Mitch
Crawled Through 5 FB Fields
When you break down tape of the Cardinals' defense there are consistent flaws that pop out at you. In some ways, it's remarkable that the Cardinal defense was able to get all the way to the Super Bowl. Had the Cardinals' offense been the least bit less prolific, the Cardinals would have had no chance at the playoffs, let alone the Super Bowl.
Example A: The NT taking on the double team. First of all, it's absolutely critical that the NT get off the ball at the point of attack, so as to lessen the power of the initial contact from the center and guard. Secondly, when the NT recognizes he's being double teamed, the last thing he wants to do is get pushed backward (and be rolled off on roller skates). At the very least he needs to do what I always called "collapse" or "cave in" the double team...which essentially means that even if he has to fall forward in order to keep the double team in the neutral zone, he has to do it. By doing so he's creating a log jam that can't be immediately run through by the RB...which will cause the RB to redirect...which then allows other defenders the time to locate and finish off the ballcarrier. The best scenario is when the NT is able to rip his lead arm and fight through the double team, thus causing the RB to redirect even sooner than expected.
Bryan Robinson was a curious choice at NT. He neither possesed the requisite strength, nor the technique to play the position consistently well. In the Super Bowl there were a few occasions where he was driven backwards as many as 6 yards on double teams.
Gabe Watson has the bulk, but having lost some of the strength in his knee had a difficult time taking on the double teams.
There's an interesting debate among defensive coaches as to what kind of NT they want. Most prefer the mammouth logjammer, which is quite understandable. But some prefer a smaller quicker disprupter at NT...someone who can out-quick double teams and get penetration when necessary.
Thus, it would be very interesting if the Cardinals ever wanted to switch in Darnell Dockett every now and then at NT. He could absolutely wreak havoc in the middle and instead of taking on guard/tackle tandems he'd be in the A gaps versus the center/guard.
Case B: Linebackers blowing up lead plays and screens. What all great defenses are taught is to attack the line of scrimmage...it's when RBs get beyong the l.o.s. that leads to big gains and even potential TDs. Therefore, what's so important in LB play is to stop plays in their tracks by "blowing them up", which means meeting the FB on a lead play in the hole (which is bound to redirect the RB)...or reading a screen and flying in to blow up the first blocker, if the LB can't get directly to the ball. What this does is totally disrupt the timing of the play and it allows the other defenders to clean up.
Gerald Hayes and Karlos Dansby...because in the Cardinals' hybrid 3-4 (a.k.a. 4-3 "predator") defense they are expected to be covered up, which in theory allows them clean shots at the ball...often react far too slowly to plays that do open up and thus are precious seconds late doing what all good ILBers are supposed to do. If you notice, Hayes in particular is at his best when he is given a "downhill" assignment...one where he already knows the gap he is going to shoot...but otherwise he's slow to react and winds up out of position to make a play or winds up chasing plays laterally most of the time...as does Dansby.
On screens Dansby is particlarly poor...which is why so many screens have been successful to his side. He's often late recognizing the play and when he does show recognition, he doesn't sprint fast enough to blow the play up, nor does he show a willingness to sacrifice himself for the sake of blowing the play up. Instead he goes into a lazy chase mode and is often easily blocked exactly the way the offense hopes when they design the play.
Case C: Zone coverage. The key to effective zone coverage is playing man to man in the your zone...until the man leaves your zone and you call for a switch. The Cardinals are not good at this at all. The rule I used to drill into my players' head is..."if you are not covering someone, something's wrong." In fact, if there is no WR or RB in your zone underneath, the rule is to peel backward (the way DRC did beautifully on his great interception near the goalline in the Carolina game). However, in the Super Bowl, the Cardinals had three DBs in the vacinity of Santonio Holmes on the TD and none of the three had Holmes covered. Huge mistake, as we all saw. It only makes sense that if you are standing there, pick up and play the man...the way James Harrison did in his short zone when Q ran his route into it.
Case D: Deep Safety Coverage. One of the hardest assignments in football is the deep safety coverage assignment, where the deep safety has to read the flow of the play, favoring the deep pass first and the intermediate pass second. But, the worst thing a safety can do is get cement shoes and get caught in no-man's land. The Cardinal safeties have this problem. What a defensive coordinator has to teach his safety is while backpedalling and sensing flow is to peer back at the QB's head and react to it...and once the reaction is made, commit to it 100%. In other words if the QB is looking deep up the sideline, sprint for deep help immediately...if the QB is looking more towards the hash, take a beeline to beat the underneath intermediate WR to the ball. The truth is the safety does not have the luxury of time. He either reacts now...because there is no later.
If the safety reacts and commits 100%, he deserves to be excused if the play goes big somewhere else...because you can't have your safeties second guessing all the time.
Aaron Francisco got caught in no-man's land repeatedly in the playoffs...and for his limited experience at the position (and lack of speed) it's somewhat understandable. Antrell Rolle likes to ballhawk on the intermediate routes and is good at it, but he offers little deep third help for his CBs.
Case E. CBs looking back for the ball. DRC is getting real good at this already, which is very encouraging. Rod Hood, as we know, is a WR numbers shadower who is reluctant to look back for the ball for fear of getting beat. Both he and DRC at times let up on coverage and it burns them...DeShawn Jackson's TD versus DRC comes to mind. DRC had him blanketed and then stopped his feet for a couple of seconds while Jackson blew upfield. DRC recovered almost miraculously, but not quite enough in that case as Jackson tipped the ball, juggled it and secured it for the TD.
Ralph Brown sees the ball well...and really made strides this past year. He was a nice suprise. His weakness is a lack of speed, which hurts him in space. Otherwise he's a nifty nickel type back in tight quarters and the short to intermediate areas.
Case F. DL-Men Getting Their Hands Up. How many replays of McNabb and other have you seen this post-season where the ball was thrown right over a Cardinal DL's head?...and in virtually all the cases, the DL's momentum on the rush had already stopped, thus he had nothing better to do that get his paws up. The interception in the Super Bowl was thanks to Robinson tipping a pass that Dansby hauled in. Robinson is the most savvy at getting his hands up...but at 6'7" Calais Campbell could lead the league in tipped passes if he gets coached up to do it.
Case G: Tackling. Even Adrian Wilson is not a fundamental tackler in this defense...he's a hit you, hope you fall down SS...and fortunately when he hits you, you fall down, most of the time. But, many of his teammates follow Wilson's lead, by trying to make hits knock people down and they don't have the firepower that Wilson has...which accounts for many of the broken tackles we fans see on a weekly basis. WRAP UP in 2009 YOU REDBIRDS! The other fundamental that isn't being stressed is breaking down for the tackles...the Cardinal defenders often over-commit and over-pursue, thus offering weak arm tackles at best...this is particularly true on STs as well, which is why the Cardinals have struggled so much on return coverage teams.
The new DC will have his hands full...but...the talent is there. I personally hope it is someone from the outside, because the current defensive coaches have not been getting the job done on a consistent basis...and whoever comes in will have to set higher standards, stricter repitiions on the fundamentals, and far greater accountability for the players.
Example A: The NT taking on the double team. First of all, it's absolutely critical that the NT get off the ball at the point of attack, so as to lessen the power of the initial contact from the center and guard. Secondly, when the NT recognizes he's being double teamed, the last thing he wants to do is get pushed backward (and be rolled off on roller skates). At the very least he needs to do what I always called "collapse" or "cave in" the double team...which essentially means that even if he has to fall forward in order to keep the double team in the neutral zone, he has to do it. By doing so he's creating a log jam that can't be immediately run through by the RB...which will cause the RB to redirect...which then allows other defenders the time to locate and finish off the ballcarrier. The best scenario is when the NT is able to rip his lead arm and fight through the double team, thus causing the RB to redirect even sooner than expected.
Bryan Robinson was a curious choice at NT. He neither possesed the requisite strength, nor the technique to play the position consistently well. In the Super Bowl there were a few occasions where he was driven backwards as many as 6 yards on double teams.
Gabe Watson has the bulk, but having lost some of the strength in his knee had a difficult time taking on the double teams.
There's an interesting debate among defensive coaches as to what kind of NT they want. Most prefer the mammouth logjammer, which is quite understandable. But some prefer a smaller quicker disprupter at NT...someone who can out-quick double teams and get penetration when necessary.
Thus, it would be very interesting if the Cardinals ever wanted to switch in Darnell Dockett every now and then at NT. He could absolutely wreak havoc in the middle and instead of taking on guard/tackle tandems he'd be in the A gaps versus the center/guard.
Case B: Linebackers blowing up lead plays and screens. What all great defenses are taught is to attack the line of scrimmage...it's when RBs get beyong the l.o.s. that leads to big gains and even potential TDs. Therefore, what's so important in LB play is to stop plays in their tracks by "blowing them up", which means meeting the FB on a lead play in the hole (which is bound to redirect the RB)...or reading a screen and flying in to blow up the first blocker, if the LB can't get directly to the ball. What this does is totally disrupt the timing of the play and it allows the other defenders to clean up.
Gerald Hayes and Karlos Dansby...because in the Cardinals' hybrid 3-4 (a.k.a. 4-3 "predator") defense they are expected to be covered up, which in theory allows them clean shots at the ball...often react far too slowly to plays that do open up and thus are precious seconds late doing what all good ILBers are supposed to do. If you notice, Hayes in particular is at his best when he is given a "downhill" assignment...one where he already knows the gap he is going to shoot...but otherwise he's slow to react and winds up out of position to make a play or winds up chasing plays laterally most of the time...as does Dansby.
On screens Dansby is particlarly poor...which is why so many screens have been successful to his side. He's often late recognizing the play and when he does show recognition, he doesn't sprint fast enough to blow the play up, nor does he show a willingness to sacrifice himself for the sake of blowing the play up. Instead he goes into a lazy chase mode and is often easily blocked exactly the way the offense hopes when they design the play.
Case C: Zone coverage. The key to effective zone coverage is playing man to man in the your zone...until the man leaves your zone and you call for a switch. The Cardinals are not good at this at all. The rule I used to drill into my players' head is..."if you are not covering someone, something's wrong." In fact, if there is no WR or RB in your zone underneath, the rule is to peel backward (the way DRC did beautifully on his great interception near the goalline in the Carolina game). However, in the Super Bowl, the Cardinals had three DBs in the vacinity of Santonio Holmes on the TD and none of the three had Holmes covered. Huge mistake, as we all saw. It only makes sense that if you are standing there, pick up and play the man...the way James Harrison did in his short zone when Q ran his route into it.
Case D: Deep Safety Coverage. One of the hardest assignments in football is the deep safety coverage assignment, where the deep safety has to read the flow of the play, favoring the deep pass first and the intermediate pass second. But, the worst thing a safety can do is get cement shoes and get caught in no-man's land. The Cardinal safeties have this problem. What a defensive coordinator has to teach his safety is while backpedalling and sensing flow is to peer back at the QB's head and react to it...and once the reaction is made, commit to it 100%. In other words if the QB is looking deep up the sideline, sprint for deep help immediately...if the QB is looking more towards the hash, take a beeline to beat the underneath intermediate WR to the ball. The truth is the safety does not have the luxury of time. He either reacts now...because there is no later.
If the safety reacts and commits 100%, he deserves to be excused if the play goes big somewhere else...because you can't have your safeties second guessing all the time.
Aaron Francisco got caught in no-man's land repeatedly in the playoffs...and for his limited experience at the position (and lack of speed) it's somewhat understandable. Antrell Rolle likes to ballhawk on the intermediate routes and is good at it, but he offers little deep third help for his CBs.
Case E. CBs looking back for the ball. DRC is getting real good at this already, which is very encouraging. Rod Hood, as we know, is a WR numbers shadower who is reluctant to look back for the ball for fear of getting beat. Both he and DRC at times let up on coverage and it burns them...DeShawn Jackson's TD versus DRC comes to mind. DRC had him blanketed and then stopped his feet for a couple of seconds while Jackson blew upfield. DRC recovered almost miraculously, but not quite enough in that case as Jackson tipped the ball, juggled it and secured it for the TD.
Ralph Brown sees the ball well...and really made strides this past year. He was a nice suprise. His weakness is a lack of speed, which hurts him in space. Otherwise he's a nifty nickel type back in tight quarters and the short to intermediate areas.
Case F. DL-Men Getting Their Hands Up. How many replays of McNabb and other have you seen this post-season where the ball was thrown right over a Cardinal DL's head?...and in virtually all the cases, the DL's momentum on the rush had already stopped, thus he had nothing better to do that get his paws up. The interception in the Super Bowl was thanks to Robinson tipping a pass that Dansby hauled in. Robinson is the most savvy at getting his hands up...but at 6'7" Calais Campbell could lead the league in tipped passes if he gets coached up to do it.
Case G: Tackling. Even Adrian Wilson is not a fundamental tackler in this defense...he's a hit you, hope you fall down SS...and fortunately when he hits you, you fall down, most of the time. But, many of his teammates follow Wilson's lead, by trying to make hits knock people down and they don't have the firepower that Wilson has...which accounts for many of the broken tackles we fans see on a weekly basis. WRAP UP in 2009 YOU REDBIRDS! The other fundamental that isn't being stressed is breaking down for the tackles...the Cardinal defenders often over-commit and over-pursue, thus offering weak arm tackles at best...this is particularly true on STs as well, which is why the Cardinals have struggled so much on return coverage teams.
The new DC will have his hands full...but...the talent is there. I personally hope it is someone from the outside, because the current defensive coaches have not been getting the job done on a consistent basis...and whoever comes in will have to set higher standards, stricter repitiions on the fundamentals, and far greater accountability for the players.
Last edited:
