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Before I start this post, I'd just like to say praise Odin. Without Him, none of this would be possible.
I'm too lazy to write an introduction, so let's jump right into the meat. The Broncos are not winning these games because of their offense. They are winning these games because of complimentary football. I don't think that's particularly surprising to anyone but tends to be overshadowed by Tebowmania. I have never seen so much hype around such a low scoring offense. It's really remarkable. However, it is effective and is moving the ball pretty well. It's the fun, entertaining story in this game so let's take a look at what the Denver offense is.
I hear a lot of people call this offense a zone-read offense. Yes, that is true. To an extent. I think that they are more of a power running team that utilizes formations to win with simple arithmetic. An offense is based around a fundamental set of concepts and balanced by constraint plays. Constraint plays such as screens, draws, ect... are designed to keep an opponent honest. Nothing new. Denver utilizes the option not as it's fundamental concept, but as it's constraint theory. Yes, the zone-read and it's derivations are a part of this, however they do run speed and triple options as well. That said, zone-read is the hyped one so let's explain that silly like thing.
The zone read option was born out of the zone or stetch play. I assume most here know what the zone run is, but for those that don't think about what Indy used to run where all the linemen would downblock and the back would pick a gap. After Shanahan's Denver offense showed how deadly this concept was, it eventually became a bread and butter play of the spread. It was quite effective until people started to realize that by aggressively crashing the unblocked backside end, the play would be blownup in the backfield. The standard fix for this was running the formation from a balanced 2-TE set, or from the I where a blocker could occupy this end. From the spread, there was no one to block this player and it was the simple fix. Out of necessity, offensive coaches at the college level realized that by giving the quarterback a read on this backside defensive end they could have an excellent counter to this defensive adjustment. Should the end aggressively crash down, the QB would keep the ball and skirt the defender. If the defender should stay home, hand it to the back. Hence, zone read option. The defenses eventually figured out that by stunting the backside end and tackle, they could confuse this read and create a foil. So, the offenses adjusted, made the read a defensive tackle, and the midline option was born.
Denver is utilizing motion to create gap shifts and confusion presnap in both their run game as well as their option game. They are also leveraging balanced sets to get declaration. When the team overcommits, they gash with the option, or a very simple one player read pass. Ah! The pass! Denver's ultimate constraint play! The Denver passing system looks like if The Jets offense was dumbed down even further. Very simple reads designed to pick away at certain parts of a defense. It's designed to keep the required scanning by the quarterback to a minimum. Slant levels, out and ups, and four verticals are all examples of the passing plays they use. The four verticals is their defeat of the cover-2 poorly coached teams have been employing.
So, how do you beat the Tebowmania offense? Simple, by countering a college offense with a college defense. I would employ a 44 front, tell my corners to ignore the run, and let my safety play centerfield to prevent a big play. I'm not worried about the pass beating me because the QB can't win a game passing. I'll force long progressions by jamming anything that moves with my peripheral box defenders, and Tebow's internal clock freaks after 3 seconds. I employ my two former college ends in Fletcher and Ninkovich as my outside linebackers. Not only do these guys have experience as end man on scrimmage, but are both create at keeping plays inside of them. I rotate Ellis and Deaderick at the end opposite Carter. I use my ends to force early decisions by the quarterback and kill the option before it develops. With my four dlinemen and four linebackers I have the ability to matchup on the man advantage the offense would have with 7 defenders and a running QB. Further, my balanced set can disguise the mike, negate gap advantages, and be immune to shifts. All functionally removing the main advantages and principals of the Denver game.
Finally, when I have a two score lead in the fourth quarter, I don't try to just get out of the game. Tebow is winning late because teams are committing to the pass. They are playing into his hand by doing this, often utilizing man coverages that place defenders with their backs to Tebow. I stay 44 until the game ends, dare Tebow to hit me with a consistent deep strikes, and play fundamentally sound football.
It's gonna be a fun game to watch!
I'm too lazy to write an introduction, so let's jump right into the meat. The Broncos are not winning these games because of their offense. They are winning these games because of complimentary football. I don't think that's particularly surprising to anyone but tends to be overshadowed by Tebowmania. I have never seen so much hype around such a low scoring offense. It's really remarkable. However, it is effective and is moving the ball pretty well. It's the fun, entertaining story in this game so let's take a look at what the Denver offense is.
I hear a lot of people call this offense a zone-read offense. Yes, that is true. To an extent. I think that they are more of a power running team that utilizes formations to win with simple arithmetic. An offense is based around a fundamental set of concepts and balanced by constraint plays. Constraint plays such as screens, draws, ect... are designed to keep an opponent honest. Nothing new. Denver utilizes the option not as it's fundamental concept, but as it's constraint theory. Yes, the zone-read and it's derivations are a part of this, however they do run speed and triple options as well. That said, zone-read is the hyped one so let's explain that silly like thing.
The zone read option was born out of the zone or stetch play. I assume most here know what the zone run is, but for those that don't think about what Indy used to run where all the linemen would downblock and the back would pick a gap. After Shanahan's Denver offense showed how deadly this concept was, it eventually became a bread and butter play of the spread. It was quite effective until people started to realize that by aggressively crashing the unblocked backside end, the play would be blownup in the backfield. The standard fix for this was running the formation from a balanced 2-TE set, or from the I where a blocker could occupy this end. From the spread, there was no one to block this player and it was the simple fix. Out of necessity, offensive coaches at the college level realized that by giving the quarterback a read on this backside defensive end they could have an excellent counter to this defensive adjustment. Should the end aggressively crash down, the QB would keep the ball and skirt the defender. If the defender should stay home, hand it to the back. Hence, zone read option. The defenses eventually figured out that by stunting the backside end and tackle, they could confuse this read and create a foil. So, the offenses adjusted, made the read a defensive tackle, and the midline option was born.
Denver is utilizing motion to create gap shifts and confusion presnap in both their run game as well as their option game. They are also leveraging balanced sets to get declaration. When the team overcommits, they gash with the option, or a very simple one player read pass. Ah! The pass! Denver's ultimate constraint play! The Denver passing system looks like if The Jets offense was dumbed down even further. Very simple reads designed to pick away at certain parts of a defense. It's designed to keep the required scanning by the quarterback to a minimum. Slant levels, out and ups, and four verticals are all examples of the passing plays they use. The four verticals is their defeat of the cover-2 poorly coached teams have been employing.
So, how do you beat the Tebowmania offense? Simple, by countering a college offense with a college defense. I would employ a 44 front, tell my corners to ignore the run, and let my safety play centerfield to prevent a big play. I'm not worried about the pass beating me because the QB can't win a game passing. I'll force long progressions by jamming anything that moves with my peripheral box defenders, and Tebow's internal clock freaks after 3 seconds. I employ my two former college ends in Fletcher and Ninkovich as my outside linebackers. Not only do these guys have experience as end man on scrimmage, but are both create at keeping plays inside of them. I rotate Ellis and Deaderick at the end opposite Carter. I use my ends to force early decisions by the quarterback and kill the option before it develops. With my four dlinemen and four linebackers I have the ability to matchup on the man advantage the offense would have with 7 defenders and a running QB. Further, my balanced set can disguise the mike, negate gap advantages, and be immune to shifts. All functionally removing the main advantages and principals of the Denver game.
Finally, when I have a two score lead in the fourth quarter, I don't try to just get out of the game. Tebow is winning late because teams are committing to the pass. They are playing into his hand by doing this, often utilizing man coverages that place defenders with their backs to Tebow. I stay 44 until the game ends, dare Tebow to hit me with a consistent deep strikes, and play fundamentally sound football.
It's gonna be a fun game to watch!
