11/25/12 vs. Falcons: Analysis of the complete misuse of Gerald McCoy

[Benchwarmer#1]

So what's wrong with what he's doing? Really? I'm not exactly a fan of his, but I know when to give the benefit of the doubt.

He has a team, that before he was hired, had barely any viable starting corners. Talib was iffy at best, wright was worse than talib, and the rest were good nickel players at best. Given what he had to work with, he started with the easiest route to recovery. Run defense.

Although it's not pretty, and it's outside the realm of normal NFL play calls of the day (blitz/pass coverage), the defense is at least doing the one job required of them. It would be wonderful if our backfield were better, but there simply wasn't anything good to work with back there. No one was proven or responsable enough to be a top flight defensive player. Playing close to the line was the only way to cover up the DB's obvious flaws.

[chace1986]

Honest question: where there scheme changes when Clayborn went down?  I'm absolutely not going to sit here and pretend that I've been sitting and charting plays.  But subjectively speaking, it seems like McCoy produced splash-ier play when Clayborn was still playing.  One assumes a good bit of that is DTN demanding less attention from opposing offenses, but if someone wanted to tell me that Sheridan was playing games trying to make up for losing Clayborn, I'd have a pretty easy time believing it.

I remember that we did do a few of these stunts against the Giants and I don't remember seeing any against the Cows. In that Cowboys game, they allow GMC to get straight up the field. On GMCs two sacks vs Dallas, he was an animal. Especially on the first one. Below are a few shots of him beating two pass blockers. In the first shot, he throws the LG out of his way and continues up field. That's when the C tries to pick him up, but GMC just flies by him. Next he just eats up Romo for the sack/fumble.

[chace1986]

 " Here we see GMC going against another double team, not his best effort, but then again it's two against one. "
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Huge effin fail. You want the guy to run less stunts, that means he's going to have to face these double teams straight on. You can't give him a pass on it.

I didn't give him a pass. I stated that it wasn't his best effort. Considering he was going up against two defenders, he didn't get mauled, he just didn't penetrate the double team.

[Chief Joseph]

So, he didn't get the job done. If he runs a stunt, you say he's being used improperly. If he takes on the double team, you give him a free pass because he's facing a double team. This isn't an analysis, it's an apology piece.

[chace1986]

So, he didn't get the job done. If he runs a stunt, you say he's being used improperly. If he takes on the double team, you give him a free pass because he's facing a double team. This isn't an analysis, it's an apology piece.

Yup. He didn't get the job done. Didn't imply that he did, either. Most defensive linemen don't get the job done every play. You are seeing what you want to see, so that you can flame, like always.

This is about what I feel that puts GMC in the best position to get after the passer and help the defense the most. Facing more double teams every so often will free up other defenders to be in one on one situations and also could provide a blitzer with a free rush opportunity. When you stunt GMC, you get him in a one on one in an edge rushing situation and a double team isn't required. this leaves an extra blocker available in case of blitzes.

Call it what you will. People know your game all too well anyway, so it will fall on deaf ears.

[Buc on the Move]

I, too, would like to see more DEs doing the looping with McCoy getting upfield, the way the Smiths do it in the Other Bay.  This can leave the perimeter exposed, but LBs can take that on.  If we give Peyton that time, with our CBs, there will be trouble.

[Chief Joseph]

 " You are seeing what you want to see, "

Ironic.

[chace1986]

 " You are seeing what you want to see, "

Ironic.

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Huge effin fail.

Irony.

[chace1986]

Excellent breakdown, Chace.  Forgot to mention that earlier.

Again, this is the type of stuff PR needs to do more of instead covering press conferences, etc.  All of the other media outlets do that mundane mess.  This would separate PR quite a bit from their competition.

Appreciate it. Yea, I would like to see a breakdown of offensive line play or something along those lines, as Det said.

[SunnyD]

It's been like this his whole career, Gerald McCoy only excels when used in a certain way. He isn't terribly versatile.

However, the people that don't like GMC never will. He was a polarizing draft pick.

It also seems that 99% of the people that dislike GMC think Suh is the best thing since sliced bread, which is funny.

[GrimmReaper]

They look like run stunts designed to limit the rushing lanes... I agree 100% with the analysis.

They did quite a few stunts in passing situations, ie. 3rd and long.

I honestly believe that one of the goals of stunting McCoy is to make it harder for the OL to double him, but if you take away his greatest strength...then that defeats the purpose, IMO.

Might as well lock down the thread, because this is the answer up there. ^^^^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^ is why we should not stunt McCoy. A good DC.......or a good scheme would have OTHER players stunting in a way that would help GMAC do what he does best. Get into the backfield and cause distruption.

McCoy has a great first step. He is a penetrator. Having him stunt is beyond stupid. The pic of him dropping back into coverage made me puke. A two man rush? This defensive scheme sucks.

[bfarbs]

Chace 1986,

Thanks for the good analysis. I am not surprised at all that people are questioning Sheridan's play calls. I specifically remember the play in which  Bennett was lined up against a WR.  While one could fault Monte Kiffin for not being creative enough at times, the guy made it simple and let his dlinemen attack.  Only attack involving Sheridan was made by his Giant defenders who attacked him out of a job- one and done year as DC.  I think we hit a home run with Sullivan as OC but think that Sheridan tries to get too cute. McCoy was on the sidelines way too much during the game and he needs to be unleashed more. Our LBs are undersized and thus sending them on blitzes is probably not going to be a smart move the vast majority of the time.  I'm all for an occasional blitz by a DB (the Biggers call was great) as they can come in completely untouched as opposed to the LBs who are accounted for more easily.

[Dolorous Jason]

So, he didn't get the job done. If he runs a stunt, you say he's being used improperly. If he takes on the double team, you give him a free pass because he's facing a double team. This isn't an analysis, it's an apology piece.

 +1 Exactly.

Bottom line is that the reason the coaching staff is trying to get so creative with thier defensive line calls is because these guys can't get pressure with a straight up 4 man rush. Period.

Excuses are great , but at the end of the day our "star" undertackle simply doesn't make enough plays in pass rush . The fact that the coaching staff thinks we are better off dropping him into zone coverage than watching him play patty-cake with opposing guards on 3rd down should tell you something .

This line of thought reminds me of the people who blamed Greg Olsen for the fact Blount had to come off the field on 3rd down. 

[The Anti-Java]

Chace 1986,

Thanks for the good analysis. I am not surprised at all that people are questioning Sheridan's play calls. I specifically remember the play in which  Bennett was lined up against a WR.  While one could fault Monte Kiffin for not being creative enough at times, the guy made it simple and let his dlinemen attack.  Only attack involving Sheridan was made by his Giant defenders who attacked him out of a job- one and done year as DC.  I think we hit a home run with Sullivan as OC but think that Sheridan tries to get too cute. McCoy was on the sidelines way too much during the game and he needs to be unleashed more. Our LBs are undersized and thus sending them on blitzes is probably not going to be a smart move the vast majority of the time.  I'm all for an occasional blitz by a DB (the Biggers call was great) as they can come in completely untouched as opposed to the LBs who are accounted for more easily.

Good post.  It's on Sheridan IMO.  Unless Schiano is asserting his will on the scheme.  I seem to recall a thread awhile back, where it stated Schiano is on the headset with Sheridan the whole game, and he leaves Sully alone.  I am not concerned with the players, its the scheme that needs tweeking.  Gerald, Bowers, Clayborn, Bennett are all fine players IMO.  They are not being used to their best abilties right now.

[chace1986]

The fact that the coaching staff thinks we are better off dropping him into zone coverage than watching him play patty-cake with opposing guards on 3rd down should tell you something .

It does. It tells me that there was a reason that the Giants let go of Sheridan so quickly.