Zone blitzes vs. Houston

[Simon]

Was it just me (or the beer?) or did anybody else think the Bills ran a lot fewer zone blitzes than they were in the preseason?

I wonder if they figured since they were playing a Dom Cpaers team that the Texan offense was used to seeing it freqiently in practice so they layed off a little bit?

It didn't turn out to be an issue as I was really pleasantly surprised by how much pressure we were able to generate from just our front4. That is a very rare thing for teams to be able to do in the modern NFL.

Cya

[Nanker]

Can't say, because I didn't see them in preseason, nor last Sunday.

I appreciate your analysis though. I wonder if they're going to continue to keeping Nate paired with Galloway all game or will he stay in place and take the rotation with Clayton.

[Simon]

I wonder if they're going to continue to keeping Nate paired with Galloway all game or will he stay in place and take the rotation with Clayton.

439629[/snapback]

 

I don't think there's any doubt that Clayton is Tampa's go-to guy. Galloway is OK but he's sort of a one-trick-pony who doesn't have the legs that he once did.

If the Bills are going ot have Nate chasing anybody it will certainly be Clayton. And while he's probably not as good as AndreJohnson, he's a very underrated guy who I would probably put in a list of top 15 NFL receivers.

Cya

[e-dog]

I'd be shocked if Clayton got the better of Clements. Andre Johnson is better than Clayton. Match them up and that should take Clayton out of the game, stuff the run, can't see Tampa scoring more than 10 pts. on the Bills defense. 23-10 Bills win.

[Lori]

Found this on the houstonprofootball.com board:

Sports Illustrated

 

Interesting quote from Troy Vincent in there.

[Simon]

Found this on the houstonprofootball.com board:

Sports Illustrated

 

Interesting quote from Troy Vincent in there.

439662[/snapback]

 

Nice find Lori, that quote's really surprising.

I'm not convinced that Texans are really that bad and I'm guessing Carr's dismal reaction is a result of just how bad a beating they took. They were totally overmatched on almost every square inch of field and I don't think anybody down there was expecting to get dominated like that in their opener.

The fact that the Bills could stun a team like that just running a 'nilla wafer defense (I didn't think they ran as many blitzes overall, not just zonedawgs, as they did in preseason) is sorta scary.

Of course TVincent could be lying through his teeth just to monkey with the Bucs.

Cya

[Coach Tuesday]

Actually Simon I thought they ran quite a few zone blitz "looks" - at least, they'd line up Kelsay all over the line (often at d-tackle next to Adams), and he'd either drop into coverage a few yards back off the line, or rush on a stunt. I think they were content to make the Texans worry about the zone blitz, whether or not they used it.

[Matt in KC]

Was it just me (or the beer?) or did anybody else think the Bills ran a lot fewer zone blitzes than they were in the preseason?

I wonder if they figured since they were playing a Dom Cpaers team that the Texan offense was used to seeing it freqiently in practice so they layed off a little bit?

It didn't turn out to be an issue as I was really pleasantly surprised by how much pressure we were able to generate from just our front4. That is a very rare thing for teams to be able to do in the modern NFL.

Cya

439615[/snapback]

From my notes (TiVo) they blitzed 20-22 times, threatened to blitz another 9 times or so (typically Posey at the line dropping off at the snap), had two 2 other odd formations where they only rushed four, but because of the design (Adams dropping back into coverage?!) I have to count it as a (zone) blitz. This compares to only 17 plays where they lined up and rushed four (btw 5 of these were on the drive the Texans scored their TD).

 

This was as much as they blitzed in the GB scrimmage, IND and GB PS games, and much more than they blitzed in the CHI and DET PS games. BTW, the D allowed the following # of points in PS: 10, 7, 16, 21, which seems directly (inversely) proportional to the amount they attacked on defense.

[Matt in KC]

Actually Simon I thought they ran quite a few zone blitz "looks" - at least, they'd line up Kelsay all over the line (often at d-tackle next to Adams), and he'd either drop into coverage a few yards back off the line, or rush on a stunt.  I think they were content to make the Texans worry about the zone blitz, whether or not they used it.

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On many 3rd and long plays, and the last three Houston series, they'd line up Denney-Adams-Kelsay-Schobel. At first I was worried Edwards might be hurt when he didn't come in the last few series until I re-watched the game and noticed this is a standard "package" on throwing downs for them.

[BillsWatch]

There were a lot of odd things going on in that defense. An example - we saw Kelsay and Denney lining up next to each other. Gray changed the defense so teams could not use tape from last year like Pittsburgh did to neutralize our defense.

[Simon]

Gray changed the defense so teams could not use tape from last year like Pittsburgh did to neutralize our defense.

Uhhhhh, until Willie Parker got loose for that 60yrdr in the 4thqrtr, the Stillers had put up about 150 yards of total offense, turned the ball over 4 times and gone about 1-10 on 3rddown. Not exactly what I would call "neutralizing" our defense.

 

 

From my notes (TiVo) they blitzed 20-22 times, threatened to blitz another 9 times or so (typically Posey at the line dropping off at the snap), had two 2 other odd formations where they only rushed four, but because of the design (Adams dropping back into coverage?!) I have to count it as a (zone) blitz. This compares to only 17 plays where they lined up and rushed four (btw 5 of these were on the drive the Texans scored their TD).

 

This was as much as they blitzed in the GB scrimmage, IND and GB PS games, and much more than they blitzed in the CHI and DET PS games.

 

Wow, those are some great notes you keep there CD! Nice work.

If they only zone blitzed twice, that is definitely less than they were showing it in the preseason.

Do your preseason notes have the blitz numbers broken down by half by any chance? If they blitzed 20 times in the GB and Indy games I wonder if 15 of those came in the first half when the starters were in. It just seemed that they were bringing extra guys at a much higher rate in teh preseason, or at least seemed like the starters were.

Thanx for the numbers mac.

Cya

[Matt in KC]

Uhhhhh, until Willie Parker got loose for that 60yrdr in the 4thqrtr, the Stillers had put up about 150 yards of total offense, turned the ball over 4 times and gone about 1-10 on 3rddown. Not exactly what I would call "neutralizing" our defense.

Wow, those are some great notes you keep there CD! Nice work.

If they only zone blitzed twice, that is definitely less than they were showing it in the preseason.

Do your preseason notes have the blitz numbers broken down by half by any chance? If they blitzed 20 times in the GB and Indy games I wonder if 15 of those came in the first half when the starters were in. It just seemed that they were bringing extra guys at a much higher rate in teh preseason, or at least seemed like the starters were.

Thanx for the numbers mac.

Cya

439868[/snapback]

Alright, I have to admit, I'm not sure what the zone blitz really is, that's one reason I'm paying close attention, trying to teach myself what they're doing. I can count the blitzes, that have more than four rushing, but what makes it a zone blitz, one of the front four dropping off into coverage?

 

I took careful notes on the GB scrimmage (wife out of town), and IND PS game, and only got part way into the GB PS game. Most of my comparison to preseason is anectdotal based on my increased attention to the first games documenting exactly who lined up where on the line. This game was the first time I bothered to note down and distance - - not sure why I didn't jot it down before.

 

Side note regarding my study of the D:

I lament not having a letterbox screen so I can see what's happening in the secondary when they shift. For those of you with HD, do the plays normally show the D secondary with that extra screen real estate?