Raiders’ Bradley: 7 things we learned from the new DC
New Raiders defensive coordinator Gus Bradley is just getting started, so it’s not as if he’s got a detailed scouting report of what he has to work with.
As a result, when Bradley met with the media Tuesday via teleconference, he was short on specifics about the players who will carry out his plans to repair a defense that helped keep the 8-8 Raiders from being a playoff team despite having an above average offense.
Bradley did, however, talk about his philosophy, the opportunity to join the Raiders and what he expects to see from his unit going forward. He was heavily influenced by what he learned with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and their “Tampa 2” scheme and helped implement the “Cover 3” system along with Pete Carroll with the Seattle Seahawks.
Some highlights from the choice of coach Jon Gruden to repair one of the NFL’s worst defensive units in 2020:
1. BACKGROUND IN TERMS OF SCHEME » “I think the basis is a lot of Cover 3 but it’s evolved since Seattle . . . I think it’s more multiple than the Seattle days, but it really revolves around looking at the personnel we have and then putting guys in position to where they can make a lot of plays. That’s a task we’ll look at in the next month or so, really evaluate our personnel.” 2. HIS NON-NEGOTIABLE BELIEFS » “I think the style that you should see is a team that plays with great effort, great enthusiasm, great toughness and a defense that plays smart . . fast, physical and we’ve got to find a way to get the ball. We’ve got to set up opportunities for the offense to score . . . we want the players to have the mindset that every call that we have is designed to get the ball . . . we’re going to be very multiple, but not at the expense that we don’t play fast.”
3. IF HIS SYSTEM IS EASILY DIGESTED WITH POTENTIALLY LIMITED PRACTICE TIME » When we were at Seattle, there were some of us that went into a room and designed it . . . try to design something that allows young players to come in and play early . . .
something players could learn and understand, maybe it was simplified for them and makes it hard on offenses. So back in the day that’s why you saw Earl Thomas come in and play early, Kam Chancellor, Richard Sherman, Bobby Wagner.” 4. WHERE IT ALL STARTS
FOR A DEFENSE » “I know really where it all starts is up front. I think that’s first and foremost — to get things right up front and then fill it in everywhere else. but you need quality players at each level to be successful in the NFL and then the ability to really communicate that information to them so it truly looks like football.”
5. REDUCING THE COMFORT LEVEL » “Coach Gruden and I talked about this, the way you see really great growth in a unit is when it’s extremely uncomfortable, and I think that’s a challenge that every coach, every player needs to feel is that uncomfortable piece of it to know that we’ve got to all take our game to the next level.” 6. GETTING AFTER THE QUARTERBACK
» “If you can affect the quarterback, you’ve got a good chance to help your team make it to that level that you’re all shooting for and you know what goes on from there, so that’s why I think up front is so important and I think there’s pieces in place there.”
7. HOW BEING A HEAD COACH IN JACKSONVILLE CHANGED HIM AS A COORDINATOR »
“When you’re a head coach you’re involved in many of the offensive meetings. You’re sitting with the offensive personnel and offensive staff and you’re hearing how they game plan, how they do it by formations, what formations they think best will attack this style of defense, so I think in many ways I think it was beneficial. It did give me a different view of how offenses are attacking us.”