BDL 2019 Week 12 - Williamsport Soul Reavers @ New Orleans Jazz

[MD4L]

BDL 2019 Week 12

Match: Williamsport Soul Reavers @ New Orleans Jazz

Away Owner: @wwhickok

Home Owner: @WFLukic

Vote for who you think will win this game.

Rules:
One vote per person, duplicate accounts will be banned and action taken against those attempting to rig the results.

One vote per team involved in the match. Co-owners may vote in every match up except their own.

For members, who have been following along, and wish to vote.  Please join the conversation and maybe give a reason you voted as you did. This will alleviate any suspicions of unusual voting and will promote discussion.

Note: 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.

Good luck to you both

Edited November 24, 2019 by MD4L

[MD4L]

Williamsport

Offense:

QB- Dak Prescott

RB- Derrick Henry

RB- Chris Carson

X- Calvin Ridley

Z- John Brown

TE- Dallas Goedert

LT- Charles Leno

LG- Austin Blythe

C- Mitch Morse

RG- JC Tretter

RT- Dion Dawkins

 

FB- Derek Watt

TE- Maxx Williams

RB- Tevin Coleman

WR- Golden Tate

WR- Randall Cobb

WR- Olabisi Johnson

OT- Zach Banner

OG- John Miller

 

Defense:

LE- Michael Bennett

NT- DJ Reader

UT- Tyson Alualu

RE- Bud Dupree

MLB- Devin Bush

WLB- Hasson Reddick

CB- Byron Jones

CB- Steven Jones

Nickel- Donte Jackson

S- Quandre Diggs

S- Marquise Blair

 

DT- Shy Tuttle

DT- Jonathan Bullard

RE/SLB- Brian Burns

LE- John Simon

LB- Vince Williams

CB- Carlton Davis

CB- Cam Sutton

S- Ricardo Allen

New Orleans

Offense:

QB: Josh Allen
RB: Ezekiel Elliott
WR1: Michael Thomas
WR2: Tyler Lockett
WR3: D.J. Moore
TE: Zach Ertz
LT: Andrew Whitworth
LG: Joel Bitonio
C: Travis Frederick
RG: Kevin Zeitler
RT: Mitchell Schwartz

RB2: Duke Johnson
RB3: Devin Singletary
WR4: Deebo Samuel
WR5: Paul Richardson
TE2: Mike Gesicki
TE3: Nick Vannett
OL6: Riley Reiff
OL7: Connor McGovern

Defense:

DE: Nick Bosa
DT: Geno Atkins
DT: Calais Campbell
DE: Cameron Jordan
LB: Alexander Johnson
LB/S: Haha Clinton-Dix
CB: Stephon Gilmore
CB: Chris Harris Jr.
CB: Kyle Fuller
SS: Micah Hyde
FS: Darnell Savage

DE3: Josh Allen
DE4: Malik Reed
DT3: Jeffery Simmons
DT4: Johnathan Hankins
LB3: Alec Ogletree
LB4/S4: Mark Barron
CB4: JC Jackson
CB5: Duke Dawson

 

Edited November 24, 2019 by MD4L

[MD4L]

Writeup

Williamsport 

Last game of the season for WSR and they hire a Mercenary to fight their last battle against NOLA.

Offensive Formations: (2RB 30%, 3 Wide 25%, 2RB/2TE 10%, 1RB/1FB 10%, 2TE/2WR 10%, 4 wide 10%, Heavy Tackle 5%, ) 

We are bringing a wide variety of formations to attack NOLA in this game. 7 formations in total will be brought at the Jazz. Our highest featured formation will be our 2RB set. This set will include a combo of Derrick Henry and Chris Carson mostly with Coleman coming in for some snaps for either RB if he is rotating in. Our 3 Wide will be our next highest percentage run formation to spread out the Jazz D and open things up for our run and pass game, in this formation Golden Tate enters the game and Calvin Ridley moves to the slot. We will run a 2RB/2TE set 10% of the time that will feature Maxx Williams as TE2 as well as the 2TE/2WR, and the Heavy Tackle formation set so Williams will see a total of 25% of the snaps this week. We will utilize Derek Watt in the FB formation as well as the Heavy Tackle formation so 15% of the snaps total. In the 4 wide, Randall Cobb will enter the game as the fourth receiver and additional slot. The Heavy Tackle formation will consist of Zach Banner being an extra T, Maxx Williams at TE, Goedert as a split out TE, Derek Watt in the backfield with Henry or Carson. 

Offensive Plan of Attack:

New Orleans has a really good defense that we respect. We want to play smash mouth football and beat them up before the playoffs. We will pound the rock with our backs utilizing power run schemes. We have a lot of heavy schemes and two RB offense this week. We will incorporate RPO into our offense, especially out of our 3 wide set. We want to use this to take advantage of any weaknesses in the defense. When we run our 2RB sets we will mix in some option football. We will run slams and smashes with our FB sets, and some stretch plays with our 2TE sets. We will attack every gap in this defense throughout the game. We will mix in motions and line shifts to take advantage of unbalanced defensive formations to overpower their front. We would like to split the touches for our backs percentage wise at 40/40/20, Henry, Carson, Coleman. We are looking to run the ball 55% of the time. We will run our heavy Tackle formation at times in short yardage to go situations and on the goal line.

We will utilize combo routes to attack their secondary. If they run man we entrust in Dak to find the best matchup and to dissect any zone scheme the Jazz bring. Goedert provides us with a big redzone target which we will target often down there. We will utilize our RB’s out of the backfield as receiving weapons while also having them provide pass protection on other plays. If the Jazz become blitz happy we will take advantage of their aggression with screens to our backs. 

65% of our offense will be 2WR or less. This is to attack their 3 safety defense with heavy looks, and we can attack a lighter box with our offense, If they decide to play more LBers other than AJ Johnson, we are getting lesser players on the field and will be able to take advantage of them. As mentioned above Dak will be able to slide protection presnap. We will utilize RB motions to determine coverage presnap as well. We want to control the clock this game and keep the ball away from the talented Jazz offense. If they drop safeties into the box to counter our heavy schemes we will target quick release passing plays like slants behind them to take advantage of vacated space as well as broken tackles that lead to big plays as there won’t be as many players deep to stop us.

Defensive Formations:

We are going to run a 4-3 front. That front four will include a starting line of Michael Bennett at LE, DJ Reader at NT, Tyson Alualu at UT, and Bud Dupree at RE. Against their three wide we will play nickel. Against two receiver or less fronts we will run out three linebackers. On early downs and short yardage situations the linebackers will be Devin Bush at WLB, Hasson Reddick at SLB, and Vince Williams at MLB. On clear passing downs and long to go situations against two wide sets Brian Burns will replace Vince Williams, Bush moves to MLB as Burns plays WLB. Donte Jackson will be our nickel corner replacing Burns or Williams. Against 4 wide Cam Sutton plays the Dime as Reddick comes off the field. Marquise Blair is the SS with Quandre Diggs at FS.

Defensive Plan of Attack:

We will mix our coverages between, Cover 2 (30%), Man/Single High (40%), Cover 3 (30%). We will play press in every coverage to throw off the timing for Josh Allen. Against a 2 wide set Man/Single High, Corners have receivers (Jones always has Thomas), Blair has Ertz, Reddick has RB, Bush has RB, and Williams has QB Spy/Blitz, and Diggs is single high. If it’s a LY situation Burns has Williams responsibility. Whichever LBer is to Ertz side will chip him off the line. Against the 3 wide the three corners have the three receivers. Jones follows Thomas, Nelson follows Lockett, and Jackson has Moore. Blair has Ertz, Bush has RB, Reddick has QB spy or blitz. Man against the 4 Wide, Cam Sutton has the fourth receiver. In our zone coverages whoever is playing MLB has middle zone/QB spy. 

We will play gap discipline run defense. Single gapping when we are in the 4-3 and double gapping Reader in both A gaps in the nickel. We will run some stunts with our front to confuse blocking assignments and throw off Josh Allen. We will play extremely disciplined eliminating over pursuit and mistakes. Full unit defense with everyone flying to the ball to keep Zeke from chunking night yardage from us. Our ends will funnel plays back inside to prevent big runs outside. 

If it’s 3rd and long and they have their 3 wide or 4 wide we will go nascar package with our front  and become a three front. Michael Bennett at LE, Bud Dupree at RE and DJ Reader at NT. Brian Burns will come in as a moveable Blitzing LBer. 

Our keys here are to lock down Michael Thomas with Jones, stuff Elliot, spy, harass, and confuse Allen, and frustrate Ertz by chipping and playing physical against him. 

 

New Orleans

Motivation:

A win seals the division and potentially home-field advantage through the playoffs. We’ve got it all to play for in front of what will be a crazy crowd in the Superdome. While we know Williamsport would love to play spoiler, they’ve also got nothing to play for at the end of the day and our team of veterans won’t feel the pressure and will ride the adrenalin into a division title.
 

Offense:

Williamsport will probably sell out to stop the run here and try to make Josh Allen beat them with his arm. Sure, he’s proven he’s capable of doing so and even then, we’re more than happy to continue running the ball against a banged up and lighter interior. As is usual in New Orleans, we’re starting off with a heavy dose of Ezekiel Elliott up the middle behind our hogs on the OL. Singletary and Johnson will get theirs as well acting as more of a change of pace, with the aim to get Singletary into open space and let his footwork do some damage, while Allen and Johnson will work the option given Johnson’s proficiency as a receiver out of the backfield.

In terms of the passing game, it will be a case of Allen just taking what’s given to him. He’s been great at the intermediate level this year and our passing offense is built to thrive in that region. Williamsport can do whatever they want with Thomas but he’ll get his running routes both out of the slot or lined up wide. Lockett as usual will be taking the top off the defence and Allen will have a few deep shots if he’s left in single coverage. Moore will be hitting those slants and crossing routes all day with the plan to get the ball in his hands and let him work his magic while Ertz will operate as the safety valve at tight end.

If Lockett can’t play, Samuel comes in and after proving he can run a full route tree, will be given the opportunity to pick up some of Lockett’s deep targets while also working Moore on crossing/slants to trouble Williamsport’s back 7 in deciding who to cover and hopefully they should be able to assist one another in drawing coverage away and getting the burners going to fly down field in space.

Defense:

We anticipate that Williamsport will come out with 3 wide and 1 TE. In this instance we have the following assignments in our usual Cover 1:

Gilmore – Brown
Fuller – Ridley/Tate
Harris – Cobb/Tate
Johnson– Goedert
Hyde – Running back

Savage will be the deep safety, while Clinton-Dix playing as a hybrid will generally sit around the intermediate level, working as a spy of sorts if Prescott escapes the pocket together with looking to make plays on the ball when defending crossing and seam routes.  

On early downs or particularly where we feel Henry could be coming into the game, we’ll go heavier with Simmons rotating in for Bosa and Campbell kicking to the edge, with Hankins also coming in on occasion to replace Jordan or Campbell on the edge and get us looking big.

We also plan to get Josh Allen involved a fair bit, where we’ll mix it up with some lighter more pass-rush oriented looks feature Allen and Bosa on the edge and Jordan kicking inside with Campbell.

Allen will also see snaps as a 5^th pass rusher coming in for Clinton-Dix, however for the most part we do plan to rush 4 and drop the 7 back in coverage. We know that our secondary is playing as good as any at the moment and should be able to help generate coverage sacks if our DL isn’t able to get to Prescott early against a middling OL.

Edited November 24, 2019 by MD4L

[Jlash]

As noted in the discussion thread by Counselor, only 1 of he and WW's votes should count for Williamsport this game because it's essentially like an owner and co owner voting for the same team. Unfair to Lukic.

[Jlash]

I like Williamsport going run heavy as usual, trying to keep New Orleans off the field. I also like the temporary switch to the 4-3 until the right personnel is in place for that team. 

Unfortunately NO has the personnel to combat those run heavy looks pretty well and planned for it options for heavy sets on their side as well. And while Byron Jones has been good again this year, Michael Thomas has been elite and he's still going to help NO move the ball. Tyler Lockett and DJ Moore give NO too many options to stop in this one.

[Xmad]

Went Williamsport in this one.

[Scoundrel]

43 minutes ago, Jlash said:

As noted in the discussion thread by Counselor, only 1 of he and WW's votes should count for Williamsport this game because it's essentially like an owner and co owner voting for the same team. Unfair to Lukic.

Yes. My vote is void

[Ragnarok]

2 hours ago, Jlash said:

I like Williamsport going run heavy as usual, trying to keep New Orleans off the field. I also like the temporary switch to the 4-3 until the right personnel is in place for that team. 

Unfortunately NO has the personnel to combat those run heavy looks pretty well and planned for it options for heavy sets on their side as well. And while Byron Jones has been good again this year, Michael Thomas has been elite and he's still going to help NO move the ball. Tyler Lockett and DJ Moore give NO too many options to stop in this one.

This.  

[VigilantZombie]

4 hours ago, Jlash said:

As noted in the discussion thread by Counselor, only 1 of he and WW's votes should count for Williamsport this game because it's essentially like an owner and co owner voting for the same team. Unfair to Lukic.

I agree with that, this was my bad. I voted for my team right away because it's my team without thinking about it. 

[WFLukic]