iced
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either or - Bills fans are afraid they're going to lose Mario And Kyle Williams if they switch...
Ryan and Buffalo moving fast
- Thread starter Merlin
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either or - Bills fans are afraid they're going to lose Mario And Kyle Williams if they switch...
Blue and Gold
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It will not be a two-gap 3-4. It will be a one gap system no matter what and both Williams' will fit very well.
Blue and Gold
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http://www.buffalorumblings.com/bil...hwartz-buffalo-bills-defense-donnie-henderson
Discussing differences between Rex Ryan, Jim Schwartz defensive systems
By Brian Galliford @BrianGalliford on Jan 13 2015, 9:30a 116
Rich Schultz/Getty Images
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Jim Schwartz is leaving Buffalo, and Rex Ryan will be re-installing his defense for the Bills. What does that mean for the team philosophically and from a personnel standpoint?
TWEET (9) SHARE (91) SHARE
In case you missed it last night, the Buffalo Bills are changing defensive schemes again: Jim Schwartz will be departing his defensive coordinator post, to be replaced by Dennis Thurman, who will run the defense that new head coach Rex Ryan has run for the past decade.
It will not be a radical shift for the Bills, who ran this defense during the 2013 season under Mike Pettine, a Ryan disciple. But any time we talk about system shifts - and this, for the record, will be the Bills' fifth system shift in as many seasons on defense - there are always philosophical and personnel tweaks to consider. Let's do that this morning.
Base defense
Many fans will complain about switching from a 4-3 back to a 3-4, but those that do aren't grasping what Ryan's defense really is. First and foremost, keep in mind that a base defense is used less than 50 percent of the time in today's pass-happy NFL, so these tweaks are only going to matter on 40-45 percent of plays next season.
Ryan's defense is actually a 4-3 Under. It looks like a 3-4, but it plays like... well, however Ryan wants it to play like on a given down. The hallmark of the scheme is disguise, and versatility is a necessary asset for specific members of the front seven, specifically the strong-side linebacker.
Here's what the front will look like under Ryan:
Particularly in the lower diagram, you see how the scheme remains a 4-3, despite the appearance of a 3-4: one of the outside linebackers (the weak-side player), in Buffalo's case Mario Williams, plays with a hand in the dirt like an end. The other outside linebacker has more of a contain-coverage role on base downs; Jerry Hughes is capable of playing it, and so is Manny Lawson.
The biggest difference is that the front takes a traditional linebacker off the field in favor of an extra defensive lineman. The Bills will likely be in the market for a five-technique end to play next to Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams up front (they could also open that spot up to a competition among a trio of reserves), and barring any sort of personnel move, there is going to be a ferocious battle for two linebacker jobs between Kiko Alonso, Nigel Bradham, and Preston Brown.
Pass rush preferences
One of the biggest points of contention last offseason, when the Bills were switching from Pettine's scheme to Schwartz's, was that the Bills were ultimately going to do much less creative blitzing in 2014. Those concerns went by the wayside when the Bills still led the league in sacks and finished with the third-ranked pass defense in the league.
Now, there are concerns that the Bills are going back to the blitz-happy ways that fans were desperate to see retained this time last year. Ryan has the luxury of relying on a four-man rush in Buffalo if he wants to - especially if the team is able to retain Hughes, an upcoming free agent - but Ryan being Ryan, we're going to see a return to the overload blitzing that we saw under Pettine in 2013. That's just how Ryan prefers to play it.
Formations and personnel packages
Another key difference between the two systems is the fact that Ryan's defense will use a far greater variety of formations and personnel packages than Schwartz's did. Where Schwartz largely switched between his base 4-3 and a nickel defense in passing situations, with very little dime mixed in, Ryan will use more dime than nearly every other team in the league, mix in some quarters, and still use a ton of nickel, as well - 2-4-5, 3-4-5, 4-3-5, or otherwise. Again, disguising intent is the name of the game, and this is one way to achieve that end.
Coverage preferences
Combine the changing personnel packages with Ryan's blitz-heavy tendencies, and you stumble across another key difference: the way coverages are structured.
The Bills emerged as one of the league's two or three best pass defenses under Schwartz because, aided by the league's best four-man pass rush, Schwartz was able to mix up coverages, switching between man, zone, and man under on a whim, leaving zero safeties high on some plays and three on others. The team's surge in quality linebacker play was a big reason for their success defending the pass, as well.
Under Ryan, the Bills will look more like they did in 2013 - there will be a heavier emphasis on man coverage given the blitz tendencies. So while there will still be coverage variation and disguise under Ryan, there will still be a slight shift in philosophy on the back end.
Buffalo's secondary made a seamless transition between 2013-14 thanks to the great coaching efforts of defensive backs coach Donnie Henderson. As Ryan poaches most of his former Jets defensive assistants for his coaching staff in Buffalo, it would be lovely if he'd consider keeping Buffalo's best position coach around. Working in favor of that goal: Ryan and Henderson both served as position coaches in Baltimore from 2000-03, with Henderson coaching the secondary under Brian Billick, and Ryan coaching the defensive line.
Bottom line: there is enough that is philosophically different about Ryan's defense, compared to Schwartz's, that would have made a marriage of the two virtually impossible. But while another scheme change might be frustrating to some fans, the Bills are going back in a direction that has very recently worked for them - and they have the league's best defensive mind helping them make the transition.
Discussing differences between Rex Ryan, Jim Schwartz defensive systems
By Brian Galliford @BrianGalliford on Jan 13 2015, 9:30a 116
Rich Schultz/Getty Images
×
GET THE LATEST BUFFALO BILLS NEWS WITH BUFFALO RUMBLINGS
LIKE BUFFALO RUMBLINGS FACEBOOK
Jim Schwartz is leaving Buffalo, and Rex Ryan will be re-installing his defense for the Bills. What does that mean for the team philosophically and from a personnel standpoint?
TWEET (9) SHARE (91) SHARE
In case you missed it last night, the Buffalo Bills are changing defensive schemes again: Jim Schwartz will be departing his defensive coordinator post, to be replaced by Dennis Thurman, who will run the defense that new head coach Rex Ryan has run for the past decade.
It will not be a radical shift for the Bills, who ran this defense during the 2013 season under Mike Pettine, a Ryan disciple. But any time we talk about system shifts - and this, for the record, will be the Bills' fifth system shift in as many seasons on defense - there are always philosophical and personnel tweaks to consider. Let's do that this morning.
Base defense
Many fans will complain about switching from a 4-3 back to a 3-4, but those that do aren't grasping what Ryan's defense really is. First and foremost, keep in mind that a base defense is used less than 50 percent of the time in today's pass-happy NFL, so these tweaks are only going to matter on 40-45 percent of plays next season.
Ryan's defense is actually a 4-3 Under. It looks like a 3-4, but it plays like... well, however Ryan wants it to play like on a given down. The hallmark of the scheme is disguise, and versatility is a necessary asset for specific members of the front seven, specifically the strong-side linebacker.
Here's what the front will look like under Ryan:
Particularly in the lower diagram, you see how the scheme remains a 4-3, despite the appearance of a 3-4: one of the outside linebackers (the weak-side player), in Buffalo's case Mario Williams, plays with a hand in the dirt like an end. The other outside linebacker has more of a contain-coverage role on base downs; Jerry Hughes is capable of playing it, and so is Manny Lawson.
The biggest difference is that the front takes a traditional linebacker off the field in favor of an extra defensive lineman. The Bills will likely be in the market for a five-technique end to play next to Marcell Dareus and Kyle Williams up front (they could also open that spot up to a competition among a trio of reserves), and barring any sort of personnel move, there is going to be a ferocious battle for two linebacker jobs between Kiko Alonso, Nigel Bradham, and Preston Brown.
Pass rush preferences
One of the biggest points of contention last offseason, when the Bills were switching from Pettine's scheme to Schwartz's, was that the Bills were ultimately going to do much less creative blitzing in 2014. Those concerns went by the wayside when the Bills still led the league in sacks and finished with the third-ranked pass defense in the league.
Now, there are concerns that the Bills are going back to the blitz-happy ways that fans were desperate to see retained this time last year. Ryan has the luxury of relying on a four-man rush in Buffalo if he wants to - especially if the team is able to retain Hughes, an upcoming free agent - but Ryan being Ryan, we're going to see a return to the overload blitzing that we saw under Pettine in 2013. That's just how Ryan prefers to play it.
Formations and personnel packages
Another key difference between the two systems is the fact that Ryan's defense will use a far greater variety of formations and personnel packages than Schwartz's did. Where Schwartz largely switched between his base 4-3 and a nickel defense in passing situations, with very little dime mixed in, Ryan will use more dime than nearly every other team in the league, mix in some quarters, and still use a ton of nickel, as well - 2-4-5, 3-4-5, 4-3-5, or otherwise. Again, disguising intent is the name of the game, and this is one way to achieve that end.
Coverage preferences
Combine the changing personnel packages with Ryan's blitz-heavy tendencies, and you stumble across another key difference: the way coverages are structured.
The Bills emerged as one of the league's two or three best pass defenses under Schwartz because, aided by the league's best four-man pass rush, Schwartz was able to mix up coverages, switching between man, zone, and man under on a whim, leaving zero safeties high on some plays and three on others. The team's surge in quality linebacker play was a big reason for their success defending the pass, as well.
Under Ryan, the Bills will look more like they did in 2013 - there will be a heavier emphasis on man coverage given the blitz tendencies. So while there will still be coverage variation and disguise under Ryan, there will still be a slight shift in philosophy on the back end.
Buffalo's secondary made a seamless transition between 2013-14 thanks to the great coaching efforts of defensive backs coach Donnie Henderson. As Ryan poaches most of his former Jets defensive assistants for his coaching staff in Buffalo, it would be lovely if he'd consider keeping Buffalo's best position coach around. Working in favor of that goal: Ryan and Henderson both served as position coaches in Baltimore from 2000-03, with Henderson coaching the secondary under Brian Billick, and Ryan coaching the defensive line.
Bottom line: there is enough that is philosophically different about Ryan's defense, compared to Schwartz's, that would have made a marriage of the two virtually impossible. But while another scheme change might be frustrating to some fans, the Bills are going back in a direction that has very recently worked for them - and they have the league's best defensive mind helping them make the transition.
iced
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The problem is will they want to, not if they can.
Mario Williams Did not like the 3-4 which was a big reason why he left Houston and went to Buffalo . Don't know the story on Kyle Williams but apparently there is fear that they will lose them both
Blue and Gold
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Well, the article explains that the fear you speak of is unfounded. Williams played in a hybrid 3-4 (one gap) under Petine :
"Bills DE Mario Williams says he doesn't have a position in new DC Mike Pettine's hybrid 3-4 defense.
"If I was going to be labeled I’d probably be labeled defensive end because of my size," Williams said. "But I don’t have a position." Pettine says that's by design. "We want to get the bulls-eye off him and move him around," Pettine said. "We want to dictate to teams that if they’re going to deal with Mario, they’re going to have to find him first. I think he’s certainly smart enough to handle it and versatile enough to handle it." Known for an aggressive, blitz-heavy approach, Pettine should be able to coax a big season out of the Bills' $96 million man."
The fears the Bills fans have may be based on ignorance and not knowing that there are more than two flavors of defense (3-4 vs 4-3) than just two.
http://www.chron.com/sports/texans/...illiams-making-move-to-linebacker-1691828.php
T exans' Mario Williams making move to linebacker
Mario's on the move
Wade Phillips has found his 3-4 defense's key LB, and his name is Williams
JOHN McCLAIN
, Copyright 2011 Houston Chronicle | May 6, 2011
Photo By Smiley N. Pool/Chronicle
Mario Williams will focus on pressuring the quarterback as he fills a role similar to DeMarcus Ware of the Cowboys.
"I feel great about it," Williams said about moving to weak-side linebacker. "What an opportunity for me.
"Wade told me he'll put me in the best position to make plays, and the biggest thing that got my attention was when he said, 'Just go.' He wants me to get after the quarterback 90 percent of the time. He said, 'When the ball's snapped, I want you to go, be fast and get the quarterback.'
"When they want me to cover, I'll do it. I don't think that'll happen too much. I don't think you'll see me turning and running and covering somebody man-to-man down the field."
NFL's biggest linebacker
Williams should be in coverage about 5 percent of the time.
"A little bit but not much," Phillips said. "It gives you a chance to rush every play, and it shuts down the weak-side run with a big guy like him.
"He only stood up a few times. Most of the time his footwork wasn't good, but we can fix that. That's not going to be a problem. He also did some good things when he stood up."
Williams, who will be in the last year of his contract, is almost 6-7 and says he weighed "about 290" last season before missing the last three games because of two sports hernias that required surgery. That would make him the largest linebacker in NFL history when he lines up on the weak side with one goal in mind: getting the quarterback.
"We talked about that," Phillips said about Williams' weight. "I don't think he's a natural 290-pound guy. When he came in the other day, he was like 282. I don't think he'll have a problem getting down a littl
e bit."
After Phillips was hired, he said Williams would remain at right end. He pointed out Bruce Smithhow well played that position for him at Buffalo.
"After we talked about it and looked at everything again, we decided Mario's got to be the guy," Phillips said. "Once we determined that, it changed what our thinking was in th
e draft."
The Texansused their first two draft picks on defensivJ.J. Watte end and outside linebacker Brooks Reed, who'll compete with Connor Barwin on the stro
ng side.
Can't wait to get started
"I'm very excited about this," Williams said. "I think it'll be a good change-up for our team — not just for me, but overall because of the flexibility Wade will have with the way he'll be able to mix things up.
"Playing defensive end, I have a few more responsibilities. Being an outside linebacker, I'm always on the edge. When the ball's snapped, it's full go after the quarterback.
"I'm eager to get on the field and learn the terminology. I want to work on the things (linebackers) coach (Reggie) Herring and coach Phillips want to teach me about playing outside linebacker."
john.mcclain@chron.com