cowboyjoe
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ok woodysgirl found a neat article from bob sturm on cowboys 101 zone coverage, i am trying to find breakdowns like that on the giants for our upcoming game, hope this is ok to post
Fire Zone Philosophy
« on: February 10, 2008, 08:50:46 PM »
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When Tom Coughlin introduced Steve Spagnulo as the Giants new Defensive Coordinator, a year ago, he made particular mention of his familiarity with the Fire Zone philosophy. He didn't say Fire Zone blitz, even though he could expect it to be inferred. What he was referring to was more than scheme, it was a mindset which recognizes that pressure on the opposing Quarterback has become essential to successful pass defense, and with it to overall success on defense.
But what does Fire Zone mean in more specific and practical terms; how does it work? The first element of the Fire Zone is to rush more defensive players than the offense has blockers to account for them. It can involve both numbers and location. Almost always, it involves rushing more than four defensive players which means at least five whether playing a 4-3 or 3-4 front. And that constitutes a blitz.
However, that's not all which is involved. Its essence is to blitz unpredictably with linebackers, defensive backs and combinations of both while keeping the Secondary from being undermanned and exposed by dropping one or more Dlinemen into zone pass coverage.
Dropping linemen into zone pass coverage often mean zone coverage behind them, but not always. There may still be man-coverage, and even a double on the opponents best receiver. It does seem. however, that the Giants most often play a three deep zone behind their blitzes which they employ on average about 12-15 times a game.
Whatever shell is played behind the blitz, it is important that the rushers get at least enough pressure to hurry the QB, and that those who aren't rushing clog the passing lanes, and try to identify the hot receiver.
So, we have blitz (rushing five or more players) and zone blitz ( Dlinemen dropping into coverage), where then does the term, Fire Zone come in? Although not precisely defined, it is considered to mean creating a fire zone or clear path for a blitzer to the QB by overloading one side of a blocking scheme. That may be accomplished not only by attacking with a second blitzer, but also by stunting and looping Dlineman so that they don't rush straight ahead from their original position but overload one side of the offensive protection.
While strictly speaking the term, Fire Zone means blitzing and a propensity to blitz- not all the time, but at almost any time, in almost any situation- certain of its fundamental elements have been employed by the Giants without actually blitzing. For example, it's not uncommon when the Giants are playing their Four Aces package to see them stunt or loop Dlineman while dropping one into coverage and adding a Linebacker to the rush often through a gap vacated by a Dlineman. Only four rushers, but with a look that can be as confusing to the QB as if there were more. Any extra fraction of a second he takes to figure out that it's only four is to the defense's advantage.
I suppose we could sum it up by saying that the Fire Zone philosophy is to aggressively apply pass rush pressure on the opposing Quarterback by employing extra rushers from any and all angles at any time with the conviction that the more a quarterback is attacked, the more are the chances he is going to be hit, and the more he is hit, the more innacurate he'll become.
How effective were they in attacking? How about a season with 53 sacks, 61 knockdowns, and 45 hurries. That doesn't include what they did in postseason including the Super Bowl when they sacked and hit Brady a combined 23 times. Philosophically sound it would seem.
Cheers!
Fire Zone Philosophy
« on: February 10, 2008, 08:50:46 PM »
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When Tom Coughlin introduced Steve Spagnulo as the Giants new Defensive Coordinator, a year ago, he made particular mention of his familiarity with the Fire Zone philosophy. He didn't say Fire Zone blitz, even though he could expect it to be inferred. What he was referring to was more than scheme, it was a mindset which recognizes that pressure on the opposing Quarterback has become essential to successful pass defense, and with it to overall success on defense.
But what does Fire Zone mean in more specific and practical terms; how does it work? The first element of the Fire Zone is to rush more defensive players than the offense has blockers to account for them. It can involve both numbers and location. Almost always, it involves rushing more than four defensive players which means at least five whether playing a 4-3 or 3-4 front. And that constitutes a blitz.
However, that's not all which is involved. Its essence is to blitz unpredictably with linebackers, defensive backs and combinations of both while keeping the Secondary from being undermanned and exposed by dropping one or more Dlinemen into zone pass coverage.
Dropping linemen into zone pass coverage often mean zone coverage behind them, but not always. There may still be man-coverage, and even a double on the opponents best receiver. It does seem. however, that the Giants most often play a three deep zone behind their blitzes which they employ on average about 12-15 times a game.
Whatever shell is played behind the blitz, it is important that the rushers get at least enough pressure to hurry the QB, and that those who aren't rushing clog the passing lanes, and try to identify the hot receiver.
So, we have blitz (rushing five or more players) and zone blitz ( Dlinemen dropping into coverage), where then does the term, Fire Zone come in? Although not precisely defined, it is considered to mean creating a fire zone or clear path for a blitzer to the QB by overloading one side of a blocking scheme. That may be accomplished not only by attacking with a second blitzer, but also by stunting and looping Dlineman so that they don't rush straight ahead from their original position but overload one side of the offensive protection.
While strictly speaking the term, Fire Zone means blitzing and a propensity to blitz- not all the time, but at almost any time, in almost any situation- certain of its fundamental elements have been employed by the Giants without actually blitzing. For example, it's not uncommon when the Giants are playing their Four Aces package to see them stunt or loop Dlineman while dropping one into coverage and adding a Linebacker to the rush often through a gap vacated by a Dlineman. Only four rushers, but with a look that can be as confusing to the QB as if there were more. Any extra fraction of a second he takes to figure out that it's only four is to the defense's advantage.
I suppose we could sum it up by saying that the Fire Zone philosophy is to aggressively apply pass rush pressure on the opposing Quarterback by employing extra rushers from any and all angles at any time with the conviction that the more a quarterback is attacked, the more are the chances he is going to be hit, and the more he is hit, the more innacurate he'll become.
How effective were they in attacking? How about a season with 53 sacks, 61 knockdowns, and 45 hurries. That doesn't include what they did in postseason including the Super Bowl when they sacked and hit Brady a combined 23 times. Philosophically sound it would seem.
Cheers!
