Positive Reviews So Far on the Vladimir Ducasse Blocking Tight End Experiment

by John B on Dec 12, 2011 11:52 AM EST

The Jets have dabbled this year using Vladimir Ducasse as an extra tight end in power sets. Yesterday we probably saw them utilize him as extensively as any point all season. The results were good. The Jets were productive running it with an extra lineman, and Ducasse was productive as a blocker aside from one holding penalty.

I think there is a lot to like about seeing more of this. It cannot hurt Ducasse's development. He gets reps at game speed. Real experience is going to help him get comfortable with game situations. These are low pressure snaps. He is an extra lineman, not a primary guy. His job is usually not going to be critical like it would be if he was a primary blocker at guard. He is an extra helper.

I also like the idea in general based on the way the Jets are built. The past two weeks there has been a subtle but definite shift in the offense. The team is no longer asking Mark Sanchez to carry much of the load. Sanchez has been reduced to high percentage passes to move the chains. He is not making multiple reads at this point. The Jets are going to need to rely more on the run game. That means grinding things out and weaning on defenses. An extra lineman pounding consistently helps win the war of attrition and wear down the opposing front. While Ducasse is still pretty raw, the one thing he can do is drive a guy right in front of him back.

So far the Ducasse experiment is a success. We should probably see more of it. As an added bonus, it means less time for Matthew Mulligan.

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Comments

Huzzah! no Matty Mulligan!

If Ducasse is terrible maybe we reduce his contract and hire him as a full time TE.

And the home of the .... JETS!!!
Now lets get a G-D snack!!!
"You might not like that. You might be very cynical about that. Well, f**k it, I don't care what you think."-Roy McDonald

by Noble_Lance on Dec 12, 2011 11:58 AM EST reply actions

terrible at guard that is

And the home of the .... JETS!!!
Now lets get a G-D snack!!!
"You might not like that. You might be very cynical about that. Well, f**k it, I don't care what you think."-Roy McDonald

by Noble_Lance on Dec 12, 2011 11:58 AM EST up reply actions

Good post about Vlad but I dont agree about Sanchez..

He had four TDs yestetday…That’s carrying the load. The team is finally just using him to his strengths, letting him take downfield shots, and working the play action.

by RhodesRocks on Dec 12, 2011 12:00 PM EST via mobile reply actions

yes. agree.

GET RIPPED

"We'll Win Tonight" - The Captain

"Let's go eat a &€% %¥#$ snack" - Rex

by Papa T on Dec 12, 2011 2:28 PM EST up reply actions

Yes it seems like some one actually game planned around his strengths for a change

by GangGreen73 on Dec 12, 2011 2:36 PM EST up reply actions

Maybe it was due to Tom Moore being at practices last week

or maybe Schotty finally started gameplaning to Mark’s strengths

D.T.O.T.D stands for Don't Trade Our Toney Douglas

by 2xtheBully on Dec 12, 2011 3:01 PM EST up reply actions

I don't think it's a coincidence that the Jets can all of a sudden score points

It has to be a stronger influence from Moore. Schotty didn’t just all of a sudden wake up and figure out how to call plays that work….

I just hope he stays and Shitty goes. I would hate for this little offensive explosion to mean that BS gets to keep his job next year

by GangGreen73 on Dec 12, 2011 3:51 PM EST up reply actions

Ducasse was

mauling guys in the running game yesterday. I liked what i saw. The hold penalty aside.

by LONGISLAND on Dec 12, 2011 12:16 PM EST reply actions

Vlads block on the first play of the game was pretty good.

He pulled and literally ATE his assignment.
He also got some pushes in the game that were down right nasty. The kids a hog in the run game, theres no doubt.
I look forward to seeing him in a full camp next year and i’m still very positive on his chances of finding a starting role.

by Can'tWait on Dec 12, 2011 12:36 PM EST reply actions

I have been looking into Vlads past the last few weeks...

He lost his mother at 5 years old. Left his entire family to live with relatives in america before highschool and took his brother with hopes of a better future. He also was forced to fear the worst when the earthquakes in Haiti hit his home town of Port-au-Prince.
Seeing the town you lived in as a child reduced to waste with your family still living in it must have been harder than I can imagine. The more I look into this kid I realize he has had a tough road to the NFL. He’s really not the typical blue chip that had it easy the entire way.
It really pisses me off when I hear some of the crap thrown at this kid for being garbage. If it weren’t for the gobs of money he’s making I would probably feel really horrible for the kid being drafted into an impatient fanbase like this one.
But hey, he came from Mass so he’s probably got thick skin by now.
Keep it up Vlad.
It’s nice to see some positive stuff for a change.

by Can'tWait on Dec 12, 2011 3:33 PM EST reply actions

Agreed

He also didn’t start playing until much later than most of these players, and he’s coming from that smaller school. He’s fighting an uphill battle.

www.GangGreenNation.com

by bobdolethesnapplelady on Dec 12, 2011 4:36 PM EST up reply actions

Vlad works hard

When the Jets drafted Vlad they drafted him for his upside. Playing for a Massachusetts, a small school, there is a longer learning curve,rather than playing for USC or Wisconsin. The Jets new that going in… Lets see what Vlad can do witha full off season. with all the Mini Camps. You draft a developmental pick, you need to give him time to develop. The encouraging thing for me ,is that he is in shape, and seems to work hard all the time, that warrants patience

by JetOrange on Dec 12, 2011 7:04 PM EST up reply actions

what took so long?

after Mulligans first game i wondered why he was still getting playing time, he has rarely been targeted in the pass game so his primary job was to block and he couldnt do that and on top of it hes a penalty machine, Ducasse should have been in our BIG sets from week 1

"The message to the rest of the league is, hey, the Jets are coming, and we're going to give you everything we got. And I think that's going to be more than you can handle"

by AFCxxBEAST on Dec 12, 2011 5:21 PM EST reply actions

I don't think its an accident that the run-game has steadily upticked as his snaps steadily increased.

Dude moves people. And the more snaps he gets, the better. People forget about how much talent this kid has, and how he was all the rave during Senior Bowl week a couple years ago. He was supposedly DOMINATING all the top prospects. He just needs seasoning, and to learn scheme awareness. Mano-y-mano he’s gonna win way more than he loses.

Get this guy snaps. The more game reps he gets the better. He just needs to learn to recognize fronts and make subtle adjustments and he’ll be fine. Once he knows what he’s doing and trusts what he sees, he’ll be straight mauling fools. And I can’t wait to see it. Its been awesome to see flashes of it in those jumbo packages.

by Crackback on Dec 12, 2011 6:11 PM EST via mobile reply actions

More Please!

I want less of the Shot Gun and less of Mulligan. So by all means, put Vlad in as an Extra Tight End 20 times and don’t call it “Ground and Pound”, call it “Plow the Road” and make Vlad one of the guys on the “Plow Team”. Even Hunter looks better on the Run, than in pass coverage. Besides, each time BS calls for the Gun and it’s at best an incomplete, the clock stops and it leaves that much more time for the Defense to carry. At least with an agressive ground game, the clock doesn’t constantly stop and the Defense isn’t stuck on the field for 30 minutes or more and sucking air at the end from too many plays.

by RonaldR on Dec 12, 2011 10:35 PM EST reply actions