“They [the secondary] make it easier. Whenever a quarterback’s first read is taken away, and with the athletes we have up front rushing the quarterback, he’s not going to have a lot of time to really find the second read and get a good throw off. By the time he does that we’re in his face, getting pressure on him, and the guys in the back end, they’re covering really well. It works hand in hand.”
-- Akeem Ayers
If the Patriots are able to create a formidable defensive line at the core of their defense, will the downgraded secondary have a new lifeline to rely on?
I’m of the belief that a secondary can only be as effective as the rest of the defense. The combination of a great pass rush and adequate downfield coverage is what creates a successful pass defense. The better the front seven, the easier it is to play in the secondary. And by getting superior play from interior linemen and improving the edges of their defensive line, I believe the Patriots will still have a quality defense to sustain them in the season.
Being aggressive against the pocket is important for a few reasons: It forces the quarterback to speed up his progressions into tighter windows, and it disrupts his connection with receivers by forcing him out of his natural rhythm and limiting his vision. But the additional benefit is that by putting all the pressure on the quarterback, the defensive lineman actually takes pressure off the secondary. For instance, if the lineman can pressure the quarterback into throwing the ball to his first look, the secondary will not have to cover for as long and can play tighter coverage. But if less talented cornerbacks are going to remain effective in the scheme, players up front need to dominate the line of scrimmage and restrict the amount of time the quarterback has to connect with his receivers. Or else, the quarterback will have an easier time picking apart the secondary.
The best cornerbacks in the world will tell you that a strong pass rush helps them immensely. Modern-day NFL offenses are simply too complicated to expect corners and safeties to cover receivers for longer than 5 seconds. If you put three receivers out on routes against three cornerbacks, the quarterback will likely find one of his receivers in a span of five or more seconds. If given enough time, at least one of those receivers will gain separation and create a window of opportunity for the quarterback to complete a pass. Even if coverage is tight, the quarterback is still free to make a play either with his legs, by handing off to the RB, or by passing to a fourth target on the field (a TE, RB, or a WR in a four-set formation). This assumes that those three all-star cornerbacks will be able to stay in coverage for much longer than what is normally the case.
But an aggressive front seven changes all of this. If met with a fierce pass rush, the quarterback is limited in time and cannot make all of his reads. And if forced to move around in the pocket, he cannot establish a rhythm with his receivers. A quarterback can still throw into tight coverage, but he has a much harder time seeing anyone or being even remotely accurate. As much as the ‘Legion of Boom’ is often credited with success, the Seahawks have always had to make life tough for the quarterback first by using their defensive linemen. That is what allows the secondary to play at an incredibly efficient level and live up to its reputation.
Looking at it another way, you can also ask yourself: what has a greater impact on each other? Does a great secondary make your pass rush look better, or does a great pass rush make your secondary look better? In
How Baltimore’s Front Seven Masks Its Depleted Secondary, Robert Mays answers this question by describing how the Ravens’ defense succeeded against elite quarterbacks, despite having a depleted secondary riddled with injuries. After a slow start in the season, the Raven figured out how to rebuild their defense around a collection of run-stuffers and terrifying pass-rushers, who were able to generate pressure up front by disrupting pass plays and taking advantage of collapsing pockets. What the Ravens showed is that through a combination of front-line depth, talent, and scheme, a superior defensive line can slow down any offense.
