BDL 2017 Week 9: Wichita Woodpeckers @ Cuba Smugglers

[Whicker]

BDL 2017 Week 9: 

Vote for who you think would win the 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 people 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.

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

[Whicker]

Wichita Woodpeckers

QB - Jared Goff
RB - Leonard Fournette
WR - Dez Bryant
WR - DeVante Parker
WR - Kenny Stills
TE - Cameron Brate
LT - Duane Brown
LG - Kelechi Osemele
C - Dan Feeney
RG - Jahri Evans
RT - Austin Howard

QB - Teddy Bridgewater
RB - Matt Forte
RB - TJ Yeldon
WR - Eric Decker
TE - Ben Watson
OL - Graham Glasglow
OL - John Jerry
OL - Jeremy Parnell
 

DE - Brandon Graham
DT - Corey Peters
DT - A'Shawn Robinson
DE - Michael Bennett
LB - Sean Lee
LB - Luke Kuechly
CB - Reshean Melvin
S/LB - Harrison Smith
FS - Ron Parker
SS - Jaquiski Tartt
CB - Ken Crawley

DE - Alex Okafor
DT - Nazair Jones
DT - Pat Sims
LB - Haasan Reddick
CB - Cordrea Tankersley
CB - William Gay
CB - Daryl Worley
S - Jabrill Peppers

 

 

Cuba Smugglers

QB: Kirk Cousins
RB: Tevin Coleman
WR: Julio Jones
WR: Terrelle Pryor Sr.
OW: Tavon Austin
TE: Jack Doyle
LT: Anthony Castonzo
LG: Joe Berger
C: John Sullivan
RG: David DeCastro
RT: Rob Havenstien

RB: Frank Gore
OW: Rex Burkhead
WR: DeMarcus znRobinson
RB: Jamaal Charles
TE: Antonio Gatesm
WR: Michael Floyd
OL: James Carpenter
TE: Ed Dickson is 

DE: Calais Campbell
DT: Derek Wolfe
DT: Fletcher Cox
Edge: Julius Peppers
WLB: Derrick Johnson
MLB: Brandon Marshall
RCB: Desmond Trufant
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: Morgan Burnett
NCB: Anthony Brown
RCB: Richard Sherman

Edge: Terrell Suggs
SS: Tyvon Branch
Edge: Jordan Jenkins
ILB: Kyle Van Noy
CB: Quinton Dunbar
Edge: Carl Nassib
DT: Chris Baker
S/LB: Johnathan Cyprien

[Whicker]

Wichita Woodpeckers

Offense:

We will be running a balanced offense led by running backs Fournette and Forte in the ground game and Jared Goff leading the air assault. We will flash some 2 TE sets throughout the game to get additional blockers on the outside and we will use the WRs to jam the CBs at the line to take out the edge defenders. In the air we will spread the ball out to take pieces of Cuba's vaulted D off the field. We will be mainly three wide looks throughout the game and will even send Brate out wide from time to time to find holes in the middle of Cuba's defense. With Parker returning this week we add another weapon back to the arsenal that Cuba must account for. 

 

Defense:
Cuba's o-line is hurting, as is many of their weapons this week. Without a consistent running game, a solid LT and with the untimely inactive of Kelvin Benjamin Cuba is reeling on offense. This week we will running a three safety set. Tartt and Smith will be taking turns bracket covering with Melvin on Julio deep. The other will be lining up at linebacker level to add another hat in the box and stifle whatever running game may be present. We will be pounding the left side of Cuba's o-line with Brandon Graham, LB and Safety blitzes to rush Cousins and force him into a number of mistakes. Crawley will be on whoever Cuba decides to trot out there as the second starting receiver. Lee and Kuechly will be inside taking out the RB options while the remaining of Smith Tartt will patrol the middle for the TE option. 

 

 

Cuba Smugglers

Offense

This game we're going to focus on blocking Brandon Graham. We like Julio's matchup against Ken Crawley and will target him relentlessly against Cordera Tankersley. Crawley's getting the job done but Tankersley can be taken advantage of. The rookie is not the best tackler and obviously lacking in terms of experience. We are letting Kirk Cousins get into a rhythm with any match he feels comfortable with. 

Simply put, this is the best group of LB's in the league. Lee and Kuchely are everything a defense likes for nearly every situation. We may try some fake reverses and sweeps to take advantage of a misstep. Doyle will work mostly as a decoy. He should run almost 35 routes and occupy about 7 targets. Otherwise, this team has a DL we can advantage of in the trenches. Olivier Vernon is not playing so we can dictate more than one blocker to Brandon Graham. We are going to motion TEs to his side regardless of run/pass. With that in mind we have a stable group of four RBs. This means regardless of alignment we have guys who catch and run well. Coleman gets the start and should play most of the snaps. Gore spells him, works short yardage, and is the redzone back. Burkhead has been coming on as COP and is a solid receiver so his snaps are three receiver sets and Coleman's primary backup on shotgun sets. Charles gets the scrape snaps on early downs. 

Gameplan
 
Get Terrelle Pryor involved with quick screen passes. Allow Julio Jones opportunities to be isolated. Spread sets with RBs at receiver. Target Coleman/Burkhead when they are not covered by Lee/Kuchely. We can run on this team, and give Rex Burkhead increased snap count. Julio finishes with the most targets. Block Brandon Graham with help. More two TE sets.

Defense

We think with an improved offensive line this offense cannot be taken for granted. Jared Goff has made significant improvements in year 2, no doubt. Still we are going to handle Forte/Yeldon because their well rounded ability. Despite a likely three receiver set, we think this offense is strongest when they establish easy completions for Goff.  We will play some 4-3 defense and have Tyvon Branch next to Morgan Burnett as the FS. With better size, upgraded tackling and upgraded awareness of a potential power run game we think we Wichita will have to target our CBs at some point to win. 

Wichita pass protection took a major boost since Duane Brown got returned. A 8-9 sack performance may be wishful thinking, but we like our pass rush leading to forcing punts. Sherman will keep tabs on Davante Parker and Trufant will get Dez. We want to blitz guys like Kyle Van Noy and a safety(Joyner/Branch). Burnett should occupy the deeper threats. We will drop Anthony Brown for Quinton Dunbar on some occasions as Dunbar has been a strong boundary CB with size (6'2). This allows Trufant/Sherman to move into their respective assignment moves to the slot.

Gameplan
Play our regular game. No one person is object of defense this game. Tight edge with guys like Jordan Jenkins and Calais Campbell. Depth on passing downs to force pressure with Jenkins/Cox/Campbell/Suggs rotating with Wolfe/Peppers as specialist. Sherman and Trufant isolated with occasional help from Morgan Burnett. Branch and Van Noy with more blitz responsibility.

 

 

[MD4L]

Leonard Fournette was inactive today.

[PR]

Stupid ******* Jags

[PR]

Plus side: Goff and Forte both went off this week.

[DingoLadd]

I like Wichita as an upset threat this week, Goff pulls off a surprising shootout win 31-30.

[TedLavie]

excellent defensive gameplan by PR. Blitzes on Graham side should help against double teams and I like their chances with the 3 safety look and 2 outstanding LBers against the run. Cuba defense is excellent save for their LBers, but that shouldn't hurt them too much in this game, but they can only do so much. 23-20 Wichita

[Scoundrel]

Cuba did handle the Graham situation in their write up but I don't think they have the talent to stop those blitzes coming off that side. Even without Fournette Wichita can still get it going. I don't like Cuba's tackles. Cuba's only real weapons are Julio Doyle and Coleman. With those tackles I think it negates some of what Cuba is able to do with those three. Give me Wichita because of weakness in Cuba over strength from Wichita. 

[WFLukic]

Man this is extremely tough. With Fournette in, I'd definily lean towards Wichita because that Cuba lineup isn't built too well to stop the run. Wichita's improved offensive line with Brown now in makes the world of difference though since I've got the confidence in Goff to play better given his BDL line is closer to his IRL line. Forte & Yeldon isn't too threatening, although Forte did play well. 

On the other side I don't think we're going to see a convincing running game from Cuba against a front which should be able to hold up solidly against the run. I think schematically Wichita could have success since Kuechly + Lee + Smith will take a substantial portion of the field away. I actually think Cousins' options are quite limited as well given Jones is the only real threat if Doyle is used in a decoy capacity. Coleman is decent but definitely more a secondary back in this format. I think Melvin could do a pretty good job with some help on Jones and the rest of the weapons are a wash.

I don't think this is high scoring and I actually think this plays into Wichita's hands as they pull off a road upset. Wichita 17-14. 

[SirA1]

I still Like That!

[pheltzbahr]

Good game planning from both, Wichita is getting stronger and will be that much more imposing with Fournette in the lineup.  Cuba's D Line is nasty with 2 DPOY candidates in Campbell and Cox, but the offense seems to be Cousins to Julio with no real other accountable threats.  Wichita in a tightly contested match.

[Ragnarok]

Yeah, I like Wichita this week.  

[Xmad]

Wichita manages to scrape together a win in a tough defensive contest with Goff leading a game winning drive. 

[Whicker]

Man I do not like the Cuba offense right now. Pryor is probably the worst WR that started this week in BDL and we have passing attacks like Camden and OKC. Bracket coverage on Julio and Harrison Smith on Doyle should eliminate the only real threats from Cuba. I'll take Wichita in a low scoring affair.