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Filmstudy - FILMSTUDY: Ravens D-lineman slumbers in place of Pryce

Featured defender of the week...Dwan Edwards
Posted On: 9/25/07
Written By:  
Ken McKusick
FILMSTUDY: Ravens D-lineman slumbers in place of Pryce FILMSTUDY: Ravens D-lineman slumbers in place of Pryce
Dwan Edwards had big shoes to fill on Sunday, starting in place of the injured Trevor Pryce.  This was actually painful to watch, and even more painful to write about. 
 
Edwards played 18 non-penalty snaps and did not record a single positive result on any play.  He did not have a tackle, nor did beat his blocker to the ball even once.  He was at times comically slow off the snap (something I think he has actually improved at with the weight loss).  In short, he was a complete spectator, blocked by 1 man on the bulk of plays.  Here is the low down skinny on Edwards provided from Sunday chronicled in much greater detail than it deserves:
 
Q1 7:08 1/10 AZ 25
 
RDE.  The Ravens rushed 5/1 with Johnson dropping to zone.  The screen pass went left to Boldin (we’re going to hear that a lot) for a 10-yard gain.  Edwards was not a factor.  I’m sure just about everyone who would read this is familiar with this concept, but RDE is Right Defensive End from the perspective of the defense, and is therefore typically blocked by the LT, and vice versa.
 
Q1 6:34 1/10 AZ 35
 
LDE.  Blocked at line by RT Levi Brown (75) as Leinhart pass was incomplete, intended for Smith.
 
Q1 6:31 2/10 AZ 35
 
LDE Blocked very effectively by RT 75.  The remainder of the middle was also caved in as James ran straight up the middle for 27 yards.
 
Q1 5:51 1/10 Bal 38
 
LDE.  The Ravens rushed 4/0.  Leinhart screened left to Boldin.  Edwards pursued the play, then fell down as Boldin reversed all the way across the field to salvage no gain.
 
Q1 5:03 2/10 Bal 38
 
RDE.  Not blocked by a lineman, but chipped by FB Smith as he left the backfield to set up for a short pass.  Edwards and Suggs got their hands up but Leinhart effortlessly tossed over them to the aforementioned Smith.  Smith dropped the pass, incomplete.  The play was called back for an ineligible receiver downfield.  In a rather strange decision (move Rackers out of FG range?), the Ravens accepted the penalty, setting up 2/15 instead of 3/10.
 
Q1 4:57 2/15 Bal 43
 
Delay of Game called on Leinhart.  I did not note Edwards position, but he was on the field.
 
Q2 6:55 1/10 AZ 19
 
Ahhh, 13 minutes of pine time should revitalize him…LDT with Warner in.  No pressure, but drew a double team from RT and RG as the Ravens rushed 5/1.  Pass was complete short left to Boldin who raced 37 yards.
 
Q2 6:24 1/10 Bal 44 No Huddle
 
LDE.  Again blocked easily by RT Brown (this matchup is absolutely no contest) as the Ravens brought 4/0 pressure.  Pass was complete middle to Fitzgerald for a 13-yard gain.
 
Q2 5:58 1/10 Bal 31 No Huddle
 
LDE.  Blocked by TE on outside rush.  Run went middle for 1 yard.
 
Q2 5:30 2/9 Bal 30
 
LDE.  Blocked again easily by Brown, who pushed him back towards center as the Ravens rushed 4/0.  Warner waited, waited, then finally threw just as Suggs hit his arm.  Edwards was a nonfactor, but as Brown stood flatfooted watching the pass, Suggs tackled Warner into the back of Brown leg.  Brown got up and took his position, then came out of his stance and had to come off before the next play.
 
Q3 14:55 1/10 AZ 26
 
RDE.  Chipped by James on a short pass left to Shipp for 9 yards.
 
Q3 14:28 2/1 AZ 35
 
LDE.  Blocked backwards by TE Pope and new RT.  James ran middle for 1 yard and 1st down.
 
Q3 13:59 1/10 AZ 36
 
LDT.  Blocked to left by RG (61).  Run went right were Suggs had penetrated and stopped it for a 1-yard loss.
 
Q3 13:25 2/11 AZ 35
 
LDE.  Blocked by RG as pass went quickly left to Boldin for a 10-yard gain.
 
Q3 12:50 3/1 AZ 45
 
LDT.  Slipped by his block, 61, getting his first backfield penetration on a running play, but the run went center for a 2-yard gain and a 1st down.
 
Q3 12:05 1/10 AZ 47
 
LDE.  Blocked by RG as the Ravens rushed 4/1.  Leinhart threw right and low to Fitzgerald who could not handle what would have been an 18-yard gain.
 
Q3 12:01 2/10 AZ 47
 
LDT.  Blocked by RG.  The run went by Edwards, who may have gotten a piece of the ball carrier as he went down.  In any case, no tackle was credited, and AZ picked up 3 yards.
 
Q3 6:51 1/10 Bal 25
 
LDE.  Blocked by TE Pope (82).  The RT looked for someone else to block.  Run went middle for 3 yards.
 
Q3 6:12 2/7 Bal 22
 
RDE.  Very slow off the snap.  Here’s something to try with a DVR if you have time…Pause the picture right before the snap and go frame by frame (typically using the FF button after pause).  I don’t know how many clicks are in a second, but it has to be 20+.  Anyway, there will be several plays in a game where every Raven down lineman has been moving for 5-6 clicks and Edwards is still in his 3-point stance.  That’s perhaps a quarter second, and it makes every bit of difference you can imagine in allowing the opposing blocker to set up comfortably and squarely.  Blocked by LT Gandy (69).  The Pass was a screen right to Boldin for no gain.
 
Q3 0:11 1/10 AZ 29
 
LDE.  Blocked by RT and TE as the Ravens brought 4/1 pressure with Scott dropping to cover.  Warner threw deep left to Boldin for 30 yards.
 
To summarize:
 
·          Edwards never got any meaningful penetration, pressure, or separation from his blocker
·          On a day of some terrible defense, where he was not on the field for even a single play of that horrific 4th quarter, he still managed the very worst YPPA on the Ravens at 8.0 (18 plays, 144 yards)
·          The YPPA is typical of what I see from participation-by-play analysis.  If a player does nothing to contribute, sooner or later the other team will rack up big plays while he is on the field.
·          By comparison, through 3 quarters (Edwards last play was the last play of the 3rd quarter), the Ravens had allowed just 51 yards on 20 plays (2.6 YPPA) without Edwards in.
·          Even in the 4th quarter, the Ravens allowed 169 yards on 17 plays (9.9 YPPA), not much worse than Edwards full game total. 
·          For the entire game, the Ravens allowed 6.0 YPPA without Edwards and 8.0 with him.
 
What can we draw positive from this game for Edwards:
 
·          He had a very tough draw going up against Levi Brown before he was hurt
·          He’s lost a lot of weight, and I think just by visual examination he appears to be faster off the snap than last year
·          It’s over
 
Antwan Barnes got decent pressure despite several holds (1 called) in this game.  Edgar Jones saw his first NFL snap subbing for Suggs when his helmet broke.  I don’t know enough about how Jones has picked up the run defense, but I would be interested to see Jones start at DE vs. the Browns.

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Posted On: 9/25/07
Written By:  
Ken McKusick

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