Prevent defense

[Verdict]

I don't know about you guys but it infuriates me when the defense has shut a team down for the entire game and the team goes into prevent mode (way too soft prevent I might add) and just let's a team run down the field like a knife through hot butter.

I realize they are trading yards for time but you have to make them at least earn it and not just give the other team an easy path and chunk yards.

 

[Number1]

I don't know about you guys but it infuriates me when the defense has shut a team down for the entire game and the team goes into prevent mode (way too soft prevent I might add) and just let's a team run down the field like a knife through hot butter.

I realize they are trading yards for time but you have to make them at least earn it and not just give the other team an easy path and chunk yards.

you have to counter the chunk yards with TOs, I'd rather give 300y and get 2 TOs, than 250y and get no TOs

odds are as these kids gel they'll do better at that heck Brown even learned to catch the ball

 

[Chrispierce]

Yeah,they do that. I wish they would play a little tighter in those situations too,but that’s just how they play it.

 

[aria]

Happens across the NFL in almost every game, drives me crazy and comes back to bite a lot of teams.

 

[Verdict]

Happens across the NFL in almost every game, drives me crazy and comes back to bite a lot of teams.

I don't see the point in going to the prevent if you are going to allow a team to catch you.

 

[jazzcat22]

If they held a team from scoring less than you all game, then keep that style up. I hate that prevent also. Especially from high power teams.

What if we would have scored on the drive, before Dak fumbled that ball. Made it 20-10, with over 2 minutes left and NO have 2 TO's still.
What would they have done on D. Go prevent, let them eat up clock, stay aggressive, take a chance on getting burned with a Lon pass.
But it is what this team does at times. I know they played great and blanketed the receivers very well, pressured Brees

But that would have made me PO'd if they would have went prevent and let them go down field.

 

[jazzcat22]

What did Pat Summerall say one time, or was it John Madden. The only thing the prevent defense does, is prevent you from winning.

 

[Jake]

I don't know about you guys but it infuriates me when the defense has shut a team down for the entire game and the team goes into prevent mode (way too soft prevent I might add) and just let's a team run down the field like a knife through hot butter.

I realize they are trading yards for time but you have to make them at least earn it and not just give the other team an easy path and chunk yards.

There are time when it's appropriate, but I share your frustration when the Cowboys going into that mode too soon.

But as others noted, it's a common theme around the NFL.

 

[TheBigEasy]

OP, you bring up a great point. For the past 10+ years, I have watched this team stand on their opponents throats for 90% of the game, only to drop back in prevent and allow for two scoring drives in less than two minutes. Grant it, half of the blame falls onto the offense for not controlling the clock and for not picking up the first downs needed to put teams away. What surprises me, this year, is that I don't find myself infuriated with the 4th quarter defensive play calling unlike past years. I appreciate Richards for bringing in his 'throat stomping' mentality as this year's team looks to finish teams off and not let off the throat, so to speak, like in recent years.

 

[Bobhaze]

I don't know about you guys but it infuriates me when the defense has shut a team down for the entire game and the team goes into prevent mode (way too soft prevent I might add) and just let's a team run down the field like a knife through hot butter.

I realize they are trading yards for time but you have to make them at least earn it and not just give the other team an easy path and chunk yards.

I don’t like it...most fans don’t. But the reason most NFL teams do it is because a vast majority of the time it works. It is simply playing the odds. By taking away the big play and basically giving them the short, underneath stuff, DCs are simply playing the lowest risk defense possible.

 

[aria]

I don't see the point in going to the prevent if you are going to allow a team to catch you.

I posted something about this the other day. I don’t know what the exact percentage is but I’m willing to bet it’s over 75% that whichever team gets the ball back with ~2 mins or less, at the end of each half, ends up with some kind of points. The score can be 7-7 and both teams can be dominating on defense, it will still happen.

I recently started doing live bets in this exact situation (because the odds are great) and the outcome is fairly predictable. I’ve won much more then I’ve lost. Of course it doesn’t happen every time but it happens more often than not.

One of the recent exceptions is when Brees threw that uncharacteristic pick at the end of the 4th.

It just blows my mind that a team can be shutting down the opponent all game and then they decide to be cautious by playing soft and giving up 15-20 yard chunks that take less than 10 seconds to run and as a result they almost guarantee the other team points.

 

[Doomsday101]

I don't know about you guys but it infuriates me when the defense has shut a team down for the entire game and the team goes into prevent mode (way too soft prevent I might add) and just let's a team run down the field like a knife through hot butter.

I realize they are trading yards for time but you have to make them at least earn it and not just give the other team an easy path and chunk yards.

Not a fan of prevent unless you up by a couple of score or more very late in the game.

 

[aria]

I don’t like it...most fans don’t. But the reason most NFL teams do it is because a vast majority of the time it works. It is simply playing the odds. By taking away the big play and basically giving them the short, underneath stuff, DCs are simply playing the lowest risk defense possible.

I respectfully disagree. Can’t remember exactly which games they were (one was Broncos/Chargers?) but a few weeks ago all three afternoon games we got in DFW, this exact scenario happened and every time the defensive side gave up points and lost the game in at least 2 of them.

Off the top of my head, we got the Chiacgo/NY in DFW last weekend and the Bears played soft with 18 seconds left in the 1st half. Barkley had a huge run and set NY up for a 50+ yard FG that should have never happened.

Likewise, the week before, due to primarily poor offensive coaching, the Giants gave up 19-3 lead to the Eagles doing this same crap. If it weren’t for this “genius” strategy, the Eagles would have lost and we would have had the division wrapped up a week ago, now we have to wait until Sunday

 

[kskboys]

The worst part of that is the 3 man rush where the QB has all day. Georgia just let ALA win doing it.

 

[Ranching]

I don't know about you guys but it infuriates me when the defense has shut a team down for the entire game and the team goes into prevent mode (way too soft prevent I might add) and just let's a team run down the field like a knife through hot butter.

I realize they are trading yards for time but you have to make them at least earn it and not just give the other team an easy path and chunk yards.

It's all strategy. When I was a DC I hated it because it screwed up my stats. As a head coach, I knew it was a neccessary evil.

 

[maryquality]

Put me in the "don't like the prevent defense" group!! Never been a fan of it!! Need to stay aggressive.

 

[kskboys]

It's all strategy. When I was a DC I hated it because it screwed up my stats. As a head coach, I knew it was a neccessary evil.

I'm not against the Prevent, it's just that it's grossly overused.

 

[droopdog7]

I'm not sure people understand prevent defense at all. Do teams leading by a single score or less ever go into prevent? I don't see it unless you're in the 4th quarter up multiple scores. And I am guessing in those situations the team ahead almost always wins.

 

[kskboys]

I'm not sure people understand prevent defense at all. Do teams leading by a single score or less ever go into prevent? I don't see it unless you're in the 4th quarter up multiple scores. And I am guessing in those situations the team ahead almost always wins.

They do.

Georgia did it in a tie game.

 

[droopdog7]

They do.

Georgia did it in a tie game.

I highly doubt that.