The Stiffarm

[emoney_33]

So we know how valuable a good stiffarm can be in dropping a would-be tackler. Maroney has had a few nice ones this year, Troy usually stiffarms the db on those quick passes. But when is the last time you have seen a patriots defender get stiffarmed? It seems to me this is another one of those small things where the patriots are well coached in. For example, on the Mcgahee shuffle when Eugene Wilson caught up to him, he tried to bring his arm up to stiffarm but Eugene just wacked it down and made the tackle. And of course I always have that vision of Bruschi whaling away at edge and pushing him back against the colts.

I dont get many opportunities to watch other NFL games other than nationally televised games and highlights from espn. So I guess my question is, are the patriots coached above the norm in this regard or is this more prevalent on NFL defenses than I think. I just don't recall seeing a patriots defender being effectively stiffarmed in the BB era, I usually see them slapping the ball carriers arm down to avoid it. Of course my memory isnt exactly the best so feel free to show me a clip of beisel getting slammed down to the ground

 

[borg]

You can never underestimate the value of a strong stiffy. Sorry...I just couldn't ...um...never mind

 

[bogey888]

That's a great observation. I saw Eugene just whack down McGahee's attempted stiff arm. Was wondering if anyone else noticed. Great play. Eugene is a terrific safety despite what most people on this board think.

 

[Brownfan80]

I remember in the Panthers SB Tyrone Poole got BLASTED by a Steve Smith stiffarm. That's really the last one that I remember.

 

[rhubma]

That's a great observation. I saw Eugene just whack down McGahee's attempted stiff arm. Was wondering if anyone else noticed. Great play. Eugene is a terrific safety despite what most people on this board think.

This was a TERRIFIC play by Wilson.

Watching the play over and over it seemed as if Wilson deliberately angled his charge at McGahee to help make it as hard as possible for McGahee to use a stiffarm... he would have had to turn his body almost 180 degrees to accomplish one... while trying to run forward... basically impossible to do. Wilson didn't stop with taking a good angle and whacking down McGahee's feeble attempt though. Wilson then tried to punch out the ball to force a fumble (which failed, but was a good idea). Then he slid down and also grabbed a leg to lock up the takedown. All why knowing he was the last line of defense - missing the tackle = 6 points. DB training tape material...

After watching this subtle play unfold several times I kept wondering to myself if these techniques are all coached.... catch the guy, anticipate his possible moves(such as a stiffarm), try to force the turnover and then secure the tackle AS A LAST RESORT.

Also, I wondered if dealing with Dillon's and TB's (and now Maroney's) stiffarms in practice helps prepare our DBs for dealing with this offensive weapon.

 

[Brownfan80]

This was a TERRIFIC play by Wilson.

Watching the play over and over it seemed as if Wilson deliberately angled his charge at McGahee to help make it as hard as possible for McGahee to use a stiffarm... he would have had to turn his body almost 180 degrees to accomplish one... while trying to run forward... basically impossible to do. Wilson didn't stop with taking a good angle and whacking down McGahee's feeble attempt though. Wilson then tried to punch out the ball to force a fumble (which failed, but was a good idea). Then he slid down and also grabbed a leg to lock up the takedown. All why knowing he was the last line of defense - missing the tackle = 6 points. DB training tape material...

After watching this subtle play unfold several times I kept wondering to myself if these techniques are all coached.... catch the guy, anticipate his possible moves(such as a stiffarm), try to force the turnover and then secure the tackle AS A LAST RESORT.

Also, I wondered if dealing with Dillon's and TB's (and now Maroney's) stiffarms in practice helps prepare our DBs for dealing with this offensive weapon.

I think you have several great points and observations about the technique used by Wilson.

The only thing I disagree with is that securing the tackle is the last resort.

I'm sure they're instructed to make the tackle above all else. Try to force a turnover if it's available and you can still make the tackle, sure, but secure the tackle first and absolute foremost.

 

[shakadave]

Corey Dillon brought the stiffarm to this team.

 

[Brownfan80]

Corey Dillon brought the stiffarm to this team.

 

[zippo59]

I remember Hines Ward had a big stiffarm against Ty Law in the AFC championship game in 01.

The point still stands that you can count the times NE defenders have been stiffarmed under Bill Belichick on one hand.

 

[CrazyDave]

See my sig.
That said, if we looked at some Beisel tape, we might see a Pats defender get victimized.

 

[Brownfan80]

 

[Brownfan80]

 

[Fencer]

I didn't notice Troy as a major stiff-armer before this season. Or blocker. It's almost as if he's deliberately become a harder hitter in his old age to make up for other things he's lost.

I noticed that when Maroney was finally tackled on that KR it was on a failed stiffarm. The guy basically went under the arm and tripped him up.

I like the premise of this thread. We all know about the stiffarm, e.g. from the design of a certain college football trophy , but I hadn't really been seeing many of them. Now the Pats are either executing more of them or doing it more flamboyantly, and the contrast vs. the opposition is noticeable.

And yeah, I noticed too that Wilson tried for the strip without compromising his ability to make the tackle. Give up an extra couple of yards because your tackle is slower? Great tradeoff for a chance at a TO. You just can't afford to miss the tackle.

 

[emoney_33]

I didn't notice Troy as a major stiff-armer before this season. Or blocker. It's almost as if he's deliberately become a harder hitter in his old age to make up for other things he's lost.

I noticed that when Maroney was finally tackled on that KR it was on a failed stiffarm. The guy basically went under the arm and tripped him up.

I like the premise of this thread. We all know about the stiffarm, e.g. from the design of a certain college football trophy , but I hadn't really been seeing many of them. Now the Pats are either executing more of them or doing it more flamboyantly, and the contrast vs. the opposition is noticeable.

And yeah, I noticed too that Wilson tried for the strip without compromising his ability to make the tackle. Give up an extra couple of yards because your tackle is slower? Great tradeoff for a chance at a TO. You just can't afford to miss the tackle.

I don't see Troy as a major stiff armer except for when he gets the ball on that quick pass they love to throw, he usually throws a good stiffarm and runs up the sideline for extra yards. Dillon will teach Maroney the full power of the stiff arm I'm sure . As for that stiff arm on the kick return, I didn't think he missed it, I think he connected which is why greer went down but he was so winded that he could accelerate past him after that, and thus Greer got a hold of his leg and held on.

The main purpose of the thread was about the defense being coached well to avoid it but I'm loving the Dillon pictures, keep em coming bf80

 

[Remix 6]

watch this.. its college but still

http://youtube.com/watch?v=U-8m1T3oYqM

eddie george - ray lewis
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GfQjmXuJTJ4


cant find clips of Dillon but yeah hes gotten a ton!

 

[grapedog]

i remember reading an article about Maroney, in his college career he had originally used the stiff arm, but I guess got out of using it for some reason. When he came to the Pro's, he started doing it again.

I honestly believe what an earlier poster said, Corey Dillon brought the stiff arm to this team. He's got a lot of people doing it, and it's working...

Not only is it working, but it KICKS ASS...i LOVE the stiff arm...Dillon is definately a master of it, I just love seeing him stiff arm someone and get an extra 5 yards afterwards...he's a fighter.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

I don't recall a lot of stiffarms from Pats' RBs before Dillon arrived.

I have seen Pats DBs get beaten by good stiffarms on occasion, nothing from this year stands out. I'm not sure much effort is put into coaching stiffarm avoidance techniques, most likely Cory and Lawrence have been giving the DBs some experience.

 

[jczxohn1]

Thought Geno was more taking a swipe at the ball as he did reach around in front. When he missed, he grabbed Mcgahee's hip and dragged him down. Nice play though, regardless.

 

[RayClay]

So we know how valuable a good stiffarm can be in dropping a would-be tackler. Maroney has had a few nice ones this year, Troy usually stiffarms the db on those quick passes. But when is the last time you have seen a patriots defender get stiffarmed? It seems to me this is another one of those small things where the patriots are well coached in. For example, on the Mcgahee shuffle when Eugene Wilson caught up to him, he tried to bring his arm up to stiffarm but Eugene just wacked it down and made the tackle. And of course I always have that vision of Bruschi whaling away at edge and pushing him back against the colts.

I dont get many opportunities to watch other NFL games other than nationally televised games and highlights from espn. So I guess my question is, are the patriots coached above the norm in this regard or is this more prevalent on NFL defenses than I think. I just don't recall seeing a patriots defender being effectively stiffarmed in the BB era, I usually see them slapping the ball carriers arm down to avoid it. Of course my memory isnt exactly the best so feel free to show me a clip of beisel getting slammed down to the ground

Absolutely. I saw a show on it a year or two ago and I can't for the life of me remember who was involved.

One of our Defensive players, I think describing how to combat a stiff arm.

Any help on this one?

 

[zippo59]

This isn't exactly a stiff arm, sorta, but it's kind of a whole body one. Anyway I think it just so punishing that it deserved mentioning in a thread about just that. Earl Campbell picks the guy up and flings him like a rag doll.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=tdvVaTbwMrE&mode=related&search=