How much did we use zone blocking against the bucs?

[Phokus]

It's really hard to tell what blocking scheme from the sideline camera, but when they had the camera directly behind the offensive line on some replays it was obvious they were zone blocking on those replays... did we exclusively use zone blocking during the game?

 

[zippo59]

Breer makes it sound like they were using it quite a bit.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

It's really hard to tell what blocking scheme from the sideline camera, but when they had the camera directly behind the offensive line on some replays it was obvious they were zone blocking on those replays... did we exclusively use zone blocking during the game?

Look for AllWorldTE's posts in this thread, he seems to have the best analysis to date...
http://www.patriotsplanet.com/BB/showthread.php?s=&threadid=24631

 

[rabthepat]

What ever it was it looked like the same old line blocking to me. Perhaps with Maroney and his cutting ability we'll notice a real difference.

 

[dryheat44]

Zone blocking vs. Man Blocking is going to be very hard, if not impossible, to differentiate on camera in most cases.

 

[TripleOption]

Zone blocking vs. Man Blocking is going to be very hard, if not impossible, to differentiate on camera in most cases.

Not at all.

 

[dryheat44]

Not at all.

Then you're much better an analyzing plays than I do. In the case of the Alex Gibbs scheme, it's obvious because the O-lineman are clipping the D-lineman, but, IMO, in the way the Patriots are going to play it, unless there's an obvious cut-back by the RB, I don't see how you're going to differentiate between the two. For example, on a run off-tackle, Mankins pulls left and takes out the Defensive End. Short of reading minds, I don't see how you know whether he's blocking the DE because that was his assigned man to block, or if that was the body who popped up in the zone he was responsible for.

I'd love an education fpr how to tell. I'm all for learning new things.

 

[TripleOption]

Then you're much better an analyzing plays than I do. In the case of the Alex Gibbs scheme, it's obvious because the O-lineman are clipping the D-lineman, but, IMO, in the way the Patriots are going to play it, unless there's an obvious cut-back by the RB, I don't see how you're going to differentiate between the two. For example, on a run off-tackle, Mankins pulls left and takes out the Defensive End. Short of reading minds, I don't see how you know whether he's blocking the DE because that was his assigned man to block, or if that was the body who popped up in the zone he was responsible for.

I'd love an education fpr how to tell. I'm all for learning new things.

For Inside Zone, watch for the double teams and then the playside OL releasing up to the LB. The Outside Zone (Stretch) is very distinctive. Also, watch for the backside of the OL pushing the DL down (cutting or driving) to allow for the cutback lane.

 

[unoriginal]

Brief illustrated tutorial on Zone vs. Man, part 1.

This is a man blocking play. Mankins lined up cheating half a step back from the line in order to pull left and get the end. At the snap of the ball you can see him opening up back and left to get around Light, who is looking at his responsibility, the playside linebacker.

Look where Light is in comparison to Mankins. He is blocking deep into the 2nd level on the linebacker in order to create the left side of the lane with Mankins and Koppen. The green lines above indicate where the lane is supposed to be. Evans is leading through there on the mike linebacker. Faulk is also distinctively pointed towards the hole called.

Man doesn't try to move the defense line down the field. Man blocking tries to open lanes in the front 7 of the defense. Here the lane has been collapsed. Good blocking from Caldwell, Mankins and Light, by the way.

 

[unoriginal]

Part 2.

This is a zone play. The entire line steps into the defensive line's left shoulder and pushes upfield. The green numbers indicate the playside responsibilities the double-team (Mankins, Koppen) have to work through. The Will linebacker is marked 3 because Welker will be cracking on him, while the Mike is free.

The orange line, as you probably guessed, is where the offensive line used to be. You can see how the initial double team on Hovan (1) creates the hole inside. Also note no one, save Welker, is heading for the 2nd level yet.

What the picture doesn't show is that Faulk walked into the handoff to give himself more time to read the line, another hallmark of a zone play.

Light makes an executive decision here to collapse his man inside, since his man is trying to close the hole. Zone blocking is loosey-goosey like that. Zone blocking doesn't care where the hole is, as long as the defensive line is moving downfield and there's a hat on every man. Faulk has to read it, make his cut, and get downfield.

Only now, with the mike linebacker stepping into the play, does Mankins come off 1 and head for 2.

This is the last you'll see of Welker on this play, btw.

And after Mankins rubs off onto the mike, Hovan goes past Koppen for the stop. Note how everyone except Koppen is three yards downfield, all in a line. That's a zone play.

 

[PATRIOTS-80]

unoriginal, this has got to be the post of the year!!!!!!! thank you so much. It is nice to have pics to go with the breakdown.

 

[Vern]

GREAT breakdown there!

On a side note, Koppen and the right side of the line seemed to be where TB got through to collapse the hole (man) or seal off the cutback lane (zone) in both plays.

That could show:
1. The power of the "speed" oriented Tampa-2 DL who's job is to chase down plays (that could also set up play-action very nicely later on though).
2. Faulk is not as fast as Maroney getting to the outside on these plays.
3. The right side (including Koppen) didn't seal off as well as the left, which dominated.

 

[PatsFan37]

Ditto. Great post. The pics are superb. I remember that play, had no idea it was zone blocking and I'll go back and watch it again.

 

[PATRIOTSFANINPA]

Unoriginal....Extremely good explanation and pictures..Unlike your forum name that post was definately an 'original' that would be hard to do better.

 

[shakadave]

Unoriginal, five stars aren't enough for this contribution; I give it six.

Question: How new is zone blocking for our O-line? Is it a new undertaking this year, or have we always done it once in awhile, sort of like our defense playing the 4-3 to mix it up? I ask because I'm wondering if our O-line won't yet be as good at zone blocking as they will be in 2008.

 

[Krugman]

Impressive,unoriginal,and very helpful,hell,even I can understand the concept,no small accomplishment.......

 

[gomezcat]

Wow. That was mind blowing stuff. I will go and watch tape to see if I can "get it" for myself.

 

[Phokus]

Unoriginal, that was an awesome explanation

That's the thing about the sideline cam that i hate though... whether it's man or zone, it always looks like a bunch of fat guys crashing into each other to form some sort of megablog that makes it hard to distinguish anything. I love replays that use the camera behind the offense, it's easier to see double teams, guards pulling, etc.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Unoriginal, five stars aren't enough for this contribution; I give it six.

What he said!

Knowledge, screenshots, commentary -- all absolutely outstanding!

 

[TripleOption]

I will quote American Football Monthly Magazine to simplify things and provide some things you may want to watch for...

Zone blocking occurs when two offensive linemen are responsible for blocking two defenders in a certain area towards the point of attack. The purpose of using the zone blocking scheme is to stop penetration, create movement on Level I (build a wall) and also seal off the onside linebacker. All zone blocks initially start out as an inside-out double team. As movement begins, either the outside blocker or inside blocker will gain control over the defender on Level I, allowing the other blocker to come off the block to handle the linebacker. In this type of blocking scheme, it is critical to create movement on Level I before coming off for the linebacker.