In - Defense - Able

So, as you may or may not know, I am a lifelong, TV screamin', cussin', throwin' stuff Packer fan. I am also a defensive coordinator, albeit for Middle School football.

There are two things about defense that I know to always be true:

1. You CANNOT play prevent defense with more than a minute on the clock, if you are only up by one score... You will only prevent yourself from winning... I'll bet paychecks on this, and come out ahead every NFL season.

2. You WILL NOT create turnovers playing prevent defense in this scenario. Maybe with less time on the clock, as the offense will be in a more panic-mode state of mind; but without pressure on the QB, even then it is rare.

The problem is this - Three D-Linemen rushing against five O-linemen = no pressure, all day for QB to throw, and receivers to get open. Also, you have linebackers and D-backs dropped into a very deep 4 x 4 zone - LB's & Strong Safety in "shallow" quarters, which are actually deeper than normal; and Corners and Free Safety covering the deep - and I mean DEEP quarters. This is to protect against one big play scoring on you.

The offense only needs one score, and they have time to get there, these loose zones leave HUGE gaps for the offense to move through, just like the Steelers did tonight. This plan by Dom Capers actually helped the Steelers win. By not allowing the winning score until NO TIME was on the clock, he deprived the offense of a chance to mount a drive of their own, to retake the lead and win.

If the Packers had been up by two scores, it would have been a "garbage" TD, which is the ONLY thing the prevent defense is good for - let them score meaningless points, but take all the time off the clock doing so. This was how and why the Packers beat the Cowboys five weeks ago, up 17-0 (three scores), the Packers gave Dallas all the short junk they wanted, and the Cowgirls got A score - with almost no time left - Pack wins 17-7. THREE SCORES Dom, NOT ONE!!!

If anything, this scenario calls for a DC to call his best pressure packages - THEY HAD ALREADY SACKED BIG BEN 5 TIMES FOR GOD'S SAKE!!! - to make the opposing offense extend each play, and run more time off the clock. Linebacker blitzes only, though - you need your best cover guys covering (Jarrett Bush not withstanding). Pressure leads to bad throws, bad throws lead to picks.

Listen to me now, Dom: YOU CAN RUSH FIVE EVERY DOWN AND STILL COVER IN THE QUARTERS UNDER HALVES UMBRELLA THAT IS "COVER-TWO". And if you're smart about it, those blitzes can also plug up every run-gap assignment. Angles are your friend, Dom.

Oh well, I'm just a Junior Tackle coach with an axe to grind - what do I know? Mason Crosby and Jarrett Bush better start checking the want-ads in the Sunday paper - that I know. But a faulty defensive plan is not on them, is it Dom?

Peace, Love, and the 3-5-3 stack,

St00bert