[Downtown]

Sorry to repost, but I wanted to see if people will come to this forum to discuss strategy and hear their thoughts away from the Collins/VY non-sense.





In college, a smaller D-Line that can't get upfield push tends to rely on stunts and multiple gap assignments to generate pressure and fill lanes.

This team used to use the stunt to great success, but we haven't seen it from our guys this season. With quicker DTs and capable run support DEs in Kearse and Hayes, you have to wonder if this couldn't help out.

[Downtown]

It may sound a bit crazy, but I think this particular D-Line needs to stop lining up in their gaps and line up to designated players with a bit of a spread. I like that KVB was lining up on the outside, but it doesn't do the D any good when he 100% of the time goes on an upfield push. I think we could see some success with a formation of our D-Line spread out a bit on the guards and employ stunts and run blitzes from the MLB to generate pressure up the middle.

The idea is surprise and reads for the O-Line.

We are currently a single gap penetrating D-Line which relies on our guys winning their individual matchups in the gap to succeed. Perhaps we're not as good as we think we are. What we do know is that we have quick and versatile DTs and aging DEs with moves who are slowing down. Why not try to use the DL creatively?

What I'm talking about is something like this:

Lined up in their gaps, you see the DTs responsible for the A gaps and the DEs responsible for the B or C Gaps. This means each guy is responsible for either blowing through their gap or winning their individual battle to contain that gap. What we're seeing is most of our DEs attempting to outside rush the OTs and lose collapse on the pocket by abandoning the B gap. KVB did this so many times on Sunday that it was a bit sickening. The reason we could afford to do this is because we had the LBs mainly sitting in tight zones to keep the screens in front of them from the Texans TEs and RBs. This philosophy works if your DEs can get to the passer, but it also singles your secondary and puts them in a situation to either man cover or play large zones.


--DE-DT-DT-DE--
OT-LG--C--RG-OT

What I am curious about is developing a D-Line philosophy that instead of lining up in gaps employs different looks and creates a misbalanced line that lines up on players and employs stunts and pinches to take advantage of our overall quick DTs. This would look something like this:


----DE-DT-DT-DE
OT-LG-C-RG-OT

or this:

DE-DT-DT-DE
OT-LG-C-RG-OT

From this you gamble by losing outside contain on one of the DEs but you also have the flexibility to stunt with the DTs on the outside and create balance issues that would force the O-Line to make reads quicker than just fighting off the guys.

I think the stunt is a powerful tool and we used it to great success with KVB and AL in the game together last year. I'm wondering why the D-Line isn't trying other techniques to get to the QB.

[2ToneTerror]

we need to put you in touch with Cecil.

i agree.

our front 4 (7) are talented...but don't do a great job of generating a middle push without Al. They can defend the run and maintain ground, but they can't push UP very much.

I'm surprised that Jones isn't more effective...with arm span, I would think he could develop the technique to swim past....
but the knock on him coming out of the draft was that he was great against the run...but inconsitent in the rush.

[NashTrashRocker]

I'm surprised that Jones isn't more effective...with arm span, I would think he could develop the technique to swim past....
but the knock on him coming out of the draft was that he was great against the run...but inconsitent in the rush.

Didn't Washburn say something about projecting that Jason Jones will be to the pass rush what Haynesworth was to the run?

Seems like JJones has been pretty decent against the pass rush, but hopefully he'll grow throughout this season by picking up a lot more playing time.

[hazzed]

I agree. I think Jason Jones with his speed and strength would be a great play for him.

[Soxcat]

All good NFL defenses stunt as well as blitz in passing situations. Of course those are teams that are well coached.

[hazzed]

Are you hinting something?