NFL coordinators predict a Belichick-like defense for Broncos

[broncofaninfla]

NFL coordinators predict a Belichick-like defense for Broncos

By Jeff Legwold
The Denver Post

Posted: 01/20/2010 01:00:00 AM MST

I polled a few offensive coordinators Tuesday to see what they thought a defense coached by Dean Pees would look like for the Broncos.
The answer: Think Bill Belichick. Think Patriots.
Pees is the front-runner to be the team's new defensive coordinator and would bring with him the kind of playbook Josh McDaniels desires. Broncos linebackers coach Don Martindale is in the mix for the job as well and, like Pees, would likely run a scheme far closer to what McDaniels wants than the departing Mike Nolan did.
Whereas this past season was a mix of Nolan's and McDaniels' philosophies, there should be a lot less "mix" in the 2010 season.
Nolan preferred to take risks in the pass rush, blitzing players from unexpected places — 10 of the team's 39 sacks came from inside linebackers or defensive backs. Pees likely will play something closer to Belichick's style.
When Belichick springs a surprise on opposing quarterbacks he does it with coverages — moving players into passing lanes from unexpected angles, trying to disrupt a quarterback's timing as he goes through his reads — rather than adding to the rush.
In that style, the big guys are usually left to their own devices to battle up front, with the nose tackle and at least one of the defensive ends consistently battling double teams and expected to win their fair share of the clashes.
This past season, that was an issue for the Patriots, who finished 23rd in the league in sacks with 31. But that total is even worse considering 10 of the team's sacks came in two games against the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots had six games this season with one or zero sacks.
The Broncos also had their troubles in the defensive front, especially against the run down the stretch.
As a result, Nolan blitzed plenty against the run as the season wore on, which McDaniels called a "bad formula" at the end of the season. But it's unclear how much of that was a result of McDaniels and Nolan agreeing on a course of action as the team struggled in run defense or if that was something that led to Nolan's departure.
Last season, offensive coordinators didn't know what to expect when the regular season opened because Nolan and McDaniels had never worked together before, they say they will know where to look this time around.

Read more: http://www.denverpost.com/premium/broncos/ci_14224891#ixzz0dAWOkPbT

[SOCALORADO.]

Well, if this is the case, then i 1st am wondering how valuable to MCD Doom is, and how the top 3 rounds of the draft will go, cause damn, there will need to be an upgrage of the front 3 on the D line.

[NightTrainLayne]

Originally Posted by SOCALORADO.

Well, if this is the case, then i 1st am wondering how valuable to MCD Doom is, and how the top 3 rounds of the draft will go, cause damn, there will need to be an upgrage of the front 3 on the D line.

Hopefully Pees can sneak Wifork out of the building with him.

[underrated29]

Originally Posted by SOCALORADO.

Well, if this is the case, then i 1st am wondering how valuable to MCD Doom is, and how the top 3 rounds of the draft will go, cause damn, there will need to be an upgrage of the front 3 on the D line.

Hey, I have been saying it. DOOM is gone. Brandon will stay. BUt doom has maxed his value right now. Is a liability against the run, and is a harder position for teams to fill....meaning we can get full value for him. I think he is the one that gets traded or signed with compensation......Miami might be the place too.

[Ravage!!!]

Originally Posted by underrated29

Hey, I have been saying it. DOOM is gone. Brandon will stay. BUt doom has maxed his value right now. Is a liability against the run, and is a harder position for teams to fill....meaning we can get full value for him. I think he is the one that gets traded or signed with compensation......Miami might be the place too.

If thats the case.. then I believe both will be gone. I just don't see Marshall and McD ever getting along.

[Shazam!]

...a defense coached by Dean Pees would look like for the Broncos. The answer: Think Bill Belichick. Think Patriots.

A former Patriots Defensive Coordinator under Belichick would run a Patriots-style Defense under a Head Coach that was formerly a Patriots Coordinator? Really? Really? Wow. Riveting analysis.

[Ravage!!!]

Originally Posted by Shazam!

A former Patriots Defensive Coordinator under Belichick would run a Patriots-style Defense under a Head Coach that was formerly a Patriots Coordinator? Really? Really? Wow. Riveting analysis.

except they don't have the benefit of having Belicheck's defensive brain....(which could be considered the greatest in history)

[Shazam!]

except they don't have the benefit of having Belicheck's defensive brain....(which could be considered the greatest in history)

Bill Belly considered the greatest defensive mind in NFL history?

I think that's a stretch, but if it is the case and you believe that, then Pees would be a great DC in Denver. Right?

[NightTrainLayne]

Originally Posted by Shazam!

Bill Belly considered the greatest defensive mind in NFL history?

I think that's a stretch, but if it is the case and you believe that, then Pees would be a great DC in Denver. Right?

I think that he's insinuating that Pees is the beneficiary of having Belichick to help put defensive game-plans together.

[dogfish]

Originally Posted by NightTrainLayne

Hopefully Pees can sneak Wifork out of the building with him.

he's pretty big, i think they might notice. . . .

Originally Posted by Ravage!!!

except they don't have the benefit of having Belicheck's defensive brain....(which could be considered the greatest in history)

we don't have the benefit of having belly's defensive line, either-- unless pees really can sneak them out of the building. . .

[Dean]

As Dog implied, we don't have the Patriots defensive down linemen. They have a little to say about whether the defense is successful of not. Through most of the season Nolan through smoke and mirrors seemed to make chicken salad out of chicken . . . well you know.

[spikerman]

I'm not optimistic about bringing in the former NE coach. NE finished with a worse defensive ranking than the Broncos. Wasn't there some discussion a while back about the Broncos needing to be more physical? New England's defense is not exactly a smash mouth unit. I don't see how bringing their defensive philosophy to a roster with a weaker DL is an improvement.

[HORSEPOWER 56]

Originally Posted by spikerman

I'm not optimistic about bringing in the former NE coach. NE finished with a worse defensive ranking than the Broncos. Wasn't there some discussion a while back about the Broncos needing to be more physical? New England's defense is not exactly a smash mouth unit. I don't see how bringing their defensive philosophy to a roster with a weaker DL is an improvement.

No kidding. For a defense loaded with the talent they have built specifically for the NE 3-4, they sure weren't very good under Pees.

Vince Wilfork, Jarvis Green, Jerrod Mayo, Gary Guyton, Adalius Thomas, Brandon Merriweather, Leigh Bodden, etc

This is a pretty loaded defense. To think that Tully Banta-Cain was their best pass rusher is just sad. Makes me question the coach and the scheme.

[Jrwiz]

Originally Posted by HORSEPOWER 56

No kidding. For a defense loaded with the talent they have built specifically for the NE 3-4, they sure weren't very good under Pees.

Vince Wilfork, Jarvis Green, Jerrod Mayo, Gary Guyton, Adalius Thomas, Brandon Merriweather, Leigh Bodden, etc

This is a pretty loaded defense. To think that Tully Banta-Cain was their best pass rusher is just sad. Makes me question the coach and the scheme.

Gee a real surprise here.

Now I'm not sure just how many starters they lost from the defense format the year before but IIRC Seymor was pretty decent, they lost TWO starting LB and Two CB's.

Seems to me that is 5 or so, out of 11. That may have had something to do with the lower stats.

but then I may have it all wrong that consistency means nothing.