Patspsycho
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
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It seems to me as a casual observer that the vast majority of the wide open catches by opposing teams are coming between the LBs and the safeties.
So my question is, for those of you who are more learned than I, is why is this the case? Is it a question of scheme? If so, why hasn't it been corrected? Can it be? Are the LBs just too young, and not recognizing how far behind them the secondary is being stretched? Is it a misread by the LBs?
The one thing that seems to be NOT the case, is that it is NOT about the footspeed of the LBs. Many, many times when the receivers, especially WRs on deep ins and deep crossing routes, cross behind them, the LBs are not actually moving back. This suggests to me not that the LBs CAN'T drop farther back, but that for some reason they simply are not doing so when in zone defense.
So I ask you, collective knowledge of the forum, why do you believe this is occurring?
First off, it is not the scheme, or we would not be using it in the first place. It is a mixture of inexperience and breakdowns in communication. Next time we are in zone, keep your eyes on any of the eligible receivers after they get off the initial jam on the line, you will see them stem and break and that is where our troubles always start, when those receivers start crossing into different areas of responsibilities covered by different players on the D. Sometimes you will see a defender from a certain area (e.g., the curl) release his man into what I like to call the AOR (area of responsibility) without notifying the defender of the next area (let's say, the flat). Sometimes he does and sometimes the defender of the next area just doesn't pick it up, doesn't hear it, or is too confused or too locked on the QB (which is a sign of lack of trust in your teammates). Most of our trouble have come from cover 1 when we leave a LB in robber over the under middle, and Guyton is atrocious in this situation.. he has often failed to pick up a man going over the top on him. However I have to say that ever since Crable got released, Guyton is playing much more serious and more committed. He turned in a nice effort on Thursday. We do not have a "soft underbelly." That is a persistent myth.
I see a few posts asking why not man-to-man in consideration of our limited experience with zone, and the answer to that is the same answer to zone in basketball, it saves energy, and gives you more options with which to deal with faster players (or receivers). If you were to play cover 0 an entire game, you would tire out your defense pretty fast.
Also zone defense eliminates the deadly crossing patterns, rubs, picks, and stacks that any smart OC will start calling for, once he sees constant man coverage. So what you want is an ideal mix of zone and man coverage to keep the OC/quarterback off guard- just as you would have an ideal mix of the pass and run to keep a defense honest.