"The Big Blueprint" - Not just for the Patriots (1 Viewer)

[Koya]

Something being discussed here on NY sports radio was the unreal performance by the Giants defensive line. To call it dominating would be an understatement.

The only way to have a chance against the Pats offense, especially under perfect field/weather conditions, is to utterly disrupt Brady. The Giants did that and more.

It got me thinking... with the passing rules re: DB's non ability to be physical, have the Giants provided THE Blue Print (the Big Blueprint if you may) on how to build a defense in today's NFL?

You have two of the top outside pass rushers in the game, and can anyone name a better interior pass rusher than Justin Tuck right now? Having the leadership and athleticism of a Pierce in the middle (and Kiwanuka who has been hurt to boot!), does this enable a team to disrupt a passing game in an era where even the best DBs are at such a huge disadvantage as compared to the WRs?

You cant man up guys since you cant touch them and zone can only go so far especially against a team that puts 4 or 5 WRs into patters... but by focusing your cap resources on the line you have the chance to make even average DBs look very good.

The blueprint in my opinion as the Giants have shown the past month: Spend a LOT of money on exterior AND interior rushers, get a very athletic LB ie Pierce and DBs who may not be great, but can get an INT (unlike giants DBs in the past who were better at coverage, but had stone hands and never capilized). This might be the best approach, and one other teams will look to follow, to combat the explosion of passing offenses.

How else are you to beat the Cowboys, Colts, Pats and perhaps even Steelers if they continue to throw so much with the rules as they are? Plus, spending on your D line, if done wisely, can and should ALSO help you defense the run... you just need to make good choices in the defensive backfield if that will be the position that is a little weaker (counterintuitive, but a weaker D-backfield and dominant line seems to be better suited to stop the open passing attack than a weaker line and dominant set of D Backs - then again, if you send 4 or five into coverage, even three All Pro DBs cant cover the fourth or fifth guy. A defenslive rush can mean the QB never has a chance to get to even his 2nd or 3rd read).

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Yes. Excellent analysis. Which is why I'm hoping the Vikings get the pass rush figured out this offseason.

The interior of the d-line is obviously outstanding, but they get nothing from the DE's, which in turn exposes the DBs - who I think are better as a group than what the Giants have.

Get a pass rush and the Vikings defense could replicate and then some what the Giants D did this year.

 

[dudaman]

To have a blue print like this, you need the stud DE's you speak of - the problem is that most teams barely have one.

 

[Gamma1210]

It has always been talked about that a pass rush can take pressure off a secondary, but I think with the NFL being a copy-cat league and all the national attention that FA pass rushers will demand more $$ this off season and edge rusher rookie prospects will go earlier with teams taking raw talent earlier as a risk to find the next diamond in the rough.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

What if-

a) Strahan had retired like it was rumored he would.

b) Justin Tuck hadn't come back so strong from the lis franc injury.

Two lucky (for want of a better term) breaks for the Giants franchise.

 

[Banger]

What if-a) Strahan had retired like it was rumored he would.b) Justin Tuck hadn't come back so strong from the lis franc injury.Two lucky (for want of a better term) breaks for the Giants franchise.

what if Moss signed with GB.

 

[Koya]

To have a blue print like this, you need the stud DE's you speak of - the problem is that most teams barely have one.

I would agree there. The Giants did some great drafting in both Tuck and Usi, and I believe Kiwanuka as well (though he has not had a chance to show it, hopefully he gets over the injury thing).That said, two things:(1) In terms of philosophy, I can see NFL teams trying to replicate the Giants talent by taking a very high draft pick, or paying for a FA that will provide the pass rush vs. using that slot / $$s for a top DB. You do not need to have three elite players to have an impact... say you get one elite pass rusher and two others who are very good. It might not be the Giants line, but you have something that is a big team strength and allows you to gameplan much the same way in terms of counteracting what, until now, has seemed like an unchecked ability to pass with the new rules.(2) The NFL is a copycat league. Perhaps teams will overpay to keep "good" or ok Dlinemen to follow the Giants blueprint, even if that is not the best move because the player is not a Tuck, Osi or Strahan. But that won't prevent NFL teams for copying what has been demonstrated true.Basically, while you need very good players to have this (or any) strategy work, I think even a very good but not as talented group on the DL compared with the Giants will give a team a better chance to win than even a more talented group of Defensive Backs and Linebackers but an average pass rush. Average pass rush in this day and age gives a QB time to find the ONE receiver that is needed to make a key play. And without the ability for a DB to hand check etc, that guy is always open... but will the QB have time to find them is the question.

 

[Rounders]

To me this is nothing new (no offense). Football games are won in the trenches. If you control the line of scrimmage you control the game. That's the blue print.....it always has been and always will be.

 

[KnowledgeReignsSupreme]

I don't think a monster d-line is anything new in football. Getting the talent in there is the hard part.

 

[dgreen]

To call it dominating would be an understatement.

No it wouldn't.

 

[SuperJohn96]

I don't think a monster d-line is anything new in football. Getting the talent in there is the hard part.

So who's available in the draft and free agency this offseason for teams to go after to follow this blueprint?

 

[KnowledgeReignsSupreme]

I don't think a monster d-line is anything new in football. Getting the talent in there is the hard part.

So who's available in the draft and free agency this offseason for teams to go after to follow this blueprint?

Very nice DT class this year.

 

[Gatorman]

The dolphins provided this blueprint a few years ago on how to beat the pats. You need a front 4 that can rush the passer. It starts there. You get to brady, he becomes human.

 

[roadkill1292]

The dolphins provided this blueprint a few years ago on how to beat the pats. You need a front 4 that can rush the passer. It starts there. You get to brady, he becomes human.

This year, the Ravens almost pulled out a win with a variety of blitzes that had Brady unable to survey the field in his customarily leisure manner. He's so damned accurate when his oline neutralizes the pass rush that opposing teams are almost doomed no matter how many guys are playing pass defense. That may sound like a given but not all NFL QBs can do this like he can.

 

[Jason Wood]

Like all things, easier said than done. What team doesn't try to draft dominant defensive lineman? It's an NFL coaches dream to have a front 4 capable of getting consistent pressure on their own, it cures a LOT of ills in the secondary. Steve Spags implemented the exact same system the Eagles run this year, yet was more effective than the Birds despite having an inferior secondary. The reason? It's all about the front line. While the Giants were aggressive blitzers, they didn't NEED to in order to get pressure. For the Eagles, the last few seasons, the ONLY way they get pressure is to blitz.

In most cases, teams won't be able to get to Brady with their front four exclusively. Ergo they will have to bring blitz packages and Brady has shown the ability to pick apart defenses in those situations. Same holds true for Peyton. The Colts are so good at protecting him, yet when they lost two seasons ago, why was it? Because the offensive line looked bad (and remember that Manning threw them under the bus, too).

 

[DoubleG]

The dolphins provided this blueprint a few years ago on how to beat the pats. You need a front 4 that can rush the passer. It starts there. You get to brady, he becomes human.

This year, the Ravens almost pulled out a win with a variety of blitzes that had Brady unable to survey the field in his customarily leisure manner. He's so damned accurate when his oline neutralizes the pass rush that opposing teams are almost doomed no matter how many guys are playing pass defense. That may sound like a given but not all NFL QBs can do this like he can.

Actually, I think more can than can't. Sure, there are some erratic passers out there, but even Rex Grossman looked good at times when his o-line bought him time. My point is (or, actually, many people's points are) the game is won in the trenches - both sides. A good o-line can make your QB and RB look really good - and a good opposing D-line can make them look horrible. Interestingly there was one other factor that I think the Giants layed the "Big Blueprint" for - momentum and/or confidence. The Giants could have very easily relaxed in the final week of the season against the Patriots - after all, the game meant nothing to them. They didn't. They played their starters and their starters played hard. Going toe-to-toe with the Patriots who DID have something to play for and basically holding their own had to be a huge confidence boost - especially going into SB XLII. They also did not have a bye week (until this past week) - they had to stay focussed and play good teams on the road for 3 weeks straight.

It will be interesting going forward how many HCs rest their starters a significant amount in the final week(s) of the regular season. Teams that had first round byes were 2-2 in the Divisional playoffs. Most people remember Gruden resting the Buc starters most of the final game. I'm too lazy to check stats for other games in previous years, but the small sample from this year seems to point the fact that "hot" teams stay "hot" in the playoffs.

 

[jonessed]

Games are pretty much always won in the trenches. I don't think this is really anything new. Finding the personnel is the tough part.