cmasspatsfan
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
- Joined
- May 3, 2008
- Messages
- 8,111
- Reaction score
- 7,575
Thanks for this OTG. It's only been since the 2011 season that I've really become completely obsessed with this glorious game and have attempted to understand and appreciate the fundamental mechanics of how the game is played, i.e. all the plays that have to happen away from "the play" that you see watching where the football goes.
I think, understandably, the offense is the one I grasped the easiest; it's visually more thrilling as you're following the action, and because you know what "the play" is going to be (e.g. watching a run/pass attempt, etc.), it's easier to interpret and understand how all other plays made by the offense individually contribute to that play succeeding.
Because the defense's version of "the play" is dictated by where the offense puts the ball, it can be much more difficult to discern just how the pass rush, linebackers, cornerbacks and safeties are all interrelated. Obviously I've grasped the basics of the relationships (no pass rush leaves the secondary out to dry, cornerbacks count on safeties for deep balls and whatnot), but a scenario such as, bear with me, a tackle missing an assignment after they've been switched based on the offensive play leading to a linebacker failing to contain a receiver that leads to the safety coming down to cover that receiver who has gotten deep which leads to the cornerback in one on one on a deep route and having to make a great play vs just do his job is immensely eye opening as to just how interdependent the defense is on one another.
I still think we have issues in our secondary, and am still happy overall with our linebackers, but this article has given me a lot of perspective on the intricacies of defensive play, and has made my rudimentary "Arrington was burned our secondary is horrible" logic that I was spewing on Sunday look pretty juvenile.
Its always more complicated than how it appears and what the mediots drivel on about. I think in time this defense will play better as a whole and be a lot better than they are right now, I think they have enough good players, they just have to do whats expected and execute better.
I expect they'll look a lot better this week against the Jests.