Discussing NFL Defensive Schemes (1 Viewer)

[Jene Bramel]

***This series of threads has now been adapted into a stand alone article -- The Ultimate Guide to Defense. There are some IDP insights sprinkled in as asides, but the bulk of the text is peppered with historical stories and playbook diagram discussions and defensive strategy, so it should be worthwhile reading for anyone interested in defensive football.

I know most of you have no interest in IDP leagues. That's cool. But, as I do every year around this time, I'm doing a quick PSA pimping our offseason discussions in the IDP Forum. If you're at all interested in defensive football -- player movement, coaching philosophy, draft prospects, defensive schemes -- the discussions in the Forum are some of the best on this site. Many of the topics have an IDP fake football slant to them, but there's something in there for all fans of football.

And, if you'll forgive the Shark Pool intrusion, we're going to be starting a series of discussions on some basic (and some more complex) defensive concepts over the next month or so. If you're interested, we'll be starting some time this week. We're going to use the same gimmicky curriculum construct that we used for our podcast series.

101 – Defensive Line Techniques -- Thread Here

201 – The 4-3 Defense -- Thread Here

301 – The Tampa-2 -- Thread Here

401 – The 3-4 Defense -- Thread Here

501 – Subpackages -- Thread Here

I'll try to remember to bump this when each new thread is posted.

 

[yetiknight]

If you are a real football fan, this stuff is gold. It opens your eyes to so much that is going on during every play. I will be checking it out for sure.

 

[redman]

201 – The 4-3 Defense

>>>>> Why Cato June’s Stat Line Sank Quicker Than the Titanic

I'd recommend this series to any football, and especially to IDP players. Jene's analysis is very insightful, and it gets into the technical details in a way that few other writers on the NFL do, however it's always tied back into FF and IDP play. For example, the discussion about Cato June last year and how his stats figured to drop in Tampa were why I traded him away in one league. Great, great stuff.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Thanks, redman. I appreciate the nice words.

I started the IDP 101 thread today with a double post. I'll add more over the course of the week and probably move to the 201 thread late this week or early next.

Hope it's helpful.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Moving on to a discussion of some 4-3 front concepts today. The first post is a quick historical tease, to be followed over the next few days with some discussion of how Jimmy Johnson (among others) changed the defensive face of the league and a quick look at today's 4-3 coordinators and schemes. We'll work in a little IDP discussion about Cato June (WLB vs SLB and "system" players) as a bridge to the Tampa-2 thread that's next on the docket.

The first thread in the series is still open for discussion on defensive line techniques and how some playbook tweaks helped some defensive tackles and 3-4 ends beat the odds and become stars.

 

[TLEF316]

I've really become interested in this stuff the last few years. (Trying to figure out why Jonathan Vilma's production went in the toilet) As a Jets fan, i find discusion about diferent schemes very interesting, seing as that we are going through such a dramatic transition. I'll defintely be reading these.

 

[Workhorse]

I'm very curious to hear about the Tampa 2 and the Mike Linebacker's role, particularly how guys like Brady make it a point to "identify the Mike" with their pre-snap reads to help defeat it.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Thanks for the interest.

I've really become interested in this stuff the last few years. (Trying to figure out why Jonathan Vilma's production went in the toilet) As a Jets fan, i find discusion about diferent schemes very interesting, seing as that we are going through such a dramatic transition. I'll defintely be reading these.

This has been one of the hottest topics in the Forum for two years. If you haven't seen them, do a search for Vilma restricted to the IDP Forum. Lots of very good back and forth. Regardless, we'll definitely talk about Vilma when we get to the 3-4.

I'm very curious to hear about the Tampa 2 and the Mike Linebacker's role, particularly how guys like Brady make it a point to "identify the Mike" with their pre-snap reads to help defeat it.

The Tampa-2 thread should be fun. Calling out the Mike isn't just a Tampa-2 thing for quarterbacks, though. You're getting to "hear it" more often with the improved sound, but quarterbacks usually call/point out the Mike to help set their protection/blocking scheme.

 

[greenline]

THIS is awesome. I can't wait.

 

[greenline]

Here are things I would like to know:

How to indentify a coverage. Does the QB start with specific keys based on formations? Is it always off the MLB then the SS?

How does disguising of coverages work from a detailed perspective? Maybe an example of showing Cover-2 and playing Cover-4. What is required to sell this, how long do you stay in this appearance before moving into your other scheme?

Setting the edge and filling your lanes - what are the keys? Who is responsible for what? When a DE or OLB sets the edge and the CB comes to fill, what has to have happened across the board for that to occur?

Inside technique vs. Outside technique

 

[Jeff Tefertiller]

Jene's the man, He, and the other IDP staffers have a very good grasp on things....

 

[Jene Bramel]

Third thread in the series started posted today -- a discussion of the Tampa-2.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

This is a tremendous idea.

 

[Borat]

I know most of you have no interest in IDP leagues.

That's a shame. Using team defenses is weak. Why not just use team offenses as well?

 

[redman]

I know most of you have no interest in IDP leagues.

That's a shame. Using team defenses is weak. Why not just use team offenses as well?

There are some people who are for that, believe it or not.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Started the next thread in the series this afternoon. Will be highlighting the differences in today's 3-4 schemes (Parcells vs Phillips vs Belichick) with some historical discussion along the way.

 

[drummer]

 

[Jene Bramel]

Quick bump for the earlier Shark Pool crowd who may have missed yesterday's update.

 

[TLEF316]

very cool. will be reading this one when i get home.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Finishing off this series this week with a discussion of some of the more popular or noteworthy subpackages. First post today hits the 46 front and we'll finish off the thread with a post or two about some nickel variants -- Big Nickel/Wolverine, the "Creep", etc.

Links to all five threads in the first post. If there's anything I've missed that has interest -- scheme, history, whatever, feel free to post here or in the original thread from January promoting the series in the IDP Forum. I'll turn that one into a Q&A/Loose Ends thread if there's interest.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Bumping this as the threads linked in the OP have now been adapted into a stand alone article -- Ultimate Guide to NFL Defense. Some IDP stuff sprinkled in, but anyone interested in NFL defenses may find something worthwhile in the stories, diagrams and strategy discussions.

 

[reflint]

Thanks JB for a very interesting and informative article. As a huge football (real and fantasy) fan who has never played organized football, this article was both an enjoyable and enlightening read.

 

[Saints-Man]

Thanks for the article, Jene.