viewtopic.php?f=15&t=18583
Intro and Thesis
I'm starting to think there's some common link here involving Jim Schwartz, Rex Ryan, and Vance Joseph's schemes. Who Jim Schwartz is:
On January 24 [2014], Schwartz was hired by the Buffalo Bills as the defensive coordinator.
The Wide 9, the base defense most commonly attributed to Schwartz, is criticized as a run front because of the inherently wider gaps created by the alignment, but it also creates advantages: namely, it's a good defense for containing the outside run.
2014: Jim Schwartz possibly implements elements of the "Wide-9" that are very similar to Rex Ryan's scheme in Buffalo, and both are equivalent to the "46 Bear" formation in Madden 08.
The possible evidence
To introduce a little more on Jerry Hughes of the Buffalo Bills, he was considered a versatile OLB by his coaches at TCU, and in 2015 for Ryan he officially was listed as a hybrid OLB/DE. In 2015 Hughes had many characteristics of a DE in a 4-3 or an RDE in the "46 Bear" formation, and was often used in Schwartz's scheme in a very wide alignment as an ROLB or RDE would be in Madden's "46 Bear."
In 2016, as the Bills more fully committed to a 3-4 scheme, Hughes was moved to from defensive end to outside linebacker.[15]
OLB 55 Hughes, Jerry T/Ind (http://www.ourlads.com/nfldepthcharts/depthchart/BUF)
In 2015 under Ryan he had not fully transitioned away from a DE in a 4-3 as he would have been in Schwartz's Wide-9 scheme, serving as a hybrid DE/OLB in 2015. I would conclude from this that Ryan's "46 Bear" was using Hughes in the same way that elements of Schwartz's defense used Jerry Hughes, as a DE who also serves as a "Wide-9" specialist in the way the RDE or ROLB does in Madden's "46 Bear". However, he has now fully been moved to OLB officially for 2016, which means he would have more of an OLB role in a 3-4 and an ROLB role in the "46 Bear."
Which means:
Since Schwartz used Hughes as a "Wide" specialist in the same way that an RDE or ROLB is in Madden's 46 bear, then the Bills' playbook under Schwartz would have been a 4-3 and 46 Bear with the primary edge-rushers, Hughes and Lawson, at RDE and LDE, respectively.
Under Ryan in 2015, because Lawson was officially moved to OLB, the Bills' playbook would have included more base sets featuring the DE Hughes as an edge-rusher and some with an OLB as an edge-rusher, including at least one base set where an OLB is an edge-rusher but is not aligned "Wide." In addition, if Hughes was used as a "Wide" specialist in Ryan's version of the "46 Bear" in the same way he was used in Schwartz's scheme, the playbook would still have the 46 Bear scheme using Hughes as an edge-rushing DE and Lawson as OLB in "correct" Madden rosters. The only books this describes would have both 4-3 and 3-4 base sets, aka a multiple-front book, and the book would include 46 Bear using Hughes at RDE and Lawson at LOLB.
With Hughes' new role at OLB in 2016 the playbook choice would preferably have more base sets featuring the OLBs as edge-rushers, and the "46 Bear" set with Hughes at ROLB specifically, as the ROLB and RDE serve as the "Wide" specialists in Madden's 46 Bear. An ideal playbook for Ryan's newer, 2016 version of the "46 Bear" with Hughes as ROLB would be a book with only 3-4 and 46 Bear as its base sets.
And more on the possible fit of Schwartz in Miami, where they hired Vance Joseph to implement a new "Wide-9" defense for 2016:
On October 6 [2015], Schwartz declined the opportunity to replace Miami Dolphins defensive coordinator Kevin Coyle.[22]
On January 19, 2016, Schwartz was hired by the Philadelphia Eagles to be their defensive coordinator.[23]
2016: Eagles continue to use Wide-9 under Jim Schwartz...dotdotdot??? If so, the Eagles will be using a "Jim Schwartz" playbook, a 4-3/"46 Bear" equivalent book, in 2016. If they are not going to be running anymore Wide-9, either because they want to do away with their entire defensive scheme, then why hire Jim Schwartz, the "father" of Wide-9???
Conclusions
If the defense...
1. Uses an RDE and an LDE more often as primary edge-rushers functionally equivalent to an OLB in a 3-4.
2. Uses a versatile LDE who can serve as either an "outside" or an "inside" DE functionally equivalent to a DE in a 3-4.
3. Often creates additional confusion by using some DE/OLBs in a three-point stance but who may instead drop back from a three-point stance, or often uses jersey numbers combined with non-traditional stances to confuse the offense.
4. Uses an RDE or ROLB as a "Wide-9" specialist.
5. Does not use 3-3-5 nickel
The Jim Schwartz (2016 Eagles?) book: TEN (a 4-3 and 46 Bear with 4-2-5 nickel only and 3-2-6 dime sets)
Jim Schwartz Wikipedia wrote:Tennessee Titans (2001–2008)
Defensive coordinator
How about that? The TEN book IS the Jim Schwartz Wide-9 book!!!!!!!!
If the defense...
1. Uses an RDE and an LDE more often as primary edge-rushers functionally equivalent to an OLB in a 3-4.
2. Uses a versatile LDE who can serve as either an "outside" or an "inside" DE functionally equivalent to a DE in a 3-4.
3. Often creates additional confusion by using some DE/OLBs in a three-point stance but who may instead drop back from a three-point stance, or often uses jersey numbers combined with non-traditional stances to confuse the offense.
4. Uses an RDE or ROLB as a "Wide-9" specialist.
5. Uses 3-3-5 nickel
The Vance Joseph (2016 Dolphins?) book: CIN (a 4-3 and 46 Bear hybrid scheme with 4-2-5 and 3-3-5 nickel and 3-2-6
dime sets)
(Vance Joseph worked under Marvin Lewis)
If the defense...
1. Uses an RDE, ROLB, and an LOLB equally often as the primary edge-rushers functionally equivalent to an OLB in a 3-4.
2. Uses an LDE who primarily serves as an "inside" DE functionally equivalent to a DE in a 3-4.
3. Often creates additional confusion by using some DE/OLBs in a three-point stance but who may instead drop back from a three-point stance, or often uses jersey numbers combined with non-traditional stances to confuse the offense.
4. Uses an RDE or ROLB as a "Wide-9" specialist.
5. Uses 1-5-5 nickel
The Rex Ryan book: BAL (a 3-4 and 4-3 Under and 46 Bear hybrid scheme with 4-2-5, 3-3-5, and 1-5-5 nickel and 3-2-6 dime sets)
Rex Ryan Wikipedia wrote:Baltimore Ravens (2005–2008)
Defensive coordinator
The BAL book IS Rex Ryan's defense!!!! He's transitioning the Bills from the Schwartz defense into the same defense he used in Baltimore in 2008.
If the defense...
1. Uses an RDE and an ROLB more often as the primary edge-rushers functionally equivalent to an OLB in a 3-4.
2. Uses a versatile LDE who can serve as either an "outside" or an "inside" DE functionally equivalent to a DE in a 3-4.
3. Often creates additional confusion by using some DE/OLBs in a three-point stance but who may instead drop back from a three-point stance, or often uses jersey numbers combined with non-traditional stances to confuse the offense.
4. Uses an RDE or ROLB as a "Wide-9" specialist.
5. Uses 1-5-5 nickel
Balanced D (Another possible Rex Ryan book) (a multiple-front book with 4-3, 3-4, and 46 Bear, plus 4-2-5/3-3-5/1-5-5 nickel and 3-2-6 dime)
If the defense...
1. Uses an ROLB and an LOLB most often as the primary edge-rushers functionally equivalent to an OLB in a 3-4.
2. Uses an LDE who primarily serves as an "inside" DE functionally equivalent to a DE in a 3-4.
3. Often creates additional confusion by using some DE/OLBs in a three-point stance but who may instead drop back from a three-point stance, or often uses jersey numbers combined with non-traditional stances to confuse the offense.
4. Uses an RDE or ROLB as a "Wide-9" specialist.
??? (Another possible Rex Ryan book) (a 3-4 and 46 Bear ... and whichever nickel or dime packages are preferred by that coach)
(Cannot find, possibly doesn't exist)