of RPO with Ehlinger probably.
Then if that's the case I want to see the QB hit EVERY time he meshes with the RB because at that point he is a run threat too.
It used to be that against the triple option, you'd have one guy assigned to each option and you'd add another to whichever you thought was the most dangerous option. Today's RPO is a single wing concept that only has 2 options, but with today's althletic QB's the QB himself adds a 3rd so after he pulls out of the mesh he is a run pass threat. Clearly the most dangerous is the QB and there should always be both a LB and S assigned to him.
BTW- one of the more intriguing aspects of the triple option was that it always left one DLman unblocked. In 3-4 it would be the DE. Because he wasn't blocked it would allow the OG and OT to seal off the inside. The QB would read the DE. If he stepped down the line to stop the run, the QB would keep the ball and have a run pitch option on the OLB. If the DE step UP across the LOS, he'd give the ball to the running back who's path was to run from the FB spot to the outside shoulder of the OG.
Like the RPO, when it came onto the scene in some colleges, it was so successful it was quickly adopted by a majority of schools and by 1980 was the most popular offense in eastern MA HS football. Eventually it found some initial success in the NFL as well. But like a LOT of various offensive or defensive systems, EVENTUALLY their counterparts catch up with innovation, and those who don't evolve with these changes die on that hill.
Buddy Ryan developed the 46 D and over the course of 3 years it evolved into the beast that destroy all comers in 85. Here is a link to a decent description of the 46 (name for a player NOT an alignment) that saves me a lot of trouble and does it better than I would have.
But to make a short point long, the fact is that defense catch up with offenses and offenses with D's. Within 2 years the best one year team in NFL history (imo) was out of the playoffs for over a decade. Ryan turned that 85 defense in the Eagle job, but had more pedestrian success. He got the Eagles to the playoffs 3 times in the 6 years he was HC but was 0-3 in 3 playoff games. Jim Swartz was the last guy to use a lot of the 46 concepts. He probably uses some parts today.
The point of all this is this is learn and evolve league. Whatever is new and "revolutionary" soon becomes dated and old fashioned. Coaches that don't evolve with the ever changing landscape, don't coach long. So why has Bill been so successful for so long, its because the only real consistency in Bill's system is the language, and that too is constantly evolving. As far as offensive and defensive "systems" go. There really are none.
As far as the Colts go, this will STILL be a stop the Colts run game first and make Ehlinger throw for over 350 yds to beat them and see if he can do it.
The other things I want to see from the Pats tomorrow is more motion in the offense and more pass attempts with the QB under C.
and BTW- HIT the damned QB
