The two big plays we've allowed this preseason were a 25-yard run and a 20-yard reverse.

I guess this means our run D is going to suck!

You guys have to realize, Scanlon has only been in on a limited number of plays, he's being held back until the season starts.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Here's my problem with "vanilla". Teicher claims that Herm doesn't want to reveal things for the regular season. Why not? After the first game, everyone is going to have film on us anyway. How many games do we really expect to win based off of surprise rather than execution?

I don't know if what we are doing is vanilla or not. It appears to be to me, but it's hard to compare against a scheme we've yet to run in the regular season.

But if the coaches really are keeping it vanilla, I have to wonder why. I would think practicing it so that the execution is there would be more important than surprising teams with plays that we can't properly execute.

I don't expect them to display the entire playbook. But it's not like teams haven't seen the Cover 2 before. Run the dman scheme liek you're going to run it in the regular season. Let these guys get the experience and confidence to play this game right when it counts.

I will still continue to think our defense sucks until I am shown otherwise. We may not give up big plays, but we constantly get punched with 8 yards here and 9 yards there. Theres no reason for huge plays when the opposing offense is facing 2nd and short all game long. We'll never win a game if thats the case. Why do you think the defense is out on the field for too long???

Great post.

Even the commentators noted how far Law was playing off the ball in a short yardage situation that led to an easy conversion. Even if they wanted to play basic vanilla D, why not bump the guy at the line? What's the point putting the corner 7 yards off the ball on 3rd and 3 and giving the Giants an easy first down? Who on the defense benefits from that?

That's a very good point, nj. Is it possible Law screwed up his assignment?

I know one thing, Law isn't going to consistantly play 10 yards off the line in the regular season.
Law is the most physical CB in football. Hell, they even changed the CB contact rules (started enforcing) because of him.

you underestimate Gun's stupidity at your peril, young one....let me tell you the story of Kendrell Bell In Coverage...

I was thinking the same thing reading this thread. What's the use of keeping elements of the Cover 2 secret? It's not like everyone in the NFL doesn't know about that scheme. If clowns like us on message boards can ascertain that we'll be jamming recievers at the line, then NFL coaching staffs certainly can.

If they pull the covers off of just 10% of the regular season defense and offense and we see something I'll be somewhat appeased. If they pull off the covers and still suck we will be suffering through a long year.

As it looks now the playbook as well as the players are using the old fashioned iron lung to survive.

What exactly does "vanilla" mean when it is being used this week by Chiefs reporters? In the 3rd quarter of the Giants game the Chiefs D did a lot of blitzing and used different blitz packages. Sapp was sent, Pollard was sent, the linebackers sent, etc. They did not line up and sit back in thier respective positions, they blitzed on just about every obvious passing down and also utilzed some run blitzes (which was successful on a 3rd and short). Vanilla defense my ass, unless it is coachspeak for "our first string defense sucks moose balls."