Dan Bryden | Baltimore Sports and Life

The Ravens Need Cornerback Help

Dan Bryden — Thu, 24 Apr 2014 23:48:54 +0000

Using Football Outsider’s defensive DVOA metrics, the Ravens were 19th in total defense and 22nd against the pass during the 2012 Super Bowl run. The welcome comeback of Lardarius Webb and the insertion of , James Ihedigo, and Daryl Smith into the 2013 defense allowed the Ravens to notch the 8th best defense in the league and a respectable 9th against the pass. But moving into the 2014 season, the Ravens have lost their slot corner and need to replace his presence via the draft or via their on-roster depth.

Is Chykie Brown ready to rise to the occasion and replace Graham’s 588 snaps? I relied on Brown’s All-22 tape to tell the story.

Comments and discussion on our Message Board.

Chykie Brown was drafted in 2011 and played a total of 13 snaps that year. In 2012, he was thrust into action after Webb’s season-ending injury in Week 6. After splitting time with another depth corner, Chris Johnson, Brown solidified his position at sub-package nickel corner, playing primarily on the outside while starter Corey Graham shifted to the slot position. Although Graham certainly fit the slot corner job, Chykie was left outside because of his own limited skill-set.

Chykie Brown in coverage

When scouting coverage ability, there are four (mostly) distinct roles to focus on; man-coverage, deep zone (Cover-3, Cover-4), “cloud” corner (i.e. short zone, think Cover-2 CB), and slot corner.

Man coverage

With a 5’11, 190lb frame, Brown has some straight-line speed. In fact, few receivers can out-match Brown in this regard. But, as we all know, 40-yard speed does not correlate particularly well with cornerback ability.

To begin, Brown’s gradual back-pedal leaves him vulnerable. Receivers eat up his cushion relatively quickly, and it forces him out of his back-pedal too early. On vertical routes, this means Brown flips his hips and bails sooner in the route stem and can be beaten by a standard 12-yard comeback route. In a broad sense, Brown’s lack of comfort in his back-pedal allows him to be manipulated by the receiver’s route stem, forcing him to over-react to shoulder/hip fakes.

Change of direction is not Chykie’s strong suit, and this shows when he presses receivers. Intelligent receivers find him leaning into his punch, which leaves Brown chasing mere moments after the snap. Without the raw speed to stay with receivers in a straight line, I don’t think Brown would have had as much opportunity in 2013 as he did.

In addition to Brown’s unrefined technique, he suffered from communication problems even after playing with the same personnel for >400 snaps in 2012:

1) The Patriots receivers are stacked on top of one another. The Ravens are playing Cover-0 leaving Corey Graham and Chykie Brown in man-coverage with no help.

2) The route combination is Slant/Flat where Welker bends his route short and toward the sideline. The Patriots are known for using “switch” releases to confuse coverages yet it still worked in this instance. Instead of playing strict man-to-man or using a “banjo” technique (in-and-out zone), the Graham/Brown combo do neither and are beaten for a touchdown.

The Ravens defense prefers to play with single-high safety looks. If Chykie Brown is to be relied upon, the Ravens will not be able to run as much man-coverage and will have to settle for a heavy dose of Cover-3 and Cover-4.

Deep zone coverage

Despite his speed being his best overall asset, deep zone coverage is where Brown can have the biggest impact. Brown’s current lack of mirroring ability precludes him from successfully playing man coverage consistently. But in a position where he can drop to a deep third (or quarter) and visualize the QB, he can move in space and drive underneath routes.

Unfortunately, this means he lacks the versatility for the Ravens to vary their coverages. If Brown plays substantial snaps, he’ll need to hone more skills than deep zones.

Cloud corner

As a Cover-2 corner, you have to be able to press receivers off the line of scrimmage, read the vertical release of #1 and #2, and also be able to play “force” (i.e. keep the ball carrier from getting to the outside). When in position, Brown has shown some savvy in reading combination routes and driving toward the ball once thrown. Unfortunately, his lack of a stout frame hurts him in press coverage and when playing force:

1) The Colts are running “Double”, an inside hand-off where the ‘back reads two double-teams in front of him. Chykie Brown is off-screen to the right, playing a single receiver. With Paul Kruger rushing up-field in a hurry, Brown has to seal the edge against outside runs.

2) Once the ball carrier reaches the second level, he begins to look toward the outside. Brown’s angle is far too shallow to set the edge.

3) After a minor impediment thanks to a wide receiver stalk block, Brown begins his pursuit, but his recovery angle is still too shallow.

4) Brown loses the edge completely and the result was a gain of 24 yards off of an inside hand-off.

I think the Ravens will try to play less Cover-2 this coming year than last year. This would be for the best because neither Jimmy Smith or Chykie Brown play Cover-2 corner very well and Matt Elam plays best when not in a deep alignment.

Secondary as a whole

The Ravens secondary is in a bit of trouble this coming season. Asa Jackson may be able to fill the last cornerback role, but I unfortunately don’t have access to any of his snaps (pre-season is currently not streaming). I have a lot of faith in Jimmy Smith as an outside corner for the foreseeable future. On the other side, Lardarius Webb has the ability to be a solid outside corner. Webb was once the league’s best slot corner but several knee surgeries have left him hesitant to blitz and fill run gaps. Will one of the depth corners play outside in the Nickel package with Webb in the slot? Will Matt Elam play more slot corner? If so, who will play safety?

The Ravens very much need to bolster their cornerback position. Whether they do so via trade or in the draft, they can’t afford to ignore the position.

The post The Ravens Need Cornerback Help appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Why Bring Back Terrence Cody?

Dan Bryden — Wed, 09 Apr 2014 21:26:40 +0000

Terrence Cody’s career as a Raven began after being selected in the 2nd round of the 2010 draft. The consensus among local fans is that Cody’s play has been less than stellar to this point. Regardless, Ozzie Newsome brought Cody back under a 1-year 730k deal. Does this move make sense? Can Cody be an impact player? I looked to his 2013 tape to find out.

Discuss and comment on our Message Board.

On running downs, the Ravens base defense is the “4-3 Under” which utilizes both 4-3 (1 gap) and 3-4 (2 gap) principles. Basic 4-3 Under gap control:

The Ravens have a need for 2-gapping defensive lineman as those guys can control blockers in the middle and maintain two gaps with one player. These types of players often invite double-teams which allows more agile linebackers to fill or scrape toward the ball carrier as necessary. A good 2-gapping defensive lineman will relieve Ngata of nose tackle duties and allow him to play more of his best role, penetrating 3-technique. If Cody can fill this role, his roster spot will be worth the re-signing.

Cody’s role in the Ravens 2013 defense was slight. He played almost exclusively on first down where he provides the most of his minimal value. Cody generally aligns as a 0- (head up on the center) or 1-technique (between center and guard), but he aligned as far wide as 3-technique. Cody is asked to 2-gap on the majority of his snaps meaning, put your hands on the chest of the blocker and control both sides of him. Cody can effectively stand up a center or guard (something he struggled with before 2013) but he doesn’t have the lateral movement necessary to shed his blocker and make tackles. Additionally, he rarely displaces his blocker into the backfield to impede the runner’s trajectory. In essence, Cody’s role when 2-gapping is to stalemate his defender.

After several years in the league, Cody has picked up a few tricks against the run. His lack of agility keeps him from being effective against outside runs, but if he can keep faster flowing linebackers from being blocked, he can be a significant player:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”16124,16125,16126″]

Cody struggles against outside runs because he is simply too large to continue down the line of scrimmage and hold his gap(s). But if Cody can selflessly keep two blockers on him, he can open up lanes for play-makers like Daryl Smith and Arthur Brown. The problem that I have with Cody, is that he doesn’t show the consistent ability to demand double-teams. He has shown flashes (e.g. the above play) but his poor understanding of leverage hurts him at times:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”16130,16131,16132,16133″]

I think that someone like Cody is an average player who can play the space-eating role at the league average. If this is his ceiling (as I believe), and he has shown subtle improvements, then I can understand bringing him back under a small contract. What bothers me is that there is another player on the team who can play Cody’s role much better AND, unlike Cody, can be useful if trapped on the field in a hurry-up situation. That player is Brandon Williams.

Brandon Williams

Williams was a consensus steal in the third round of the 2013 draft. Many saw his strength and agility as attributes that make a can’t-miss prospect. However, Brandon Williams continued his collegiate struggles in one key area, technique:

On this passing play, Williams stands too far upright (1) which minimizes his impact of depressing the Aaron Rodgers’ pocket. Shortly after, Williams lowers his hips in an attempt to bull through the center Dietrich-Smith. To use his leverage against him, the center swipes Williams’ hands downward (2). This led to a predictable result (3).

Although Williams struggled using leverage for the majority of the year, he was the team’s best 2-gapper in the middle. Williams played the majority of his snaps at nose-tackle during the first two downs and was often tasked with commanding the blocker in front of him in order to play both adjacent gaps:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”16141,16142,16143″]

Williams, like Cody, is more of a run stopper. Williams will likely not see many pass rush snaps and he lacks the explosive first step to penetrate through the line of scrimmage. Although his biggest impact on the Ravens defense will be in solidifying the two A-gaps against inside runs, he did make drastic improvements in moving laterally against the zone-blocking scheme too.

Altogether, I think the signing of Terrence Cody is a simply an optimistic gesture. The Ravens can use him at nose tackle between Ngata and Canty while Williams continues to improve, but I personally doubt that Cody will ever become more than a below-average player. Cody also does not provide any additional value on Special Teams, which along with zero dead-money associated with release, makes him cut-able. On the bright side, while Cody is still on the team, the goal-line defensive package does look pretty daunting with >1,000lbs between three players:

The post Why Bring Back Terrence Cody? appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Jeremy Zuttah, Patching a Leaky Line

Dan Bryden — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 12:21:43 +0000

Many in the Baltimore media chronicled Gino Gradkowski’s struggles throughout the 2013 campaign. Although Gradkowski improved when the calendar turned December, he only graduated to a below-average starting center. In response, the Ravens turned to former Buccaneer Jeremy Zuttah to fill Gradkowski’s shoes to start the 2014 season. I watched approximately ¹/₄ of Zuttah’s snaps over 6 games in 2013 to see what the Ravens are getting in return for their conditional 5th round draft pick.

Discuss/criticize on our Message Board.

Gradkowski’s smallish frame hurt the Ravens last year as he was pushed back into the pocket from power nose tackles. From a size standpoint, Zuttah is only an inch taller and 10lbs heavier. Zuttah, however, carries his bulk a bit higher which gives him greater upper-body strength to fend off 0-techs and nose shades. Even with a larger frame, Zuttah represents an improvement in lateral mobility at the center position. Zuttah has the light feet that are coveted in the zone-blocking scheme. Unfortunately, his technique does not always match his athleticism.

In the Zone-Blocking Scheme

The Buccaneers under Greg Schiano used zone running plays as their base attack. This is fortunate for Ravens fans because one can watch the tape and project Zuttah into the Ravens zone-blocking scheme directly. When watching Zuttah run block, it was clear to me that he had a strong understanding of the zone-blocking system:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”15825,15826,15827″]

The above play exemplifies what Zuttah can accomplish within the zone-blocking scheme. Here, he executed the needed technique almost flawlessly. Unfortunately for Ravens fans, Zuttah is inconsistent with his technique.

Zuttah generally shows quick lateral movement, a trait that was praised when the trade was announced. Despite this, he doesn’t always use his nimbleness to his advantage. When tasked with blocking 1-techs, Zuttah too often settles to attack the back-side shoulder instead of working his hips to “reach” his assignment. This is problematic because defensive tackles can wedge themselves into the ball carrier’s path and muddy the runner’s reads.

The previously diagrammed play depicts Zuttah’s success in combination blocks. Zuttah, however, too often scoops to the second level before ensuring that the down lineman is accounted for by his back-side guard. This leaves the guard struggling to maintain leverage which he often loses. Once Zuttah scoops to the second level, he is generally good at impeding the flow of inside linebackers. He doesn’t always take the correct blocking angles and he can (unsurprisingly) fall victim to evasive maneuvers. Fortunately, quick-hitting zone-blocking plays will only ask Zuttah to delay a scraping linebacker’s timing.

Some may say that Zuttah’s technique can be shored up by Gary Kubiak and Juan Castillo prior to the upcoming season. I believe Zuttah’s technique can be improved upon, particularly in a system that will drill the zone-blocking scheme until it is perfect. This said, Zuttah struggles when blocking powerful defensive/nose tackles on his own. Zuttah’s propensity to a) get too high and b) stop his feet gets him in trouble and forces him into the backfield. If Zuttah is to climb above mediocrity at the center position, he must learn to be more flexible with his hips and to not get thrown off balance after engaging a defender.

Pass Protection

When Baltimore announced they had traded for Zuttah, the instant analysis lauded his pass protection because he did not allow a sack in 2013 (per PFF). Digging a bit deeper, the same statistical service accredited him with 23 total QB Pressures, tied for 6th most among 30 qualifying centers in 2013. After watching Zuttah’s tape, these numbers don’t surprise me. Zuttah is somewhat lead-footed in pass protection preferring to set and engage rather than flexibly mirroring a rusher’s moves and counter-moves. It was telling that the Bucs used a great deal of “half slide” and “full slide” protection to help Zuttah so that he was not forced to block nose tackles alone. When he was responsible for one specific defender, the results were often not pretty:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”15857,15858,15859, 15860″]

The above play was not an anomaly. This happened far too often for my liking and his deficiencies may have to be covered up by scheme. Fortunately, Kubiak’s design rarely leaves centers alone on an island. Last year’s reliance on “scat (5-man) protection” will be replaced with 6- and 7-man protection schemes that, along with play/boot action, will mitigate Zuttah’s weaknesses. Additionally, the use of the HB screen game may preclude opponents from rushing aggressively.

Zuttah will be 28 when the new season begins and I think he can be molded into a solid starting center. Where he lacks power, he largely makes up for it with experience in the mental aspects of a zone-blocking based offense. As I mentioned in my piece on the , the Ravens will implement several tactics that indirectly help the center position by design. Fans should not expect Zuttah to be a standout lineman this coming year but, an up-and-down role player is certainly an improvement at the center position, right?

The post Jeremy Zuttah, Patching a Leaky Line appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

First Round O-Line: Taylor Lewan, Zack Martin

Dan Bryden — Wed, 26 Mar 2014 15:27:25 +0000

Let’s face it. The offensive line was a disappointment to most Ravens fans in 2013. With Michael Oher leaving for Tennessee and Osemele (hopefully) moving to his natural guard position, the Ravens may now address offensive tackle in the draft. As Mike Randall mentioned, the Ravens met with a few different offensive lineman during the combine. Two that I’ll talk about today are Michigan’s Taylor Lewan and Notre Dame’s Zack Martin. Colleague Matt Jergensen has covered Lewan and Martin in previous posts, so refer to those links for more info on these prospects.

Discussion and comments at our Message Board.

Taylor Lewan

Run Blocker

Lewan has the prototypical size for an offensive tackle (6’7, 309lbs) and he uses his long arms to stalemate defenders in the run game. Michigan’s reliance on the power rushing attack gave Lewan ample opportunity to fire off the ball and bury defenders. Yet despite his girth, Lewan seemed content with engaging defenders at the line of scrimmage rather than bulling them out of the way. When Lewan did fire forward, he was very good at washing his assignment down the line and he consistently showed effort until the play was over. But, too often, Lewan stood up tall to lock arms with a defender and didn’t keep his feet moving or roll his hips to gain power. This allowed lesser defenders to stand their ground and attempt to make a tackle when the ball carrier went by.

Michigan used the zone rushing attack on a handful of plays. From the games I saw, Michigan mainly used zone rushing plays to set up boot action. Therefore, zone blocking wasn’t a large part of the offensive repertoire. However, when Lewan was engaged in zone blocking, he moved his feet and his body surprisingly well for a big man. This athleticism didn’t translate to traditional zone blocking technique… but he sufficed, particularly when playing against bulky rather than speedy defenders. Lewan’s propensity for success against bulkier players was apparent when attempting to block at the second level. Engaging with quicker linebackers wasn’t the issue, rather, Lewan simply took poor angles many times and was left chasing his assignments.

Pass Protection

Michigan used a lot of 11 personnel, meaning Lewan has a large sample of pass blocking plays to critique. Lewan was very successful in pass protection mainly given his size and arm length. A few technique flaws were apparent though. Lewan’s pass set (kick-slide) can be a bit choppy and a step slow at times. When facing 9-technique edge rushers, this caused him to struggle more than I would have liked. Whether this can be coached, I’m not sure, but his tree-like legs and double-knee-braces leave me pessimistic. Fortunately, Lewan is a big “effort” guy. On the occasions when he was out-leveraged around the edge, he often dove and tried to push his man around the QB to solidify the pocket. This is a big plus.

When watching Lewan play in 2012, it appeared that his “mirror” phase was lacking. He didn’t make subtle adjustments with his hips/feet prior to contact with defenders. This left him off-balance and compromised his leverage. Luckily, Lewan’s 2013 tape showed massive improvement in this area. Although his foot-speed is still below average, he used angles to his advantage during 2013.

I think Lewan’s biggest issues come from his reluctance to “punch.” If you watch Lewan’s tape, you’ll notice how much he “catches” defenders or makes first contact using his helmet. Tackles are taught to punch outward with their elbows in and thumbs up prior to contact. Lewan seems intent on “locking out” with his opponent rather than punching. This was not a problem vs. mediocre talent but players with speed and active hands (e.g. Clowney) can give him trouble.

Tape Study:

Lewan is #77 at Left Tackle.

0:18 Example of his “punch” technique. Makes first contact with his helmet. May cause him balance issues.
1:56 Fantastic zone blocking. Helps with the TE’s double-team and plays with his eyes up. He locates and walls off a scraping linebacker in pursuit.
2:37 The type of “punch” technique I’d like to see more of.
3:10 Quick set. Softly locks on to a rusher. Tries to engage and match hips. Reliance on upper body allows rusher to get around the edge. Speed guys with active hands at the next level will use this to their advantage.
4:02 His choppy pass set that gets him out-leveraged at times.
4:14 The “play to the whistle” type attitude that coaches love.
5:02 He leans in on a DT with his head down. He doesn’t roll his hips underneath him. The defender uses Lewan’s high center of gravity against him.
5:33 “Inverted Power Veer” is designed to hit in the B gap. Lewan’s angle to the linebacker is too shallow.
7:58 Too often “anchors” and doesn’t move his feet in run blocking.
8:22 Impeccable “recovery” phase. Lewan will consistently win if he isn’t forced to hand fight.

Lewan to the Ravens?

If the Ravens see themselves as a zone-blocking team during the 2014 season and into the future, Lewan is not a fit. Lewan’s size and relentless attitude are something Ozzie Newsome has coveted in the past but with limits in his technique, I think Lewan would fit better with a power rushing team. Pair that with his alleged assault charges this summer, I don’t see the Ravens drafting him high.

Zack Martin

Run Blocker

Notre Dame’s Zack Martin played the majority of his college snaps at left tackle. Although his size is smaller than the typical NFL left tackle, he blocked in the run game very well. Notre Dame ran a lot of power rushing plays that called for him to block down and/or work to the next level. Martin explodes from his stance but attacks with control. Martin does not have a size advantage over most defensive ends, so he tended to lean on technique and footwork. I liked his constantly churning feet and low stance.

Martin’s snaps in the zone blocking game were impressive. He showed technical skill including back-side cut-blocks. Despite his stocky build, he was able to move in the lateral plane effectively and flexibly mirrored scraping linebackers. Martin’s agility comes at a bit of a price, though. He can be bulled at the line of scrimmage and rarely creates displacement without being part of a double-team. Without elite arm length, he can be stood up and shed at the point-of-attack.

Pass Protection

Again, Martin’s biggest asset is agility and technical skill. In pass protection, he sets quickly and fluidly with good knee bend. He has a tendency to underset occasionally which can leave him susceptible to speed rushers but he also rarely gets beat to his inside. Some offensive tackles have consistent set mechanics but lack the necessary mirroring skills that allow them to subtly alter their feet when a rusher changes his angle. Martin, however, exhibits these subtle mirroring movements and it puts him in the best position to block a defender the majority of the time.

What can hurt Martin is his punch. In order to reduce the impact of a bullrush, Martin uses more of his own momentum to thrust his hands into a defender’s chest. When accurate, this punch is effective, but a combination of winding up and punching prior to solidifying his base often hurts him. Fortunately, Martin misses infrequently.

For all the technically solid aspects of Martin’s game, he can still be pushed around by stockier defensive ends and outside linebackers. For this reason, his shorter, stockier body (6’4, 308lbs) is better suited for guard at the next level.

Tape Study

Martin is #70 at Left Tackle.

0:05 Fires out low and continues to drive his feet. Plays to the whistle.
0:16 Great job of gaining leverage underneath the defender’s shoulder pads.
2:09 Really impressive impact with a linebacker after a free release.
2:37 Dominant double-team block. A trait necessary for guard play.
2:47 Beat with an inside move from a 9-tech. Shouldn’t happen. It stems from Martin lunging with his eyes down.
3:49 Needs to use longer strides in his set. Defender is in his chest before Martin finishes setting. Leads to balance problems. Persistence in replacing his hands is one of Martin’s strengths.
4:04 Martin is in man-protection but still adjusts to an inside move from a 9-tech. Good mirror.
5:07 Frontside of a zone blocking play. Successfully reach blocks the first level defender, and passes him off to attack a linebacker. Decent technique, great athleticism.
5:50 He is susceptible to the bullrush from big defensive tackles. Keeps good position though.
6:16 Takes a great angle and attacks the MIKE linebacker in the zone run game.
8:10 Gains ground and attacks the far leg. Good cut block technique on the backside of a zone run.

Martin to the Ravens?

Several sources have mocked Zack Martin to the Ravens. Although I, and many other analysts, see him as an NFL guard, Martin could be a tackle in a scheme that is tied to the zone-blocking and boot-action game. If the Ravens draft Martin high, I’d expect him to step in to the starting right tackle spot and I see him fitting nicely. Martin’s strengths lie in technique and his weaknesses (i.e. power) can be covered up by play-action, jump sets, and the boot game.

Normal

false

EN-US

X-NONE

DefSemiHidden=”true” DefQFormat=”false” DefPriority=”99″

LatentStyleCount=”267″>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Normal”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”heading 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Title”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Subtitle”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Strong”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Emphasis”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Table Grid”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”No Spacing”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Shading”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light List”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Grid”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Dark List”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Shading”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful List”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Grid”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Shading Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light List Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Grid Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 1 Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 2 Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 1 Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”List Paragraph”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Quote”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Intense Quote”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 2 Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 1 Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 2 Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 3 Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Dark List Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Shading Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful List Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Grid Accent 1″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Shading Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light List Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Grid Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 1 Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 2 Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 1 Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 2 Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 1 Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 2 Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 3 Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Dark List Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Shading Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful List Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Grid Accent 2″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Shading Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light List Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Grid Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 1 Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 2 Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 1 Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 2 Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 1 Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 2 Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 3 Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Dark List Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Shading Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful List Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Grid Accent 3″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Shading Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light List Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Grid Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 1 Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 2 Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 1 Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 2 Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 1 Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 2 Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 3 Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Dark List Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Shading Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful List Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Grid Accent 4″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Shading Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light List Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Grid Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 1 Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 2 Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 1 Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 2 Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 1 Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 2 Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 3 Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Dark List Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Shading Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful List Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Grid Accent 5″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Shading Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light List Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Light Grid Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 1 Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Shading 2 Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 1 Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium List 2 Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 1 Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 2 Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Medium Grid 3 Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Dark List Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Shading Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful List Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” Name=”Colorful Grid Accent 6″/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Subtle Emphasis”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Intense Emphasis”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Subtle Reference”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Intense Reference”/>

UnhideWhenUsed=”false” QFormat=”true” Name=”Book Title”/>

/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:”Table Normal”;
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-qformat:yes;
mso-style-parent:””;
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:”Calibri”,”sans-serif”;
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

The post First Round O-Line: Taylor Lewan, Zack Martin appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

How the Ravens Should Approach the O-Line

Dan Bryden — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 17:26:05 +0000

Ravens fans see the offensive line as the group that needs the most work this off-season. Consequently, I’ve dedicated a lot of my film study to determining the best approach for the Ravens moving forward. Here are my thoughts on the line from left to right.

Comments and Discussion of this piece on our Message Board.

Left Tackle

There is little room for debate at this position. Ozzie Newsome and Co. struck a bargain deal with (what I consider to be) their franchise left tackle. Since the retirement of Jonathan Ogden, the Ravens have had inconsistent tackle play on their QB’s blind-side, including names like Andre Gurode, Jared Gaither, Bryant McKinnie, and Michael Oher.

I wrote a lengthy piece about Eugene Monroe’s fit in Baltimore, but briefly, I think Monroe is exactly what the Ravens need. He’s a technician who excels in pass protection even against elite pass rushers. His smaller frame and agile feet fit in well with the new dedication to the zone-blocking scheme under Gary Kubiak. Monroe’s weaknesses (average anchor, minimal power) can be mitigated by the new system’s play-action and boot-action play calls that can provide Monroe more space between himself and Flacco before contact.

Right player. Right team. Right price.

Left Guard

Left guard was a position of weakness down the stretch for the Ravens. 2012 second round draft pick Kelechi Osemele played 443 snaps at left guard before bowing out of the season due to a lingering back injury. 2013 free agent center A.Q. Shipley took the majority of left guard snaps (730) with poor results. Shipley didn’t show great enough versatility to be able to play in the Ravens system last year. To be fair, the Ravens’ shotgun-based attack is hell on an offensive lineman, particularly when the run-game was non-existent (Football Outsiders efficiency metric ranked the Ravens rushing attack as 8th worst since 1950). Even when adjusting for difficulty, I don’t think Shipley has a future on this line.

Projecting Osemele moving into next season is difficult only because of injury concerns. That said, I think that Osemele is a great fit at left guard for the upcoming year. As a natural guard, Osemele pass protects very well in that his bulk and length allow him to engage nose-shades/3-techniques and anchor down to keep them from applying frontal pressure. Osemele smoothly works in concert with neighboring lineman when working against stunts and rarely makes mental mistakes.

Injuries hobbled Osemele in 2013 and as a result, his run-blocking suffered. Osemele has the ability to move laterally and to lock up interior lineman on a zone-blocking path. But toward the end of his season, he clearly had trouble gaining leverage on defenders because of his inability to get low. A healthy Osemele at left guard would be a great fit for the zone-blocking scheme but also a huge boost the the O-Line in general:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”15611,15612,15613,15614″]

I think that Osemele fits as a guard much better than right tackle (discussed below).

The last option at left guard is Jah Reid. Assuming Reid doesn’t face further complications due to his recent arrest, he will be the back-up swing guard. Anyone looking at Reid’s 6’7 340lb frame would assume he is a plodding banger who moves defenders with strength. Oddly that isn’t his game. Reid’s pass blocking technique is poor. He “catches” defenders rather than punching with force and he can be bull-rushed. None of these are good traits for a guard. His redeeming qualities come in the run game. Reid has a surprisingly good feel for how to gain leverage on first level defenders and how to reach the second level. Reid was also very good at pulling across the formation on .

I have yet to figure out why the Ravens decided Shipley was a better guard than Reid during the 2013 struggle.

Center

Ravens fans were optimistic about Gino Gradkowski filling the retired Matt Birk’s role for the 2013 season. But it didn’t take long for them to turn on Gradkowski after several poor performances. Many blamed Gradkowski for the decline in the Ravens rushing attack, using the evidence that Gino was the only new-comer from the Super Bowl offensive line. However, I don’t think Gino was the main reason the rushing attack was sub-par, though he did play a large part.

Gradkowski was overwhelmed in every aspect of the game. This lasted throughout the season and only began to improve toward the end of the year. Gradkowski didn’t work well with neighboring guards in combination blocks, and often times blown assignments forced running-backs to evade tacklers before they reached the line of scrimmage. Gradkowski does not have the size to anchor in pass protection against 3-4 nose tackles or 4-3 nose-shades. Meanwhile, no QB faces frontal pressure very well, and in a system based on deep-passing, an unreliable center can derail pass plays before they begin.

The Ravens will keep Gradkowski on the team, that’s without question. But, should he start next season?

I think Kubiak’s system will help Gradkowski in a number of ways. Increased use of reduced sets and two tight-end formations will increase slide protection usage, allowing Gradkowski to play in spatial proximity to a guard in order to get help. Additionally, dependence on the precision- and timing-based West Coast Offense will keep Gradkowski from having to pass protect for as long. Lastly, play-action and boot-action can boost Gradkowski’s pass protection because a) nose tackles will rarely ever pressure a rolling QB and b) play-action pass protection is essentially run-blocking where Gradkowski can fire out and play low to the ground.

As a Gradkowski supporter, I still can’t condone him being the de facto starter for 2014. There are a number of free agent centers whose market has presumably gone down after not being signed early in the process. One of these centers is former Saint Brian de la Puente.

The 28-year-old free agent has been a part of the Saints organization since 2010. At 6’2, 308lbs he shares the same dimensions as Gradkowski. However, de le Puente carries his weight a bit higher in his upper-body which affords him additional power to take on nose tackles in protection.

In the run game, de la Puente’s biggest assets are hand placement and leverage understanding. de la Puente isn’t an elite lateral mover, but he has experience in the zone-blocking scheme. This shows in his post-snap communication with nearby linemen, a portion of the game I think Gradkowski struggled with:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”15621,15618,15619,15617″]

de la Puente is not without flaws. He doesn’t move particularly fast and I wouldn’t feel comfortable consistently asking him to “reach” a 2i or nose-shade. Fortunately, he won’t be moved backwards in the run game either, which thwarted the 2013 Ravens (and Texans) zone-running game at times.

Right Guard

Marshal Yanda didn’t have a Pro Bowl-type season last year, but I think much of that can be attributed to his surrounding help. Yanda was very solid in pass protection but he didn’t run block at an elite level due to miscommunication both pre- and post-snap with C Gradkowski and RT Oher. Zone blocking involves a series of combination blocks to effectively create creases. Without sufficient communication and leverage, the zone-blocking scheme can’t work.

I have faith in Yanda moving forward. This position is not in question.

Right Tackle

With Michael Oher finding a new home in Tennessee, the right tackle depth chart is thin. Given the current roster, the best options are as follows: 1) Ricky Wagner, 2) Kelechi Osemele (move Reid/Wagner to LG), and 3) David Mims.

I recently took a and I think he could be an average right tackle in this league and a very good 6th offensive lineman in heavy personnel. His strength lies in drive-blocking in the run game. Wagner has minimal experience in zone-blocking in the NFL, and I think he may struggle to efficiently reach 4-3 DEs and 3-4 OLBs on a consistent basis. Ultimately, I think Wagner is best suited as a guard based on his power and his inconsistent “set” and “punch” when pass-setting on the edge.

I think Osemele could be a decent right tackle but I worry that his play would drop off substantially. Osemele works best on the inside because he can over-power bigger defensive tackles with technique and hip-movement. When Osemele faced smaller OLBs, they were often too agile for Osemele to keep up. This showed in his run-blocking and when attempting to pass block:

Yes, Osemele is attempting to block Von Miller, but Osemele does not work on an island very well in general. Osemele’s kick-slide is a bit too slow to mirror the angles of incoming pass rushers and therefore, these defenders can set him up with counter-moves (i.e. spin, rip, arm-over). Osemele is a very good guard who has shown signs of improvement over his short career. My hope is that the Ravens feel the same way.

Without access to pre-season tape at this time of year (…not sure why), I don’t have any personal thoughts on David Mims.

Fans have been clamoring to add Eric Winston, a previous right tackle in Kubiak’s system during this tenure in Houston. For the right price, Winston is a good option. That said, I think the Ravens should use a high pick on a natural tackle. It would suit my interests if the Ravens used a first round pick on a tackle and a second round pick on a wide receiver.

Note: My next venture is to find the suitable tackle in the draft. Analysis of these possibilities upcoming.

The post How the Ravens Should Approach the O-Line appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Is Steve Smith Worth Pursuing?

Dan Bryden — Wed, 12 Mar 2014 13:42:00 +0000

The Ravens have made their mark on the 2014 Free Agency period by simply signing their own. By all accounts, priority #1 was Dennis Pitta (√) and priority #2 was Eugene Monroe (√). I’m of the opinion that signing your own is the best policy and, though not flashy, secures more future wins than making big splashes. With that said, the Ravens have been linked to Panthers WR Steve Smith, should he be released. Is this a good idea?

Discuss this piece on our Message Board.

A 35-year-old wide receiver with a 5’9, 185lb frame is hardly the prototypical impact player that the Ravens need in their receiving corps. What Smith does bring, though, is a feisty attitude, route running expertise, and short-area quickness that can help the Ravens against press and zone coverages.

Steve Smith is the Isolation X receiver to Cam Newton’s right. Smith is running a simple corner route against the Saints’ Tampa-2 zone. CB Keenan Lewis will look to jam Smith and then sink to cushion any outside-breaking routes behind him.

Smith astutely recognizes Lewis’ attempt to press him and loops his route toward the middle of the field to pull Lewis away from his “flat” zone. Along the way, Smith swats down Lewis’ hands before breaking on his corner route.

At the top of Smith’s route, he understands that CB Lewis is now breaking on the Flat route by the running back (red). Smith then flattens his break toward the sideline to avoid being interrupted by the deep-half safety (orange). Smith is wide open but the pass goes to the other side of the field.

Steve Smith continually showed the ability to understand zone coverages. Smith was mostly a Z receiver that could move all over the formation but did some of his best work underneath between the numbers.

Although Smith excelled at finding voids in zone coverage, his remaining short-area quickness helped him in man-coverage as well:

New England’s best corner Aqib Talib is aligned in press against Smith. Rather than Smith running an isolation “out” route (dashed), Smith played off of Talib’s leverage to win against man coverage.

In Image #1, Talib has reacted to Smith’s inside stem. By Image #2, Smith has shed Talib’s attempted jam and is now forcing Talib to flip his hips and change direction. Image #3 shows Smith planting his foot to make an outside cut and Image #4 demonstrates the amount of separation he was able to achieve.

Steve Smith didn’t show consistent separation against man coverage due to his lack of straight line speed and partially due to his small stature. When Smith wasn’t able to evade defenders, he was too often overpowered by their relatively long reach. Smith was impressive though in working rub/pick combinations which freed him up in the middle of the field.

Should the Ravens bring him on?

Steve Smith is a far better player at age 35 than Brandon Stokley was last season. Smith offers a short area presence over the middle and can be a precision receiver which is coveted in the West Coast offense. Besides his ability on the field, Smith could team up with new wide receivers coach Bobby Engram to better develop route-running intricacies in the Ravens raw but talented group.

For these reasons, I would be in favor of bringing in Smith for a one year deal. My concern would be the perception of addressing this position and therefore moving WR down the priority list for the draft. There are many young and talented wide receivers in the draft who could develop into a cornerstone opposite Torrey Smith and Marlon Brown. Given the choice, I would prefer the Ravens select LSU’s Odell Beckham, a slightly larger (6’0, 185lbs) target who showed fantastic short-area burst in Cam Cameron’s pro-style offense. Someone like Beckham would contribute as a returner which Smith has not done for some time.

I’ll leave you with my favorite Steve Smith clip of all time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=S4XeL8cLjrA#t=18

The post Is Steve Smith Worth Pursuing? appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Is Eugene Monroe Worth Investing In?

Dan Bryden — Wed, 05 Mar 2014 13:24:16 +0000

After the signing of Dennis Pitta, Ravens fans turned their focus to the next UFA priority: Eugene Monroe. While Monroe has gotten a good deal of praise this off-season (PFF’s #1 rated UFA Offensive Tackle), Jacksonville didn’t appear too concerned with his departure mid-2013. The Ravens let the Franchise Tag deadline pass them by and there is now conjecture about whether the Ravens have Monroe in their future plans. Is Monroe the type of tackle you hitch your wagon to? After watching most of his snaps for the Ravens, I think the answer is YES.

For discussion and comments, head to our Message Board.

When Run Blocking

We all know that Gary Kubiak’s offense will feature a healthy dose of the Zone Blocking Scheme. As I’ve mentioned before, the Zone Blocking Scheme asks the offensive linemen to work in concert to create creases and cut-back lanes. Monroe is very good in his run blocking technique and plays with neighboring guards well. When blocking on the play-side (i.e. run call to the left), Monroe moves laterally with his assigned defender, which provides space for his running back to visualize the hole. Monroe is not a powerful blocker and he rarely displaces players by simply mauling them. But in the Zone Blocking Scheme, this type of blocking is relatively unimportant when compared to repetitive technique and an understanding of leverage.

Monroe really only has issues with run blocking when on the back-side (i.e. play-call to the right). Without elite movement skills, he rarely reaches a back-side linebacker at the second level and when cutting off a back-side defensive end, he can get lazy with his feet.

Monroe has the physical ability to be a solid run blocker who projects as a prototype Zone Blocking left tackle. Monroe’s lack of explosion and pulling expertise will be minimized while Zone Blocking.

In Pass Protection

Monroe does not have a Bryant McKinnie-type size. Monroe has a 6’5″ 320lb frame without a bulky upper body. He therefore relies on technique and positioning to succeed.

Monroe has a very good set. He rhythmically moves his feet in a controlled manner to get up-field and cut off potential edge rushers. He is rarely caught out of position. When defenders tried to bend the edge against him, Monroe was fantastic at pushing them past/around the quarterback. Against inside counter-moves, Monroe was quick to shift his weight and force defenders into traffic. Monroe’s excellent body control allows him to move flexibly in the “mirror” phase. Blocking a defense’s best edge rusher play after play is an unenviable job but Monroe did it with amazing consistency. Monroe’s “recovery” phase, even against great defenders, was top-notch:

Monroe is tasked with blocking stud defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Monroe engages Suh immediately post-snap and never relinquishes. Image #2 shows Monroe playing with a strong base, good arm positioning, and an arched back. Monroe is not over-extended or trying to land a big blow with this helmet. Monroe is exceptionally consistent with his technique and even after an attempted “arm-over” move, Suh is unable to shed his block.

At left tackle, Monroe is often blocking the defense’s best rusher by himself. Throughout the games I watched, defenders became visibly frustrated after Monroe consistently won this battle. As a counter-move, defensive coordinators would call stunts and games to a) introduce confusion and b) force Monroe to work in concert with the Ravens sub-par left guard, A.Q. Shipley:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”15245,15246,15247,15248″]

Monroe dependably handled stunts to his side with ease. It was remarkable how calm he was deciphering some of the more complex aspects that tackles have to deal with.

Monroe in the Kubiak/Castillo Protection System

I have spoke of Monroe’s comprehensive skill-set glowingly. But each offensive system asks it’s offensive linemen to do slightly different things. Is Monroe a good fit for the 2014 Ravens?

Gary Kubiak loves to use Play-Action, Boot-Action, and a rolling pocket as tactics to keep his quarterback clean. Moving pockets will be a welcome sight for Flacco after dealing with a shoddy offensive line in 2013. Eugene Monroe, as mentioned above, is not a bulldozer, but few bulldozers fit the Zone Blocking Scheme. So Kubiak instead uses a series of different protection calls that play to his linemen’s strengths:

To sell Play-Action, the lineman use a “jump set” meaning they attack their assigned defender rather than patiently waiting. This fits nicely with Monroe’s skill-set because he can fire out and engage a defender. This allows him to simply “recover” or “re-anchor” until the ball is away. This keeps defenders from getting a running start and barreling into Monroe.

This gets into where I think Monroe may struggle. Juan Castillo is known for preaching the “vertical set” meaning his offensive tackles retreat almost directly backwards in pass protection. This is a small variant on the more popular style of “kick-slide” protection.

[portfolio_slideshow include=”15255,15256,15257,15258″]

Is Monroe Worth the Money?

When one pictures the best free agent left tackle on the market, they picture a dominant road-grater who can impose his will in both pass-protection and in the running game. But the league has changed to where technique and agility are greater assets for offensive linemen. Consistency is Monroe’s greatest asset, and I believe that his strengths are a perfect match for the Ravens moving forward.

The post Is Eugene Monroe Worth Investing In? appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Next Man Up: Ricky Wagner

Dan Bryden — Mon, 17 Feb 2014 16:21:09 +0000

6’6″ | 308 lbs

The Ravens had their struggles on the offensive line in 2013. What was a mainstay for the 2012 Super Bowl run suddenly declined into little more than a series of holes and mishaps. With Michael Oher rumored to have played his last snap in purple, the current back-up Right Tackle is Ricky Wagner.

Discuss this piece on our message board.

Michael Oher was of particular concern as his previous “inconsistent” label would be a compliment when describing his 2013 campaign. Behind Oher on the depth chart was the 2013 5th round pick Ricky Wagner. Wagner played 131 snaps in 2013 but the majority (56%) of his playing time was as an eligible-tackle (i.e. 6th OL) in the Ravens heavy package. Luckily for his (and my) sake, he played Right Tackle on 58 plays against Denver in the season opener once Michael Oher left due to injury.

My approach to studying Wagner is based solely on his tape. I think this is the least biased method but keep in mind three factors:

Given the score in the Denver game, Wagner was asked to pass protect (48 snaps) far more than run block.
Pass rushers almost always knew the play was a pass in the pre-snap phase.
This is a limited sample size.

Run blocking

Wagner did an admirable job in his limited role in the rushing attack. The following play is indicative of his worth in the zone blocking scheme:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”14905,14906,14907,14908″]

Wagner has demonstrated the ability to move laterally and block using position. He has areas of weakness, however, in using power from his lower body. He does not yet have the bulk to drive defenders and his lack of subtle position adjustment after initial contact creates a weakness for defenders to exploit.

The next play has Wagner blocking on the play-side of an Outside Zone play:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”14913,14914,14915,14916,14917″]

As the above plays show, Wagner tends to rely on the rules laid-out on the chalkboard instead of using brute force or athletic superiority to dominate his opponents. With a bit of tuning, Wagner could become a reliable run-blocker but his current lack of lateral quickness is of concern given the Ravens commitment to the zone blocking scheme in 2014.

Combating Edge Pressure

Generally when analyzing pass blocking, there are four main facets:

Set – At its simplest, setting is the patterned retreat that provides the OL with space to efficiently protect the QB and form a pocket. There are several types of sets but the Ravens generally employ more of a “vertical set.”
Mirror – This is the ability to flexibly move one’s feet and hips to maintain the best body position relative to the defender.
Punch – Mostly self-explanatory. A quick thrust of the arms to stun a defender. Maintaining good body positioning throughout the punch (i.e. not lunging) is a struggle for some.
Recovery – Good maintenance of the pocket after initial contact. It is often the defender’s job to use moves and counter-moves to displace a blocker off his spot.

Wagner sets as though he’s a Guard. At Right Tackle, he under-set his opponent at times which left him vulnerable to the speed rush. He was able to push his assignment past the Quarterback the majority of the time, but when the interior rush provided no space for Flacco to step into, Wagner’s strategy left him with credited sacks on his stat-sheet.

The following play describes Wagner’s struggles:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”14923,14926,14923,14924,14925″]

On the above play, Wagner’s first error was under-setting Phillips. With Phillips in a “ghost-9” technique (i.e. outside shoulder of the imaginary tight-end), Wagner should have slid further to the outside to cut off Phillips’ angle. In a compromised position, Wagner had no ability to “mirror” because Phillips was attempting to bend the edge. Instead, Wagner attempts to punch with his outside hand. Wagner’s punch was inaccurate and easily swiped away. Wagner was left lunging.

Despite the above play, Wagner sets adequately. He certainly under-set more often than not but he was often looking to his inside gap before outside gap (likely due to zone protection). Where Wagner struggles the most is in the “Mirror” phase. He has good technique in his pass drops but he is not nimble enough to shuffle/kick to combat evasive moves. Additionally, he is often caught flat-footed in the Recovery phase (as in the running plays above) and is therefore easily disengaged.

Dissecting Stunts

For all Wagner’s faults, his strengths are accentuated when he’s asked to play like a Guard. Denver had a field-day rushing with passer pulling out blitzes and stunts in an attempt to disrupt Flacco. I was impressed with Wagner’s ability to sort out twists up front. It is not an easy skill to come by:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”14974,14975,14976,14977″]

Wagner’s stat-line after the Denver game describes an unrefined pass-blocker. Wagner allowed 3 sacks and his assigned defender pressured the Quarterback on ~14% of his dropbacks. As always, stats are an incomplete method for scouting a player, particularly an offensive lineman.

Wagner’s strengths lie in the trenches where he can use his tree-like legs to thwart interior rushers or wall-off defenders in a phone booth. For these reasons, I see Wagner’s best fit as a back-up Guard (or starter if they move Osemele to tackle, again) although this obviously depends on Free Agency and the Draft.

The post Next Man Up: Ricky Wagner appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Gary Kubiak: A Schematic Shift

Dan Bryden — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 15:20:10 +0000

After some odd press releases championing four candidates for the role of Ravens Offensive Coordinator, Gary Kubiak emerged as the odds-on favorite only days before his eventual hiring. Along with his well-documented offensive strategy, Kubiak brings his former OC Rick Dennison and tight-ends coach Brian Pariani with him to Baltimore. How will Gary Kubiak’s style mesh with the Ravens current personnel? This is the question I hope to answer throughout the off-season, but I’ll share my preliminary feelings below.

Discuss this and other pieces on our Forum.

The Run Game

With Kubiak in, the zone rushing attack is here to stay. I have said a number of times that the Ravens personnel isn’t particularly suited for this scheme and they certainly running it last season. Fortunately the Ravens can address new positions of need (RT, C, TE depending on priority) to fit the zone blocking scheme.

Last year the Ravens were out-muscled up front mostly due to continuity and communication issues. These issues appeared to stem from a lack of commitment to the zone-blocking scheme, inexperience at Center/Left Guard, and two injured/inefficient running backs. So why was Kubiak a unanimously heralded OC hire? My answer is that his zone-blocking scheme is far more effective from an Xs and Os standpoint.

The center of the Ravens offensive line let their running game down last year. Too often C Gradkowski was caught one-on-one with a 3-4 nose-guard as in the play below:

Gino (C) battles #99 Brett Keisel one-on-one but this didn’t have to be the case. LG Osemele should have helped Gino before (unsuccessfully) scooping up to the second level.

In watching the Texans from last year, Kubiak’s scheme asks the lineman to accomplish far more realistic tasks. Double teams create displacement of first-level defenders, “domination blocks” (i.e. zone scoop with clout) are far more apparent, and the offense continually attacks the “bubble” in the defensive front (i.e. uncovered gap in the D-line) in order to more easily control the line of scrimmage:

Inside zone attacking the “bubble.” Image via www.cover32.com.

Kubiak’s scheme will re-instate the backside cut-block that was mysteriously missing in the 2013 Ravens zone attack. Backside cut-blocks (when executed correctly… i.e. attacking the far thigh) minimizes pursuit and can be used to intercept two defenders with one player. Many Ravens fans remember the borderline illegal chop-blocks used by the rushing attack in previous years:

RG Marshal Yanda cut-blocks Nose Guard Casey Hampton

Kubiak will implement some interesting zone-blocking intricacies that help his lineman with leverage while adding ambiguity to the play-call. Some things I saw from the Texans was increased Pin+Pull or “Fold” technique:

The Fold technique gives a “Power” look from a zone-blocking base. In the above image, LT Monroe “down blocks” the 3-technique while LG Shipley pulls to the play-side to seal the first scraping ‘backer. These wrinkles were not the norm for the Ravens last year, who too often used “Reach” blocks across the offensive line. This, as many know, ended poorly.

Kubiak’s zone-blocking scheme will emphasize in-line tight-ends as well as blocking fullbacks in order to introduce extra beef and extra gaps to the defensive front. These strategies will be personnel dependent, particularly since the Ravens do not currently have a blocking tight-end and Leach’s future in purple looks bleak.

Passing Game

Kubiak is a West-Coast disciple who uses many of the same concepts that Mike Shanahan used while they were together in Denver. This type of passing game was designed by Bill Walsh and emphasizes “rhythm” passing with precision timing. Although a bit of a departure from the Walshian system, Kubiak’s play-book still allows the offense to use standard coverage-beaters against well-defined defensive looks due to its rigidity in route combinations. Even Matt Schaub, a sub-par QB, had the ability to thrive without impressive arm-strength because the scheme allowed routes to take advantage of seams in the defense in order to reduce the number of contested throws.

Kubiak runs a high-percentage of his pass plays from play action. And the zone-blocking scheme allows for the “boot” and “dash” roll-out game to suck in defenders and make them chase receivers:

Another reason for optimism is the focus on “shot plays” from play/boot action. With a moderately successful rushing attack, Flacco should be able to take advantage of heavy defensive personnel and throw deep passes to speedster Torrey Smith with far more efficiency. In addition, the deep pass concepts under Kubiak appear to schematically isolate receivers rather than asking them to beat deep zone coverage or double-teams by high-pointing the football in the air.

Lastly, the Kubiak-led Texans were adept at running screens from a number of formations. The Ravens screen-game was poorly blocked as they used unconventional blocking techniques that, frankly, just didn’t work. The Texans HB screen game employs the Center and both Guards in front of the pass-catcher and they often cut-block linebackers along the way. Additionally, when this offense faces off-coverage, WR screens are used effectively:

The above play gives Schaub two options for screens, both with three blockers ahead of the potential pass catcher.

Problems I see at the moment

Without a blocking tight-end, this new zone-blocking scheme and boot-game will be far less effective. This adds another position to the list of offensive needs for the 2014 Ravens.
If Gino Gradkowski doesn’t continue his slow ascent to becoming a respectable Center, this offense will either a) need a new Center or b) be far less effective when they attempt to run the ball. When the Texans Center Chris Myers was bulled or allowed penetration in the rushing game, this displaced the ball carrier’s intended destination. Center needs to be a position of strength moving into next season.
If the rushing attack isn’t consistently efficient, Flacco and the receiving group will struggle. Third and long will be very difficult to convert as play-action cannot be used as a deceptive tactic and the current Ravens receivers cannot consistently defeat man-coverage. On the bright side, it appears that the Ravens will rid themselves of False-Start machine Michael Oher so the frequency of 2nd and 15 plays should decrease.
The Kubiak offense runs through various formations but with increased use of two tight-end personnel, this leads to more “tight” and “reduced” formations. Unfortunately, the Ravens receiving group are deplorably bad at run blocking. Running plays with the WR bunch at the point-of-attack is essentially admitting the play won’t succeed.
Ray Rice, in his current form, does not fit well with a consistent zone-blocking attack. Rice has the one-cut burst to make it work but it appears he’s become progressively less patient in recent years. A running back who is too hasty will fail in this rushing attack.

I plan to do a lot more work on how Kubiak fits the Ravens. Please leave thoughts or suggestions in the discussion for this piece.

The post Gary Kubiak: A Schematic Shift appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.

Can the Ravens Interior O-Line Hold Up?

Dan Bryden — Sat, 28 Dec 2013 04:55:04 +0000

For the Ravens to make the play-offs, they realistically must win on Sunday in Cincinnati. The Ravens are familiar with the Bengals as these teams faced off as recently as Week 10. Cincinnati’s Mike Zimmer-led defense puts a premium on pressuring the interior of the opposing offensive line. This pressure can halt the run-game via penetration or confuse blocking schemes via rush/drop obfuscation. This strategy does not bode well for the Ravens as their Guards and Center have struggled to keep the backfield clean for the majority of the year.

Discuss this piece on our Message Board.

The Bengals have a ton of talent in their Front-Seven. Even after the loss of star DT Geno Atkins, the Bengals front is still a force. The stout veteran DT Domata Peko excels at eating up space and stuffing the run while DT Brandon Thompson and DE Michael Johnson are amazingly light-footed for their size. These penetrators align in front of linebackers Vincent Rey and Vontaze Burfict who can both scrape toward lateral runs while maintaining the ability to shed blocks. In addition to an impressive collection of talent up front, defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer layers confusion into most of his pre-snap looks.

Against the Pass

The Bengals have a reputation of aligning in the A-gaps on passing downs. This alignment creates all kinds of protection issues and often forces blocking mismatches or missed assignments:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”14108, 14109, 14110″]

In the above play, the Ravens experienced the down-side to using man-protection calls. When two of your big O-Lineman are blocking no one and your 5’8 200lb Running Back is tasked with blocking two free rushers, it will always be bad news. The Ravens used a combination protection in the next play. Scheme was not the liability here, it was execution:

[portfolio_slideshow include=”14111, 14112, 14113″]

According to Football Outsider’s metrics, the Ravens offensive line is ranked 18th in the league in pass protection this year. Against the Bengals in Week 10, the Ravens line allowed 3 sacks, 2 hits, and 11 hurries (as measured by PFF). This means that Flacco was pressured on 40% of his drop-backs. That’s a tough way to win.

Against the Run

Our own Chris Worthington dug into the Ravens run struggles against the Bengals in a , so I will simply re-post some images since they are applicable here:

On this particular zone-blocking play, linebacker Vincent Rey diagnoses the run play and screams through the B-gap to take down Ray Rice from the backside. If they Ravens plan to lean on their zone-blocking scheme on Sunday, containing the backside is a must against these aggressive linebackers.

In a separate running play, DE Michael Johnson penetrates into the backfield to take down Ray Rice:

#60 LT Eugene Monroe has barely gotten out of his stance by the time Michael Johnson (circled) slants into the B-gap. Johnson has used this strategy on run-downs all year. Since the Bengal defense usually assigns a second player to maintain Johnson’s original gap, this is a schematically sound tactic.

How Should the Ravens Minimize this Back-Side Pressure?

One strategy that I have supported is the continued use of the zone-run game specifically to counter with the Bootleg element. The Bengals crash the backside of zone run plays so well that Flacco can roll out unmolested:

The “Sail” concept that we’ve seen so many times this year.

This play went for a long gain to Torrey Smith.

Another strategy to minimize interior pressure is the quick passing game. One quick-hitting concept that is successful across the league is the back-side slant.

The Ravens use “Trips Bunch” to the wide side of the field while Torrey Smith is isolated on the backside. Interior pressure is inconsequential when the ball can come out fast.

The Ravens have shown a number of other conventional strategies for reducing pressure:

Film Notes and Strategy

The Bengals can be unpredictable in their blitz fronts but their coverage schemes on the back-end tend to be standard zone-based coverages (Cover-3, Quarters, Cover-6). These can be exploited with proven coverages beaters.
Bengals Nickel personnel uses three safeties (Iloka, Nelson, Crocker) instead of three cornerbacks. Crocker, the de facto slot defender, is average (at best) in pass coverage. Pitta could have a big day from the slot.
When the Bengals use their cornerbacks in deep zones (Cover-3, Quarters), they struggle with zone technique. CB Dre Kirkpatrick was beat on a hitch-and-go versus Minnesota and successfully exhibited how every young corner should not play zone coverage.
Run game replacements (screens, quick hitters) will be huge in this game. The Ravens will not be able to line up and rush against this Bengals defense. Run game replacements will help spread out the Front Seven a bit particularly since the Bengals trust their linebackers in slot coverage more than the average team.
The Bengals showed both horizontal (In/Out) and vertical (High/Low) brackets against Torrey Smith in Week 10. Flacco threw into this double coverage many times regardless. The Ravens offense should take advantage of these double-teams and move the ball elsewhere.
Power runs will work better against the Bengals defensive front but I don’t expect much rushing success regardless.

The post Can the Ravens Interior O-Line Hold Up? appeared first on Baltimore Sports and Life.