How Teams Are Playing Our Defense

[Art Monk Fan]

I read the whole LaVar on 980 thread first and didn't see this discussed, but Mods please merge this thread if it belongs elsewhere.

LA said something yesterday that I found very interesting about the way opposing offenses are playing our D. He said we're seeing tons of max protect to nullify our blitzes and the we've been blitzing less and dropping into coverage to smother their two-man routes. Basically, teams are playing it safe on offense thinking we won't score much, so why expose themselves to our D?

But then he said something very interesting: that this won't be able to continue because our offense is moving the ball too well. He basically implied that our big plays on defense were down because we were forcing opposing offenses to play it incredibly safe. But as our O keeps improving, teams are going to be forced to game plan differently to try and keep up with us offensively.

Your thoughts?

[Art]

This is something we have commented on here and there, but no thread has been devoted to it. People think the issue is our defense not being as aggressive, but, the real issue is the opposition making a great commitment toward safety when playing us. Williams mentioned this in his chat after the Dallas game where he said it was quickly apparent that they were going to go max protect, so, instead of blitzing into that, he kept more people in coverage as an adjustment. This after blitzing 7 of the first 10 plays.

We saw Denver admit to doing things they normally don't do because of fear of our defensive system. This, really, is the great advantage to having the reputation we have on defense. We force teams to do things differently simply because they are playing us. And, if our offense can have a break through where they stop turning it over and start really scoring, teams will have to come out of that shell and our defense will destroy them.

[202Chaz]

I agree I said by week 8 teams would have figured out we can move the ball and score, and using max protection playing close games in hope that our offense wont score TD's would change. Caution in saying Lavar because some folks will say ban you even if you have a legitimate thread using his name

[zoony]

We need to start getting the early lead.

We go up 14-0 on someone, Heaven help them.

They will be forced to throw and Williams will unleash the dogs.

.......

[Heavy Jumbo]

It's nice to see LaVar's attitude is improving, even if just a little.

He will see the field soon if he keeps this up.

[gridironmike]

When did he have a bad attitude? BTW, the way to attack our D looks to be the screen right now, toward the weakside LB.

[Art Monk Fan]

Guys, this is not a LaVar thread, it's a thread on our defense and the way opposing offenses are playing us. LA is only mentionted because he's the source of the insight. There are plenty of LA threads already started, so go talk there, if you please.

And as for the screens and edge running that we've been succeptible to, I feel that has more to do with our ailing corners than our line backers. Our D uses lots of corner run support that has dropped off the last few weeks due to injury.

[Darth Tater]

Max protect is almost always best defended max coverage.

[rvan1]

We need to start getting the early lead.

We go up 14-0 on someone, Heaven help them.

They will be forced to throw and Williams will unleash the dogs.

.......

very good point.

[DCscorpio]

That sound just about right they have come at us a little different than last year because are a differnt team.

[ouvan59]

The funny thing is that we are basically doing the same thing with our offense but we are able to move the ball.

[The Sisko]

Great post Art Monk Fan. I started reading it and thought "Uh oh, someone has earned themselves some time off". But then, lo and behold something incredible happened...the thread actually contained some real insight sans any L.A. talk.

With regard to your comments about our ailing CBs. I'm begining to wonder if the achilles heel of Williams' scheme is in relying on the DBs to do so much run support and blitzing that they end up being beat up by the middle of the season.

[dawgjk9]

totally agreed, i thinkif we get a 10pt lead in every game, we wont lose ever again

[brooksfb]

We saw Denver admit to doing things they normally don't do because of fear of our defensive system. This, really, is the great advantage to having the reputation we have on defense. We force teams to do things differently simply because they are playing us. And, if our offense can have a break through where they stop turning it over and start really scoring, teams will have to come out of that shell and our defense will destroy them.

So, Doom really is "in the box."

[KillaCam21]

The funny thing is that we are basically doing the same thing with our offense but we are able to move the ball.

We can attribute that to Santana Moss, chris Cooley, Clinton Portis, and Mark Brunell. When the skins go into max protect, they have some GREAT weapons.

[skins4eva]

I read the whole LaVar on 980 thread first and didn't see this discussed, but Mods please merge this thread if it belongs elsewhere.

LA said something yesterday that I found very interesting about the way opposing offenses are playing our D. He said we're seeing tons of max protect to nullify our blitzes and the we've been blitzing less and dropping into coverage to smother their two-man routes. Basically, teams are playing it safe on offense thinking we won't score much, so why expose themselves to our D?

But then he said something very interesting: that this won't be able to continue because our offense is moving the ball too well. He basically implied that our big plays on defense were down because we were forcing opposing offenses to play it incredibly safe. But as our O keeps improving, teams are going to be forced to game plan differently to try and keep up with us offensively.

Your thoughts?

Good thread--very interesting post. I've obviously noticed the change in our defensive scheme, but it's nice to hear it confirmed. I do think, however, that we need to get to the QB more often, even if teams are max protecting

[Ghost of]

Oh come on, Lavar wears a wristband, how would he know what's going on on the field?!

Seriously though, since the Dallas game teams have been doing this. Interestingly, so have the Skins, and in a way, it all brings it back to last year. The difference is that last year, the Skins NEEDED to keep people back just to keep one blitzer from blowing up the line. This year, they're doing it to insure multiple blitzers can't get to the QB and with cats like Cooley and Moss(he's the key) out there, it's a lot easier to make plays from max pro sets.

I wonder how the chess match will evolve over time. Right now, that's how many teams responded to blitz-crazy teams like Philly and Washington, with max protect. It's how Washington was last year and parts of this year. Remember too that early in the year teams are worse AT blitz pickup, so it may be that just a little later on, teams will need to keep fewer men back to block and that the blitz will come back as offensive coordinators feel their oats and decide to send an extra man out into a route.

[Oldfan]

But then he said something very interesting: that this won't be able to continue because our offense is moving the ball too well. He basically implied that our big plays on defense were down because we were forcing opposing offenses to play it incredibly safe. But as our O keeps improving, teams are going to be forced to game plan differently to try and keep up with us offensively.

I don't think that just moving the ball and cranking up offensive stats is going to change the way teams attack our defense. Unless we start lighting up the scoreboard, they will continue to play it close to the vest on offense with a short, quick passing game ala Seattle.

[ouvan59]

I don't think that just moving the ball and cranking up offensive stats is going to change the way teams attack our defense. Unless we start lighting up the scoreboard, they will continue to play it close to the vest on offense with a short, quick passing game ala Seattle.

Agreed. The only reason teams would change is if we make them by getting big leads. Hopefully that starts this weekend.

[Riggo-toni]

I mentioned in one of my random thoughts thread the irony that Gibbs' max protect schemes which were universally ridiculed as "1992 offense" are what other teams are now using to stop our defense.

[Oldfan]

I mentioned in one of my random thoughts thread the irony that Gibbs' max protect schemes which were universally ridiculed as "1992 offense" are what other teams are now using to stop our defense.

Are you sure about this? I don't recall anything like this as part of the 1992 offense. Am I misunderstanding?

[joelvincent]

We need to start getting the early lead.

We go up 14-0 on someone, Heaven help them.

They will be forced to throw and Williams will unleash the dogs.

.......

Brunell holds on to the rock and thats what would've happened on Sunday at KC...

[AzSkinsFan63]

I read the whole LaVar on 980 thread first and didn't see this discussed, but Mods please merge this thread if it belongs elsewhere.

LA said something yesterday that I found very interesting about the way opposing offenses are playing our D. He said we're seeing tons of max protect to nullify our blitzes and the we've been blitzing less and dropping into coverage to smother their two-man routes. Basically, teams are playing it safe on offense thinking we won't score much, so why expose themselves to our D?

But then he said something very interesting: that this won't be able to continue because our offense is moving the ball too well. He basically implied that our big plays on defense were down because we were forcing opposing offenses to play it incredibly safe. But as our O keeps improving, teams are going to be forced to game plan differently to try and keep up with us offensively.

Your thoughts?

funny...we're seeing 2 man routes and max protect..

while the mediots said Gibbs offense was archaic last season..LMAO

oops I guess I should have read farther down the thread

[Art Monk Fan]

Brunell holds on to the rock and thats what would've happened on Sunday at KC...

To borrow from Art...

...DING! We're real close to a points explosion, if we can just hold onto the ball. Jaworski said it this week, the Chiefs did not stop us. The Skins were the only ones stopping the Skins on Sunday; that game could have, and should have, been a blow out.