Bill Belichick Explains Why Packers/Saints Are So Good

by Caleb Rutherford on Feb 12, 2012 4:32 PM EST in Editorial

This has nothing to do with the article. BUT this is a picture of Gonzo flying. Awesome.

UPDATE: The first (of hopefully many) videos for the Anatomy of a Play series will start tomorrow. I am working on it as you read this. I've encountered a ton of road bumps, but this will happen, so help me God. Also, I haven't actually recorded any video yet, and I can tell you that I'm going to have to watch this one 10 second play about 50 times to get every angle of it. That being said, I can't wait to see what you guys think! :)

Read this article first, then come back and think to yourself, "What does that have to do with the Saints or Packers?"

Obviously, it doesn't, but that's not the point. There's a little bit of...how shall we say, roundabout thinking in here, but hopefully I'll be able to deliver the message I have in my head.

The play in question was that ~40 yard pass to Manningham where Belichick basically said the plan was, "Take away Cruz/Nicks. Make them throw it to Manningham/Pascoe."

Now, how does that apply to NO and GB? Well, it's simple. The game plan, as it should always be, is to take away their top targets and force throws to their other targets. Forcing throws to other targets means that the QB takes a little longer to make a decision (since he has to progress through his reads).

For most teams, this means throwing to their #3 or #4 target, which is oftentimes not on the same level as the first two.

But the real question is "What do you do when #3 and #4 (and in GB/NO's case, #5) are also really good?"

In most offenses (if not all of them) the TE is usually not the first read, unless the play calls for it specifically. If your TE (or 3rd option) is better than the defense's third option, then they'll be open most of the time, which is what makes them look so good at times.

What do you do as a defense if all 5 options are a bona fide receiving threat? It's sensible, but not practical (due to the sheer amount of money it would cost), to have 5 equally talented defensive backs covering the 5 options (or 4 DBs and 1 Spoon).

So what would you do in that situation? Are we just doomed forever? Should we try to force turnovers? What's your move?

Tweet Comment 11 comments | 0 recs |

Do you like this story?

Comments

I don't

think that the main problem stems from the talent of NO/GB’s fourth and fifth targets. I would argue that Jermichael Finley, Donald Driver, or Randall Cobb, at this stage in their careers, do not have any edge in talent over most team’s 3rd or 4th best DB’s.

No, I think that the main issue for defenses concerns the other team’s QB. Drew Brees and Aaron Rodger’s make their wide receiver better not by actually increasing their football IQ or athletic ability, but by

a) consistently throwing passes to locations where their less-talented receivers can routinely catch them; locations where other QB’s cannot throw
b) finding open targets more consistently than other QB’s

Basically, the talent of elite quarterbacks allow for more options to open up in an offense, making the offense much more productive. This does not require an elite talent at receiver, but an elite talent at QB. I think that this can be verified by Bill Belichick’s drafting and free agency pursuit of wide receivers. In the 2011 draft, they did not draft a receiver; in 2010, they drafted one receiver in the third round; in 2009, one receiver in the third; no receivers in 2008; and none in 2007. In addition, Belichick advised against the Julio Jones trade and routinely trades for and picks up undrafted/unwanted receiving talents. Belichick does not draft for receiver talent, as he believes that elite receivers are not necessary to make an offense work, but rather, an elite QB can make untalented receivers seem good. And I believe that his strategy works extremely well.

So basically, the I think that the answer to the question is that a defense needs to stop the QB by disrupting his timing and destroying his offensive protection. And, if you can figure out how to do that consistently, you may have just earned yourself a plaque in Canton.

by frozendesert on Feb 12, 2012 5:12 PM EST reply actions 1 recs

frozendesert - that is exactly right

and exactly why the Jones trade was a imbecilic move. 80% of the Super Bowls have been won by a HOF or to be HOF QB. For the others, half won the SB MVP so they were playing at an extremely high level that year, and the rest had shut down defenses (McMahon for instance).

You want to win the Bowl, best get you a HOF QB. Unfair, maybe so, unrealistic to get one, perhaps, but tis a fact.

by Whopper Dawg on Feb 12, 2012 11:20 PM EST up reply actions

you forgot

P Manning. But you were right on when you mentioned how Rodgers and Brees hit their targets perfectly. In P Manning case, just look how they were last year compared to this year. He was so good at recognizing the other D that he made everyone look good.

Dont cloud the issue with facts!

by muuzilla on Feb 13, 2012 12:05 AM EST up reply actions

Defense wins championships...but the best defense is a good offense.

Therefore we put an all world offense together and keep our defense off the field as much as possible while we just plain outscore everyone we play.

Not asking too much am I?

by FLA_Falcon on Feb 12, 2012 5:26 PM EST via mobile reply actions

Better Linebackers

I would would bring better Linebackers that are as good in coverage as they are at run stopping. Two great corner that press with good nickel corners and good safeties. It can be done. A model defense would be the Ravens, but they’re in a 3-4. Which may not be a bad idea, but they have always been. They didn’t recently change to it.

by Quan on Feb 12, 2012 6:21 PM EST reply actions

Vedy vedy intedesting gdasshoppa

De ansa is same for last 50 years.Is neva change de ansa gdasshoppa.

Stress on QBs makes 5th,4th,3rd and often 2nd reads in a progression, irrelevant.It makes the players less relevent.

Protecting QBs brings 3rd and 4th and 5th WRs into relevance that that they wouldn’t otherwise have.

Line play is de chicken,gdasshoppa.QBs,WRs,TEs,and DBs are the egg.

Sayonara gdasshoppa

by dawg1060 on Feb 12, 2012 8:50 PM EST reply actions

Egg comes before the chicken.

by Pmall2000 on Feb 12, 2012 9:03 PM EST via mobile up reply actions

Ahhhhh! :)))) vedy gooood gdasshoppa.

Ahhhhh! Now we jump!!! onto the merry go round of cause and effect relationship.Will shine light!! on many ansa. :))} to many question.

Sayonara.

by dawg1060 on Feb 12, 2012 9:19 PM EST up reply actions

tough to say

i think the best way to build a defense is thru the draft, take the Giants for example, and their 4 down lineman all drafted by the giants and a nightmare for the entire league.i think defense is better accustimed to scheme and you draft those players that fit your scheme, most dominate d ends dont really fit into my philosophy because if your a dominant d end your gonna rush or drop back occasionally which would work for any d, but your corners have strengths and weaknesses, some play better man some zone, like dunta for example im hearing thru Nolan’s defense we should expect a good year from him, and we’re giviin him a pass for the last couple of seasons due to scheme. defense wins championships, we thawt these dominant offenses this year would run the table and we’d see the highest scorin super bowl in history, but the Giants stepped up defensive wise. Hayden i think played very well when he was healthy and i think we should try and resign him and see what he can do in the nickel, i like the texans theory when drafting Mario, they didnt Reggie because they wanted to slow Peyton down so they drafted Mario, put pressure on the qb, make him make a mistake when looking for that 4th or 5th option

by c_hass_2 on Feb 12, 2012 9:34 PM EST reply actions