Last years Vanilla Bates

[Jeep]

Can anyone answer a question for me??

On the defensive side of the ball, the majority of the players are veterans and pretty darn good veterans at that.. Good ol Mr Bates isnt a new DC and therefore his defensive scheme should be pretty much known by the players.. right??

Well, I was reading an article by Jason Coles that opened up a question...

Several teams last season flooded receivers to one part of the field and then tried to isolate a receiver on one defender. Get just enough protection for the quarterback and then even Pro Bowl cornerbacks such as Patrick Surtain and Sam Madison can be exposed.

Last season, the Minnesota Vikings were very successful at running patterns so that one of the Dolphins' cornerbacks would be man-to-man with a receiver in the middle of a large section of the field. The New England Patriots followed up with that in the season finale.

Ok now.. if Bates is an intelligent DC, and if the players on our Defense are talented and since Bates should know what the defensive players limits are.. Was last years defense of the pass an indication that Bates is really not that good of a DC? or is it that he ASSUMED the players are better than they really are? Or is it Wanny and his "do not lose" attitude that over-rode any wrinkles suggested by Bates?

I like the changes being made this year.. but why in the heck wasnt it done last year?

 

[SABA-TOOTH]

SCHEME IS A SCHEME...

I am more of a believer in execution... i personally don't blame

a dc... no matter what a scheme is influenced and audibled by

defensive captains and players themselves.... in some games like

past one against the jets, the team folds with no real excuse....

i know the dc is the overall leader and he is responsible for the

calls and schemes, but i'll put alot on the players... seau, knight

and zgonina will help....

 

[Can we win a SB]

I think the VIkings did i good job on audibling and somehow getting Fletcher stuck with Moss, ofcourse that was a big mistake but i think there wasnt enough time to switch back with madison, cause maybe the quarterback would have hiked the ball... do yall get me???

 

[Chambers34Phins]

I dont blame it all on baytes, but some, we should have blitzed more and I think we should this year, now that we have seau and knight.

 

[dolphan39]

I am a big fan for matching up a CB on a WR all game long. For example, do you want KJ (if he's playing) ag Fletcher or should Sam be opposie KJ wherever he lines up. I know that is against our scheme where (now) Pat and Sam are supposed to stay outside. Bottom line, our 3rd/4th CB should never be on a Pro Bowl-caliber WR no matter where they line up unless we are in a zone.

 

[JeffJewell]

Bottom line, our 3rd/4th CB should never be on a Pro Bowl-caliber WR no matter where they line up unless we are in a zone.

I agree... that sums up why I feel the failure is that of scheme. The Dolphins defensive coaches have steadfastly refused to alter their match-ups to minimize that condition.

I blame Wannestedt as much as Bates for the D scheme last year, though.