are planning to drop Hyde into the box and run with two other safeties?

 

Here's a writeup on the formation:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000375711/article/big-nickel-package-emerging-as-nfls-hottest-defensive-trend

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000375711/article/big-nickel-package-emerging-as-nfls-hottest-defensive-trend

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PaattMaann Veteran

PaattMaann

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Makes sense...the NFL is obviously now the Passing League (except our Bills), so your defense should reflect that. This is not new, even Fat Rex said when he was hired that the base defense isnt a big deal (it obviously was, dumbass) because you spend the majority of your time on defense in your nickel and dime packages...

 

I could see a situation where Hyde is used as a hybrid LB/coverage guy, being on the field at the same time as two other safeties often.

 

I just want coach McD to put the best 11 defenders on the field at the same time

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rowisu80 Probation

rowisu80

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I know I've mentioned it before, but I honestly wouldn't be shocked if we are building a base Big Nickel, and I think that our FA targets, or more specifically who and what we haven't targeted, seem to reflect that.

 

Right now, we only have two established starters at Linebacker: Brown and Ragland. Yes, we have Lawson, but last year he was used more like how Hughes and Lawson are set to be this year as outside rushers.

 

Neither Brown nor Ragland are amazing in coverage (Brown is ok, Ragland we didn't get to see but is more projected as a thumper). Rather than really getting on the bandwagon for Zach, we feel ok letting him shop the market for a long period of time, so he doesn't seem like a huge priority.

 

But we've already heard that McDermott likes to play a safety in the box, so what if we are planning to drop Hyde into the box and run with two other safeties?

 

Here's a writeup on the formation:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000375711/article/big-nickel-package-emerging-as-nfls-hottest-defensive-trend

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap3000000375711/article/big-nickel-package-emerging-as-nfls-hottest-defensive-trend

awesome stuff.

almost seems like the stuff that Juaron tried ..unsuccessfully, with guys like Coy Wire and others

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Maynard RFA

Maynard

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I thought the Hyde pickup was amazing. I remembered watching GB on a few occasions last year and all I'd hear by the announcer was "Micah Hyde" repeated over and and over again. At that time I thought who the heck is this guy, he was everywhere!!

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rowisu80 Probation

rowisu80

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That's like saying, "Just buy that Ford Focus for $35,000. If it turns out to be a piece of crap vehicle, then we can always park it in the back yard and plant flowers in it!"

hahahaha...best analogy I've read in a while

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Chilly All Pro

Chilly

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McDermott may only use two LBs but they need to have great coverage skills while the CBs are playing zone.

 

IMO LB is a much bigger need than CB because none of our LBs are great at coverage right now. Really hope we get Zach back.

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Buffalo_Stampede Hall of Famer

Buffalo_Stampede

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That's why I could see Peppers on this team. Not saying I'd be a huge fan of the pick, but I could see that happening.

Looking at the last 2 years, Shaq Thompson only played 49% of the snaps last year and 33% as a rookie. You dont take a player to play that few snaps in the top 10 unless you're Buddy Nix and drafting CJ Spiller. The LBs that played the most were Keuchly and Davis. Davis I believe is also a converted safety but bigger.

 

But lets remember McD is head coach and letting Frazier run the D. Frazier has used slower LB's in the past.

Edited by TheTruthHurts
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Big Turk Hall of Famer

Big Turk

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Teams are in the nickel far more then people realize...greater than 50% of the time, across the NFL.

 

It's why the discussion of 4-3 vs 3-4 is largely irrelevant these days.

Edited by matter2003
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