re: OT: Falcons' Base vs. Nickel

This is our Nickel formation.  We are in this defense about 60% (~600) of our snaps.  Typically on 2nd and 3rd down, but sometimes others depending on down, distance, and circumstance.  This is a passing league and the average ratio for pass to run in the league is 61% to 39%.  That's why we spend so much time in this defense.  However, offenses do run on us while in this defense about 33% (~200 of 600 snaps) of the time we line up in this formation.

As you can see, Dallas is lined up in a spread shot gun set with 4 WR's and no TE.  As a result, yet again there technically is no strong side. Each tackle has a DE, each guard has a DT, and the center and RB look for any stunts or blitzes from the interior->out.

Our nickel formation last year consisted of:

LDE: Beasley/Biermann in the wide-9T standing on the open side.
LDT: Clayborn/Hageman/Jarrett in the 4T on the open side.
RDT: Babineaux/Jackson in the 4T on the closed side.
RDE: Schofield/Stupar in the wide-9T on the closed side.
WOLB: Durant/Wheeler on the open side.
MLB: Worrilow in the middle leaning closed side.
SS: Moore/Ishmael in the flat covering the slot or WR4.

Note that the SS in this formation floats to the strong side usually unless there is the unusual circumstance like this one where there are 4 WR's and no TE.  The SS will very often be in the box in this picture ready to cover the TE coming off the line or RB out of the backfield, or turn into a LB on running plays, and sometimes even blitzing/stunting.

And this year's likely depth, approximate snap count, and formation priority at each of these will likely be:

LDE/9T: Beasley (500) | Upshaw (100) - 1. edge rush passer, 2. contain edge run
LDT/4T: Shelby (300) | Jarrett (300) - 1. B-gap rush passer, 2. B-gap contain run
RDT/4T: Babineaux (300) | Hageman (300) - 1. B-gap rush passer, 2. B-gap contain run
RDE/9T: Clayborn (350) | Reed (250) - 1. edge rush passer, 2. contain edge run
WOLB: Spoon (250) | Campbell (200) | Wheeler (150) - 1. zone coverage, 2. A-gap contain run
MLB: Worrilow (300) | Jones (300) - 1. zone coverage, 2. A-gap contain run
SS: Neal (450) | Ishmael (150) - 1. zone/man coverage, 2. follow run flow

Notice Clayborn moving from LDT to RDE opposite Beasley.  Shelby and Jarrett splitting snaps at LDT.  Babs and Hageman splitting snaps at RDT.  Worrilow and Jones splitting snaps at MLB.  And Campbell will slowly but surely take over more snaps at at WOLB as the season progresses, especially if Spoon gets injured, which is very likely.

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Now i'm going to add 50 snaps to each player to account for the 10% of dime and goal line snaps, then tally up the overall defensive snap counts per player this year compared to last year:

LDE/SAM: Beasley - 700 (539)
LDE/SAM: Upshaw - 300 (799 - Baltimore)
RDE/LEO: Clayborn - 550 (523)
RDE/LEO: Reed - 450 (345 - injured part of season)
SDE/RDT: Babineaux - 450 (549)
SDE/RDT: Hageman - 550 (419)
WDT: Jackson - 200 (453)
LDT/WDT: Shelby - 500 (836 - Miami)
LDT/NT: Jarrett - 550 (267)
NT: Mbu - 100 (64)
WOLB/WILL: Spoon - 450 (126 - Arizona, injured)
WOLB/WILL: Wheeler - 250 (96)
WOLB/WILL: Campbell - 350 (0 - rookie)
MLB/MIKE: Worrilow - 500 (873)
MLB/MIKE: Jones - 500 (0 - rookie)
SS: Neal - 700 (0 - rookie)
SS: Ishmael - 300 (375)

If you go look at the breakdown of Seattle's defensive snaps in the 2013 and 2014 seasons, it was split up very similar to this.  Quinn kept a 2-man rotation at virtually every position and essentially flip-flopped them between starting in the base and starting in the nickel.  Avril, Clemons, and Irvin each averaged about 70% of total snaps between the LEO, SAM, LDE, and RDE.  The rest of the starters averaged between 40-60% of total snaps, which confirms a very healthy rotation, especially on the interior.

I also wouldn't have normally put the 4th round rookie OLB with so many snaps, but I'm pretty confident Spoon won't see 500, and Wheeler didn't even get 100 last year, so I'm not going to assume he gets a ton either.  In fact, I think there's a chance that UDFA Ivan McClennon makes the team and might even get some play time at OLB and maybe even LEO if we have any injuries in the linebacking corps.

Things I'm most interested in seeing are Beasley going up against TE's quite a bit on that strong side in the SAM rather than facing a tackle every down at LEO.  I also really like the idea of Shelby in the 1-gap penetrator inside 4T role.  Dude is really athletic and quick for 6'3 275 and has gotten much stronger since entering the league.  I think he's going to give OG's fits on the inside.  I'm also really hoping Clayborn and Reed coming off the edge in pass rush will be an improvement over Biermann and Schofield.  Although I'm much more skeptical about this move than any of the others.  Quinn is insisting that a healthy Reed looks great in pass rush and Clayborn is more natural coming off the edge, so we will see.