Was it him lined up at DT? I noticed especially towards the end of the game they were running 3-3 Nickel packages with an edge rusher and Vernon standing up and sugaring gaps and trying to make where he lined up a bit unpredictable, but I missed him at DT.
The thing the coaches are doing with Olivier Vernon right now is using him against the middle of the offensive line against the opponents' guards. That's getting him freed up for a lot of action. The NFL gamebooks have recorded 15 plays on the quarterback this year be it sacks or hits/pressures as the ball came out. Here is how they break out: Left Tackle Rush: 9 (3 of which were off Scramble out of pocket) Interior Guard Rush: 5 (1 of which was off a Scramble out of pocket) Outside Tight End Rush: 1 For example in his most recent two games against the Jets and Panthers, he made a total of 6 plays on the quarterback according to the gamebooks. That includes five sacks. Three of the five sacks were pass rushes where he lined up over the interior guard rather than the tackle. Rushing over the guard is something I have been very explicit in wanting the coaching staff to do ever since they drafted Olivier Vernon and I'm glad they're finally doing it. I'm not surprised at all that he is having success doing it as he's possessed a skill set since college that lent itself to rushing over guards. Imagine how often he just normally plays over the left tackle versus how often he slides inside to the guard. The fact that he's made nearly as many of his plays on the quarterback from over the guard speaks to the dramatic effect the pre-snap alignment has on his efficiency.
His move on the inside for his 2nd full sack was great. Love seeing him inside as well. Allows Jordan on to the field as well. We really do have a stable of passrushers. What drives me nuts is how long some of the thing alot of us notice before our coaching staff. I.E. Thomas as a guard instead of a tackle. I feel like if we ever do change our OC and line coach it will be the first thing that happens.
Much as I like seeing our players ranked well on PFF, the ranking of Grimes really calls into question their system. It's ridiculous saying he's only the 4th best DB for the Dolphins and 85th overall.
How can you say JI doesn't know how well set up this team is defensively, when he himself set it up? Some of the hate here is silly. Do you realize, he drafted the players you're loving on, and is not responsible for coaching them? No GM in the league (except maybe Jerry Jones) says where players will play. So you hate the pick and think he's a bust?
I think Ireland has a terrible demeanor but has found some real gems and is probably better than 60% of the GMs currently employed in the league.
In the week leading up to the game, a Carolina Prancer fan noted in a thread on this site that Greg Hardy is an "elite" pass rusher. Does that mean Olivier Vernon is All-Universe since he has more sacks?
He's been a pleasant surprise. I think he's been the beneficiary of a few lucky sacks, but he's been really solid either way. I enjoy watching him.
