A note on the base nickel vs the 4/3

[MasterStrategist]

1 hour ago, Simon said:

 

I agree that was a factor in the first two weeks, but last night with a healthy Taron against a fast team against whom they have run almost 100% nickel over the last couple years, they suddenly ran a 4-3 for about a third of the game again. 🤷‍♂️

Well another reason, is Miami came into this game really struggling with pass pro.

 

Notice how balanced Miami was with run/pass, like never before...even with us in 4-3 looks more as you said.

 

Miami wanted to eat clock too, play more small ball and cater a bit more to their banged up OL.  

 

McD/Babich going more 4-3, presses their hand to throw more...perhaps we liked our front 4 getting pressure, and sorta baiting them into it.  

 

All I know is we just played 2 of 3 very run heavy opponents, and Taron was limited all week leading up/not 100% yet for Miami.  Too limited of a sample yet, but Im at least encouraged that we finally have a 3rd and 4th LB worth potentially running more base 4-3 with.

[pennstate10]

5 hours ago, Simon said:

 

Yeah, when Lewis comes on when they go into a dime they'll often only leave Bernard on the field at LB.

I don’t understand why Bills never play press coverage with their 6 DB alignment. 
 

Especially on third and long against Tua. 
 

Tuas game is short  precise timing. I know 10 and 17 are really fast, but that’s why you have 2 safeties. 

[Fan in Chicago]

5 hours ago, RunTheBall said:

I think it’s an acknowledgement that the defense we’ve had for the last few years isn’t getting it done in the playoffs. We are seeing more 4-3, more 5 man fronts, more DE’s rushing over guards. We will be playing a lot more man coverage once Hairston gets up to speed. This defense is going to look significantly different once the guys who are injured/suspended come back into the fold. I think we are seeing them experiment with multiple looks/fronts so we aren’t as predictable as we have been.

 

Experimentation is what I am leaning towards as well. We have several new players, including rookies, on this team. Perhaps Babich and McD are trying different things especially against inferior opponents like the Jets and Dolphins. Especially knowing that errors will be covered up by our superlative O.

Barring injuries, I am expecting a stifling defense in the second half of the season against tough opponents. They may still continue to protect players against inferior opponents to save them for the playoffs. I agree that we are just building for the playoffs 

[AKC]

46 minutes ago, pennstate10 said:

I don’t understand why Bills never play press coverage with their 6 DB alignment. 
 

Especially on third and long against Tua. 
 

Tuas game is short  precise timing. I know 10 and 17 are really fast, but that’s why you have 2 safeties. 

We played plenty of press in the Fish game. On their 4th and 4 we had Tre White pressing Waddle. Not only did Waddle get off the line untouched, he basically broke Tre’s ankles. 3 yards into his route Tre was 3 yards behind him. 

[pennstate10]

7 hours ago, AKC said:

We played plenty of press in the Fish game. On their 4th and 4 we had Tre White pressing Waddle. Not only did Waddle get off the line untouched, he basically broke Tre’s ankles. 3 yards into his route Tre was 3 yards behind him. 

Yeah,I saw that. 
if you don’t get your hands on the WR, you’re not really playing press. It’s some sort of fake press bail. 

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

Could be because you don't have Hyde and Poyer behind them to cover up issues in front of them.

[AKC]

1 hour ago, pennstate10 said:

if you don’t get your hands on the WR, you’re not really playing press. It’s some sort of fake press bail. 

I think the past Super Bowl got plenty of attention with our coaching staff. Mahomes has thrived on our off coverage but the Eagles disrupted him with soft press coverage. Their DBs press at the LOS and can electively jam their assignment, impede their release without contact or drop out of the press. Hairston was drafted with that in mind. Babich wants to do it but Tre looks like the Achilles. I noticed 3 of the 3rd/4th down must have plays for the Fish targeted and succeeded by going at Tre. I haven’t watched the All 22s but it would surprise me if that number isn’t higher. Tre is currently over performing against the run but he can’t play Babich’s LOS coverage which is more athleticism/less cerebrality. IMO Tre is just a bad fit for what Babich wants to do and the sooner we get a superior athlete at CB2 the better our playoff hopes become.

[K-9]

1 hour ago, AKC said:

I think the past Super Bowl got plenty of attention with our coaching staff. Mahomes has thrived on our off coverage but the Eagles disrupted him with soft press coverage. Their DBs press at the LOS and can electively jam their assignment, impede their release without contact or drop out of the press. Hairston was drafted with that in mind. Babich wants to do it but Tre looks like the Achilles. I noticed 3 of the 3rd/4th down must have plays for the Fish targeted and succeeded by going at Tre. I haven’t watched the All 22s but it would surprise me if that number isn’t higher. Tre is currently over performing against the run but he can’t play Babich’s LOS coverage which is more athleticism/less cerebrality. IMO Tre is just a bad fit for what Babich wants to do and the sooner we get a superior athlete at CB2 the better our playoff hopes become.

I can’t argue your larger point about Tre and those concerns, but I have to disagree that it was the Eagles CB coverage schemes that played a major factor in their SB win. More than any single factor was the Eagles’ ability to get big pressure from four rushers and dropping seven in coverage that did more than anything else in making Mahomes miserable and that’s what got our coach’s attention more than anything imo. I think that was reflected in both free agency and the draft. 

[BigAl2526]

In the first two games, I thought that Buffalo may have felt the 4-3 was a more effective way of containing potent running games with Derrick Henry and Breece Hall.  Miami doesn't fit that however.  Taron Johnson's health could be a contributing factor as could Shaq Thompson's experience.  Cam Lewi, who can fill in for Taron Johnson is also banged up a bit. Thompson did have a beautiful TFL in the Miami game.

Edited September 20 by BigAl2526

[AKC]

25 minutes ago, K-9 said:

I can’t argue your larger point about Tre and those concerns, but I have to disagree that it was the Eagles CB coverage schemes that played a major factor in their SB win. More than any single factor was the Eagles’ ability to get big pressure from four rushers and dropping seven in coverage that did more than anything else in making Mahomes miserable and that’s what got our coach’s attention more than anything imo. I think that was reflected in both free agency and the draft. 

Absolutely the overall key to their D performance was their Dline dominance and they were really only playing man on 3rd downs. When they did press up they were effective in muddying everything for Mahomes on 3rd down where they were only 3 for 11 converting. 

[K-9]

1 minute ago, AKC said:

Absolutely the overall key to their D performance was their Dline dominance and they were really only playing man on 3rd downs. When they did press up they were effective in muddying everything for Mahomes on 3rd down where they were only 3 for 11 converting. 

Yep. Mahomes looked downright skittish at times, which I’d not seen in him before. 

[BearNorth]

20 hours ago, 17islongenough said:

I saw Cam Lewis in there yesterday.  We're they running a defense with 1 LB?

I think they were running a dime package, 3 CB's 3 S's 1 LB [Bernard].  Lewis can play both CB and S.