Defending the Read Option QB Offense

[PatsWickedPissah]

Ken, what a great read. I went to Arlington High for a year before moving to Winchester. First guy I remember seeing there was alumni Joe Bellino walking down the hall in his Navy uniform.

 

[Demosthenes]

Didn't read the entire thing but some nice stuff in the article.

Boiled down though it comes to two things

-Don't dive at the RB/playaction
-If you get a shot, destroy the QB so they won't do it again.

That's what Belichick did to Tebowtime in the playoffs and they couldn't do anything on offense.

In the playoffs against Denver and Tebow, the Pats used a 5-2 defense for most the game.

 

[sb1]

Like I said all along. Flatten the running QB and make them think twice about doing it again.

I think we are definitely seeing an era of more athletic QB's enter the league, but like the wildcat the read option in today's NFL has a best before date. Comments around the league from guys like Mike Tomlin tell me if the read option's best before date hasn't passed already, it will soon. It's only a matter of time.

 

[Demosthenes]

Like I said all along. Flatten the running QB and make them think twice about doing it again.

I think we are definitely seeing an era of more athletic QB's enter the league, but like the wildcat the read option in today's NFL has a best before date. Comments around the league from guys like Mike Tomlin tell me if the read option's best before date hasn't passed already, it will soon. It's only a matter of time.

In 2011, the Jets thought they knew how to stop the RO. Rex Ryan has a section in his book about stopping the Option. Tebow drove 95 yards down the field against Rex and the Jets to win the game.

That was months before Pitt faced Denver in the playoffs, with Tomlin as coach. A game that Pitt lost if I remember correctly.

Forward to 2012 season, the Redskins and the 49'ers both used the RO to great effect even though there was tape on it from the 2011 season with Tebow and Cam Newton.

I'd expect coaches to come out and say "yeah, we can stop this with no problem". Doesn't mean that one should necessarily believe what is said until it's been demonstrated

 

[AzPatsFan]

In 2011, the Jets thought they knew how to stop the RO. Rex Ryan has a section in his book about stopping the Option. Tebow drove 95 yards down the field against Rex and the Jets to win the game.

That was months before Pitt faced Denver in the playoffs, with Tomlin as coach. A game that Pitt lost if I remember correctly.

Forward to 2012 season, the Redskins and the 49'ers both used the RO to great effect even though there was tape on it from the 2011 season with Tebow and Cam Newton.

I'd expect coaches to come out and say "yeah, we can stop this with no problem". Doesn't mean that one should necessarily believe what is said until it's been demonstrated

All that says is the existing life of the RO is now beyond 1 year, and even more limited. It is that much closer to death. Using the 3-4 two gap, or aka the old Okie 5-2, is providing the basis, and setting the stage to prevent an 11 on 10, +1, for the Offense. It then merely requires both ends, to maintain contain, even seemingly on air.

BB took apart the Denver RO with Tebow by relying on a defense his team used to play, and were still reasonably familiar with it. The youngsters are being retrained in it this TC, along with the noted emphasis on maintaining contain on both ends. Perhaps you were wondering why BB was doing this. Anticipation, it is part of what makes him a great Coach.

By the way is the Pats current OC using Tebow, the "father" of the revived RO in the NFL?

 

[sb1]

In 2011, the Jets thought they knew how to stop the RO. Rex Ryan has a section in his book about stopping the Option. Tebow drove 95 yards down the field against Rex and the Jets to win the game.

That was months before Pitt faced Denver in the playoffs, with Tomlin as coach. A game that Pitt lost if I remember correctly.

Forward to 2012 season, the Redskins and the 49'ers both used the RO to great effect even though there was tape on it from the 2011 season with Tebow and Cam Newton.

I'd expect coaches to come out and say "yeah, we can stop this with no problem". Doesn't mean that one should necessarily believe what is said until it's been demonstrated

Touche.

Then again the wildcat was "unstoppable" too at one time.

Lots of smart defensive coaches in the league...I think they'll figure it out.

 

[Demosthenes]

All that says is the existing life of the RO is now beyond 1 year, and even more limited. It is that much closer to death. Using the 3-4 two gap, or aka the old Okie 5-2, is providing the basis, and setting the stage to prevent an 11 on 10, +1, for the Offense. It then merely requires both ends, to maintain contain, even seemingly on air.

BB took apart the Denver RO with Tebow by relying on a defense his team used to play, and were still reasonably familiar with it. The youngsters are being retrained in it this TC, along with the noted emphasis on maintaining contain on both ends. Perhaps you were wondering why BB was doing this. Anticipation, it is part of what makes him a great Coach.

By the way is the Pats current OC using Tebow, the "father" of the revived RO in the NFL?

An old Okie 5-2 has 7 defenders in the box. What are you going to do when the Offense puts 4 receivers out wide with the QB in the shotgun and a RB to either his left or his right? Are you going to run cover0 straight man all game ?

 

[Demosthenes]

Touche.

Then again the wildcat was "unstoppable" too at one time.

Lots of smart defensive coaches in the league...I think they'll figure it out.

Thing is, it's a presumption when you say that you "think they'll figure it out".


Nearly ALL innovations are considered to be "gimmicky fads" in their infancy. We can look at the "gimmicky fad" of the forward pass. It's been around legally since 1906, though it was used even before that. By rough calculations, football teams have had 107 years to figure out how to stop it and they have yet to do so.

We could also look at the "gimmicky fad" known as the West Coast Offense. It started in the 70's under Paul Brown and Bill Walsh. Walsh later refined the offense and installed it when he went to the 49'ers. It too was projected to have a short shelf life, you know, because once NFL teams had some tape of it, they'd shut it down.

Another great example, and one that's apropos on a Patriots board is the Shotgun formation. It started in the college ranks, bounced up the NFL, lost favor and went out of use in the NFL, only to be brought back by Tom Landry. Teams haven't stopped it, in fact, it continues to get used more and more as each year passes.

Time will tell with the Read/Option and Spread/Option. Yes, it's possible that NFL defensive minds might find an answer for it and it'll fade away. BUT, it's also possible that it's here to stay and that you'll be seeing more and more of it for years to come.

 

[LuRkeR1978]

We ran the wishbone RO offense when I played in highschool. It took us to 2 DII Superbowls for Western MA in 94, and 95. I played mostly defense on my senior year team, I was the weakside OLB.

My job was pretty simple:

If it was a run to my side, force the runner inside or make the tackle.

If it was a pass, cover the flat.

Blitz the QB on blitz plays.

If I ended up unblocked, with the QB running at me...stay home and force him to make the decision to run or pitch to the HB.

The key to the defense defending it...was our SS was a hybrid type, and was able to even up the sides the plays went to. My job wasn't very fun, other than some easy sacks here and there, but allowed the players better than me, to shine.

The Pats have a lot of athletic linebackers on the defense this year. That will be one of the keys of stopping the RO. I wonder if we'll start seeing the defense start shifting around the field, like they used to back in the day? I miss that.