X's and O's Talk

**Raven Nurse** · 08-24-2006, 07:24 PM

If we are in our 4-3 Defense, Do you think it would work if upon snapping of the ball we drop back our DE's and Rush all three LBS. It seems that it would give a different type of look while putting pressure on the QB. I think it would be very confusing for the O.

I figured I would give this forum a whirl!!!

**Dabruise** · 08-24-2006, 10:08 PM

Good question. It might work once. And maybe not even then. A good QB would kill you with a quick hit to the TE across the middle. AD might be able to cover a TE if he happens to be in that assignment, but most likely your going to get burned in the middle of the field if you don't get to the QB.

Imagine Todd Heap releasing across the middle when he reads the DEs dropping back. He'd gain 30 yards.

**Raven Nurse** · 08-24-2006, 10:17 PM

I think the key would be having top notch safetys dropping down. That and the faith that LB's will be able to get to the QB. I think you right though, it could only be used once or twice or we would get burned

**Greg** · 08-25-2006, 04:54 PM

The Ghost to the Post was hardly a quick hitter, it was a TE down the seam that was slow developing.

As for the defensive scheme suggested, it is already done. The new (now a few years old) zone blitzes are indeed cases of LBs on the blitz while some DL will drop back into the zones underneath. And it is very confusing, though many are reading them now.

**UKRavenStockers** · 08-25-2006, 05:03 PM

We might have marginal success with it but it's a big gain or bust type play. The only thing that might enable us to do it better than most teams is because with us going to a four man line we don't have any true 4-3 DEs (something I hope we address next off-season) outside of Trevor Pryce (even he is a tweener at DT/DE). Consequently because we have so many tweeners at DE/OLB you could line up say Suggs and AD next to each one with their hand down one in an outside rush stance and mix up which one rushes and which doesn't, then you've got Cody who may prove with time that he can do the same as well. It's a luxury and an after effect of us still very much having 3-4 personnel rather than 4-3 personnel. But as explained it's not something that should be done too often.

**Greg** · 08-29-2006, 10:27 AM

I am well familiar with the pass, I was at the game. The discussion was on a good QB hitting the TE on a hot read to beat a blitz, the Ghost to the Post wasn't that kind of play, that's all.

**sailorsam** · 09-03-2006, 07:57 AM

as I understand it, the idea behind the zone blitz is to send defenders through gaps based on the o's formation/scheme/personnel. sometimes (usually) this results in a mismatch, like a DE covering a TE. if the blitz is fast enough they get the qb before he can throw to the TE. a big x-factor is, how long can the DE cover the TE. That is why guys like Adalius Thomas are so valuable; he is fast enough to stay with a lot of guys, which gives the rush more time to make the sack, or at least force a throwaway. a mobile and/or quick-thinking qb of course makes this harder.
thanks, Raven Nurse, for getting this started.