BDL 2017 Week 10: Cuba Smugglers @ Louisiana Jazz

[DingoLadd]

BDL 2017 Week 10: 

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.
 

[DingoLadd]

Cuba Lineup:

QB: Kirk Cousins 
RB: Tevin Coleman
WR: Julio Jones
WR: Kelvin Benjamin
OW: Rex Burkhead
TE: Jack Doyle
LT: Anthony Castanzo
LG: Joe Berger
C: John Sullivan
RG: David DeCastro 
RT: Rob Havenstien

FB: Anthony Sherman
WR: Michael Floyd
RB: Frank Gore
WR: Kamar Aiken
TE: Jermaine Gresham
TE: Ed Dickson
RB: Jamaal Charles
OL: Germain Ifedi

Edge: Terrell Suggs
DT: Calais Campbell 
DT: Fletcher Cox
DE: Julius Peppers 
ILB: Derrick Johnson
ILB: Brandon Marshall
LCB: Quinton Dunbar 
FS: LaMarcus Joyner
SS: TJ McDonald
NCB: Desmond Trufant
RCB: Richard Sherman

S/LB: Johnathan Cyprien
SLB: Jordan Jenkins
Edge: Carl Nassib
Edge: Dwight Freeney
INT: Derek Wolfe
SLB: Kyle Van Noy
NCB: Johnathan Bademosi
RCB: Anthony Brown

Lousiana Lineup:

Offense:

QB: Tom Brady
RB: LeGarrette Blount
WR1: Jordy Nelson
WR2: Michael Thomas
Slot WR: Doug Baldwin
LT: Laremy Tunsil
LG: Josh Sitton
C: Travis Frederick
RG: Trai Turner
RT: Jack Conklin
OL6: Bobby Massie

RB2: Bilal Powell
RB3: James White
WR4: Emmanuel Sanders
WR5: Tyler Lockett
TE2: Eric Ebron
TE3: Dion Sims
OL6: JR Sweezy
OL7: Shawn Lauvao

Defense:

DE: Cameron Wake
NT: Damon Harrison
DT: Jurrell Casey
DE: Brian Orakpo
LB: Jamie Collins
LB/S: Reshad Jones
CB: Chris Harris Jr.
CB: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
CB: Logan Ryan
S: Eric Weddle
S: Antoine Bethea

DT3: Chris Jones
DT4: Tyrone Crawford
DE3: Jabaal Sheard
DE4: Shaq Lawson
LB2: Lawrence Timmons
LB3: Todd Davis
CB4: Orlando Scandrick
CB5: Davon House
 

[DingoLadd]

Cuba Gameplan:

 

Offense
Kirk Cousins is our team leader. Louisiana's been pretty lenient in playing their linebackers. OuR QB has been huge on check downs this year and we have four different bodies whom play at RB capable of catching passes. We are going to play Rex Burkhead more than usual. With some full house (3 RB sets) we think we can get some mismatches because Louisiana is not accustomed to these sets. With much of an emphasis on our receivers we just want some other guys getting the ball to open ISO matchups. Jack Doyle should also be a featured weapon in terms of targets as we want to take chances on everyone playing with Louisianas defense. When Jones or Weddle begin focusing on either TE/RB'S we like our massive receivers to potentially beat Chris Harris and DRC. In any event the opposing offense can score and we'll need points to win. We think that can be done against Jamie Collins and Todd Davis. If our opponent plays Lorenzo Alexander or another talented edge rusher at ILB we think the full house offense can cause some mismatches and our offense will consistently put points on the board often.

Gameplan

Open up the offense by targeting lesser regarded players (Burkhead/Doyle) before opening up for Benjamin and Julio Jones. Prepared for shootout football, and high scoring game.

Defense

This is the best offense we've played this year. The best QB and the best pair of weapons a QB has had. Because we this is our final game with Richard Sherman we can easily play this receiver core with proper matchups. I guess the one matchup we will not give up is whomever is playing in the slot. Desmond Trufant will play there more than usual with Zeke out. Trufant will eventually begin to matchup against Michael Thomas and we feel comfortable letting them play consistently if Trufant has success. Our newest addition to the starting lineup is Quinton Dunbar. He's a 6'2 boundary guy who has success playing the boundary position. He should be able to win some reps against his opposition.

The greatest ad range we have is in two key areas. First is Zeke and Ertz being out. Zeke is the workhorse and closure so with Blount working solely as the short yardage the plays should be relatively obvious when LeGarette is in the game. Ertz helps as a weapons but the greater issue is what Louisiana plans to do with blocking the edges. Inspite of starting at DT, Calais Campbell has had success as an edge rusher and could frustrate Tom Brady with Tunsil being the LT. In addition we like our interior to play Louisianas interior as well as any opponent has this year. Guys like Jordan Jenkins and Derek Wolfe serve as very strong depth for an offense that will likely run some uptempo.

Gameplan

Frustrate Brady. Prepare for running backs to be focal weapons at receiver. Trufant spending time in the slot for ISO. Qualities players at every level of the defense. Beat a five man protection often with four rushers and helping Dunbar in coverage against a strong receiver.

 

Louisiana Gameplan:

 

Offense:

Our plan is to try and catch Cuba off guard by committing to the run in this matchup. We’ve opted to go with a base 6OL set to ensure that we get the upper hand in the trenches. Cuba has a number of exceptional pass-rushers on the defensive line, but if we can tire them out with the run game and a bruising back like Blount, it will limit their effectiveness later in the game if we need to pass. In particular, the fact that it is a light defensive front with no established nose tackle option and limited depth should at least give us a decent chance behind our strong OL to make consistent gains and open it up for Brady in the passing game.

With regards to carries, Blount will see the majority of work between the tackles and at the goal line, while Powell and White will alternate as our COP back and White predominantly taking 3^rd downs as a receiver and blocker, where he excels.

The focus on the passing game will be to take our shots in 1v1 coverage, particularly looking at the presumable matchup of Baldwin v Anthony Brown and Nelson or Thomas against a clearly injured Sherman, who isn’t near his best. We’re not going to shy away from Trufant, but we just feel the other matchups will give us the best opportunity of exploitation.

Defense:

Defensively, we’ve gone lighter up front but with pass-rushing focus as we fear Cuba’s passing game more so than the run. Cuba’s fruit salad of running backs shouldn’t be able to make significant inroads against our defensive front and if they do, our safeties should be able to do a good job in run support.

Julio Jones will likely be assigned deep coverage on the majority of plays. Logan Ryan, who’s having a solid season will be tasked with him but near exclusively with deep support from Bethea or Weddle. DRC will be tasked with Kelvin Benjamin as he has the height to compete with him and counter-intuitively, Chris Harris will be assigned to whoever the 3^rd receiver is, presumably Pryor, and completely erase him from the game.

As far as dealing with the backfield as receiving threats and Doyle, any combination of our safeties in Weddle or Jones, or our linebackers in Collins & Timmons when on the field should be able to do the job. We realise that Coleman could be a threat more so as a receiver out of the backfield than anything else, so Timmons will be given that assignment when he is on the field more often than not. Outside of coverage, Weddle will be given a relatively free role in this match to act as he wishes on the field, whether it be in deeper zone coverage, man or as a blitzer.

[bcb1213]

Dunbar didn't play for washington so that kinda hurts Cuba, plus not being balanced at all.  I mean the strategy could work if you talked about running...ever...as Louisiana has your full house planned for playing only one  LB

 

On the other side, I understand why you want to go into a heavy formation but that leaves basically an extra defender in coverage who can drop into a zone without worrying about a tackle really doing anything offensively.  I don't know your roster status, but maybe a bigger fullback could accomplish the same thing for you and at least give somewhat of an option in the passing game as it will likely allow Cuba to key in on the run more.

 

In the end,  I like the Jazz overall just a bit more especially at home as I think they just have more offensive explosiveness

 

 

[DingoLadd]

I don't see the Jazz being able to run the ball all that much against cuba's fantastic d-line and they have the CBs capable of limiting Brady's receivers. I don't see cuba being able to run it all that much either and while the Jazz do have the better secondary I like Cuba's gameplan to supplement that by using their RBs a lot more as pass catchers.

I'm going with cuba for the upset 27-24 on a last second FG.

[WFLukic]

err...

Quinton Dunbar, a 4th string cb, who did not play, and Sherman who entered the match with an achilles injury and subsequently tore it will shut down a group of pro bowl level receivers. Also cuba is playing a 3 man DL with no nose tackle against a 6 man OL and that will shut the run down?

We've gone light in the back 7 so we can.... deal with the TEs and RBs but thats gonna be what catches us out?

 

 

 

[MD4L]

There is one adjustment I can make on defense to stop this offense. 3 receivers are running routes into seven coverage guys with a power RB whom lacks receiving ability. 

[Scoundrel]

I Can't make up my mind

[Xmad]

Cuba since I'm not too crazy about Louisiana's 6 oline idea as their base offense and I like cuba RBs vs. Lousiana's LBs.

[pheltzbahr]

Lou went too cute, should have gone with what works and play to strengths.  Cuba in the upset.

[SirA1]

Still like that!

[Whicker]

I probably give a lot more respect to Blount than others in this league but the 6 OL base and power run scheme was a poor choice in this one. The '72 Dolphins get to bust out their champagne as Louisiana falls.

[Ragnarok]

I agree that Cuba gets a win here.  Don't like the Louisiana game plan.  

[RuskieTitan]

Louisiana has a sick roster, but why not play to your strength with Tom Brady? Like their defense as well. Gameplan is questionable but I wouldn't bet against Tom at home with that defense behind him.

[PR]

Dont abandon Tom