Spread Offense versus 3-4 defense

[FinHopeful]

Belichick has frequently used the spread offense to dominate the 3-4 defense. Remember how the Patriots demolished a strong Steelers defense 2 to 3 years ago with the same game plan employed yesterday. This game plan is useful when the rush defense is strong but the pass defense is weak.

A NFL style spread offense is characterized by the following:

• Shotgun formation
• 4 wide outs/ 1 running back set or 5 wide outs set

The following are the goals of this type of offense.

• Using all of the field to stretch a defense vertically and horizontally
• Force 1 on 1 matchups
• Take advantage of poor coverage by the LB corps
• Generate yards after the catch
• Limit blitzing opportunities
• Generate a fast pace of play to tire out the defense

After the first series, it should have been clear to the defensive coaches we were in a lot of trouble. Neither Peezy nor Roth are effective in coverage. Gaffney and Moss are very capable of stretching the field vertically, so our outside LBs had to shutdown the short passing game. Clearly, we do not have the talent for that. The defensive coaches did not do a good job for this game. The corner blitz should have been employed on the 2nd offensive series by the Patriots, and I am disappointed that a special nickle package was not prepared. A package with two SS where Y. Bell replaces Roth would have thrown in a wrinkle. If the coaches were truly prepared for Belichick's likely use of the spread offense, then they would have studied how the Patriots shutdown the Rams spread offense in the Superbowl. That would have been an outstanding job of coaching that truly distinguished this coaching staff. Clearly, that is not a realistic expectation of an inexperienced head coach. I wish it was. That might have worked.

 

[Etuoo33]

You have to do a lot of holding the WR's to shut down like they did to the Rams, they wont let even the Pats do that. 500 post, Just had to say that.

 

[FinHopeful]

You have to do a lot of holding the WR's to shut down like they did to the Rams, they wont let even the Pats do that. 500 post, Just had to say that.

All you need is to jam them and get physical. I am not expecting a complete shutdown of the offense, but I am expecting to disrupt the timing.