Defending RPO & QB Dive Option

[Crown Royal]

I am starting to get flashbacks to Vick and team running all over the Cowboys and Ware. Any ideas/thoughts on how to defend this offense that the team needs to consider? Way too many plays where the DE was the only shade available and made it easy for the QB (again). This offense is not going away, and it is starting to prove very effective against the Cowboys.

 

[Crown Royal]

Note - I am not a proponent of "Just hit the QB a few times" as a response. That hasn't scared anyone out of these plays since a couple years after RG3. Need to find a way to account for everyone.

 

[Oz-of-Cowboy-Country]

The only thing they can do is take a guy out of coverage. Play 8 in the box and have your CB's play an inside technique. Most QB's who use read options aren't great passers anyway, so taking a man out of coverage shouldn't hurt that much.

The DE takes the QB, the SS takes the RB. No more being killed by read options or read option passes. Eight in a box should do it.