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The former NFL scout and player, Bucky Brooks, knows the ins and outs of this league, which allows him to have a glimpse of his notebook. Topics in this edition include:
"Why Patriots Should not Trade Gronk
" Question the "Madden" Rank for One of the NFL's Biggest Stars
"The Offensive Coordinator Under pressure in 2018
But first, take a look at the five tandems of play-call in the NFL today …
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If you interview coaches from the old school on the NFL, they will quickly tell you that it's a "league of players," but coaching matters when it comes to building a winning franchise. That's what my defensive coordinator (Willie Shaw) said with the Oakland Raiders during my time in the league as a player and I believe his comments still have some weight to this day.
great players in key positions, but they have coaches with the ability to elevate the performance of these players with their game designs and their calls. I saw Mike Holmgren and the late Fritz Shurmur in Green Bay in the mid-1990s, when I spent three-season games with the team. Holmgren designed an attack around Brett Favre that helped him to win three consecutive NFL MVP honors without a scorer in the lineup. Without wishing to disrespect Antonio Freeman, Mark Chmura, Keith Jackson and others, the team did not have a Level A playmaker. No. 4 was the best quarterback of the game.
Shurmur took a Reggie White unit, with a handful of veterans, made her the best defense of football. While observers will remember how he unleashed White as the dominant pass leader in the line of scrimmage, I believe it's his job with LeRoy Butler that really helped the Packers become a Super Bowl winner during this period. Shurmur put No. 36 in a position to prosper as a hybrid security / nickel defender positioned near the line of scrimmage. Butler has revolutionized the security position as a "big nickel" defender with blitz and coverage responsibilities on the verge of becoming a perpetual All-Pro player during this period
Remember, security does not matter. were not used before Butler, and it took a forerunner like Shurmur to rearrange his system to maximize his skills as an original hybrid security. After watching how this move elevated Butler's game and helped the Packers defense reach a championship level, I am convinced that a top-notch coach can improve the best players while transforming the game of the game. Unity as a whole.
With this in mind, I believe it is the perfect time to take a look at teams with the best offensive and defensive players on the same stick. Here are my five defensive offensive and defensive tandems.
1) Sean McVay and Wade Phillips, Los Angeles Rams: It's not a coincidence that the Rams have become Super Bowl contenders with a high octane defense attack of the defense. McVay is an offensive wizard with a creative mind and an innovative approach. He not only elevated the game of a young quarterback (Jared Goff) who was considered a bust in some quarters but he revived a halfback (Todd Gurley) coming out of a second year crisis which led to questions about his game. With McVay also creating an explosive aerial attack with a handful of receivers that get scores B or B-plus from the majority of the raters, the young Rams player deserves congratulations for his ability to put points on the board with a bunch of moving parts. Defensively, Phillips is one of the best in the industry, using a defense that is built around pass rushes and cover corners. The astute defensive gambler can help turn pass rushers into monsters (see Shawne Merriman, DeMarcus Ware, JJ Watt, Aaron Donald and others) while trusting the top cornerbacks to defend against first recipients. Given their collective ability to elevate the game of their players with creative tactics, McVay and Phillips deserve the top spot on the list.
2) Josh McDaniels, Brian Flores and Bill Belichick, New England Patriots: For all the credit that Tom Brady gets for guiding the Super Bowl Patriots on what appears to be an annual base You could argue that the team houses the best coaches in the league according to their ability to win with a list that lacks a lot of star power. The brilliance of McDaniels is often overshadowed by the size of TB12, but the clever gaming player earns high marks for his ability to build game plans and make adjustments in the game on the fly. Using a flexible system that moves from a pass-centric approach to a heavy emphasis based on the weaknesses of the opponent, McDaniels always finds a way to illuminate the dashboards around the league with a lots of "specialists" specific to each role. Contributors The combination of Belichick-Flores should continue to produce excellent results for the Patriots, with the team intent on forcing opponents to play "left-handed" (far from their offensive strengths) in the key moments. Although Flores, who replaces Matt Patricia, will have to learn the ropes as a new player, Belichick's presence should help the Patriots' defense to make the necessary tactical adjustments to play at a high level by the end of the season.
3) Doug Pederson and Jim Schwartz, Philadelphia Eagles: There were doubts about the creativity and adaptability of the Eagles coaching team, they were answered during the team championship. Pederson set up a coaching clinic, adjusting the Eagles 'attack to fit Nick Foles' talents as QB2 after Carson Wentz fell with a knee injury. With Pederson, a long-time former quarterback, who helped Wentz play at the MVP level before the injury by incorporating hobby options and some other creative tactics, the Eagles head coach deserves the props for his offensive magic. as a game caller. Schwartz will not let you down with exotic blitzes and intricate stunts, but he has managed to bring out a top five of his unit with a simple system that allows his players to play fast and free between the lines. Whether it's the defensive endings that harass the quarterback from a "wide-9" lineup or the secondary cleavage quarterback in a mere zone pattern, the Eagles' defense plays like a pack of wolves under his direction. Considering the Eagles' success as a top five scoring offense and top five scoring offense, it's hard to think of much better combinations than Pederson and Schwartz
4) Ken Whisenhunt and Gus Bradley, Los Angeles Chargers: The Bolts' success at the end of the season was triggered by the offensive and defense that found their pace in the far right. The team has collected six wins in the last seven games. The Chargers looked like a team no one would want to face in the playoffs. Part of the team's success can be attributed to Whisenhunt's ability to design a big power offensive around his veteran quarterback, Philip Rivers. The old-school gaming player will set up "shots" (deep balls) for his play-action quarterback while scripting in some high percentage "layups" (short passes) to help the offense stay in the rhythm. In addition, Whisenhunt will "feed the pig" to make sure his superior offensive weapon (Keenan Allen) has enough keys to affect the game. He used this tactic to help Larry Fitzgerald play MVP at of a surprising Super Bowl race with the Cardinals of Arizona in 2008. He dusted off this scenario to release Allen as a dynamic playmaker in 2017. Melvin Gordon also found his way runner under the Whisenhunt's leadership, the sly offensive architect certainly knows how to build an explosive offense that maintains enough balance to handle the physical defenses in the AFC. On the defensive side of the ball, Bradley remains simple so his players can "jostle and sink" to the ball without hesitation. Passes are the key to unit success and his creative deployment of Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram creates chaos at the line of scrimmage. With his simple designs creating constant pressure on the edges, Bradley sets the table for Casey Hayward and Co. to squat on the roads and feast on tips and spills in the backend. The perfectly coordinated run and passing cover are a thing of beauty to watch, which bears witness to Bradley's attention to details as a teacher. Given the presence of first-rate coordinators on both sides of the ball, the Chargers should be considered legitimate contenders for the Super Bowl this season.
5) Pat Shurmur and James Bettcher, New York Giants: Rejected afterward in the NFC East, observers should pay special attention to the Giants because of the collective ability of coaches to improve performance of their players. Shurmur is a superb tactician with a solid reputation for simplifying the game for his quarterback and elevating the game of his team's leading playmakers through his game designs. Last season, he helped Case Keenum play MVP and made Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen the league's most fearsome punch on the perimeter as the premier game designer in Minnesota. With two-time Super Bowl MVP Eli Manning at quarterback and a support team that is one of the most explosive players in the game (Odell Beckham, Jr.) and three emerging stars (Evan Engram, Sterling Shepard and Saquon Barkley), we could see Shurmur set up the best NFL attack in his first season at work. Defensively, Bettcher does not get enough credit for his outstanding job as Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator from 2015 to 17. He not only presided over a defense that did not finish at less than sixth overall in each of his three seasons at the helm, but he did so using a blitz-heavy system that blurred opponents with exotic pressures of five and six. Considering the success of guys like Chandler Jones (NFL leader in 2017), Tyrann Mathieu and Patrick Peterson appreciated in the system, it's easy to imagine the best Giants players – Olivier Vernon, Landon Collins and Janoris Jenkins – In this regard, the Giants coordinators are carving a place on this list in anticipation of a remarkable turnaround this season.
ON THE HOT SEAT? THE SARKISIAN MUST LAUNCH THE OCCASION SINCE YEAR 2
Speaking of coordinators, I do not know if there is an offensive coordinator of the NFL with more pressure on his shoulders than Steve Sarkisian. The Atlanta Falcons striker is facing criticism stemming from the regression of the offensive there is a season.
The most explosive NFL offense in 2016 fell to 15 in offensive and eighth in total attack in 2017. unit that finished first and second, respectively, in both categories there are two seasons under Kyle Shanahan, then coordinator. The offensive also producing fewer first tries (from 23.7 per game in 2016 to 20.6 in 2017) and losing the battle of turnover (from -11 in 2016 to minus-2 in 2017) with the same team of players in Sarkisian for driving the Lamborghini off the road.
The former head coach of the university was roasted for the regression of the unit and some wondered if head coach Dan Quinn would bring him back, given the difficulties of l & # 39; offensive. To his credit, DQ did not let his coordinator dry up after insisting that Sarkisian continue to run Shanahan's system instead of his. In fact, Quinn seemed to be waiting for a difficult transition for Sarkisian in first year, and now it seems that he expects his interlocutor to play his rhythm during his second season at work.
"He has long called plays, but not in this system with this team with these players," Quinn said after an off-season training session in June, via ESPN.com. so that he knows very well how to play and how to use it, and go through the whole off season and checking things, this part has been pretty cool … Yes, I would say that you can definitely make a jump "
Hmmm … The Falcons head coach certainly makes valid arguments about the growth potential of his 2nd year coordinator. Sarkisian spent the year 2017 learning essentially a foreign language through immersion and did not know how to communicate or orchestrate the unit. Of course, he could have understood what concepts he wanted to feature, but the verbiage may be radically different and the communication challenges could have prevented Sarkisian from using some of the best Falcons calls.
In addition, the language barrier has probably distracted the interlocutor from the study of the strengths and weaknesses of his best playmakers, which influences the way and the place where they touch the perimeter. With a full off season to master the verbiage and more time to study his players under his guidance, Sarkisian should have a better chance of developing a more effective and explosive attack.
"I think the most important for me is general level comfort," Sarkisian told reporters during team-organized activities, according to the team's website. "When I arrived a year ago, he was learning the system that was in place, he was learning the players who were in place. In year 2, I have a year in the system. [I] I need settings that I think are necessary for this attack to continue to grow.
"I have a very good understanding of all the players and things on which they are really good, on which they may have to work, things that I would be hard put to put in a position to do. I think all these things put me in a very different level of comfort, where you feel good every day. "
I can not tell you enough how Sarkisian fully understands the system and its staff The Falcons produce fireworks This season, and the coordinator now understands which courses are best suited to Julio Jones, Mohammad Sanu and Austin Hooper, as well as how to best deploy Devonta Freeman and Tevin Coleman
. Although some claim that a good coordinator should be able to quickly find a way to bring the ball to the team's playmakers, I believe the challenge of learning a new System that is not your favorite program to evaluate players makes it difficult said a former offensive coordinator of the NFL: "You have to understand what your players are doing well and put them constantly in a position to do those things .. this is the challenge for most callers. How do you mix the pieces you like with the ones that are best for your playmakers? "
It's even trickier when you do not know the system like the back of your hand because you can not call the adjustments or tags needed to exploit a defense or improve your leader's games. This is particularly difficult when you are trying to build a game plan around a quarter that is comfortable with the previous scheme and how the calls were sequenced. could depend on the growing relationship between Matt Ryan and Sarkisian.
"I think that in the end, we are really mentally connected in the game, where he can almost anticipate the game calls that are coming," A Sarkisian said about the next step with Ryan. "And he understands why these calls are playing and what they are doing. … we're going to take a meaningful leap just between Matt and me. He begins to understand my personality the way I call him, and I understand his personality of what he likes in specific situations. "
Given the importance Ryan and Sarkisian must achieve a level of trust that is based on communication and cooperation: they must reach a compromise on how the offense will unfold and the best tempo to play to help the quarterback perform. "Everything is about the quarterback," said the former offensive coordinator of the NFL. "As a game caller, you have to go to him to see what he likes and build around that. … It does not matter how much you like a certain game or a set of pieces. If the quarterback does not like it or can not grab it all, you have to throw it away. … He is the one with the ball, so you have to put him in a comfort zone that allows him to play well. "
At this point, the offensive coordinator must manage this relationship while getting the ball to the No For the Falcons, it's all about feeding Jones and letting others eat his leftovers: he's without doubt the best receiver of the game, but he only got three points in 2017 and has converted only one of his 19 chips.This is an unacceptable production for a WR1 d & # 39; Elite, and Sarkisian must find a way to remedy this to help the Falcons to return to the ranks of the offensive elite.
Looking at the pictures of the 22 coaches The Falcons could take advantage to take more shots at number 11 on the edge of the red zone in order to avoid some of the complex combination that appears inside the 20-yard line court line or move Jones around for prevent the defense f Sarkisian must find a way to create more chances to score for his WR1 in 2018. [19659008] Given the nature of this season's make-or-break for Sarkisian, it would be wise for him to get Ryan and Jones on the same page by creating a script that allows all the best Falcon dogs to eat on the perimeter.
I know it's easier said than done, but the explosive video game of Dirty Birds has to come back for the team to play a home match at the stadium Mercedes-Benz at the Super Bowl LIII.
CONVERSION TO TWO POINTS: Rapid Developments Across the NFL
1) The Pats must in no way exchange Gronk. I know we're in the middle of the dead period for NFL news, but I do not believe in the hype around a possible trade of Rob Gronkowski five times at the Pro Bowl. Despite the stalemate of the contract at the heart of the friction between the receiver of the passes and the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick absolutely can not sell this game. The No. 87 gives the team the best chance of winning this year.
Now, I know that Belichick has expelled or fired lawyers such as Malloy, Richard Seymour, Chandler Jones and others while they were at their peak, but there is something different to about this one. Gronkowski is not only the No. 1 offensive weapon of the Patriots, but it is Tom Brady's security cover, and the attack is not the same without him.
The 6-foot-6, 265-pound catcher led the Patriots last season in receptions, receptions, and touchdown receptions, despite double coverage and support combinations for opponents. The All-Pro quad has accumulated an impressive 15.7 yards per receiving, which is rare in producing big games for a tight end. These numbers only add to a glowing resume that includes 474 career receptions, 7,177 receiving yards and 76 touchdowns. Gronk is the gold standard at the position, and the exchange would leave the Patriots without one of their few A-level players.
Let's be realistic. The Patriots' lineup is not filled with first-rate talent (TB12, No. 87 and perhaps Devin McCourty) and any subtraction could paralyze the team's chances of making another run. at the Lombardi Trophy.
Of course, the team was able to absorb Gronkowski's loss in previous seasons (see 2016), but these squads had enough ammo in place at the slots positions (Julian Edelman and Martellus Bennett) to retain him in his absence. Not to mention that TB12 was in place so that everything went well when things went wrong.
In 2018, I do not know if you can continue to count on a 41-year-old quarterback to continue doing more with less. At some point, the Patriots must support their veteran QB1 to relieve some of the burden on his shoulders to carry the offensive charge. Even though No. 87 is not on the field, the Patriots' back half can become bigger players, but I do not know if a backfield with James White, Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead and D & # Others is enough to trigger a running championship.
"I like their room for maneuver and the way they create and exploit mismatches, but Gronkowski is the drip of water that stirs the drink in New England," said a former defensive coordinator of the NFL who has spent years battling the Patriots. "It dictates the coverage and requires you to double it or double it, and when it receives all the attention, it allows those other players to work against an individual coverage, if it is not. not there, I do not think there is "
With this in mind, I know that there are draft buffs who would like to have the opportunity to talk to a pro player from Pro Bowl The Road The problem with this strategy is the unknown nature of what you will receive in exchange for No. 87 (many 1s are not a guarantee) .Although its dominance and production suggest that it is worthy multiple round-robin choices, Gronkowski's injury history decreases its value in the open market. "Not to mention, you have to write the right players to have an immediate impact.
Although Jimmy Graham was traded to Seattle Seahawks with a fourth-round pick for a first-round pick (31 in total al) and a Pro Player of caliber (Max Unger center), Graham was just a fifth-year veteran at the time of the exchange, not entering his ninth season as Gronk.
"I do not think you can get a No. 1 for him," said an NFC staff manager. "He has a high number of cap and injury history that makes it difficult to commit more than a number 2. In addition, you have rumors about a possible retreat to the horizon … I do not I do not think I can give up a first choice for him. "
Another scout expressed a similar feeling when I ran a possible trade scenario through him.
"There is a lot of information about Gronkowski regarding retirement," said an AFC official. "He also had a series of serious injuries … If I knew I had to have a Gronkowski in good health, I think it's better a first-round pick, but this version is probably worth a number 2 that can go to a No. 1's so he is able to stay healthy. "
Based on these opinions, this could explain why the Patriots did not treat No. 87 at this point . They are probably looking for a # 1 plus another top choice choice for their branded player, but teams could be messed up at the price tag. So, they might be inclined to hang on to Gronkowski until someone softens the jar.
Regardless of its commercial value, I do not think the Patriots can trade their best offensive weapon if they are really trying to win a Super Bowl ring this season. Gronkowski gives the Patriots their best chance of winning, and removing him from the lineup would send a message into the locker room that other things are at stake in Foxborough. Considering the backlash that Belichick has received from his own players and others as a result of his last mediatized staff move (beating Malcolm Butler), an exchange involving No. 87 could formally mark the end of his race as a & dquo; Championship coach in New England.
2) J.J. Watt's "Madden" note raises questions. I do not know if you have paid attention to the recent publication of the "Madden" player ratings, but the Twitter feed has almost exploded from the comments of the players contesting their ratings on the game.
While the Observers Wonder Why Players I think it's worth checking out how Madden staff ranked the top players in the league because of the correlation between how their evaluators stack their tables and how scouts of the NFL rank the players in their respective wars. rooms.
With this in mind, I could not wait to see this year's revelations to see the order of the best players and how the Madden people enjoyed certain players and positions. Although I'm not surprised to see the quarterbacks and go-anywhere on the list due to the pass-centric nature of the game and the NFL, I was shocked to see JJ Watt listed as the One of the top 10 players. In addition, I can not believe that he got a grade of 98, which placed him on the same line as Julio Jones and Khalil Mack.
He did not disrespect the NFL's triple defensive player of the year, but he deserved the second-highest rating of the game, even though he missed most of the last two seasons with injury. While it's unfortunate that the injuries have slowed down one of the most impressive four-year races ever played by a defensive player, you can not allow Watt's past performance to have an impact. on his current class, especially when he is seriously injured.
These are the same struggles that general managers, coaches and scouts face when they are evaluating their own players and potential free agents, and that's one of the things to see this season unfold in Houston with Watt at the action.
"Looking at him and seeing him every day in the building, I would never bet against J.J. Watt," said Texans coach Bill O. Brien. "JJ Watt is a generational player in this league and he will be back, he will be back, he will be in top form again and I will look like he is, that's why I feel so good with him."
Here is the thing. Watt is all that O. Brien says, but his injury history is real . He has only played eight games since he won his third defensive player title of the year and there is no guarantee that we will see him dominate the league as he did when He has accumulated 69 bags in four seasons, demonstrating an exceptional combination of strength, power and explosiveness as a designated playmaker inside the fishing box. Measures 6 feet-5, 295 pounds, Watt played as a bull in a china shop, throwing blockers around the point of attack. La force brute du n ° 99 était écrasante pour la plupart des bloqueurs et son moteur sans arrêt le rendait presque imparable sur les tentatives de dépassement.
Cela dit, il sera difficile pour Watt de revenir à son niveau All-Pro avec des problèmes de jambes et de dos. Considérant comment N ° 99 a dominé les adversaires avec sa force explosive et sa puissance, il doit retrouver son mojo pour être un joueur de niveau A en tant que défenseur polyvalent le long de la ligne.
Pour les Texans, le retour de Watt est crucial car ils ont une énorme décision à prendre avec Jadeveon Clowney en jouant sur l'option de cinquième année de son contrat de recrue. Le Pro Bowler, qui a joué un temps, s'est aussi battu contre un assortiment de blessures au cours de son séjour à Houston, et les Texans pourraient être obligés de décider quelle passe de passe à payer dans l'intersaison de 2019.
Rappelez-vous que les Texans peuvent sortir de l'accord de Watt à la fin de l'année 2018 avec un minimum de dégâts en raison des termes de la prolongation de contrat de 100 millions de dollars qu'il a signé en 2014. Ainsi, l'équipe pourrait consulter le Madden Les cotes à la fin de l'année pour déterminer s'il faut rouler avec le triple joueur défensif de l'année ou attacher son wagon à une jeune étoile défensive qui cherche à marquer sa ligne défensive.
Suivre Bucky Brooks sur Twitter @BuckyBrooks .
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