Clay Mathews on how to stop read option: "Hit the QB"

[Texas_Pete]

We have to play RGIII twice a year and will have to deal with him for the next decade or so. To date, he's been a thorn to our defense. I found this quote by Clay Matthews interesting, given how Kaepernic torched them last year:

Linebacker Clay Matthews gave us an insight into what we should expect from the Green Bay defense in those games: lots of quarterback hits.

"One of the things that the referees have told us is that when these quarterbacks carry out the fakes, they lose their right as a quarterback, a pocket-passing quarterback, the protection of a quarterback," Matthews said Monday on ESPN Radio's Mike & Mike. "So with that, you do have to take your shots on the quarterback, and obviously they're too important to their offense.

"If that means they pull them out of that type of offense and make them run a traditional, drop-back, pocket-style offense, I think that's exactly what we're going for. So you want to put hits as early and often on the quarterback and make them uncomfortable."

LINK

Rod Maranelli employs rushmen, and likes players that can shoot the gap, so hopefully we can get enough penetration so that we can hit him early and often.

 

[Denim Chicken]

Que Skins fan "but he waves his hands!"

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I think you'll just see a lot more blitzing to eventually stop the read option schematically and they won't have to hit the QB as much.

Typically, play action doesn't work well against the blitz. The idea of play action is to get it when the defense is not blitzing and instead the LB's and safeties are cheating up on the run. Use the play fake, watch the LB's and safeties bite and throw over the top.

The read option utilizes a lot of play action. The difference is with the pistol formation, the QB is facing the defense instead of turning their back to the defense in a normal under center formation. Still...the play action takes time to execute and that's a big reason why blitzing works against the play action. I don't think the read option will be any different other than the QB has the option to keep it and run the ball. But, it's going to be *more* difficult to do so if the blitz is set up to have somebody responsible for the QB possibly running.

I think we'll see a lot more safety and corner blitzing to combat the more athletic QB's as well. This is something that Gregg Williams would use very effectively against mobile QB's. I think the league was in a situation where the defensive coaches were a little late in figuring it out and then it takes time to convey the message to the players so everybody is on the same page in stopping it.




YR

 

[Doomsday101]

up to a point he is right however the pitch on the pistol comes quick before he hits the end of the line it comes off the movement on the DE or OLB if he pinches in to the QB he pitches if the goes to the RB the QB can keep it but then he can also pull up and throw it. Not saying it can't be defenses but the pistol is not the same as the old fashion option where the QB would hold it drawing the defender to himself and pitching at the last second.

 

[marchetta]

On The Ticket a couple of weeks ago, Goose said that the Ravens showed the formula on how to beat the read option. They have a player on D whose only responsibility is hit the QB every time he runs with the ball. Don't go for the fakes, ball pitches, and the like. Just go as hard as you can and destroy the QB every single time. Goose said that the other teams in the league took note.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

He's right. I mean, you learned to defense this when you were still in Pop Warner ball. The problem is that in the NFL, they don't allow you to hit the damn QB. But if you could, that offense would last about half a season.

 

[Doomsday101]

On The Ticket a couple of weeks ago, Goose said that the Ravens showed the formula on how to beat the read option. They have a player on D whose only responsibility is hit the QB every time he runs with the ball. Don't go for the fakes, ball pitches, and the like. Just go as hard as you can and destroy the QB every single time. Goose said that the other teams in the league took note.

Pistol does not work that way, it is based on movement of outside defensive lineman that ball is pitched quickly he is not holding to draw the defense to himself. If you come in late and blast the QB after he has released it early you will get hit for a 15 yarder plain and simple.

 

[Doomsday101]

He's right. I mean, you learned to defense this when you were still in Pop Warner ball. The problem is that in the NFL, they don't allow you to hit the damn QB. But if you could, that offense would last about half a season.

It is not the same kind of option. It is not the wishbone or veer type option

 

[SkinsHokieFan]

On The Ticket a couple of weeks ago, Goose said that the Ravens showed the formula on how to beat the read option. They have a player on D whose only responsibility is hit the QB every time he runs with the ball. Don't go for the fakes, ball pitches, and the like. Just go as hard as you can and destroy the QB every single time. Goose said that the other teams in the league took note.

Uh the Ravens showed the formula to beat the RO?

Once San Fran adjusted and started pretty much going exclusively to the RO, the 49ers mounted a furious comeback and only dumb play calling from Jim Harbaugh prevented the win

If giving up 24 second half points is the "formula" it needs quite a bit of tweaking

 

[mrmojo]

On The Ticket a couple of weeks ago, Goose said that the Ravens showed the formula on how to beat the read option. They have a player on D whose only responsibility is hit the QB every time he runs with the ball. Don't go for the fakes, ball pitches, and the like. Just go as hard as you can and destroy the QB every single time. Goose said that the other teams in the league took note.

Yup, just hit the QB, over and over again. After a while the QB wont want to run it anymore or wont be around to run it....this will negate this offense. But once that starts happening new rules will be implemented to protect the QB even more....ugh!!

 

[cowboyschmps3]

Responsibility football, hit every player that can have the ball, if you assignment is hit qb hit him, if you assignment is pitchman hit him, it's fakes Clay Matthews too say it now hes a genius?!

 

[visionary]

Uh the Ravens showed the formula to beat the RO?

Once San Fran adjusted and started pretty much going exclusively to the RO, the 49ers mounted a furious comeback and only dumb play calling from Jim Harbaugh prevented the win

If giving up 24 second half points is the "formula" it needs quite a bit of tweaking

RGknee is no colin kaepernick, he is much more thinly built and has a history of injuries
i take the 15 yarder and hit him a few times to start the game

chances are you put him on the sidelines or force the skins to change their game plan

 

[Doomsday101]

On The Ticket a couple of weeks ago, Goose said that the Ravens showed the formula on how to beat the read option. They have a player on D whose only responsibility is hit the QB every time he runs with the ball. Don't go for the fakes, ball pitches, and the like. Just go as hard as you can and destroy the QB every single time. Goose said that the other teams in the league took note.

Ravens did not stop 49ers from running it so how did they stop it? 9ers had 182 rushing and 286 passing.

 

[SkinsHokieFan]

Responsibility football, hit every player that can have the ball, if you assignment is hit qb hit him, if you assignment is pitchman hit him, it's fakes Clay Matthews too say it now hes a genius?!

There is no "pitchman" in the way the RO is run. You are thinking much more of the classic triple option with the QB running down the line.

The mesh point is 5 yards behind the LOS. The read needs to be quick and right to beat the unblocked defender, as the strategy clearly is going to be "get to the QB and nail him"

 

[Doomsday101]

RGknee is no colin kaepernick, he is much more thinly built and has a history of injuries
i take the 15 yarder and hit him a few times to start the game

chances are you put him on the sidelines or force the skins to change their game plan

QB's get hit. Heck may as well rough him in the pocket if that is the case but then teams can do that to Romo or any other QB. Maybe when a team faces Brady and the Pats just go after his knees take the 15.

 

[coult44]

The NFL,and now the NCAA has essentially said QBs are off limits. The NFL is going to adopt the "targeting" rules of the NCAA and start ejecting guys if they touch the QB. It's going to become pansy football where even the average joe would stand a chance. Part of loving football is loving the violence of it. Can you imagine watching MMA where hits to the face are illegal. That's what Roger is doing to the NFL. QB's should be fair game when running to "read option" or "pistol". It's BS that a guy can take the ball run around for ten yards then slide and not take a hit. Comple sissy crap!!!

 

[SkinsHokieFan]

QB's get hit. Heck may as well rough him in the pocket if that is the case but then teams can do that to Romo or any other QB. Maybe when a team faces Brady and the Pats just go after his knees take the 15.

You would pretty much have no NFL after a point.

If the "hit the QB" strategy hinges on hitting a QB late (even after he throws his hands up) you are going to see suspensions handed down from the NFL. No way does the league office want to see RG3 and Kapernick getting cheap shotted half the game

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

It is not the same kind of option. It is not the wishbone or veer type option

Doesn't matter. The key to success in the NFL is the QB. You lose that guy and your done. You can run any kind of option and it wouldn't matter, if the NFL allowed you to actually hit the QB. Pick your option, it would be done before it ever really got started if QBs were treated like ball carriers, the way they should be, in that offense in the NFL. JMO

 

[TellerMorrow34]

I said this was the way after last season and was laughed at and told all that would happen is you'd get a bunch of penalties. The answer to the read option was always to hit the QB. If you're able to do what you're supposed to as a defense and hit the QB enough either the coach, or the QB himself, will quickly have enough of that and they'll go away from the RO.

The problem is you've got to have your D playing like it's supposed to. A nasty defense like Seattle will likely beat up on RO Qb's rather nicely. It's going to take some time before the general NFL defenses get to where they routinely stop the RO but I do believe it's going to happen.

 

[Doomsday101]

The NFL,and now the NCAA has essentially said QBs are off limits. The NFL is going to adopt the "targeting" rules of the NCAA and start ejecting guys if they touch the QB. It's going to become pansy football where even the average joe would stand a chance. Part of loving football is loving the violence of it. Can you imagine watching MMA where hits to the face are illegal. That's what Roger is doing to the NFL. QB's should be fair game when running to "read option" or "pistol". It's BS that a guy can take the ball run around for ten yards then slide and not take a hit. Comple sissy crap!!!

Roger only enforces the rules owner/coaches make up the rules committe. There are things Goodell has done that I don't agree with but his job is not to make the rules it is his office job to enforce the rules that are set down by owners for the most part. In the mean time if you notice it is former players filing law suites on the NFL for injuries of the past so how is the owners to deal with it? If they allow the big hits to take place do they pay for it in the end?

I agree with your feeling for the most part I like old fashing hardnose big hitting football but should the league pay the cost of it to players later on?