The Revis Effect
June 26th, 2013
Joe’s got a hearty breakfast here for those starving for football Xs and Os and real strategy talk. It comes from the outspoken yet anonymous “NFLosophy,” who is rumored to be a former NFL front office type and has quite a following on Twitter (@NFLosophy).
After the Bucs acquired Darrelle Revis, this NFLosophy dude went deep into what he calls The Revis Effect, complete with an NFL “all-22” film breakdown and all kinds of detail.
Here’s a snippet:
What you see here is Revis on an island at the top of the screen. The single-high safety is shading over top of the 2 wide receivers and tight end towards the bottom of the shot. In 11-personnel (1 running back, 1 tight end) and a 3×1 formation (3 receivers to one side) a lot of defenses will elect to play Cover-2 or if they go Cover-3 or Cover-1 man, the CB on an island will usually play in off-coverage. This will allow the receiver a short to intermediate route to ensure that he doesn’t beat the single coverage over the top.
As you see it, even in a personnel package that screams pass, the Jets have 8 men in the box. They’re comfortable leaving Revis in press man outside and a single safety over top of the 3 receivers to one side. The Jets are set up to defend both the run and the pass because of the flexibility that Revis gives them. They’re also daring Tannehill to try to throw at Revis here – something they like to do.
One of the other things that Revis allows is that by dropping a safety in the box the Jets can clutter the middle of the field making it harder to find windows to throw into. Revis essentially has the left 1/3 of the field covered. The Jets have more than enough available players to drop into coverage to blanket the remaining 2/3 of the field.
You can click the link above to read the whole examination of Revis. What Joe enjoyed most is the video below. The author uses this film from Revis’ final game of 2012 in Miami (when Revis blew out his knee) to remind us that Revis is stout against the run. Revis, aka The Boy Wonder, is the pursuing cornerback at the bottom of the screen.
June 26th, 2013 at 7:47 am
Great link Joe!!!
Could I be the first (today) to ask for more stories like these? Obviously we’d like to have your take on said article, as well. That’s a given. Cheers!
June 26th, 2013 at 8:22 am
Kinda interesting as the WR Revis was covering slanted in to block the safety, but that brought Revis into the hole unblocked.Maybe a zone was anticipated bythe Fish, but inside the 10??
June 26th, 2013 at 8:53 am
It looked to me like bringing that WR over to block was the mistake. Seems like keeping Revis out of the area would have served them better.
Which, of course, is one of the reasons I’m excited to see this guy play.
I didn’t want him here initially. I had pictures of 45 million guaranteed in my head. Revis put that to rest with the contract he signed. Still big money but no guarantees accomplished two things…put the Bucs in the position to cut him in order to save cap space later (if needed) and it showed me that he is confident enough in his abilities to earn each year.
I think that was the goal Wright had as well…though clearly Wright is nowhere as good as Revis, but then, who is?
June 26th, 2013 at 9:07 am
@Mike J
They probably assumed that they were going to zone to protect the pass, but the Jets rarely went to zone coverage. They always man Revis up, and That’s the plus we needed. Barron in the box Goldson single high safety. It should be an interesting defense.
June 26th, 2013 at 9:08 am
Revis is the MAN!!!
even better my wife is a Jets fan, and game one will be awesome.
I just hope they get him enough reps to get into football shape….because these guys who hold out, miss camp for injuries or whatever reason almost always seem to pull a hammy.
a happy hammy makes me happy
June 26th, 2013 at 9:11 am
well Hernandez is now prison fodder
June 26th, 2013 at 9:12 am
Good read. Might have to follow that….
Thanks for sharing Joe, this season can’t come sooner, GO BUCs
June 26th, 2013 at 10:00 am
Revis is going to be a stud for us. Can’t wait to see him in action. He is a guy that will make Josh Freeman and everyone else on defense look a lot better. It is a lot easier to be a quarterback when you don’t think you have to score a touchdown every time out just to keep up.
June 26th, 2013 at 10:05 am
That video footage just goes to show how important it is for the rest of the defense to step up their game, especially since Revis controls 1/3 the field. I hope this year we never see our opponent on our 10 yard line.
June 26th, 2013 at 10:17 am
NFLosophy is a former NFL Ops coordinator – he didn’t even work in the front office let alone reign as GM. He’s never played a down of football but he has a solid knowledge base. Anyone with a clue knows Revis is a monster addition…
June 26th, 2013 at 10:19 am
OMG….now Revis will make jfro better….
only jfro can do that.
when will it end?????
June 26th, 2013 at 10:20 am
It’s not just the Revis made the hit. He wrapped the RB up, unlike 80% of the DBs in the league today. Schiano loves a hard-nosed football player and this play right here shows that Revis is just that.
June 26th, 2013 at 10:23 am
Joe, that guy from twitter was never a GM. He ran one department for a short period of time that was operations related. But, his goal is obviously to try to get another shot in the NFL.
June 26th, 2013 at 10:35 am
@robert
Where did you see that claim? Revis makes the TEAM better.
“This will also translate into less pressure on Josh Freeman. Freeman routinely had to throw 35+ times to keep putting points on the board in a hurry just to keep his team in the game. Now the Tampa offense will be able to rely a little more on its run game (what it prefers to do) and take some of the weight off of Freeman’s shoulders.”
Less passes attempted will hopefully lead to a higher completion percentage, but nowhere does it say Revis will make JFree better. Just that the TEAM will be able to rely on the defense more often.
AGAIN, if you think #5 lost more games for us than our defense, you are DELUSIONAL.
I can only imagine the conversations this forum would have if the defense stopped the Eagles last year. Or the Falcons. Or the Redskins. Defense stops those last drives and the Bucs are a 10 win, possible playoff team.
Do you forget the throws he made to lead us from behind against the Carolina?? The “tying” throw at the end of the Saints games?
“But his completion percentage is blah blah blah”
Guy can play and makes plays. Please let me know who in the NFL you would rather have than #5. Name a player on the QB bubble that can provide the Bucs with the kind of play that Josh Freeman can. Seriously, make me a list so I can see where you place him among the other QBs in the league.
June 26th, 2013 at 12:07 pm
^^You literally left me with nothing say. You took every single word I wanted to say. Well played.
Although, I must say, Robert is not really worthy of a response. He is the type of “fan” that thinks Freeman doesn’t play enough Madden. He also hopes, ” . . . that jfro doesn’t make it through TC healthy . . .” Not to mention he would be happy to see Orlovsky start over Freeman. The guys football knowledge is the the equivalent of your average sewing machine.
June 26th, 2013 at 1:27 pm
100 % spot on BucDan
June 26th, 2013 at 2:48 pm
BucDan,
I am with you, Freeman “can” do it, but “can” he do it consistently?
Playoffs for this team in 2013 would answer the bell.
June 26th, 2013 at 2:49 pm
“The 300’s Says:
June 26th, 2013 at 10:00 am
Revis is going to be a stud for us. Can’t wait to see him in action. He is a guy that will make Josh Freeman and everyone else on defense look a lot better. It is a lot easier to be a quarterback when you don’t think you have to score a touchdown every time out just to keep up.”
keep up guys
June 26th, 2013 at 3:05 pm
BucDan,
Freeman might be the least desired QB option in the NFC South? Who knows? If we can get Freeman to hone it in, consistently, then we will be alright.
Freeman was the 10th rated QB under 25, that isn’t saying much.
I can agree wholeheartedly that Freeman possesses elite physical gifts, but we need to see them materialize into a successful, consistent leader of this team. That remains to be seen.
I would argue that we could have a better chance at a SB run paying a 3rd round salary at QB, and using the 10-12 million on Free Agent Studs…
June 26th, 2013 at 3:12 pm
nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent.
Calvin Coolidge
this is my point against jfro guys. the guy has the tools, but he fails…..and then giggles and throws his hands up!!!!!!!!!!!!!, which IMO makes him worse than a less skilled QB with more heart.
June 26th, 2013 at 3:41 pm
Okay here, lot to process…
@robert
I did miss that comment, but he’s right. Nitpick all you want.
@stevek
“Freeman might be the least desired QB option in the NFC South? Who knows? If we can get Freeman to hone it in, consistently, then we will be alright.”
ALL BUCS FANS TAKE NOTE!
THAT IS A REALISTIC TAKE ON #5 (Although I still prefer Josh over Cam. All day. Every day.)
Those media ratings are garbage. I like to see our players ranked high and get recognition too, but the Bucs are still proving that they are back in the game and we dont really see it.
“I can agree wholeheartedly that Freeman possesses elite physical gifts, but we need to see them materialize into a successful, consistent leader of this team. That remains to be seen.”
I agree. I would like to see him roam the sidelines talking to the lineman, go to the wide receiver group, etc. ala the true greats in this league. That’s the spark that brings greatness out of the teammates around you.
“I would argue that we could have a better chance at a SB run paying a 3rd round salary at QB, and using the 10-12 million on Free Agent Studs…”
That could happen. Thing is, it’s not going to. Don’t you think every beat writer would be hawking Glennon if he was looking like a stud? Now it’s of my opinion that that means he’s worse than #5, no matter how good/bad we think Josh is. Why? Because there is no QB controversy. As of now, #5 is our best bet at QB. Now, I would hope that Glennon turns into a stud. I hope that every other one of the Bucs draft picks does the same.
I just took a look at a Glennon 2012 highlight reel and his throws look real nice. A lot of deep throws. The way he stood in the pocket and launched the long ball looked, shall I say, Freeman-like….
June 26th, 2013 at 4:18 pm
I just have to re-post this comment from BamBamBuc the other day. I feel like it works here.
https://www.joebucsfan.com/?p=90405&cpage=2#comment-3282097
June 26th, 2013 at 4:23 pm
^^Just for the people that think the offense might have been holding this team back.
June 26th, 2013 at 4:51 pm
But a Freeman’s completion percentage is less than 60%!!!!!!
And he threw 10 ints in 3 games!!!!!!
How can we win????
Great post by BamBam and way to bring it back.
June 27th, 2013 at 5:48 am
I’m going to have to show some compassion for poor Robert being wed to a J…E…T…S fan. Can’t you just hear the conversations about which of them has the worst QB, J’Fro or Sanchez? Worst part for Robert is that he loses that battle because we all know which # 5 is the worst. So to feel better, Robert comes on here to attempt to gain some dignity by bringing our QB into every on-line conversation.