FOOTBALL PREVIEWS: At times you have to trust your gut
August 29, 2007
By FRANK SCHWAB, THE GAZETTE
Bates says a feeling can be more important than knowledge
After hours of preparation, Denver Broncos assistant head coach/defense Jim Bates knows the tendencies of the opposing offense.
He knows how often it passes on third and short or the percentage of times it runs to the strong side out of a three receiver set.
But sometimes that information gets tossed aside when Bates has to call a play.
“We go in with a plan, but there are certain times during the game — how the game is going — we have to try to have a feel for what is coming,” Bates said. “Some of it becomes a gut feeling.”
Formulating the game plan begins more than a week in advance. After the week’s practices finish Friday, work begins on the following opponent. Defensive assistant Charlie Jackson’s job is to gather information on the opponent’s tendencies, most of which is done through a computer program.
Bates estimated 90 percent of the game plan is done by the coaches Tuesday, the players’ day off. Defensive line coaches Jacob Burney and Bill Johnson offer their input on the opponent’s running game. Defensive backs coaches Bob Slowik and Ronnie Bradford study the passing game. Linebackers coach Joe Baker handles play-action passes and screen passes.
“Everything is covered in detail as to how we want to call the game,” Bates said.
The defensive plan isn’t as complicated as the one developed for the offense, but there are changes weekly. The defensive line will line up differently — sometimes using a basic four-man front and other times using three down linemen with one designated rusher moving around field. Pass coverage schemes also vary based on the opponent.
Within the game plan, there are built-in backup plans.
“We feel like going in, we feel like we have the best thing,” Bates said. “Say we’re not succeeding in the game plan, there’s a second part of the plan, a third part of the plan we can go to. We’re not locked in. But it’s subtle.”
Bates said often the toughest challenge during a game is matching up with an offense’s formations.
A team can use a three-receiver set, which usually causes the defense to take a linebacker off the field for a third cornerback. The Colts did that expertly in a playoff game against Denver three seasons ago, using multiple-receiver sets to exploit the Broncos’ lack of depth at cornerback. Denver used rookie Roc Alexander, who gave up some big plays to Colts receiver Reggie Wayne.
Bates compared matching up against different personnel groups to a basketball game, trying to find the right lineup for each situation. Bates said usually by the end of the first quarter, he can figure out what the offense is trying to do and adjust.
But with everything involved — the long hours of preparation, the detailed game plan, trying to be one step ahead of the offense during the game — most of the final result is out of Bates’ hands.
“When it all comes down to it, it comes down to the 11 players on the field on every snap,” Bates said. “They’re the ones out there making the plays.”
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Originally Posted by 2- Minute Warning
