- Messages
- 79,281
- Reaction score
- 45,652
Former NFL defensive back Matt Bowen previews the start of the 2014 regular season with a focus on scheme and personnel in the film room.
1st-and-10
Here are 10 things to watch for this season when you turn on the tape: a quick breakdown in coverages, concepts and personnel from an X’s and O’s perspective.
1. Seahawks Cover 3 Defense
Seattle leans on its Cover 3 shell (three-deep, four-under), but the focus here has to be on personnel and the technique utilized outside of the numbers at the cornerback position.
Credit: NFL Game Rewind
With a front four that can get home—and free safety Earl Thomas closing the middle of the field—the Seahawks can gain depth with their underneath defenders (curl-flat, middle hook) while allowing their corners (Richard Sherman, Byron Maxwell) to jam and funnel receivers from an outside leverage position (match vertical releases with man technique).
This isn’t complex football. However, with the amount of speed the Seahawks have at all three levels of the field, this scheme caters specifically to the talent in Pete Carroll’s defense.
2. Explosive Run Plays vs. Nickel Fronts
I’ve been talking about the nickel run game for the last couple of weeks because I believe we will see more offenses attacking two-deep shells (Cover 2, 2-Man) out of Posse/11 (3WR-1TE-1RB), Jet/10 (4WR-1RB) and Houston/20 (3WR-2RB) personnel groupings.
Here’s an example from the ’13 film with Reggie Bush on the inside zone scheme versus the Bears' nickel sub-package.
Credit: NFL Game Rewind
With a “light” box (six-/seven-man front) to work against, offenses can run the inside zone, one-back power, split zone, etc., to take advantage of the numbers at the line of scrimmage.
If opposing defenses want to sit in Cover 2 to limit the vertical passing game, then run the ball out of one-back looks and force the safeties to fill the alley or make a tackle in space.
3. Packaged Plays
Packaged plays (multiple reads within the scheme) were a topic of discussion in 2013, and I expect to see even more this season to put stress of defensive run/pass keys.
Credit: NFL Game Rewind
As you can see from the All-22 tape, the Bears offense can run the inside zone, pull the ball on the quarterback keep, throw the bubble screen, hit the tight end seam or come back to the X receiver on the slant.
Read the rest: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2177671-matt-bowens-nfl-regular-season-film-preview
1st-and-10
Here are 10 things to watch for this season when you turn on the tape: a quick breakdown in coverages, concepts and personnel from an X’s and O’s perspective.
1. Seahawks Cover 3 Defense
Seattle leans on its Cover 3 shell (three-deep, four-under), but the focus here has to be on personnel and the technique utilized outside of the numbers at the cornerback position.
With a front four that can get home—and free safety Earl Thomas closing the middle of the field—the Seahawks can gain depth with their underneath defenders (curl-flat, middle hook) while allowing their corners (Richard Sherman, Byron Maxwell) to jam and funnel receivers from an outside leverage position (match vertical releases with man technique).
This isn’t complex football. However, with the amount of speed the Seahawks have at all three levels of the field, this scheme caters specifically to the talent in Pete Carroll’s defense.
2. Explosive Run Plays vs. Nickel Fronts
I’ve been talking about the nickel run game for the last couple of weeks because I believe we will see more offenses attacking two-deep shells (Cover 2, 2-Man) out of Posse/11 (3WR-1TE-1RB), Jet/10 (4WR-1RB) and Houston/20 (3WR-2RB) personnel groupings.
Here’s an example from the ’13 film with Reggie Bush on the inside zone scheme versus the Bears' nickel sub-package.
Credit: NFL Game Rewind
With a “light” box (six-/seven-man front) to work against, offenses can run the inside zone, one-back power, split zone, etc., to take advantage of the numbers at the line of scrimmage.
If opposing defenses want to sit in Cover 2 to limit the vertical passing game, then run the ball out of one-back looks and force the safeties to fill the alley or make a tackle in space.
3. Packaged Plays
Packaged plays (multiple reads within the scheme) were a topic of discussion in 2013, and I expect to see even more this season to put stress of defensive run/pass keys.
As you can see from the All-22 tape, the Bears offense can run the inside zone, pull the ball on the quarterback keep, throw the bubble screen, hit the tight end seam or come back to the X receiver on the slant.
Read the rest: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2177671-matt-bowens-nfl-regular-season-film-preview
