FanPost

Offensive Personnel Groupings: Bully Ball

Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports



Lately I've been thinking about what personnel group should be our base group. I think that the base group should be a group that has one of two qualities: 1) the ability to dictate and straight up over power; or 2) be flexible/multiple enough to create favorable match ups.

I vividly remember some of those early 2000 Steeler teams that would line and pound the rock with the Bus and Deuce Staley. Or those early 90s Cowboys teams that would put Emmit in the I behind the Moose and that big o-line and smashmouth. With those offenses, you knew what was coming and there was no stopping it.

I also vividly remember Joe Montana executing the west coast offense like a surgeon and taking what you gave him as he sliced his way down field. They would run it with Roger Craig and let his high knees gallop on sweeps this way and that, throw it to Rathman in the flat and let him pick out which DB he was gonna punish on his way down the sideline (the man in eye-black never ran out of bounds... ever), then a quick slant to Rice, then John Taylor on an intermediate cross, then Brent Jones up the seam, then a touchdown to Rice on a post. Play whatever defense you want, Joe was gonna pick you apart.

When I look at this year's Jets group, I'd like to see a 2-TE package with Marshall and Decker outside and a single back heavy rotation. I want tempo and I want those backs changing every other play (unless somebody has it going, of course). We have a nice big stable of backs that nobody wants to have to tackle in fourth quarters when they're tired and the backs are fresh and running hard.

Both Amaro and Cumberland are big boys at 260+ and in an age where defenses are trading size for mobility, they can bang around in the middle of the field against backers that weigh around 230 and seem to be shrinking. And both of these TEs are multiple, they can line up tight or be flexed out. They can be moved around like chess pieces. If defenses try to match up with their size, we can spread them out and put them in space. Most linebackers aren't accustomed to playing in coverages out wide like that, and dealing with pick plays and rub-routes and getting switched onto receivers. If defenses trade out LBs for safeties/DBs, we can keep them tight and pound the rock, and let them use their bodies as shields on high-percentage throws.

At 6-4, 230 Brandon Marshall is a monster that no corner wants to be stuck on an island with. Decker is also a nice sized dude at about 6-3, 220. If we're able to occupy the safeties with our running game and TE play, these boys will dominate most corners. Especially Decker, if Marshall is drawing the better corner to his side.

This is a group that is big enough to dictate opposing personnel groupings, and flexible enough to exploit it. A run-based, tempo system with big receiving targets is also a great way to hide sub-par QB play. We can line this group up and have an advantage in any down and distance. 2nd & 6, 3rd & 4, 1st & 15, 4th & 1... doesn't matter, we can line these boys up and either dictate or take what you give us. And Geno doesn't have to be on time or on target, he can just get it there and let these boys muscle their way to catches and lean on defenses for 4 quarters. We still have Kerley and Devin Smith to exploit specific match-ups or change up the pace during games, but the 2 TE package should be our base.

Then we can bring in 260lbs JC Copeland in the 4Qs where we have a lead and let him and Ivory grind rocks into gravel.

Bully Ball.

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