BDL 2017 Week 11: Louisiana Jazz @ Wichita Woodpeckers

[Whicker]

BDL 2017 Week 11: 

Vote for who you think would win the game.

Rules:
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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]

Louisiana Jazz

Offense:

QB: Tom Brady
RB: LeGarrette Blount
WR1: Michael Thomas
Slot WR1: Doug Baldwin
Slot WR2: Emmanuel Sanders
TE: Zach Ertz
LT: Laremy Tunsil
LG: Josh Sitton
C: Travis Frederick
RG: Trai Turner
RT: Jack Conklin

RB2: Bilal Powell
RB3: James White
WR4: Jordy Nelson
WR5: Tyler Lockett
WR6: Torrey Smith
TE2: Eric Ebron
TE3: Dion Sims
OL6: Bobby Massie

Defense:

DE: Jabaal Sheard
NT: Damon Harrison
DT: Jurrell Casey
DE: Brian Orakpo
LB: Craig Robertson
LB/S: Reshad Jones
CB: Chris Harris Jr.
CB: Logan Ryan
CB: Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
S: Eric Weddle
S: Antoine Bethea

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

 

Wichita

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 - Spencer Long
RG - Jahri Evans
RT - Austin Howard

QB - Teddy Bridgewater
RB - Matt Forte
RB - TJ Yeldon
WR - Eric Decker
TE - Ben Watson
TE - Adam Shaheen
OL - Graham Glasglow
OL - Allen Barbre

DE - Brandon Graham
DT - Corey Peters
DT - A'Shawn Robinson
DE - Michael Bennett
LB - Luke Kuechly
LB/S - Harrison Smith
CB - Rashaan Melvin
FS - Vonn Bell
SS - Jabrill Peppers
NCB - Brian Poole
CB - Ken Crawley

DE - Olivier Vernon
DE - Alex Okafor
DT - Nazair Jones
LB - AJ Klein
CB - Cordrea Tankersley
CB - Daryl Worley
CB/S - William Gay
S - Ron Parker

 

[Whicker]

Louisiana

Motivation:

Pressure is off after the undefeated streak comes to an end after 17 consecutive matches undefeated and the 9-0 start this year.

Also major FU game because we lost for some reason last week and our players will fix it. Brady FU game etc etc


Offense:

Apparently running the ball behind an elite OL with a thumping back against a defensive front with lacking depth, mediocre linebackers and no nose tackle and pass-rushing specialists doesn’t work when you have the GOAT QB spreading the field as well. Fine.

Instead this week we’re just going to go back to how we were doing things before and that is shredding teams apart with the GOAT. Ertz returns to the lineup and will slot straight in to the starting TE position, but will be split wide fairly often, while Baldwin & Sanders operate in the slot. This will help us for a few reasons. 1) This should be able to open the run game up on draws/delayed handoffs a bit more as Kuechly will be dragged away from the box. 2) Kuechly won’t be able to sit in a zone in the middle of the field and this should give Sanders & Baldwin plenty of opportunities on shorter crossing routes to make some YAC. 3) If deployed to one side, his sideline to sideline ability is limited and hence passes to the backfield should be more effective given he won’t be able to close them down as quickly.

Another of our focuses is to ensure that Harrison Smith is taken away from the LOS to further help open up the run game and short passing game. Tyler Lockett will see substantial uptick in snaps on the outside and operate primarily as our deep threat (subbing with Torrey). We feel single coverage will give us a good shot at a big play or possibly DPI/holding and if Smith is moved back to patrol deep, it’s job well done since it opens up the field underneath.

For our wideouts, Thomas will reprise his usual role on the outside while Sanders and Baldwin will be moved around quite often, but should both see a number of snaps out of the slot and running short routes looking for YAC with Sean Lee out.

With the run game, it’ll be Blount on short-yardage and at the goal line as well as a handful of carries on regular downs, Powell will spell him as our change of pace and White will get a few carries but primarily will operate as a receiver and blocker.

Defense:

We’re not entirely sure how Wichita is going to play offensively, but with both Spencer Long & Ryan Kalil out, it means Wichita is playing a part time centre and that means offensive line signals and chemistry will suffer and our aim is to try and generate some pressure on Goff. Goff is having a fine year this year behind a line playing really well IRL, but a dinged up Duane Brown and some other issues on this OL make it a lot more vulnerable and our aim is to try and generate some pressure.

We’ve opted to put Jabaal Sheard in as our starter to help stiffen up against the run game with Fournette looming as a threat, while not necessarily losing out much in pass-rushing ability from Wake. However, Wake will come in as a pass-rushing specialist on passing downs and this should see him be much more effective.

Craig Robertson makes his first start this year and deservedly so given the solid season he’s having this year both against the run and in coverage and he’ll be joined by hybrid LB/SS Reshad Jones. They should give us some good support against the run game, while not sacrificing much in terms of coverage against the possible two TE-set Wichita may run.

In terms of coverage, CHJ will draw Dez and Logan Ryan will take Stills/Parker. If it’s a 3WR set, DRC will take whoever the third is. Bethea will act largely as our deep safety, while Weddle will be given free reign to either push up forward closer to the LOS or hang in zones.

 

 

Wichita

Offense: 
Today on offense, we are going to spread out the defense by playing three wide and kicking Brate out as well spreading the defense thin, especially up the middle of the field. With the loss of Jamie Collins, Louisiana is forced to go to a combination of TImmons (who is on the downward stretch of his career) and last week employed safety Jones in a linebacker role. By flexing the TE out wide, it puts one of those two in a very dismal situation. Because we spread them out wide, we will look for the underneath route to the slot receiver Stills and the route over the middle to the TE in the vacated lane and try to dink and dunk on Louisiana's defense. When Todd Davis slides onto the field, whoever he is matched up on will torch him as he is solely a run thumper. An additional matchup we will look to take advantage off this week is whoever is facing off with DRC. In recent weeks DRC has been underperforming greatly and we will look to take advantage of his poor performance through matchups of Parker and Bryant to move the chains and get open long. 

We also plan to keep it a bit more balanced, this week by running the ball with Fournette and Forte. With a missing second level due to being flexed out wide due to the TE situation, it leaves the four man defensive line and one of either Timmons or Jones to stop him. That means we are in a good spot to garner a lot of yards on only a few blocks. Look for Fournette to plunge up the center of the defensive line, especially to the left side as the combination of Brown and Osemele will be opening holes all day due to their road grading mentality unless they try to put more to the line. 

Defense:

With Lousiana losing last week due to not putting the ball in Tom Brady's hands, we believe that they will be making that a point this week. Due to Louisiana sporting two underperforming OTs, we will be looking to over load them with blitzes from the nickel, safety and linebacking positions. By sporting overload blitzes, we will look to get in Tom's face throughout the game, and keep him from predicting which side the pressure will be coming on thus effecting his timing with his receivers. To help with the focus on stopping the pass we will be employing a three safety look this week. Smith will be playing at linebacker level and will be tasked with keeping the TE in check.  Bell will play deep man, while Peppers will spy the QB and keep the run game in check. Kuechly will switch between RB coverage and patrolling the middle of the field, to catch Brady's eyes looking at his target and pick off anything in the middle. We will slide Melvin (who has shut down receivers line Antonio Brown) on Jordy Nelson this week. Crawley will matchup with Thomas and Poole will slot up against an underperforming Doug Baldwin. 

With so many blitzes being employed and with solid run stuffers in place, we don't see Blount having much of an impact even with the focus on the pass. 

[PR]

Graham Glasglow would man center btw.

[DingoLadd]

Wichita's issues at C and the fact Louisiana is in FU mode lead to a spectacular smackdown in a 35-14 blowout. 

Talent difference is too great here more or less. 

[PR]

4 hours ago, DingoLadd said:

Wichita's issues at C and the fact Louisiana is in FU mode lead to a spectacular smackdown in a 35-14 blowout. 

Talent difference is too great here more or less. 

Graham Glasglow started all four years at center for Michigan and filled in there last year for Detroit...

[pheltzbahr]

Love Wichita's plan of attacking Louis' problem at LB, but Brady with those WRs against that CB crew is too much to overcome.  Close, but Jizz take it.

[Ragnarok]

Yeah, Brady would rip apart that secondary.  That's makes the difference.  

[Xmad]

Wichita has a good gameplan but Brady would pick them apart.

[Whicker]

I guess I'm crazy because I actually like Wichita here. Rashaan Melvin and Ken Crawley have been playing really well and deserve more respect than they're apparently getting. Also, Louisiana banked its run game and a lot of its short passing game on drawing Kuechly out of the box with Ertz, but Wichita negates that by putting Smith on him. With Kuechly patrolling the middle, Wichita's boundary corners playing well, and Smith taking away Ertz, I think Wichita slows Louisiana down enough to get an upset win at home.

[PR]

2 hours ago, Whicker said:

I guess I'm crazy because I actually like Wichita here. Rashaan Melvin and Ken Crawley have been playing really well and deserve more respect than they're apparently getting. Also, Louisiana banked its run game and a lot of its short passing game on drawing Kuechly out of the box with Ertz, but Wichita negates that by putting Smith on him. With Kuechly patrolling the middle, Wichita's boundary corners playing well, and Smith taking away Ertz, I think Wichita slows Louisiana down enough to get an upset win at home.

Thank you. I actually feel like you read the game plan and not going off name recognition. Melvin has literally been one of the best corners in man coverage all season. Crawley and Lattimore have formed one of the best CB tandems in the league and Crawley is actually tested more of the two because QBs have been trying to stay away from Lattimore. 

Add in the fact that on a basic read through he plans to throw over the middle because he believes Kuechly would vacate (he didn't since Smith is covering Ertz) he is literally game playing into my defensive plan.

[WFLukic]

You're relying on Jabrill Peppers a lot more though with Smith flexed out to cover Ertz. I was more worried about Smith & Kuechly together, only one isn't too bad. 

Regardless, we played into your game plan but not sure where the points are going to come from your side. 

I know you've talked about underperforming players on my team but what about Cameron Brate's 32 yards in the last 3 games? Bryant and Parker are doing nothing at all. 3rd string center blocking against an interior featuring Damon Harrison & Jurrell Casey? Not sure where the points are coming from even if you've game planned for us reasonably well.

[Jlash]

This game is going to be a lot closer than people are making it out. Wichita's corners have played really well this year, and his game plan should make it a very 1 dimensional offense. Where I can see Lukic scoring is over the top of those safeties.

Lukic mostly wants to rely on quick passing with Brady though, with occasional shots to Lockett, so I'm not sure how much the safeties really matter in the end. 

When Founette gets to the 2nd level, heaven help Craig Robertson and Reshad Jones. 

Wichita in an upset.

[Hockey5djh]

Banged up line for Wichita and a great offensive game plan for Louisiana.

 

Someone's bitter they lost last week....

[PR]

2 hours ago, WFLukic said:

You're relying on Jabrill Peppers a lot more though with Smith flexed out to cover Ertz. I was more worried about Smith & Kuechly together, only one isn't too bad. 

Regardless, we played into your game plan but not sure where the points are going to come from your side. 

I know you've talked about underperforming players on my team but what about Cameron Brate's 32 yards in the last 3 games? Bryant and Parker are doing nothing at all. 3rd string center blocking against an interior featuring Damon Harrison & Jurrell Casey? Not sure where the points are coming from even if you've game planned for us reasonably well.

1. Ryan Fitzpatrick at QB...

2. Dak has 0 time to throw to any receivers. Moore favors Stills over Parker (while Cutler favors Parker over Stills)

About the only point you made was Glasglow, but he has been performing well this season and is bookended by two solid to elite guards in Osemele and Evans