Smackdown Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 (edited) Surprised there isn't any talk of Ronnie Brown and the Dolphins use of the Wildcat formation on these boards. They have used it 2 games in a row now with success in taking down New England and then San Diego. Brown is fun to watch and he absolutely crushed Cromartie on an end around last week Ronnie definitely looks to be back to form from his injury in 2007 - a lot earlier then most expected. He was drafted around the 5th rd in most drafts and looks to be a steal right now IF he can stay healthy. He led the league last year before he got hurt and I think he's going to be a stud the rest of the way. I'm targeting him in all my leagues. How do you stop the Wildcat? Edit to add: I'm a total Dolphin homer and want to know if I'm too high on Ronnie Brown. After going 1-15 last year the last 2 games have me pumped up . Edited October 7, 2008 by Smackdown Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpholmes Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Surprised there isn't any talk of Ronnie Brown and the Dolphins use of the Wildcat formation on these boards. They have used it 2 games in a row now with success in taking down New England and then San Diego. Brown is fun to watch and he absolutely crushed Cromartie on an end around last week Ronnie definitely looks to be back to form from his injury in 2007 - a lot earlier then most expected. He was drafted around the 5th rd in most drafts and looks to be a steal right now IF he can stay healthy. He led the league last year before he got hurt and I think he's going to be a stud the rest of the way. I'm targeting him in all my leagues. How do you stop the Wildcat? Similar to handling Mike Vick. DE contains the edges with a LB spying. Teams will catch on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip_Side Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Similar to handling Mike Vick.DE contains the edges with a LB spying. Teams will catch on. That's completely different. Plus they direct snap it to Ronnie and he goes right up the gut most of the time, you can't stop that lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smackdown Posted October 7, 2008 Author Share Posted October 7, 2008 Similar to handling Mike Vick.DE contains the edges with a LB spying. Teams will catch on. You make it sound so simple - NE and San Diego has all kinds of problems with it. They use it 4-8 times a game so the D doesn't know when it's coming. Plus they shift LT Jake Long over to the right side causing all sorts of matchup problems. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
42zero Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 I love watching them run the wildcat its been unstoppable. Kinda sad i traded away Ronnie on my team but I needed WR help n i got Roddy White and Colston for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 interesting to see it work so well against teams that run the 3-4. Maybe the 4-3 is better suited to stop it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Similar to handling Mike Vick.DE contains the edges with a LB spying. Teams will catch on. Yeah and when one team catches on it will be time to change. Every team will know how to shut it down. Tony Soprano probably has the next wrinkle ready when they do. Long term gimicky offenses won't work but they are entertaining. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piratesownninjas Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 That's completely different. Plus they direct snap it to Ronnie and he goes right up the gut most of the time, you can't stop that lol. If you can't stop it then everyone would do it. They'll use it until someone shuts it down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hat Trick Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Well I haven't seen any of the games, is this the formation from which he is getting all his yards? Or is he running normal formations gaining yards as well? If he is only getting them in this formation then top 5 from here on out might be unrealistic, it's going to be in a coaches game plan to stop, they will break down the tape, unless the Phins are breaking down defenses and using it to their strength against certain def alignments. I hope to be able to catch one of their games. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip_Side Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 If you can't stop it then everyone would do it. They'll use it until someone shuts it down. No I meant stopping it the way KPholmes was talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kingfish247 Posted October 7, 2008 Share Posted October 7, 2008 Similar to handling Mike Vick.DE contains the edges with a LB spying. Teams will catch on. This isn't anything like defending Vick. ATL never employed anything close to the Wildcat. As soon as you contain with DEs and LB spy, that leaves a pass or off-tackle run wide open. You could use that on Vick because when he did a QB keeper or dropped back to pass... there was no other threat. The threat was Vick. Atlanta coaches should've come up with this or stole it years ago to use with Vick. It's effective because it removes the focus from Vick, or any QB. The way to defend the Wildcat is to do what virtually no NFL defense wants to do... be patient and mind gaps... or basically just not be aggressive. It's more than keeping contain with your DEs and spying an LB. This offense forces the entire defense to spy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpholmes Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 (edited) That's completely different. Plus they direct snap it to Ronnie and he goes right up the gut most of the time, you can't stop that lol. This isn't anything like defending Vick. ATL never employed anything close to the Wildcat. As soon as you contain with DEs and LB spy, that leaves a pass or off-tackle run wide open. It's more than keeping contain with your DEs and spying an LB. This offense forces the entire defense to spy. I disagree to an extent, respectfully of course. It's not that different; a mobile player at the QB position who can make semi-accurate throws, and provides a run threat up the middle or to the outside. I think it's more difficult however because the defense has to respond quicker to what is happening. After Vick hiked the ball, they could instantly eliminate a handoff and focus on pass/scramble. With the Wildcat they have to decide pass/scramble/handoff right away. So in that respect, we can agree. You make it sound so simple - NE and San Diego has all kinds of problems with it. interesting to see it work so well against teams that run the 3-4. Maybe the 4-3 is better suited to stop it? I think Captain Hook hit the nail on the head. Run gaps off tackle and off center (where Brown runs) are much larger playing against a 3-4 defense. I assistant coach at a local high school, and we've faced the Wildcat several times and have faired well against them using the 4-3, even after other teams have been torched. Four down lineman allows the defensive tackles to hit both gaps off the center, and leaeves the outside linebackers to watch off tackle from the snap, or pick up the tight end in the event of a pass. If you have the defensive ends contain or trap the guards inside, you're containing an outside scramble, and are putting the defensive ends in a position to try and get outside and catch Ricky. That leaves the MLB spying - shadowing Brown to the outside for his run or pass, or hitting a gap up the middle on his inside draw. Leave the corners on the WRs, and the safeties picking up extra receivers or playing zones, and you've got a pretty good formula for containing it. ...granted that's how we shut it down at the high school level. The NFL is just a bit faster. Edit to Add: I also agree that patience is a huge part of this. If any defender is too aggressive or over peruses the defense is left with a gaping hole. Either way though, defenses will start adapting and it's success will drop off. My guess would be we see it happening against a 4-3, but I could also be way off. Edited October 8, 2008 by kpholmes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip_Side Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Well the Dolphins play the Texans this week and they play a 4-3 correct? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaptainHook Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Well the Dolphins play the Texans this week and they play a 4-3 correct? yep. and it's a pretty decent front four at that. 3 first rounders on that line in Travis Johnson, Okoye, and Mario Williams. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kpholmes Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Well the Dolphins play the Texans this week and they play a 4-3 correct? yep. and it's a pretty decent front four at that. 3 first rounders on that line in Travis Johnson, Okoye, and Mario Williams. Indeed. IMO It's all about collapsing and trapping the offensive line so you can give your linebackers time to make smart reactions in space. HOU has a good front 4, and some very smart, athletic linebackers. We should see very different results from the Wildcat if Kubiak & Co have done their homework. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ziachild007 Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 (edited) Yeah and when one team catches on it will be time to change. Every team will know how to shut it down. Tony Soprano probably has the next wrinkle ready when they do. Long term gimicky offenses won't work but they are entertaining. Cement shoes? Edited October 8, 2008 by Ziachild007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip_Side Posted October 8, 2008 Share Posted October 8, 2008 Indeed.IMO It's all about collapsing and trapping the offensive line so you can give your linebackers time to make smart reactions in space. HOU has a good front 4, and some very smart, athletic linebackers. We should see very different results from the Wildcat if Kubiak & Co have done their homework. Even with that front 4 hasn't Houston still been getting killed by the run? It's not like Miami runs the Wildcat formation every play they only bust it out a couple times a game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seahawks21 Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 Why are we even discussing this? Ricky Williams is the guy to have in that backfield, top 10, guaranteed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
capostatus Posted October 9, 2008 Share Posted October 9, 2008 the only people who dont think ronnie brown will be top 10 this season are the idiots who drafted ricky williams in the 4th round claimin he'd become a pro bowl back this season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 the only people who dont think ronnie brown will be top 10 this season are the idiots who drafted ricky williams in the 4th round claimin he'd become a pro bowl back this season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
efi4eye Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 I think that was sarcasm on Seahawks' part.. I agree Ronnie Brown is looking like one of the top 5 or 10 backs if he stays healthy. If he can keep up his performances from the last two games I can't see many topping him. He's also got a pretty cake schedule aside from Carolina in 2 weeks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randall Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 the only people who dont think ronnie brown will be top 10 this season are the idiots who drafted ricky williams in the 4th round claimin he'd become a pro bowl back this season Don't talk about H8tank like that. Besides if Ronnie does go down again he very well might be a top back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tazinib1 Posted October 10, 2008 Share Posted October 10, 2008 Well I'm drinking the kool-aide. I just completed a trade acquiring R.Brown for E.Graham/ D.Mason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.