Why do teams leave Dallas Clark uncovered in the slot (1 Viewer)

[The_Man]

Last year in the Chiefs-Colts playoff game, time after time the Chiefs watched Dallas Clark line up in the slot and then left him totally uncovered. I guess they were thinking he was just a TE and that an LB playing zone could cover him, or a Safety could pick him up. He caught 9 passes for 103 yards.

The next week, the Ravens lined a man up over his head on every play and held him to 2 catches. Then, in the AFCC, the Pats left him alone in the slot again and he had 6 catches for 137 yards. There were times he would literally run 20 yards straight down the middle of the field uncovered, turn around, and have the ball hit him in the numbers -- it was like pitch and catch.

In the first half last night, the Saints left him toally uncovered during the 2:00 drill to end the first half -- the result: a 39-yard pitch and catch.

Then in the second half, they covered him and held him without a catch.

Here's my question -- why do NFL teams allow Dallas Clark to run uncovered down the field when he lines up in the slot? They would never leave a WR in the slot totally uncovered -- and Clark is much more of a third WR than a TE.

 

[KellysHeroes]

hears my guess.....

When you see him open; most of the times the D is lining up in a 4 - 3 or 3 - 4 Coverage

Since Clark is offically an TE.. the D thinks that hes lining up in the TE position. Then; when he lines up in the slot... it throws the Defense out of wack.. While the Defense is adjusting... Manning snaps the ball... bang... you have an wide open Clark for 5 seconds.

The other option a D has is to play alot more nickle (2 LBs; 3 CBs)... but then Manning audibles into a run play; Clark goes back into the TE position and Addai runs other the extra CB.

Teams will prepare better as the season goes on.

 

[Chase Stuart]

Clark isn't a TE. He's a WR wearing a FB's number.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Clark isn't a TE. He's a WR wearing a FB's number.

In other words, they try to cover him with a LB and he smokes them time after time?What's going to happen when Gonzalez gets up to speed and they run a 4 wide, where he can do the same thing on the opposite side from Clark?Imagine this offense being BETTER than what we saw last night.

 

[KellysHeroes]

I better SF D would be able to handle this nicely (they have 3 Good Safeties and 2 good CBs plus the Fastest LB I ever heard of).

Don't forget... NO has one of the worst secondary you'll see this year in football.

 

[KellysHeroes]

Clark isn't a TE. He's a WR wearing a FB's number.

In other words, they try to cover him with a LB and he smokes them time after time?What's going to happen when Gonzalez gets up to speed and they run a 4 wide, where he can do the same thing on the opposite side from Clark?Imagine this offense being BETTER than what we saw last night.

D Clark isn't Smoking anybody (hes really not that fast) Manning is caughting the LB out of position.... when Gonzo2 is up to speed; Defenses will (try) defend him with a nickle CBAgain... don't forget... you saw the best passing offense in league at home against one of the worst secondaries in the league.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Clark isn't a TE. He's a WR wearing a FB's number.

In other words, they try to cover him with a LB and he smokes them time after time?What's going to happen when Gonzalez gets up to speed and they run a 4 wide, where he can do the same thing on the opposite side from Clark?Imagine this offense being BETTER than what we saw last night.

D Clark isn't Smoking anybody (hes really not that fast) Manning is caughting the LB out of position.... when Gonzo2 is up to speed; Defenses will (try) defend him with a nickle CB

I didn't mean "smoking" them with speed. I meant it more generally.And if they defend Gonzalez with the nickle, then there's one less guy to double Wayne/Harrison.

 

[orcinus]

Hard for most teams to cover everyone AND put anything resembling pressure on Manning. With enough time, most quarterbacks can pick apart any coverage scheme. Manning is obviously at the head of that curve. You pick your poison, disguise the coverage, and then hope you can get enough pressure to limit Manning's read progression.

Obviously that didn't happen last night, and Manning found open receivers time after time.

I wouldn't be too hard on the Saints defense, though. Only two or three teams in the league have the personnel to pull this off. Where they really failed was on offense with the ball-control gameplan that Payton couldn't get executed.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Clark isn't a TE. He's a WR wearing a FB's number.

In other words, they try to cover him with a LB and he smokes them time after time?What's going to happen when Gonzalez gets up to speed and they run a 4 wide, where he can do the same thing on the opposite side from Clark?Imagine this offense being BETTER than what we saw last night.

D Clark isn't Smoking anybody (hes really not that fast) Manning is caughting the LB out of position.... when Gonzo2 is up to speed; Defenses will (try) defend him with a nickle CBAgain... don't forget... you saw the best passing offense in league at home against one of the worst secondaries in the league.

But they did the same thing to the Bears in the SB last year.

 

[KellysHeroes]

And if they defend Gonzalez with the nickle, then there's one less guy to double Wayne/Harrison.

not really... the guy coming out of the play for the 3rd CB is an LB... and the LB wasn't helping with the coverage unless their in Zone

 

[Andy Dufresne]

And if they defend Gonzalez with the nickle, then there's one less guy to double Wayne/Harrison.

not really... the guy coming out of the play for the 3rd CB is an LB... and hes not helping with the coverage unless their in Zone

Okay. Then they'll run the ball more.All I'm saying is that it's getting harder and harder for opposing defenses to pick their poison.

 

[KellysHeroes]

But they did the same thing to the Bears in the SB last year.

Your are correct sir... the Bears fell apart in that game. Plus it was Raining cats and dogs; rain usually helps the offense.

 

[Andy Dufresne]

But they did the same thing to the Bears in the SB last year.

Your are correct sir... the Bears fell apart in that game. Plus it was Raining cats and dogs; rain usually helps the offense.

A passing offense? How so?

 

[KellysHeroes]

But they did the same thing to the Bears in the SB last year.

Your are correct sir... the Bears fell apart in that game. Plus it was Raining cats and dogs; rain usually helps the offense.

A passing offense? How so?

When its Raining.... both Teams lose a "step".However... the offense knows what play is coming and where to go; so the "step" they lose isn't really much. The defense on the other hand loses reaction time during the play; so the "step" they lose is mush greater than to the offense. If its just Raining and the wind isn't a great facter... then the offense does gain an advantage other the defense. Really the problem the offense runs into when its just Raining is the ball is a little slippery and getting off the line is a little harder... but great players just have the athletic ability to minimize these weather limitations.Now when theres heavy wind invovled... then it is a whole other story and the passing offense is crippled.