New Look Defense

I took a screen cap with my phone (shown below) of Will Wink Strong Free a Cover-1 type of defense played by the Chargers.
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/B751lsYIYAAJgSc.jpg
C1-Chris Culliver
C2-Breeland/Amerson/Hall
FS-Dashon Goldson
SS-Ihenacho/Jeron Johnson

S-Trent Murphy
E-Stephen Paea
N-Pot Roast
E-Hatcher
W-Kerrigan

M-Riley
Mo-Keenan

This defense is one of many concepts found in the Chargers/Barry's or any defense. The Chargers website took down the video on Barry explaining this defense but here is a quick re-cap:

Will Wink Strong Free is the chargers version of a common Cover 1 Man defense often called "Robber"

Cover 1 has a single high post safety playing deep in the middle of the field or "hole".
The underneath defenders are in man to man. In the "robber" defense another defender 'plugs' the void underneath the FS.

A more detailed breakdown of Cover 1:NFL 101: Introducing the Basics of Cover 1 | Bleacher Report (http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2032934-nfl-101-introducing-the-basics-of-cover-1)

4-Man pressure with the Kerrigan (1-gap DL)

Ihenacho moves down creating an 8 man box
Corners are in man

Trent has TE man to man
Dashson plays single high deep FS

Ihenacho-Riley-Robinson are responsible for the 2 backs out of the backfield and 'plugging' the underneath hole
IF both running backs flow to the right then Ihenacho is the plugger
IF the backs split then Ihenacho has the back to his side, Robinson has the back to his side and Riley is the plugger etc...

I wish the video was still up, but one thing Barry mentioned he likes this defense because its good vs the run and the pass.
I never did a breakdown or kept track of how often Haslett played with a 2-gap front on 1st down.
But imho one of the downfalls of playing Okie (2-gap) base on 1st down is the lack of pressure compared to playing 1-gap when/if teams pass on 1st down. Sure Okie is stout against the run but in the modern NFL more and more offenses pass on 1st down.
So playing in a 1-gap front with Pot roast clogging the middle and Hatcher and Paea on the Ends getting upfield and Kerrigan coming from the Edge they should have a good rush going if its pass.

Thoughts?

Love it. Absolutely love talking Xs and Os at this level.

Pluses:
Gets Goldson into a single high and allows him to range to the ball once the ball is put into play. That's much better than using him in Tampa 2.

Run defense should be stifling. This takes advantage of Knighton's presence who demands the double team, allowing Paea and Hatcher to penetrate and shoot gaps. Robinson, Riley and Johnson can all run to the ball and hit.

Minus:
Man this puts a ton on our CBs and Goldson. They become the key to the entire defense. On downs where the pass rush doesn't get home we're counting on them to hold up against the likes of Dez Bryant and Odell Beckham. Culliver and Breeland in particular are built for a press-man style, they'll need to be disruptive as hell. If they whiff, it's a TD. Man, Sean Taylor would have made this the #1 D in the NFL.

How do you adapt this to a team playing with a terrific TE? I wouldn't trust Murphy to run with the Jimmy Grahams. Seems like you'd need to shade the SS overtop of the TE for an over-under coverage with Murphy dropping to a short zone and the SS over top once Murphy releases him deep. Murphy could take the dual responsibility of covering the short zone and taking the back in the flat, leaving Robinson or Riley free to plug and cover the other back.

Nevermind...

We don't have the type of FS to pull this off though. Our only hope is if our front 7 can get enough pressure to cover up for the back-end of our defense.

How do you adapt this to a team playing with a terrific TE? I wouldn't trust Murphy to run with the Jimmy Grahams. Seems like you'd need to shade the SS overtop of the TE for an over-under coverage with Murphy dropping to a short zone and the SS over top once Murphy releases him deep. Murphy could take the dual responsibility of covering the short zone and taking the back in the flat, leaving Robinson or Riley free to plug and cover the other back.

That was my first thought as well. Murphy playing off the los would be a major issue that opposing o coordinators would drool about. Forget a terrific TE, a TE with a pulse would beat him easily. My guess jeron or Robinson would have to be responsible. Now if it's beasly or fowler jr then we may not the same issue.

How do you adapt this to a team playing with a terrific TE? I wouldn't trust Murphy to run with the Jimmy Grahams. Seems like you'd need to shade the SS overtop of the TE for an over-under coverage with Murphy dropping to a short zone and the SS over top once Murphy releases him deep. Murphy could take the dual responsibility of covering the short zone and taking the back in the flat, leaving Robinson or Riley free to plug and cover the other back.

Either the SS or even K. Robinson ? We need that pass rush to bring the heat this year . Of course both of our F/A safeties have played against Graham during the playoffs , that might help some .

A few points to keep in mind.

It was said in the OP but bares repeating: Will Weak Strong Free is just one of many (hundreds) different defenses that Barry could use. It does not represent the entire defense. It is just one, common (cover-1 robber), defensive call/concept that was explained by Barry when he was with the Chargers that could be called depending on the situation and circumstances.

How do you adapt this to a team playing with a terrific TE?For me, like with most things football it would depend the circumstances. Down, distance, quality of their OL vs our rush, quality of their backs etc. Can Murphy give the TE a good jam and overplay out breaking routes forcing the TE in the middle of the field where the help is from the robber and deep from the FS. Can we expect the pass rush to get home before a slower/longer developing route can develop.

But the easiest answer is they probably wouldn't call this defense against a team that has a beast at TE (i assume were talking about an inline TE and not a 'move' TE).

Looks good. Who The Skins draft in the first round will help out immensely too (if they go defense). If Willaims or Beasley land here it will magnify Barry's schemes.