Breakdown of Bennett's per-game use

[Ring 6]

So basically a 4-3 DE miscast in a 3-4. Why did Belichick/Caserio trade for Bennett in the first place if they were going to be playing more 3-4 than 4-3? I get that Belichick will morph the defense to play whatever he wants but Bennett has a pretty significant cap. If they weren't sure that Bennett was going to be able to play in a 3-4, they shouldn't have traded for him to begin with. I think it'd be best for both parties to move on. Bennett is a veteran player, he's not going to immediately learn how to play in a 3-4.

We don’t really play 34 or 43. We play nickel. We flip between 33 and 42 (and the 42 could be considered 24 depending upon what you want to call the edge players)
Bennett could be getting snaps that wise, Simon, winovich, Calhoun are getting. He also could get snaps that lbs are getting because we seem to be interchanging de/lb types on the edge. He could be getting 3rd down snaps.
he definitely hasn’t been schemed away because similar players are getting snaps he could.
I think that opponent and game plan may be part of the issue. There is a crapload of depth and bb is notorious for scheming differently per opponent. All the players listed above aren’t getting a ton of snaps, all vary A lot game to game. It seems to me Belichick has about a dozen ways to construct his “base” personnel package for each game and some diminish Bennett’s role while others diminish other players roles.
Perhaps a handful of backup snaps is all it will be but we will be facing offenses that are very different from what we have faced so far so playing time going forward probably will change. We just don’t know yet where bennett will fit in.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Has Bennet been productive even with limited playing time?

Yes.

 

[PP2]

Yes.

It's too bad that Bennett doesn't agree with you.

 

[Ring 6]

It's too bad that Bennett doesn't agree with you.

I missed him saying that. So if bennett himself believes he hasn’t been productive in the snaps he has gotten why is he expecting he has earned more?

 

[RobertWeathers]

I missed him saying that. So if bennett himself believes he hasn’t been productive in the snaps he has gotten why is he expecting he has earned more?

My take is he thinks he has and deserves more stage time.

 

[Ring 6]

My take is he thinks he has and deserves more stage time.

Of course but I wasn’t aware he believes he hasn’t been productive when he is on the field yet still is clamoring to play more. Seems contradictory. Perhaps the poster who said this can clarify or give a quote from bennett that explains it more detail.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Of course but I wasn’t aware he believes he hasn’t been productive when he is on the field yet still is clamoring to play more. Seems contradictory. Perhaps the poster who said this can clarify or give a quote from bennett that explains it more detail.

You won't find it as Bennett has never offered a public appraisal of his performance.

 

[Ring 6]

You won't find it as Bennett has never offered a public appraisal of his performance.

So what’s with the posters response to you? You said yes to the question of has he been productive in his snaps and the poster said too bad bennett himself doesn’t think so.
I’m confused.

 

[PP2]

So what’s with the posters response to you? You said yes to the question of has he been productive in his snaps and the poster said too bad bennett himself doesn’t think so.
I’m confused.

Bennett has been productive in the limited snaps that he's been given. Despite this, he has been clamoring for more snaps.

While I don't blame him for wanting more snaps as any competitor would, I am disappointed that he hasn't fully embraced the notion that this is what's best for the team at the moment. I.e., he's putting himself before the team.

Maybe the suspension will reform him, maybe not. We'll find out by the 29th.

 

[Hammer of Thor]

Yes.

Well, I’d say he’s been more bi-polar. Hugely successful on some snaps and highly ineffective on others. Perry’s article does a good job highlighting the ineffective ones - a combination of still playing one-gap and aggressive principles (forgetting gap control; rushing past the QB, not playing contain on a mobile QB), and in some cases trying to do what BB wants but just being ineffective (unable to shed blocks, numerous trips when attempting to stunt).

One thing we know over the years is that Belichick values consistent average performance far more than inconsistent great/bad performance. Let’s hope this suspension ends up more like Jabaal Sheard than Albert Haynesworth.

 

[RobertWeathers]

Well, I’d say he’s been more bi-polar. Hugely successful on some snaps and highly ineffective on others. Perry’s article does a good job highlighting the ineffective ones - a combination of still playing one-gap and aggressive principles (forgetting gap control; rushing past the QB, not playing contain on a mobile QB), and in some cases trying to do what BB wants but just being ineffective (unable to shed blocks, numerous trips when attempting to stunt).

One thing we know over the years is that Belichick values consistent average performance far more than inconsistent great/bad performance. Let’s hope this suspension ends up more like Jabaal Sheard than Albert Haynesworth.

Agree.

Perry's article was very good. Thats why I now prefer his work over that excitable parrot with a megaphone, Curran.

Gap control and containing the Qb are clearly issues Bennett has. With that said (and I can't believe I'm saying this) maybe having a pure rusher like Bennett to flush a now-gimpy Mahomes out of the pocket (and not contained) might not be such a bad thing to do once in a while.

 

[Ring 6]

Bennett has been productive in the limited snaps that he's been given. Despite this, he has been clamoring for more snaps.

While I don't blame him for wanting more snaps as any competitor would, I am disappointed that he hasn't fully embraced the notion that this is what's best for the team at the moment. I.e., he's putting himself before the team.

Maybe the suspension will reform him, maybe not. We'll find out by the 29th.

Ok that makes more sense than bennett disagrees he has been productive when he has played.

I don’t think I would want a player in my team who got 11 snaps and doesn’t want more playing time. I don’t think I’d want a player who thinks not putting him on the field is what’s best for the team. Now clearly there is a reason why they refuse to play him, because he is a better player than guys they are putting out there. It could very well be a lack of discipline and too much freelancing. The schemes we are playing are very risky if players do their own thing. I’m pretty sure it isn’t skill related and the hawt taek that they are testing him for the post season has been eliminated.

I do agree that acting out is the wrong way to handle it, but to expect him to be happy on the bench because it’s best for the team is unrealistic to me.
I think the real issue is playing your assignment is what’s best for the team and he may not be doing that, which is why he is in the bench. But we shall see in time.

 

[Ring 6]

Agree.

Perry's article was very good. Thats why I now prefer his work over that excitable parrot with a megaphone, Curran.

Gap control and containing the Qb are clearly issues Bennett has. With that said (and I can't believe I'm saying this) maybe having a pure rusher like Bennett to flush a now-gimpy Mahomes out of the pocket (and not contained) might not be such a bad thing to do once in a while.

I don’t think gap control is an issue with bennett ability wise at all but I think he has a long history of being free to do whatever his instincts tell him and isn’t adapting to the responsibilities here well.
I don’t have the time to pick through 6 games to find his 140 snaps and really evaluate him. I would have the time to watch the 140 and it would be great if these media guys would do stuff like that. But that is my impression at this point.
I don’t think containing the qb at all. First I haven’t seen bennett have an issue there and secondly we have been all out attacking QBs not playing to contain.

 

[tasmlab]

Well at least he wants to contribute and play. He can always have the attitude of "I'm getting paid to do nothing, cool..."

In the end, if BillB thinks a 4-3 is better suited against a specific team, he plays...

I would think you'd want players who really wanted to be on the field playing. It's sort of essential. But probably not by arguing and complaining their way on...

 

[PP2]

I don’t think gap control is an issue with bennett ability wise at all but I think he has a long history of being free to do whatever his instincts tell him and isn’t adapting to the responsibilities here well.
I don’t have the time to pick through 6 games to find his 140 snaps and really evaluate him. I would have the time to watch the 140 and it would be great if these media guys would do stuff like that. But that is my impression at this point.
I don’t think containing the qb at all. First I haven’t seen bennett have an issue there and secondly we have been all out attacking QBs not playing to contain.

It's very hard to undo ingrained habits in live game situations because you're not thinking. If you're thinking out there, you're half a step behind everyone.

 

[RobertWeathers]

I don’t think gap control is an issue with bennett ability wise at all but I think he has a long history of being free to do whatever his instincts tell him and isn’t adapting to the responsibilities here well.
I don’t have the time to pick through 6 games to find his 140 snaps and really evaluate him. I would have the time to watch the 140 and it would be great if these media guys would do stuff like that. But that is my impression at this point.
I don’t think containing the qb at all. First I haven’t seen bennett have an issue there and secondly we have been all out attacking QBs not playing to contain.

Hes not containing 100% of the time. Thats the issue. Plus hes not coordinating his stunts w/ Butler and others. Perry summarized this in an article it takes 5 minutes to read. Not sure what you are debating? Its all right there.

 

[Ring 6]

It's very hard to undo ingrained habits in live game situations because you're not thinking. If you're thinking out there, you're half a step behind everyone.

Fair point but I don’t think a lot of it is ingrained. My responsibility in the defense is to work with outside leverage but the guy I am facing is weak on inside moves, so I am going to ignore the call and make the play that’s best for me, for example, is a decision not an autopilot.

 

[Ring 6]

Hes not containing 100% of the time. Thats the issue. Plus hes not coordinating his stunts w/ Butler and others. Perry summarized this in an article it takes 5 minutes to read. Not sure what you are debating? Its all right there.

Yes I read that article and now I see why we disagree.
Not here to argue so I’ll move on.

 

[Tony2046]

I don’t think gap control is an issue with bennett ability wise at all but I think he has a long history of being free to do whatever his instincts tell him and isn’t adapting to the responsibilities here well.
I don’t have the time to pick through 6 games to find his 140 snaps and really evaluate him. I would have the time to watch the 140 and it would be great if these media guys would do stuff like that. But that is my impression at this point.
I don’t think containing the qb at all. First I haven’t seen bennett have an issue there and secondly we have been all out attacking QBs not playing to contain.

Good stuff. Just thinking out loud here.

Gap control/responsibility is a part of containment.

The QBs faced thus far weren't mobile so easier to contain and get after.

Darnit might the first semi mobile QB they've faced. Let's see how many times they force him to scramble right and throw it out of bounds. Because that too is containment imo.

Re Bennett- I haven't looked either but if he's shooting gaps and leaving lanes open it's obviously a problem.

 

[Ring 6]

Good stuff. Just thinking out loud here.

Gap control/responsibility is a part of containment.

The QBs faced thus far weren't mobile so easier to contain and get after.

Darnit might the first semi mobile QB they've faced. Let's see how many times they force him to scramble right and throw it out of bounds. Because that too is containment imo.

Re Bennett- I haven't looked either but if he's shooting gaps and leaving lanes open it's obviously a problem.

Yes and no. The scheme isn’t all 2 gap in every play. That’s one of my issues with Perry. He assumes when bennett one gaps that he isn’t playing the call but I see a lot of one chalking going on out there.

I would consider Allen and jones mobile QBs.
I think part of the change in philosophy we have seen this year is the idea that a ab can’t scramble if he is on his back. We have all out attacked in 3rd down. I think any player pass rushing to contain on those calls would be sitting on the bench.

The defense is drastically different in scheme and philosophy situationally this year. But it also has changed game to game.
It’s going to be fun to watch.