The Turning Point: Vonn Bell (1 Viewer)

[LombardiGras]

They did. 9 plays to be exact..... 9 out of 70 is not exactly what I’d call plenty, but your point is valid.

I cant find a breakdown of how many times 4-3 package was used against the Chargers, but I do remember it being more than 9 times. Where did you get this information from, to say that we only used a 3 LB alignment 9 times?

 

[St.Dan]

He will keep growing. I don't think Byrd will be on this team next year so Bell has to grow in a hurry.

Prevailing wisdom and common sense said Bell was drafted because Byrd is all but gone already anyway. If this was my dad's generation, his butt wouldn't have been here in the first place.

 

[crosswatt]

I cant find a breakdown of how many times 4-3 package was used against the Chargers, but I do remember it being more than 9 times. Where did you get this information from, to say that we only used a 3 LB alignment 9 times?

Snap counts. They dropped a safety into the WILL slot a few times too, but I'm not sure if that counts as a formation shift or just an under or over alignment.

New Orleans Saints at San Diego Chargers - October 2nd, 2016 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scroll to the bottom and sort by snap count number.

 

[LombardiGras]

Snap counts. They dropped a safety into the WILL slot a few times too, but I'm not sure if that counts as a formation shift or just an under or over alignment.

New Orleans Saints at San Diego Chargers - October 2nd, 2016 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scroll to the bottom and sort by snap count number.

I don't think the math works out just by doing snap counts.

Robertson in on every play, Stupar in on all but 7 plays. So we know that the Saints had at least 2 linebackers in on all but 7 plays (those 7 plays were likely a dime defense with extra defensive backs on the field). Mauti had 15 snaps. It's my belief that every time Mauti was on the field we had 3 linebackers in.

I do like that 3 safety alignment and hope we can see it more frequently.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

Snap counts. They dropped a safety into the WILL slot a few times too, but I'm not sure if that counts as a formation shift or just an under or over alignment.

New Orleans Saints at San Diego Chargers - October 2nd, 2016 | Pro-Football-Reference.com

Scroll to the bottom and sort by snap count number.

It was likely an over and it wasn't the Will spot it was technically the SAM spot as that's usually the Spot subbed out for another DB. Could be wrong. It may have been on the weak side of the field giving it the appearance it was the Will spot but the strength of the formation was probably on the weakside which technically makes it the Strong side at that time causing the Defense to flip.


The strong side is the side where the Tight End is lined up(Typically its on the right side of the offensive formation but If the TE or FB lines up on the weakside of the formation that makes it the strong side)

I'd have to have a visual of the play though to confirm or deny.


Did a search...get to watch the game

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqkYhkJHXJ8



This is going to be my last comment on the Anthony situation.


The interesting thing about this coaching staff is they don't out players.......they won't put player in the spotlight (was awed with Payton said Coleman had a pedestrian camp). Yet you will see playing time get cut. Last year about week 8 or 9 it was obvious something was up with Spiller. He was saying he was healthy, Sean was saying he wasn't. Sean would say things like "we...I...need to do a better job of incorporating him into the offense" Yet the incorporation never came and the snaps stayed low. Eventually he was released. A lot of people on this board were in denial......no one wanted to admit something wasn't right.

Regardless of the natural defense mechanisms and explanations....something isn't right much like last year with Spiller and it will come out in due time. That something could simply be his play and once he fixes it all systems are go.

 

[rsmith2783]

On the subject of Anthony, i find it baffling that when he came into camp last season, people on the board was talking in amazement that we actually had LB that could play in coverage.... fast forward to now, and he can't play coverage at all?.

That's what happens when we build expectations off of youtube highlights, measurables and Training Camp tweets.

I adopted the approach of reading between the lines, but even then it still happens to the best of us.

 

[ELLIASJWILLIAMS]

That's what happens when we build expectations off of youtube highlights, measurables and Training Camp tweets.

I adopted the approach of reading between the lines, but even then it still happens to the best of us.

I don't recall those comments and excitement.


I distinctly remember people asking "hows the rookie doing" and some of the answers being "we won't know because the run periods haven't started" Of course those periods start and he makes a few TFL and people blow up

"We got one"

However, during TC last year none of the LB's (outside of Ellerbe) got their hands on many balls... Robertson was a pleasant surprise this year

 

[rsmith2783]

I don't recall those comments and excitement.


I distinctly remember people asking "hows the rookie doing" and some of the answers being "we won't know because the run periods haven't started" Of course those periods start and he makes a few TFL and people blow up

"We got one"

However, during TC last year none of the LB's (outside of Ellerbe) got their hands on many balls... Robertson was a pleasant surprise this year

I was being more general, as in saying that happens every year. Off top, I don't remember much about the defense in training camp last year. I just remember the big deal around the Saints switching from a 3-4 to 4-3 and finding another rush to take Junior's spot.

Robertson has been a surprise and I wish we had a few others like him. I think the reason why so many eyes were on Anthony is because of where we drafted him, his measurables and his size. In his college uniform, he had the "look" that you would want for an inside linebacker.