Sturm - Xs and Os - Defensive Confusion

[mahoneybill]

With plays like the picks, where they're obviously not getting called, I wish we'd just line up and run them over and over again and take advantage of it instead of getting victimized by it. Until it becomes obvious that officials are going to call the rules on the book already, we ought to benefit from it while it's hurting us on defense, at least. Watching Snead put his hands up like he's trying to catch a ball that's obviously not coming while he blocks the LB is maddening. How is an official fooled by that? It's kinda ridiculous.

Agree. That whoops , not me, is a joke , especially when a player is injured..

 

[Jarv]

With plays like the picks, where they're obviously not getting called, I wish we'd just line up and run them over and over again and take advantage of it instead of getting victimized by it. Until it becomes obvious that officials are going to call the rules on the book already, we ought to benefit from it while it's hurting us on defense, at least. Watching Snead put his hands up like he's trying to catch a ball that's obviously not coming while he blocks the LB is maddening. How is an official fooled by that? It's kinda ridiculous.

I was thinking the same thing, on pick plays just crush the receiver, he's running into the defender and they both have the right to that space I believe. He can't catch the ball lying on the ground.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

I hate pick plays and the way the NFL tries to change the description to a "natural rub" or whatever. It's a freakin pick!

 

[chris1995]

http://beta.sportsdaydfw.com/dallas...08/sturm-xs-os-defensive-confusion-dooms-boys

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Sturm: Xs and Os - Defensive Confusion Dooms the Boys
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New Orleans Saints tight end Josh Hill (89) spikes the ball after scoring on a 3-yard pass from Drew Brees past Dallas Cowboys strong safety Barry Church (42) and cornerback Brandon Carr (39) during the first half of an NFL football game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on Sunday, Oct. 4, 2015, in New Orleans. (Smiley N. Pool/The Dallas Morning News)

Late in the week, we finally get a chance to "look at the tape" as Jason Garrett likes to say and examine some plays that we cannot fully digest on TV. I can't promise that every week we will be able to do this, but honestly, this is my favorite exercise of the week because only here can you fully appreciate how advanced and complex the NFL game can be sometimes.

Here, we are not looking to call anyone out, and we surely want to leave open the possibility of our eyes deceiving us and more than anything, I want to admit that I don't have the benefit of the coaches telling me what coverage they were in. So, sometimes, this diagnosis will be "pretty sure" rather than "100% sure" even though I am trying to get it right. I will make calls and try to hunt down the right answer, but I will just admit right here that we will try our best to be accurate but invariably, I will see something wrong.

But, let's pick plays that are interesting but not played out by this point of the week and have some fun talking Xs and Os. Feel free to tweet me @SportsSturm when a game shows you a play that you would like broken down and I will attempt to include it in this post.


[content added by staff]

Worst mistake at the worst time= loss.

 

[Wolfpack]

A 3-1 run call would be better as a dive...the zone stretch is isn't a short yardage call.

 

[BigD5]

Yeah, they do pick.

But who are these less talented WRs you speak of?
Nelson?
Cobb?
even the young DeVante Adams is pretty talented

What do Nelson or Cobb do extraordinarily well? They are fast. I'll give you that. But they are usually wide open because of the scheme/system they are in. Adams is all hype. Never seen him do anything at the NFL level.

My evidence for this is James Jones. Cut by Oakland and the Giants this past offseason. I say again. CUT by OAKLAND and the giants. Then gets picked up by gb a couple days before the season starts and he's all the sudden unstoppable.

It's green bays scheme/system. McCarthy is a hell of a coach. He makes Rodgers and those wrs jobs really easy

 

[DFWJC]

What do Nelson or Cobb do extraordinarily well? They are fast. I'll give you that. But they are usually wide open because of the scheme/system they are in. Adams is all hype. Never seen him do anything at the NFL level.

My evidence for this is James Jones. Cut by Oakland and the Giants this past offseason. I say again. CUT by OAKLAND and the giants. Then gets picked up by gb a couple days before the season starts and he's all the sudden unstoppable.

It's green bays scheme/system. McCarthy is a hell of a coach. He makes Rodgers and those wrs jobs really easy

Well, Rodgers (and other great QBs) always make their WRs better.
Like I said, I agree that they run picks.
But Cobb and nelson are talented by any measure.

James Jones is an enigma because he's a Rodgers favorite and knows right where to be. Sometimes WRs have a natural chemistry with their QB--see Laurent Robinson/Romo as an example.
Oakland has the youth movement going and some very good young guys. BTW, Jones plays on the outside mostly. Some of his catches so far this year have been outstanding.

 

[xwalker]

To be clear, no. it is not intended to take a particular gap. Stretch zone plays are designed to go all the way to the frontside, OR in a gap created by running it. But, also to be clear - Leary cannot give up his gap to that DT. He simply has to stay hip to hip and if he ever gets turned in like that, the play is extremely limited.

It just looked like Leary didn't even try to block him in that method of flowing to the left.

 

[xwalker]

But that is what you want to happen, if the safety fails to make the tackle it better to have the runner cut back into the field of play than to have them streak down the sideline. That way another teammate is likely to make the tackle.

Yes that is correct a majority of the time but when the play is that deep the Safety knows that there is no help.

He had to go for the tackle because it at least gives him a chance. Going for what would be the safe angle on a 10 yard play by redirecting inside would just him zero chance of making the tackle that deep downfield where there is no help inside, IMO.