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BDL 2018 Week 1: Orlando Ospreys @ Wichita Woodpeckers


Whicker

Orlando Ospreys @ Wichita Woodpeckers  

16 members have voted

  1. 1. Who wins?

    • Orlando Ospreys
    • Wichita Woodpeckers

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  • Poll closed on 09/12/2018 at 04:00 PM

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BDL 2018 Week 1

Vote for who you think would win the game.

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Players that have a (D) next to their name indicate that they are doubtful or unlikely to play. Players with (Q) are game-time decisions.

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Orlando Ospreys

Offensive Lineup

Starter   |   QB - Philip Rivers
Starter   |   RB - Alvin Kamara
Starter   |   WR - Mike Evans
Starter   |   WR - Allen Robinson
Starter   |   Slot WR - Chris Hogan
Starter   |   TE - Rob Gronkowski
Starter   |   OT - Taylor Lewan
Starter   |   OT - Lane Johnson
Starter   |   OG - Forrest Lamp
Starter   |   OG - Ali Marpet
Starter   |   OC - Mike Pouncey


Bench   |   QB - Patrick Mahomes II
Bench   |   RB - Chris Carson
Bench   |   RB - Ronald Jones II
Bench   |   WR - Sterling Shepard
Bench   |   WR - Willie Snead
Bench   |   TE - Jonnu Smith
Bench   |   OT - Garett Bolles
Bench   |   OG - Connor Williams

 

Defensive Lineup

Starter   |   Edge - Vic Beasley
Starter   |   Edge - Tyrone Crawford
Starter   |   INT - Ndamukong Suh
Starter   |   INT - Kenny Clark
Starter   |   LB - Bobby Wagner
Starter   |   LB - Christian Kirksey
Starter   |   LB - Demario Davis
Starter   |   CB - Jalen Ramsey
Starter   |   CB - James Bradberry
Starter   |   S - Keanu Neal
Starter   |   S - Rodney McLeod


Bench   |   Edge - Clay Matthews
Bench   |   Edge - Carl Lawson
Bench   |   INT - Michael Bennett
Bench   |   INT - Danny Shelton
Bench   |   CB - Kevin King
Bench   |   CB - Jaire Alexander
Bench   |   CB - Joe Haden
Bench   |   S - Eddie Jackson

 

 

Wichita Woodpeckers

QB - Jared Goff
RB - Leonard Fournette
WR - Michael Crabtree
WR - Jordy Nelson
WR - Larry Fitzgerald
TE - Greg Olsen
LT - Duane Brown
LG - Kelechi Osemele
C - Graham Glasglow
RG - Quentin Nelson
RT - Julien Davenport

Res:
QB: Sam Bradford
RB : Adrian Peterson
RB: Jordan Willits
WR : Kenny Stills
TE : Cameron Brate
C: Brett Jones
OT: Denzelle Good
OT: Garry Gilliam


DE: Adrian Clayborn
DT: Corey Peters
DT:  Jonathan Allen
DE: Brandon Graham
LB: Luke Kuechly
LB: Sean Lee
CB: Aqib Talib
FS: Harrison Smith
SS: Jaquiski Tartt
NCB: Ken Crawley
CB: Rashaan Melvin

Res:
DE Alex Okafor
DE Arden Key
LB Raekwon McMillan
LB Haasson Reddick
CB Cordrea Tankersley
CB Brian Poole
CB Tre Flowers
S Jabrill Peppers

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BDL 2018 Week 1

Orlando vs. Wichita Gameplan

Offensive

With the injury to Olivier Vernon, Orlando’s offensive line will provide a deep pocket of protection for P. Rivers to find his targets.   To combat their two outstanding linebackers we plan on running them all night, sending Alvin Kamara out wide on screens, reverses, counters and limiting the runs up the gut where we feel their interior lineman are better suited to stopping the run.

 In addition to Alvin sticking to the outside, Rob Gronkowski’s route tree will consist of out and corner routes designed to pull the linebackers and safeties outside to limit their safeties from free roaming as well as to clear out the middle of the field, opening it up for our receivers to take advantage of a shallow middle.

Our receiving crew will take advantage of their corner’s height weight speed, focusing their route tree on short to mid-range; post, dig, comeback, curl and slants.  It’ll take longer to move the chains but will eat up the clock.  Most importantly, it’ll keep their defense on the field longer, where we believe the depth of Wichita’s defense can be exploited. 

Our offensive schemes will utilize the Shotgun and Pistol formations, substituting the 3rd receiver for a blocking TE in certain packages.  The Shotgun will allow Rivers to view the field much quicker for the short to intermediate passing attack and the Pistol formation with the running back behind the quarterback allows us to disguise the direction of the screen or side of the field the play develops.   

Defense

Our injury at defensive end (Bosa) will limit our blitz off the edge, so rather than use our edge to predominantly blitz.  This base 43 defense will be focused on gap assignments to prohibit the run game, forcing everything back inside where our interior lineman can limit the yardage gained by their rushers.  Should Wichita focus on running the ball, we’re confident that our linebackers can make the stop regardless the direction of the play.  Our starting group at linebacker totaled 406 tackles last season.  Our goal in this game is to stuff the run game and keep the chains from moving at all on the ground.   With the idea of completely shutting down their running game, we’ll force their receivers to run, run and run some more, where we expect this group of aging vets to tire.

We’ll remain somewhat conservative on the line, only sending heavy blitz packages when the down and distance suggest pass (ie.1st and 15, 3rd and 8).    

Our secondary, will generally play in man coverage, giving safety K. Neal the freedom to roam and either Rodney McLeod or Eddie Jackson to cover the TE in either man or zone coverage.  Utilizing zone coverages when blitzing and where our opponent is putting less than 3 receivers on the field.  We like the cornerback matchups vs their receivers, with Jalen Ramsey and rookie first rounder Alexander mirroring their speed and Bradberry, Kevin King or Joe Haden being assigned to cover the rest.  At times, you’ll see both Eddie Jackson and pro bowler K. Neal on the field at the same time, providing additional pass coverage.  One deep in coverage the other glued down to cover the underneath routes.

 

 

 

Wichita Woodpeckers

Offense:
This week we face Orlando's LEO zone defense. In the LEO LBers and SS are brought closer to the line while the LEO/DE is often standing up and providing the main pass rush on the line as the rest of the line are supposed to be big and bulky guys that take up multiple blocks. The FS typically plays single high while the WRs are typically on their own. We look to exploit these tendencies this week.

Passing Game: The best strategy against the LEO are these:
1. Hit the WRs (Fitzgerald/Crabtree/Nelson) over the middle as LBers are playing in,  especially in matchups against Haden and Bradberry. Look for the slot man Larry Fitzgerald to win his matchup there.
2. Hit the WRs on flats and crossing routes especially to the sidelines as zone plays back in order to attempt to not get beat.
3. Hit Olsen on flats to the outside to win matchups against the LB/S that is tasked to cover him in order to get open quickly and get yardage after the catch.
- Utilize the WR/RB screen game as these types of plays go especially well in this type of defense.
- Look for some 2 TE sets (Olsen and Brate) with Fitz and Crabtree outside in red zone as all of them are solid in the red zone.

Running Game:
The weak link of an LEO run defense is the strong side run. This is where a prototypical 3-4 DE tries to command double teams. However, with Bosa out this week due to injury, Orlando is left with Crawford and Lawson (4-3 DEs that aren't big and bulky, but lean) they dont have a man that can play that role effectively and given we are rolling Olsen primarily to the LT side of the ball, we expect Brown to be able to neutralize the edge, and Olsen will be the lead blocker against the LBers that are already closer to the line and thus open up Fournette/Peterson and in sparse times Willits for larger gains.

We will also have a variety of two TE and sets where the WR plays in on weak side to open up that are of the field as well.

We trust our interior line with withal road grading tandem of Osemele and Nelson opening up holes especially in short yardage.

Defense:
Phillip Rivers has been a solid QB for over a decade. However, he has always had one major flaw: He isnt accurate under pressure. The more pressure that comes at him in a variety of ways, the more susceptible to mistakes he is.

Thus we look to take advantage of that.

Harrison Smith is a field general. No other player in the league can slide to slot, play both safety roles especially single-high, and be an edge blitzer. Thus this week I look to employ all of his hats to keep Orlando guessing. On plays he slides to slot coverage the NCB will blitz off off the edge. On single high, Tartt will have freedom to be an additional blitzer. At LBer level, will have the freedom to blitz (thus giving TE coverage to Kuechly) or cover the TE (Gronk).

In addition to Smith, there will be occasional blitzes from Kuechly/Lee/Tartt to provide additional pressure and to throw off Rivers timing. Providing edge pressure will be Clayborn (9.5 sacks) and Graham (9.5 sacks) with Okafor and Key coming in to keep the edge fresh. Interior pressure come from a 3 man rotation of Peter's, Allen and Robinson.

Coverage:
Talib will blanket Evans, while Melvin and Crawley take the other two. This is Robinsons first game back since tearing his ACL with no preseason time so his reps maybe limited, thus we expect to see Snead and Hogan at some point this game.
Kuechly will have Gronk responsibility when Smith is not covering, Lee will have Kamara/RB slot, Tartt will play single high when Smith is not back in deep coverage, but with Talib locking down Evans, and Melvin and Crawley locking down #2&3 and with additional pass rush, it is not expected that any pass will be able to be completed deep.

2 TE routes would bring McMillan on the field for a 4-4 look and he will cover the other TE while Kuechly/Smith (depending on alignment) will spy the QB. Additional WRs in 4&5 sets will be covered by Tankersley and Flowers. Poole will keep NCB fresh throughout the game.

Running game:
With either Smith or Tartt playing up, we have a stellar defensive line  and second level unit against the run. We expect Kamara/Carson to be used a decent amount to try to open up the passing game.  Lee and Smith/or Tartt have outside lanes while Kuechly will stuff the middle with whoever is left if the Smith/Tartt duo.

 

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@ny92mike nothing much to say about your plan. It's pure gameplanning which I love. Only thing I would lack is specifics in terms of man coverage. Who's Ramsey covering? Alexander? You didn't name one Wichita player which might limit your ability to highlight some specific matchups you like.

But really, for a 1st time, it's really great.

I'm waiting MNF to vote on this one

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This is much closer than I originally thought. PR nailed his defensive gameplan, and Wichita safety and LB tandems are probably the kryptonite to Orlando superb RB/TE duo. The additional blitzing will hurt Orlando and I believe the decision to have long drives based on short passes will backfire as I don't love Orlando depth behind Kamara and Gronk. 

That being said, Wichita prepared for a zone defense and got surprised there. I believe Orlando can contain Fournette and keep Wichita passing offense in check. 

It's a tight defensive battle but I believe Orlando gets one big play or two which make the difference. 13-9 Orlando

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Even game, which is more than I expected. Orlando is really talented and had some guys go off so guys like Talib, Kuchely, Graham, and Lee are especially important for Wichita. Those LBs are about as good a counter matchup to Gronk as any. The one area I don’t think Wichita can exploit is the pass protecting tackles, but subpackages with Graham inside definetly has a chance to work. 

Orlando has one elite CB and surely misses Bosa, but their interior DL is prolific. They’ve got depth rushing the passer, depth to cover, and one elite ILB. I think they may give up some yardage and a drive or three, but they are still loaded.

PR made one excellent point regarding Rivers but it could be an issue getting to him consistently without blitzing. 

So I’ll continue going over this, but I won’t choose a winner yet. 

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unfortunately for PR, he game planned for footsy zone and got the Mike man defense.  They probably will have some success in the running game with the orlando edges struggling.  However Wichita has two pretty big holes at C and  RT  A healthy Olsen may have been a huge difference here

On the flip side, Orlando is also gonna be facing a bunch of interior pressure with a last second guard change and some blitz pressure.  They should have some succes in the passing game however with a couple of Wichita's corners getting lit up like christmas trees this week

PR is game for the challenge but he just game planned for things that didn't happen so I got to give it to Orlando here

24-20

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Wichita has exactly two active defensive interior linemen. I'm going to consider depth a lot more heavily then I have in the past, especially along the defensive front. No defensive linemen in the NFL plays 100% of snaps, and I'd imagine it'd be even worse against an RB who can stretch a defense laterally. There's no way Key or Okafor would make it inside, either. Orlando gets the win based off of this.

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10 minutes ago, Whicker said:

Wichita has exactly two active defensive interior linemen. I'm going to consider depth a lot more heavily then I have in the past, especially along the defensive front. No defensive linemen in the NFL plays 100% of snaps, and I'd imagine it'd be even worse against an RB who can stretch a defense laterally. There's no way Key or Okafor would make it inside, either. Orlando gets the win based off of this.

While I agree with your overall point, and missed the lack of interior D by Wichita, we all have to remember that, because of our light bench, we can't treat players stamina like it would apply IRL. In our Bizzaro world, I considered a lineman capable of making it a game playing 100% of the snaps (IRL, G.Mc Coy played 59 snaps this week, more than any Tampa corner for example and only 5 less than L.david, who I'm sure plays 100% of the snaps for them). Now obviously rotation helps to keep everyone fresh, but it's not a auto-lose for me if someone can't field bench players in the interior DL

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6 minutes ago, TedLavie said:

While I agree with your overall point, and missed the lack of interior D by Wichita, we all have to remember that, because of our light bench, we can't treat players stamina like it would apply IRL. In our Bizzaro world, I considered a lineman capable of making it a game playing 100% of the snaps (IRL, G.Mc Coy played 59 snaps this week, more than any Tampa corner for example and only 5 less than L.david, who I'm sure plays 100% of the snaps for them). Now obviously rotation helps to keep everyone fresh, but it's not a auto-lose for me if someone can't field bench players in the interior DL

I would respond but I have too many things to say and not enough time.

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