Camp Questions - 2013 Edition

[xBxtxDx]

I really liked Wolfe early on last year but as the season progressed it seemed to me he was not involved. I sure hope it was a fluke and the real Wolfe will be howling allot the entire season!

I could not disagree more with the above statement. Pro Football Focus had this to say about Wolfe:

"Despite Wolfe’s six sacks, he graded at -24.5 as a pass rusher as he totaled only 25 total pressures on 530 pass rush attempts. Similar to Cameron Jordan with the New Orleans Saints, Wolfe may be miscast as a 4-3 defensive end as his pass rushing is sub-par compared to his peers, but he is effective against the run. He graded at +10.3 as a run stopper and ranked 14th at the position in Run Stop Percentage at 6.2."

They accurately describe Wolfe's performance against the run, but when it comes down to pass rush, this evaluation and just about everyone else's is uninformed. Wolfe's problem on pass rushing was not so much a problem with performance, it was designed schematically. Essentially he was playing as a 3-4 DE in base formation (4-3 which is inaccurate too) and his responsibilities on most plays were first to stop the run, second to engage blockers to allow others to attack the passer, and third actively rush the passer himself. In other formations, his job was pretty much the same. Pretty much Denver's entire line (which I only include the RE, NT, and UT in this as Dumervil almost always lined up in Wide 9 at LE and attacked) did the above on run downs. With Wolfe constantly engaging blockers on design, he rarely had the opportunity to rush the passer and taking into account that he 6 sacks on 25 pressures, he was doing just fine.

If you do not believe me, then read this:

A Second Helping of Derek Wolfe against the Browns - It's All Over, Fat Man!

 

[xBxtxDx]

Another thing I would like to see in camp is how the staff is going to incorporate Holliday into the offense? I think he is a very intriguing player with dynamic speed and if used somewhat in a Darren Sproles type of role could be very, very dangerous. Though, I do not want to see too much and have his role on the offense ruin his ST's production ala Devin Hester.

 

[FFSparky]

xBxtxDx, poor choice of words on my part. I did not intend to imply he was playing poorly.

Thanks for pointing out he was quietly doing his responsibilities.

 

[xBxtxDx]

xBxtxDx, poor choice of words on my part. I did not intend to imply he was playing poorly.

Thanks for pointing out he was quietly doing his responsibilities.

 

[TDs3nOut]

I am wondering which version of DRC steps on to the field for the Broncos. The player from ARZ or Philly? I know which version I am hoping for!

I think that's pretty much what our personnel people told him when we signed him and he seemed to like that, which seems encouraging.

 

[TDs3nOut]

A Second Helping of Derek Wolfe against the Browns - It's All Over, Fat Man!

That's pretty cool the way Doc Bear (whoever he is), who wrote that piece, used those still shots to break down everything that was going on in that play. Definitely an example of a really fine play by Wolfe.

I've never seen a play broken down like that, but I thought it interesting that Doc claimed only those who really study the game know how great a run defender Champ is. I'm pretty sure that anyone who has watched Champ play know that he is exceptionally good at that. In fact, it was only about three years ago that he was arguably our best run defender, which, of course, was not a good thing.

 

[TDs3nOut]

Another thing I would like to see in camp is how the staff is going to incorporate Holliday into the offense? I think he is a very intriguing player with dynamic speed and if used somewhat in a Darren Sproles type of role could be very, very dangerous. Though, I do not want to see too much and have his role on the offense ruin his ST's production ala Devin Hester.

I think that Holliday is a little small to play a Sproles-like role. On the other hand, Hillman is about Sproles size.

 

[xBxtxDx]

I think that Holliday is a little small to play a Sproles-like role. On the other hand, Hillman is about Sproles size.

I was more talking about working to get him the ball in space: end arounds, screens, and having come out of the backfield, than trying to have him do conventional running plays TD.

 

[xBxtxDx]

That's pretty cool the way Doc Bear (whoever he is), who wrote that piece, used those still shots to break down everything that was going on in that play. Definitely an example of a really fine play by Wolfe.

I've never seen a play broken down like that, but I thought it interesting that Doc claimed only those who really study the game know how great a run defender Champ is. I'm pretty sure that anyone who has watched Champ play know that he is exceptionally good at that. In fact, it was only about three years ago that he was arguably our best run defender, which, of course, was not a good thing.

Doc and the rest of the IAOFM staff can be a bit overbearing at times (they originally came from MHR, but left because they wanted to go in a different direction than the rest of the MHR staff), but they do mean well. They also would probably consider you not to be someone who does not study the game. Usually when they say something like that, they mean casual fans and "analysts" and you are not really a casual fan. The really do not like "analysts" and I probably got my disdain for them there too. BTW TD, this is the sight that Bottomfed always pointed out on the fitzwilliamdarcy boards.