Should Bills players go on podcasts and break down plays and even their own MO in detail?

[StHustle]

I tried to make this thread last night but it was inappropriately merged with a thread on totally different subject matter.

 

When Thad Brown hated on Cover 1 last week, I wasn’t a fan of how he went about it and thought it was sour grapes. However, while watching the broadcast last night that featured Hodgins, I became more and more uncomfortable with how much he was sharing. 
 

THIS IS NOT A HODGINS POST…it’s a post focused on how much is considered safe to share on a show like this. Here is my original post for reference:

 

Quote

So let me start by saying I like Cover 1 and the deep dives they take on the technical part of the game. It’s impressive how they’ve been able to get multiple Bills players to come on and do extensive interviews with them. Many even speculate that that’s a major reason Thad Brown hated on them like he did a couple weeks ago.

 

With that said, watching this particular episode, I came away feeling like Hodgins said way too much. I understand the opponent gets to go over the same game type they did and can break down Hodgins tendencies themselves. But to me it’s like, let them do their jobs. Give them a chance to come to false conclusions instead of you laying things out on a platter like that.

 

McKenzie was on their show a few weeks back and was seemingly intent on keeping things very general but still gave insight and was informative and entertaining. But it didn’t feel like any of it was to the detriment of the ingredients of his secret sauce.

 

Maybe I’m totally overreacting here. Curious of what me fellow TBDers think 🤔 
 

 

 

[Warcodered]

4 minutes ago, StHustle said:

When Thad Brown hated on Cover 1 last week, I wasn’t a fan of how he went about it and thought it was sour grapes.

So you're saying this should be merged with that one?

[BarleyNY]

I think if Hodges did anything that the Bills didn’t want him to do, he has already heard about it from a coach. 

[FLFan]

i suspect if the Bills are concerned about it they would encourage their players to scale back their comments.  Cover1 is doing nothing that any media organization might do if they had the expertise to break down those plays, the desire to put in the effort, and the relationships with the players to get the interviews.  The Buffalo media is generally devoid of one or more aspects of that trio.  Thad Brown cannot compete so he whines instead.

[elroy16]

They've had Morse, Bates, Muscle Hamster, and Shaq on before (probably others too). They've broken down all sorts of film and their responsibilities. 

 

If the coaches had issues with it, there's no way they'd still be going on.

 

I'm sure other coaches can watch film and come to basically the same conclusion.

[Captain Hindsight]

This is on the Patriots* website. Thad brown is an idiot. Cover1 is doing nothing wrong

[Warcodered]

Just now, elroy16 said:

They've had Morse, Bates, Muscle Hamster, and Shaq on before (probably others too). They've broken down all sorts of film and their responsibilities. 

 

If the coaches had issues with it, there's no way they'd still be going on.

 

I'm sure other coaches can watch film and come to basically the same conclusion.

If it was something that adversely effected the players performances they wouldn't do it.

[WotAGuy]

I’d love to go on there and break down my day at home and at work. Really give some insight into what I was thinking. 

[ddaryl]

13 minutes ago, StHustle said:

I tried to make this thread last night but it was inappropriately merged with a thread on totally different subject matter.

 

When Thad Brown hated on Cover 1 last week, I wasn’t a fan of how he went about it and thought it was sour grapes. However, while watching the broadcast last night that featured Hodgins, I became more and more uncomfortable with how much he was sharing. 
 

THIS IS NOT A HODGINS POST…it’s a post focused on how much is considered safe to share on a show like this. Here is my original post for reference:

 

 

Its Pre-season.... So much of it is vanilla that I really don't see how anything is really be affected.  Also a WR has choices to make regarding how a DB / D reacts to the Offense. If he did give out some info, all it would do is possibly change the way he appraoches the route he's running. If the DB cheats one way or another its his job to exploit that.

 

1 minute ago, WotAGuy said:

I’d love to go on there and break down my day at home and at work. Really give some insight into what I was thinking. 

 

Here is a typical Day In a Life

Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up, I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
And somebody spoke and I went into a dream

[WotAGuy]

3 minutes ago, ddaryl said:

 

Here is a typical Day In a Life

Woke up, fell out of bed
Dragged a comb across my head
Found my way downstairs and drank a cup
And looking up, I noticed I was late
Found my coat and grabbed my hat
Made the bus in seconds flat
Found my way upstairs and had a smoke
And somebody spoke and I went into a dream

And now they know how many holes it takes to fill the Albert Hall. 

[hondo in seattle]

Every team has coaches - if not players - with virtual Ph.D.'s in scheme, player tendencies, and all that.

 

I don't think BB, for example, would learn anything from this show that he didn't already know.

[Logic]

These players care A LOT about winning. They spend every waking hour upkeeping their bodies and studying playbooks and risking their health to try to win. Some players across the league may not care much about winning, but our guys do. That's the only type of player Beane brings to the roster. He also brings really SMART players to the roster, like Mitch Morse, for example.

Given their burning desire to win and their often high level of intelligence, I really, SINCERELY doubt that these players would participate in these types of shows if they thought it would give their opponent a competitive edge. 

I also kind of doubt that Belichick has scouts watching the Cover 1 interviews with a notepad in hand, scribbling down details of Isaiah Hodgins' technique. I mean...with Belichick, ya never know, but I doubt it.

[StHustle]

36 minutes ago, FLFan said:

i suspect if the Bills are concerned about it they would encourage their players to scale back their comments.  Cover1 is doing nothing that any media organization might do if they had the expertise to break down those plays, the desire to put in the effort, and the relationships with the players to get the interviews.  The Buffalo media is generally devoid of one or more aspects of that trio.  Thad Brown cannot compete so he whines instead.

MUCH different when the player themselves is breaking everything down. Leaves nothing to the imagination. Hodgins fully broke down how he thinks and makes decisions on plays. Just seems totally unnecessary to gift wrap this info for opponents.

33 minutes ago, elroy16 said:

They've had Morse, Bates, Muscle Hamster, and Shaq on before (probably others too). They've broken down all sorts of film and their responsibilities. 

 

If the coaches had issues with it, there's no way they'd still be going on.

 

I'm sure other coaches can watch film and come to basically the same conclusion.

I’ve never seen it broken down like this!

36 minutes ago, Captain Hindsight said:

This is on the Patriots* website. Thad brown is an idiot. Cover1 is doing nothing wrong

This is Bill breaking down OTHER TEAMS…not him explaining what his own team does and how they make decisions on audibles on play variations

[Warcodered]

13 minutes ago, Logic said:

I also kind of doubt that Belichick has scouts watching the Cover 1 interviews with a notepad in hand, scribbling down details of Isaiah Hodgins' technique. I mean...with Belichick, ya never know, but I doubt it.

Very little point in getting second hand notes when they can just do the leg work themselves from the tape they can get anyway during the regular season.

[StHustle]

29 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

Every team has coaches - if not players - with virtual Ph.D.'s in scheme, player tendencies, and all that.

 

I don't think BB, for example, would learn anything from this show that he didn't already know.

so you won’t concede there is a difference when the player themselves is telling you rather than an outsider trying to make educated assumptions without being in the players brain?

Starting to think almost no one who responded actually watched the video to see what I was talking about. This wasn’t your usual player break down. It’s the most in depth breakdown I’ve ever heard a player publicly do on their own game and tendencies and how they make their decisions. Just seems COMPLETELY unnecessary ESPECIALLY from a player trying to finally crack a roster. KEEP THINGS TO YOURSELF! The NFL is a game of inches and even the smallest advantage can tip a game! Don’t give away unnecessary info then wonder why your stuff isn’t as effective moving forward!!

Edited August 17, 2022 by StHustle

[Last Guy on the Bench]

The things they are talking about (e.g., reading leverage) are basic and generic for a professional. Even the most junior opposing coach or player would already know all of this from a glance at film (and from their own systems). I think there is zero risk here.

 

On the other hand, for a nonprofessional like me, these videos are very educational. I love them.

Edited August 17, 2022 by Last Guy on the Bench

[Malazan]

2 minutes ago, StHustle said:

so you won’t concede there is a difference when the player themselves is telling you rather than an outsider trying to make educated assumptions without being in the players brain?

 

There's a difference, it's just that the benefit of it is low. You're also assuming that the player's self-analysis is 100%, they're telling you "everything" in said podcast, and the person using said information is going to process it in an effective manner. 

 

You created this topic, but my current impression is that you want to change other people's minds, but aren't willing to have your mind changed. 

[thenorthremembers]

30 minutes ago, hondo in seattle said:

Every team has coaches - if not players - with virtual Ph.D.'s in scheme, player tendencies, and all that.

 

I don't think BB, for example, would learn anything from this show that he didn't already know.

Right, but why not force them to do the work.  If you're doing the work for them, then they can focus on other areas.   While they may know it, they still had to go through the process of figuring it out.

 

I absolutely hate the idea of these guys going on these shows and breaking down the plays.   Its the NFL, dont give anyone anything.

[Warcodered]

5 minutes ago, StHustle said:

Starting to think almost anyone who responded actually watched the video to see what I was talking about. This wasn’t your usual player break down. It’s the most in depth breakdown I’ve ever heard a player publicly do on their own game and tendencies and how they make their decisions. Just seems COMPLETELY unnecessary ESPECIALLY from a player trying to finally crack a roster. KEEP THINGS TO YOURSELF! The NFL is a game of inches and even the smallest advantage can tip a game! Don’t give away unnecessary info then wonder why your stuff isn’t as effective moving forward!!

So the title of the topic is misleading then, you're not asking anything.

[BillsShredder83]

One thing I've thought about a bunch since Tony Romo broke out as an announcer, is that if this guy can accurately guess plays that much, there's a bunch of dudes on every staff that csn do the same thing.

 

I don't think there's nearly as much surprise involved in games as one would expect. There's a bunch of, you know what's coming and good luck stopping it anyways. Kinda makes things that much more magical to me.

 

Obv it's not every play, but it's not just 3rd and 1s either. Just my 2 cents, and I don't disagree with you that id still prefer to keep this stuff in house as much as possible.