I'm not sure how to do this without writing a book. I want to try to explain a couple of things as I do not think many of our fans know how to watch a football game. I saw too many comments during this past season that just didn't make any sense when referencing some of our coaching decisions.

The issue of the "seeing the same play". I have never understood this comment. One of the contributing factors is the fact that you must see ALL of the eligible players on the field. You must also consider the down and distance. You must understand the oppositions defensive strategy as it pertains to down and distance. Therefore, you must also see ALL of the secondary. You must understand the oppositions personell grouping as it pertains to down and distance. Thus you must also understand the oppositions tendancies as it pertains to the positioning on the field. Defensive strategy changes as the ball progresses down the field.

It is these considerations that makes me wonder about comments made about the decisions made on the field. Understand that my goal here is to provide information. It may not be YOU that this post is intended for. But I have found that many of our fans are dumb when it comes to watching football and that contributes to a snowball effect in critism.

I think it's best to start this examination on the defensive side of the ball. I think when you understand defense, you will begin to understand what the offense is trying to do to the defense. You should never watch the ball when viewing a game (unless you are drinking alcohol). If you are sober and want to understand the game, the ball only serves as a distraction. Let's start this with what we must defend.

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This is where it all started. This is the modern "pro formation" on offense. To defense anything, you must start here. Every defensive book ever written starts here. It is with this understanding that we move to defensing this formation.

43

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Very few changes are within the next mode of defense. A defensive tackle is removed and replaced by a linebacker. From my drunken Saturday night observation, the Patriots are now playing this defense full time. Junior Seau is playing the TED linebacker position.

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To watch this game, the first thing you should be looking for is the strong side of the offensive formation. The strong side can instantly be attained by locating the TE. If there are two TEs and two receivers outside of them, who is the stud TE? He is the offenses best blocker. He is the strong side. Otherwise, you are looking for the ball position on a hashmark. At this point you may be asking, "Why would you look for the strong side in this balanced (two TE) set?"

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Where we designate the strong side is based upon the oppositions tendancies. We have studied video. We know who their best blocker is. We must match strength with strength. So let's go back to the defensive side of the ball and since there is such an interest in the 34 - lets use it to defense what we will see.

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Take note that the SAM linebacker is on the TE side of the formation. The strong safety is also on the strong side of the formation. The defensive ends are two gap players and generally not responsible for the end run. We now have a choice of defensing the end run on the strong side between the strong corner, the strong side end, or the strong safety. On the weak side we have a choice between the weak corner and the weak side linebacker. There are other alternatives but this is the general "base defense". The secondary coverage called will dictate who has the end run responsibility. Why does that matter to the fan watching?

Do you want to know who failed to defense the end run?
Do you want to know who failed in pass coverage?

You must know who had short coverage responsibility. In a general sense, that defender was responsible for the end run. Therefore the other defenders were responsible for a larger pass responsibility. When you hear the phrase "coverage dictates the front" this is what is being referenced.

 

Base defensive adjustments consist of two changes from the even FRONT. These changes are called under and over.

Over

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Notice that the Linebackers shifted according to the adjustment of the three man line. I left the linebackers at the same depth just to show the over and under concepts. The defense will not stay in this static position. They will not stay in this alignment and show their intentions. Staying static will get the defense killed. So constant movement is neccessary to disguise their assignment.

I am going to introduce a concept here just so some may understand the evolution of this game. I think it is important to note strategy so we can better understand where the mismatches in personell are originating. This is a game of conflict of strategy. The defense is more and more at the disadvantage. Viewing your teams offensive strategy becomes an understanding of mismatches. Viewing your teams defensive strategy becomes taking those mismatches away.

Over time the OVER has proven to be a stout run defensive adjustment. You can see why. This front moves the defensive line OVER to the TE side of the offensive formation. But this has not stopped the defensive coordinator from being creative to stop the run. Probably the best run defense in history was run out of the Under defense. This is what the 1985 bears could have looked like using the 34 to run their "46 defense".

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Notice that the very same front can be accomplished using the 43 defense.

Under

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What made this adjustment successful? Sure it was an innovative concept as it made their opposition pause for consideration in what they were doing. The OVER was the successful run defense. They were using the UNDER to stop the run. This was the ingenuity of the system. What made it successful was the PLAYERS accomplishing the task. They stoned the TE and thus eliminated him from the offense. What you have here is an 8 man front. It reduced the pro formation to covering two receivers with three in the secondary. It reduced the run to direct runs to the weak side only. Misdirection was the key to running versus the defensive formation. Counter trey was the most succesful play versus this defense. The play essentially faked action to the strong side (TE) and ran back to the weak side.

Notice that I have not discussed any COVERAGE other than Cover 1. Cover 1 refers to the one free safety who is free to roam the field in his coverage. He is the only deep coverage in these diagrams other than the man coverage of the cornerbacks on the Z and the X receivers. This defense could be run with Cover 2. It becomes more difficult disguise your coverages the closer the Strong Safety moves to the line of scrimmage. This is the burden on the defense.

Being Phin fans you may remember Dan Marino telling Nat Moore that "This offense is perfect to take on that defense" just prior to the Monday night matchup in 1985. In my next post we will discuss why he said that and why NFL defense has such a task versus the passing game today.

 

In the previous post the first thing mentioned was the defensive front. This post will revolve around the defensive secondary. Better said, it's about the COVERAGE. Remember, "Coverage dictates the front."

Remember that our formation is the pro formation and we have presented a 34 defense with an EVEN front. This is where we will start once more. If we are covering this formation with a Cover 1 it is a man to man coverage. These are our simplified matchups. I say simplified as there are alternatives in assignments.

Strong Corner - Z receiver
Weak Corner - X receiver
SAM - end run or hook zone versus pass
Strong Safety - the Y tight end
Mike - RB
Ted - RB
Will - end run or hook zone versus pass
Weak Saftey - Free (Cover 1)

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We left off discussing the Bear front and why the Dolphins offense matched up so well versus that defense. Now I don't have that game on tape. I don't even remember the game. What I do know is that the Dolphins matchups caused problems for what the Bears defense was choosing to do. Here is the defensive dilemna.

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Now the issue is not so much the formation. It's the personell within the formation. Miami had three receivers (Duper, Clayton, Moore) all playing at a pro bowl level. They had a back (Nathan) that was more effective catching a pass out of the backfield than running out of the backfield. And they had two TEs (Hardy and Rose) that were none two shabby themselves. The field was being stretched horizontally and vertically. The quarterback was making it happen.

Lets go back to our formation on offense and place the even 34 defense matched up on it.

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Note that you CAN match the defense on the offensive formation. But what you have now is personell mismatches. You have a linebacker covering the slot receiver. Compounding the issue you have the dilemna of a linebacker covering what may possibly be a superior athlete at TE. Any coverage can be run out of our defensive formation but the telling sign of the coverage chosen is the depth and alignment of the strong safety. If the defense was aligned at this depth diagramed, it would no doubt be a zone coverage. But we know that we cannot align with this personell. It's foolish. This personell grouping is a nightmare for pass defense. Let's call a timeout.

By the way, this is the bear front versus the offensive formation.

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We left off the last post with a couple of dilemnas.

1) We have a slot receiver.
2) We have a stud TE.
3) We have a multi purpose back in the backfield.

We cannot cover all the possible receivers with our slow footed linebackers. Heck, we hired them to stop the run. So now with all of our information from studying personell groupings and down and distance, we must know when to get these guys off the field. We have to replace them with defensive backs. The question becomes when and where. Lets go back to the formation.

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The number one issue that you can eliminate is that problem on the outside. One of those linebackers is coming off the field so that we can cover the slot receiver. That defender is called the Nickel defensive back.

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How do we address the next issue? You know, the Antonio Gates type of tight end. We could replace that linebacker with a defensive back but we know we are going to lose mightily in the running game. So this becomes a down and distance issue but we cannot stop there. We must know the offensive tendancy of this offensive team. We must consider how often they run out of this formation. After all, what is stopping them from running strong side from this formation? I do not want to give up four yards on 1st down just because I replaced a linebacker with a defensive back. But this is "third and a mile" and I'm going to replace him. I replace him with the Dime defensive back.

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You have seen some of the personell decisions that have to be made. Remember that this is an overly simplified description of the game. It's just a primer for some to realize the decisions that have to be made. Talent becomes a major issue in all of our defensive decisions! If I feel that my 3rd and 4th defensive backs give me no better coverage of the slot and TE, I'm not taking my linebackers off the field. In contrast, if I feels my linebackers give me no better run support than my defensive backs - they are not coming off the field.

Lets go back to the offensive side of the ball. It was the original premise of this thread after all. I'm also getting tired of posting and I'd like to get some feedback. :ffic:

I told you earlier that I never understood a person stating that he "saw the same play." I say that because I never see it coming. I never see it coming because I have not studied the opponent. I never see it coming because I KNOW all the possibilities to run plays out of a single formation.

Let me present you with one formation. I'm going to use a stem and then motion with this formation. You will have to imagine the stem (TE moving back, Z moving forward) and the motion before each play. Then I'm going to run a couple of plays. You tell me what you saw coming......

Huddle breaks:

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My first call is a safe call design to see your response to -

A) Original alignment
B) Motion

I'm watching your secondary shift (if they shift.) I'm not watching the defensive line because they will not shift. They are in the front called and it cannnot move as I can snap the ball during their shift. They would be all out of position if they attempted to do so.

So now I know a couple of things:

I know your personell grouping versus my personell grouping when we take the ball on 1st and ten (at the 20).

I will know your coverage versus the original formation without motion. All I have to do is run one play in the same circumstance.

I know the coverage you will check to versus my motion. Therefore, I know how you will defense the end run.

Since I'm just feeling you out, I'm running with my first play. Just look at "X". That is where "R" will carry the ball. My offensive line will zone run block back to the weak side where the TE was removed.

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Did you see the Strong Safety adjustment? He remained at that depth. So my next play is attacking his lack of aggression. Just look for the "X". I'm throwing a short pass to the "Y"
after he motions to the other side of the field. My X receiver will cross the path of the slot before he runs a "post" (goalpost). The slot will run a deep pattern too. The Y simply runs a short out route. It's money in the bank for at least four yards as your cornerback is dropping to a depth of seven yards (at least). What the Y makes of it after that is all up to him.

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On my next play I'm coming back to the other side. For the first two plays, I've seen the corner covering the Z looking in the backfield versus both plays. He's squating and the Free safety is rolling over the top of the Z in coverage. I don't think your free safety can cover my Z. You are playing cover 2 versus my play. I'm throwing deep. Here comes the bomb to the isolated Z.

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What is coming next? I'm thinking Y on a crossing pattern. I think your Mike and Ted can be split in the hook zones.

Or maybe a bubble screen to the slot.....

Or maybe a screen to the RB weakside.....

Or maybe the possiblities are endless. How in the hell did a fan watching on TV see the same play coming?

 

Books, Coaches Choice, Championship Productions, and coaching clinics...

I'm heading to a clinic in February/March and my DVD collection nearing 100. I seldom review more than 10 of those DVDs during an offseason though.

I frequent three websites in the coaching fraternity. I consider some of the members colleagues as I know them personally. I can't believe I just used the word "colleague". That's a first.

 

Read the first post.....

 

Please don't go there with this thread. What you reference is a science of it's own. Quite franklly, I suck at evaluation. Why would I say that?

At the beginning of my season two years ago:

My eventual MIKE linebacker was playing safety.

My eventual Free Safety was playing MIKE.

My eventual DE was playing Nose Guard.

and I couldn't find another DE to save my life.

 

Not so....

This is why it is so important for you (the viewer) to learn to find the strong side of the formation. Once you know how to find the strong side, you know who is on the strong side from your knowledge of the game. As you view the game, you can chart -

1) Who the offense is running toward.
2) What zone (or man) coverage the offense is attacking.

Eventually you can narrow this to who is being attacked. The professionals are telling you who sucks or at the very least who they think sucks. Invariably, the offense is looking for the weak link. If you see the weak link being attacked week to week - you don't have to guess anymore. Multiple teams have told you where the weak link in your defense exists.

 

I drink during half the games of the year and I have drank at every game I have attended. That is called "being a fan". I'm in attendance for the experience. I study MY games on film. The most important factor to this viewing experience is to remember that you don't remember anything about the game though. Your judgement has been hendered by alcohol.

 

This is just my view on the Patriots......

Watch the NFL Networks replays of the Patriots post Thanksgiving games -

Eagles
Giants
Ravens
Jets
Buffalo

Everyone else has attempted to "Do what we do" and they failed miserably.

What those teams chose to do was vary the front and coverage from down to down. I'm not talking about changing from a four man rush to a five man rush. I'm talking about three man rush to a six man rush. I couldn't see the coverage behind it but I know they relied heavily upon zone. Of course, when they brought six they had to be in man to man coverage. But I think this is the best attack versus the Patriots. Throw the defensive book at them. It doesn't matter if you don't do something well. If you stick to what you think you do well, you are going to lose anyway.

I don't think this is a spread issue. I think this is a quarterback driven issue.

 

Our secondary was horrible......

I was responding to a question and went off on a tangent. After I got halfway through the post, I thought that this had nothing to do with the other post. This was something horrible all it's own. I knew our secondary was bad, I just never slowed it down and replayed it over and over again. I never broke it down.

Let's go watch some video. Get ready to pause and restart ALOT....

http://www.nfl.com/videos?videoId=09000d5d802e2b9f

12 second into the video:

Don't worry about #56 (Pope) as his assignment was the TE.

You wonder what happened to our run defense? Watch Donnie Spragan. The left guard will come off a combo block and occupy Spragan to the point that he is not even involved in the play. Spragan is the MIKE linebacker on the play. A linebacker cannot react slow slow that a lineman can combo and THEN get to you. The combination block is confirmation that the run was designed to go between the center and left guard. You think we didn't miss Zach Thomas?

Joey Porter was walled off by the right guard. Did you see that flash at 15 seconds? That was Cameron Worrell being taken out by a receiver or simply tripping over himself. Worrell coming from that side is confirmation that Porter was playing SAM as Worrell is the strong safety (both on the strong side)......

Who is at fault for such a long gain? Spragan and Worrell.

25 seconds into the video:

This is a zone coverage. How do I know? Look at the two cornerbacks. They are playing an outside technique and off the line of scrimmage. Both of their eyes are in the backfield. The cornerback had contain run responsibility. How do I know? He came forward as soon as he saw run. This was a designed off tackle play. The weak side linebacker (Pope) shut the off tackle hole like a bullet. He took out the lead blocker. It was bounced outside where the contain man (Michael Lehan) will miss the tackle.

Go back to the play at 12 seconds in this video. Watch the end of it. Do you think Michael Lehan can tackle?

Come back to the 25 second video mark.... Renaldo Hill slips and then gets man handled by JERRY PORTER!

1:18 in the video:

This is a off man coverage. How do I know? Joey Porter only chucks his man a plays contain. The cornerbacks are play "off man" and stay with their man (even when run comes their way). They ran to the strong side. Who made the play?

1:59 in the video:

This run is designed to take advantage of our upfield rush. We are in a zone coverage. We are in the same cover 2 zone as the play at 25 seconds. Cover 2 SHOULD help in run support as everyones eyes are in the backfield. The progression of the secondary's eyes is receiver, backfield, receiver.

Spragan is looking directly at the running back. His job is the hook zone since the play immediately threatened pass. That's him stumbling around being blocked at the hashmark. Did you happen to catch Andre Goodman's sorry effort to get off the receiver's block? That is Travis Daniels missing the tackle at the 20.


THEY WERE HORRIBLE!

 

I didn't mean to ignore this question. There are just too many variables to what he could have been doing. Here is just one scenario I thought of about what you describe.

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Principles of defensing run and shoot or ACE back sets tell you that you when you overload (blitz) one side, the other side must slow their rush. They must slow their rush in case a run developes with the ACE back. If the rush does not develope (back blocks) the non-blitz side may continue upfield. So in the middle of the play it would look like this:

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I have drawn the arrows to signify their responsibility. They would not neccessarily move in that direction UNLESS a run developed.

In order to answer your question, I would need more information. I do not want to mislead you.......