Countering the Eagles wide (9 tech?) DE rush

[ToaCommander]

Disclaimer. this is my first thread and I'm no football expert.

Watching last night's Eagles vs Falcons SNF game, it was interesting watching Jim Wasburn's d-line employ its DE's (Trent Cole and Jason Babin) so wide and attack the tackles. Tyson Clabo (LT) got handled by Cole that Matt Ryan had problems all throughout the game despite having 4 TDs. Michael Turner did have some nice runs earlier in the game but he and the oline struggled for large parts of the game because Cole was getting under Clabo's block and shutting down the run.

Now, we have the cowboys up next but when we do meet the eagles, how can we counter the 9 wide front employed by the Eagles? What's the best way our o-line can counter those formations in the run game and passing game?

I thought with a DE lined up so wide, it would be better to run straight at DE and exploit the big gap between DE and DT?? But the Falcons apparently struggled going up the gut vs DTs or even running at the DEs.

Would really appreciate your football views.

[SWFLSkins]

I love a first thread with a disclaimer, you should thread more often. Good topic. I think a two TE set and some quick slants or WR screens would help.

[Rocky52Mc]

I feel like you need to take control of their weak line backing corp by penetrating that gap between the end and the tackles, and hit those line backers in the mouth. I don't know if anyone noticed but Casey Mathews looked so lost at time, running around the tackles when Turner already ran between his center and guard. He had no idea where the ball was countless amounts of times.

[NoCalMike]

If you send the DE's out so wide to rush the QB, then you can counter it with some draw plays. Put Helu in the backfield. Dude is fast and has a burst of speed. If he can escape initial contact the dude can find a hole and make people miss.

Once the 'Skins burn the Eagles on a few of the runs, they will stop spreading Cole & Babin so wide.

[bulldog]

Sam Baker was the tackle that got jobbed by Trent Cole. Baker is slow off the ball and doesn't have the strength to take initial Cole's explosion and work him to the outside.

The Falcons are a flawed team. They have good skill players but their lines are questionable on both sides of the ball and THAT is where you attack them.

The Eagles lost this game in part because they don't run the ball enough. Giving Matty and the Boys fewer possessions and taking time off the clock in the fourth quarter could have preserved this game for Philly but Reid only uses McCoy as a teaser to set up the passing game.

This is one reason the Eagles under Reid have never won the Super Bowl.

He simply doesn't believe in time of possession or in limting his risks via the air.

When you have Manning or Brady that's one thing.

But McNabb all those years was not accurate in crunch time. So far, Vick was completing 48% of his passes this season, back to where he was in Atlanta.

[sportjunkie07]

for one, make sure that the ref is calling a penalty on jason babin for being in the neutral zone for every play. i dont know if this necessarily answers your question, but i think multiple passes to cooley and davis as well as pounding the rock is how you beat the eagles D. their cb's are too good to mess with, attack the linebackers and safeties and dictate the tempo.

[flexxskins]

I love a first thread with a disclaimer, you should thread more often. Good topic. I think a two TE set and some quick slants or WR screens would help.

I agree, the OP should create more threads. Nice topic. I actually think that it's sad that a lot of people feel it necessary to post a disclaimer though.

I also agree with SWFL on using slants and screens to beat the Eagles attacking DE's. But, I also wish that we would use Hightower a little more catching the ball out of the backfield. The guy is like having a WR in the backfield.

But, IMO we are built to beat the Eagles up front right now anyway. They can't stop the run and we are gashing teams with our running game right now and should only get better.

[bulldog]

Roy Helu and Fred Davis look like they are going to be the starters down the road if not sooner.

Hightower does a good job between the tackles but Helu was born for this offense and if he can show he is durable he will be the starter at some point.

[Darth Tater]

I doubt they run it against us unless they have us on the ropes. The zone stretch would likely demolish it unless they can stop the backside threat while helping their tackles maintain their gap responsibilities. Of course the Falcons could not consistently force the Eagles tackles not to hold their gaps (a couple of times they did, however, and those were pretty much big plays).

[skinfan2k]

2 TE set and you pound the rock. You zone stitch the **** to Trent Cole side and wait for it and then cut back. Their run defense is god horrible

[RichmondRedskin88]

Attack the middle with draws and play actions in the middle. The middle of the field in the on the Eagles LBs defense is like a target.

[Lavarleap56]

The wide 9 is weak against draws/traps ect. This will be a great game to dust of ryan torrain, attack the gaps and get him one on one with lbs.

[boomlop30]

Hopefully Cooley can work himself into football shape by then so we can attack their LBs with dual TE sets with both TE's running routes. Matching up with Davis will give teams enough problems, but having to account for Cooley can really work in our advantage.

[Ghost of]

I remember when that alignment was considered "cheesing" (cheating) in Madden like a decade ago.

[ToaCommander]

Excellent info. I admit the words draws, traps and zone stretches has my brain swirling a bit but I get the gist of it. Thanks for sharing and keep it coming.

[ZoEd]

What scares me about the Iggles is the damage McCoy can do against us, I mean, Beanie Wells is no McCoy and he broke off some big runs. I know having Landry back will help but we need to contain much better than we did against Cards.

Look what Gonzales did against the Iggles, I think if we employ the same tactics, especially with Fred D, we'll eat them up. Their secondary is stout, no doubt about it, but Namdi and Samuels can't lock down everyone. So they lock down Tana and Gaffney, who has Davis? Who has the RB out of the backfield? If you focus on these guys who is going to stop Cooley? I simply don't see them stopping everyone and their LB's are suspect. All we have to do is keep Rex upright. That's the Iggles game though, cover the WR's just long enough to allow the pass rush to get there, if our line holds, we'll kill them!

[NoCalMike]

Honestly, does Helu remind anyone of Clinton Portis as a Bronco? The ability to find the hole, hit it, and then get a burst of speed.to leave people in the dust.

[RichmondRedskin88]

I remember when that alignment was considered "cheesing" (cheating) in Madden like a decade ago.

I have it as one of defensive schemes from my ultimate team. Nothings funnier than a blitz where the person "GOES WHAT THE ****" BOOM!!! lol

---------- Post added September-19th-2011 at 08:09 PM ----------

Honestly, does Helu remind anyone of Clinton Portis as a Bronco? The ability to find the hole, hit it, and then get a burst of speed.to leave people in the dust.

It was really strange seeing Helu as 26 during preseason. It was like I was watching Portis again. *As I say that I stare down at my Portis jersey I'm wearing*

[Lavarleap56]

Honestly, does Helu remind anyone of Clinton Portis as a Bronco? The ability to find the hole, hit it, and then get a burst of speed.to leave people in the dust.

Said the exact same thing in the helu thread yesterday. Helu reminds me alot of cp while in Denver.

[THEREALTOR1]

It was really strange seeing Helu as 26 during preseason. It was like I was watching Portis again. *As I say that I stare down at my Portis jersey I'm wearing*

I really like my 26 jersey, maybe I can get a Helu nameplate

[HailGreen28]

They're giving you a running lane. Take it.

[Veretax]

Atlanta did a good job a few times chipping Trent Cole with Anthony Gonzales, infact on one play they did just that and Gonzales caught a TD!

[Diesel__44]

If you send the DE's out so wide to rush the QB, then you can counter it with some draw plays. Put Helu in the backfield. Dude is fast and has a burst of speed. If he can escape initial contact the dude can find a hole and make people miss.

Once the 'Skins burn the Eagles on a few of the runs, they will stop spreading Cole & Babin so wide.

Yes... Draws, Screens, 2 TE sets, hit the gap caused by the wide 9 tech with our stretch and hopefully TWill brings his A game instead of his typical C game.

[tml6157]

It takes an athletic team to beat the Eagles. I dont know if we are better then the Falcons talent wise but I do think we are more athletic. That wide 9 is very dangerous against a ZBS team. There are three ways to exploit them. #1 are draws. Draws to Helu should be bread and butter all game. They showed multiple times the camera angle from behind the QB and there was literally 7 yards from the LOS to the dropping back LBs. I will take Helu with 7 yards of open field against their LBs all day long. #2 are two TE sets and having them stretch the field. Their LBs are garbage. Davis and Cooley should have a field day. You aren't going to have their CBs lined up on the TEs. So you are either going to get a LB or a S. Both are major weaknesses on their defense. #3 comes on stopping Vick. You pressure him to make him beat himself and you use a spy on him. Landry would make an excellent spy. He is just as fast and athletic as Vick. The thought of Landry with a one on one shot on him in an open field makes me smile at the thought. BUT he has to play smart. Going for a kill shot will get us burnt 9 out of 10 times. If he can play controlled and keep his scrambling to minimal gains, thats better then a kill shot once in a while and getting burnt the majority of the time. His big shots will come he just has to recognize it and make it count.

Im actually pretty pumped about playing them. I think our team wants a lot of payback from that embarrassment last year and will come out with a major chip on our shoulder.

[Lavarleap56]

It takes an athletic team to beat the Eagles. I dont know if we are better then the Falcons talent wise but I do think we are more athletic. That wide 9 is very dangerous against a ZBS team. There are three ways to exploit them. #1 are draws. Draws to Helu should be bread and butter all game. They showed multiple times the camera angle from behind the QB and there was literally 7 yards from the LOS to the dropping back LBs. I will take Helu with 7 yards of open field against their LBs all day long. #2 are two TE sets and having them stretch the field. Their LBs are garbage. Davis and Cooley should have a field day. You aren't going to have their CBs lined up on the TEs. So you are either going to get a LB or a S. Both are major weaknesses on their defense. #3 comes on stopping Vick. You pressure him to make him beat himself and you use a spy on him. Landry would make an excellent spy. He is just as fast and athletic as Vick. The thought of Landry with a one on one shot on him in an open field makes me smile at the thought. BUT he has to play smart. Going for a kill shot will get us burnt 9 out of 10 times. If he can play controlled and keep his scrambling to minimal gains, thats better then a kill shot once in a while and getting burnt the majority of the time. His big shots will come he just has to recognize it and make it count.

Im actually pretty pumped about playing them. I think our team wants a lot of payback from that embarrassment last year and will come out with a major chip on our shoulder.

According to nnamdi the eagles original gameplan was for him to be covering Gonzalez. The eagles plan changed with DRCs ankle injury or something.