A wiser fan - part deaux.......

ZOD · Jan 18, 2008

I'm bringing this over from our temporary home at Celtkin.com. Some enjoyed it while it was over there, so I thought I should add to it here.

I'm going to spend about an hour this morning continuing the commentary. I figure if I do not do this piece by piece, I'm never going to get to coverages. I just don't have the time in one day.

For those who have never seen it, this is the beginning....

Zod said:
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.

Code:

R R Z Q Y O O O O O X

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

Code:

E T T E C C S M W SS FS

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.

34

Code:

E N E C C S M T W SS FS

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?"

Code:

R Z Q X STUD O O O O O Y

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.

Code:

R R Z Q Y O O O O O X E N E C C S M T W SS FS

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.

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

Over

Code:

R R Z Q Y O O O O O X X X X C C S M T W SS FS

Under

Code:

R R Z Q Y O O O O O X X X X C C S M T W SS FS

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".

Under

Code:

R R Z Q Y O O O O O X $$ S E N E C C M T W FS

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

Under

Code:

R R Z Q Y O O O O O X S E T T E C C $$ M W FS

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.

Zod said:
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)

Code:

R R Z Q Y O O O O O X X X X C C S M T W SS FS

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.

Code:

R Z Q slot Y O O O O O X

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.

Code:

R Z Q slot Y O O O O O X S E N E C W C M T SS FS

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.

Code:

R Z Q slot Y O O O O O X $$ S E N E C W C M T FS

Zod said:
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.

Code:

R Z Q slot Y O O O O O X S E N E C W C M T SS FS

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.

Code:

R Z Q slot Y O O O O O X S E N E C N C M T SS FS

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.

Code:

R Z Q slot Y O O O O O X D E N E C N C M T SS FS

Zod said:
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.

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:

Code:

R Z Q slot Y O O O O O X

Stem:

Code:

R Y Q slot Z O O O O O X

Motion:

Code:

R Y -> Q slot Z O O O O O X

Snap:

Code:

R Q Y slot Z O O O O O X

Zod said:
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.

Code:

R X Q Y slot Z O O O O O X D E N E C N C M T SS FS

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.

Code:

R Q Y slot Z O O O O O X D E N E C N X C M T SS FS

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.

Code:

R Q Y slot Z O O O O O X D E N E C N C M T SS X FS

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?

ZOD · Jan 18, 2008

I'm not sure that I have made myself clear as it pertains to the defensive front. I still see some questioning 34 versus 43 in some threads. Maybe this will make it clear.....

It is the same front.

Those are not my words. Those are the words of Bill Arnsparger.

The largest difference in the 34 and 43 defenses are differences in personell. Some see the difference as being three big linemen (34) versus two big linemen (43). Some see the difference as three linebackers versus four linebackers. I find the most imporant difference to be a center is almost always covered and linebackers have a less defined role in the 34. None of this changes the fact that every FRONT presented in the 34 defense can be accomplished with a 43 FRONT. Every coverage presented with a 34 can be accomplished with a 43.

With that said, let's move on to coverages. First, let me give you this primer.

1,000,000 kids play high school football in a given year.

10,000 kids play college football in a given year.

2,000 men play professional football in a given year.

This is a simplication of how most that have played in a secondary have learned man coverage. These were not professionals.

Code:

                           3         
 
1                         6                           1                          
                2                   2


C                                                    C
                S        M         W 


             
               SS 
                                     FS

The offense represents numbers. That is how the secondary will match up. For clarification, here it is from the other side.

Code:

                              B         
 
Z                                                    X                          
                STUD                  Y


1                                                    1
                2            3          2 


             
               2 
                                      6

Obviously this is from a 43 front. In a 34 front the additional linebacker is also keying the number 3. Pretty simple huh? It's not so simple in the Pros.

The pros present significant mismatches. Lets take a look from the beginning. In the 1950's the formation of the day was the T formation. Here it is......

Code:

                           R      R       R

                                   Q
              E      O     O     O     O      O     E

Of course that is before the passing game gained prominence. Here is the short version of the evolution. To gain an edge in the passing game without losing anything in the running game, they took a halfback and placed him outside of an end (strongside). The weaker tight end was placed outside of the formation. Both of the modifications were an asset to the run and pass.

Code:

                           R              R

  Z                               Q
              Y      O     O     O     O      O                       X

This was the first identification of the Z receiver. He is a halfback. He is a better athlete. From a defensive perspective, he had all the skills of a running back. He had the agility of a running back. He had the size of a running back. He had the hands of a running back. He was tougher to defend than any other receiver on the field.

The Y was a lineman that could catch.

The X became a scrawny a kid that could block in the secondary and catch. He couldn't make the team as a back. He couldn't make the team as a lineman. He was small but he wasn't too small to block in the secondary.

So the defensive game plan started by covering Z with your best defensive back. Then covering X with your second best defensive back. Y could still be covered by a linebacker. When the Y became to tough to cover, the strong safety came along. Then you had a free safety to stop what just happened to get through.

I went through all this to show that mismatches have always existed in the modern passing game. This is why they are identified as they are (Z, Y, X, ect.) The talent of the receiving corp and the issue with matching up has only gotten worse with time. I'm simplifying things here but I do not wish to mislead you. The defensive playbook and personell substitutions in the pros are massive in number. Do not let someone fool you into thinking a college kid is a retard cause he struggles with a playbook. Man coverage is not as simple as the numeration listed above. These are some examples of the variation in man coverage from a 43 Front.

Code:

                           SB        WB


  Z                             Q
               Y                                                     X

                  
  C                                                                  C
                                         
              S          M                    W



              SS                                    FS

We have discussed the mismatch that the Z represents. Take the Z and place him on the other side of the formation.

Code:

                           FB        HB


                               Q                     Z
               Y                                                     X

                  
                                                      C              C
                                         
              S          M                    W



              SS                                    FS

Did you catch the "corner over"?

Now take the halfback and place him where we originally had the Z. Leave the Z where we moved him into the slot.

Code:

                              FB


 HB                           Q                     Z
               Y                                                     X

                  
 SS                                                  C              C
                                         
              S          M                    W



                                  FS

I'm not writing a book. You get the picture. The point is that man coverage even has obstacles......

ZOD · Jan 18, 2008

I do not know if I'll get to another post like this before the games this weekend. I started all of this to get some stuff off my chest. I started all of this to provide an informed way to watch the game. Let me get back to watching the game. Most of us watch the game on TV. More often than not we never see the entire field.

I watched the Bengals game and participated in the game day thread at Celtkin.com. Through the nonactive listed on our roster, I could tell that our secondary was depleted. We were down to the worst of the bunch. On the other side of the ball was Chad Johnson, TJ "Whose yo mama", and Chris Henry. I wondered aloud on the thread how we would do in the matchups. So that is what I chose to watch. The issue that I found in the thread was that nobody else was viewing the same thing I was viewing. There was simply a constant march of "Dom Capers must go!" What people were missing was the game (along with my posts).

The only coverages run versus the Bengals were Cover 2, Cover 2 - 2 man, and Man to man. For a QB with the reputation of Carson Palmer, they should have scored a 100 points. We had nothing on the field in terms of talent. They had it all. The game did nothing for me in the reputation of Carson Palmer. Jay Fiedler could have quarterback(ed) just as good a game with the talent he had. For us, I felt sorry for Dom Capers. We sent him to a gun fight with a knife.

This is what you will see the majority of the time on TV with a camera angle from the right side. Follow the missing pieces.

Code:

                                 R

  Z                             Q                        slot
              Y      O     O    O     O      O                       
                  E         T           T           E
  C                                                                                                           
               S                       M

Notice that there are three players missing from the defense and only one missing from the offense. Most of the time the picture is even worse for offensive viewing. Here is how I count it down.

1) If you can see the safety, get the picture. Is there one or two?

2) Find the strong side by locating a TE. If no TE -

3) Know the number of the Strong Safety. If he's not on the screen, assume he is at 7-10 yards depth. If he's on the screen the defense is threatening a blitz or the blitz is on. He may drop into coverage but a linebacker is most probably coming from the other side. Either way, something is happening. Did the offensive line pick it up?

4) Scan across the linebacker depth but quickly get to the cornerback that you can see. Look for a cornerbacks depth and alignment. If the cornerback if off and facing inside, chances are that the defense is playing a zone coverage. If you can continue watching the corner, did he stop? If he came to a stop or headed inside, you have confirmation of zone coverage.

You will be amazed what you see if you just follow this course. Don't worry about the ball. They will always show you the ball. You are looking for the game.

This is what you will never see. The cameras will not allow it. It is the game.

Cover 2

Code:

                                 R

  Z                             Q                        slot
              Y      O     O    O     O      O                      x 






C             S                    M                   W                 C











             SS                                              FS

Cover 2 - 2 man

Code:

                                 R

  Z                             Q                        slot
              Y      O     O    O     O      O                      x
 
 C                                                                       C

        S                                                     W                

                                  M
                                 


                   SS                             FS

Cover 3

Code:

                                 R

  Z                             Q                        slot
              Y      O     O    O     O      O                      x 






  S                    M                   SS                       W                 











 C                                 FS                               C

Conuficus · Jan 18, 2008

If you want I have a whole playbook for basic offense and defense...............should I just start pasting now. I might be done by the time we win the next SB. LOL.

Actually this thing is part of the NFL's Coaches Assessment Program that they did a few years ago. The stuff is pretty cool, covers all the basic stuff - over 500 pages of just pure football concepts and schemes.

Sorry for run on there, but thanks for the effort.............if I can find the email address I'l send it to you.

Conuficus · Jan 18, 2008

P.S. Love the sig, Bednarik and Gifford right?

djphinfan · Jan 18, 2008

I think fans are the same everywhere, our fans know as much as other fans, its more about the football culture here that breeds negativity, when i say the culture i mean things that are beyong our control that actually shape the perception that we dolphin fans have.

For example: The difference of playing in a stadium like the Orange Bowl compared to dolphin stadium, The orange bowl created an energy which fueled a fan base which created excitement in the culture,hmmmm, how come we did'nt have such a bad reputation as a fan base when we were playing in the orange bowl. I've heard dan marino talk before about this topic, specifically, he said it was a dramatic change when we moved into the new stadium, he did'nt like it nor did his teammates, he loved playing in the orange bowl. So basically playing in dolphin stadium does'nt create the energy needed to make the fans feel important thus lackadasical which directly affects the players ability to play with emotion.

A COLLASSAL MISTAKE BY OWNERSHIP NOT TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT WHEN BUILDING A NEW STADIUM, just ask Bill Gates how important that element directly affects his franchise in a positive way, too many great advantages to list. THATS BAD FOOTBALL CULTURE.

example #2: The reputation of south beach and the distractions that come with playing in this town. nobody can convince me {except maybe parcells} that you can unify all 52 players to take their craft seriously in the offseason which, by the way is when championships are won and lost. The DEBUCHARY TAKES OVER EVENTUALLY, MIAMI HAS BECOME VEGAS EAST.....not condusive to producing a tough mentality. Bad Football Culture!!

ZOD · Jan 18, 2008

:wacky:

Conuficus · Jan 18, 2008

ZOD said:
:wacky:

Classic.

FIN-IN-RI · Jan 18, 2008

:hail:`

inFINSible · Jan 19, 2008

Cool stuff, Zod.

RGF · Jan 19, 2008

For this reason I enjoy watching "monday night matchup". It gives the average fan a whole different look at formations,tendencies, schemes etc. The camera angles for that show are not shown during a live NFL telecast so we are at the mercy of keeping an eye on the ball at all times,at least for the most part. Also, I`ve seen people here calling for the heads of coaching personell after a "wasted time out". Well,it might look like a wasted time out but if a defense is in a no-win match up on a particular play, a time out is wise. Calling a time out on the offensive side of the ball ,for pretty much the same reason,isnt so bad either. The elite coaches in this league prepare for possible mismatches and devise a plan to counteract without using a time-out but its not that easy thats why we see so many timeouts right befor the ball is snapped.
Zod is right on with what he points out,even though we dont have the luxury during a game to see the game this way.

A wiser fan - part deaux.......

More options

ZOD

Ruler of the Universe

ZOD

Ruler of the Universe

ZOD

Ruler of the Universe

Conuficus

The look on Tom Brady's face: Pricless

Conuficus

The look on Tom Brady's face: Pricless

djphinfan

Perennial All-Pro

ZOD

Ruler of the Universe

Conuficus

The look on Tom Brady's face: Pricless

FIN-IN-RI

inFINSible

Don't believe everything you think.

RGF

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