Videos like this on the 'meta' of the game take a ridiculously long time to craft (the edit alone for this was 25 hours) so if you would like us to make more, please consider subscribing on Patreon - www.patreon.com/thinkingfootball More info on quarters - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-jMShlZV9GLE.html More info on the Fangio 6 - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-CtWImXU_w6k.html More info on Cover 0 - ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-yrU105kCW6M.html
@@ch-yq5yn to be honest. it doesn't matter. some people call cover 6 cover 9 anyways and as long as the person understands the concept, it doesn't matter. just highlighting a minor terminology mistake
Agreed. I wonder if this is a sign that America should give other sports around the world a second (or even first) look. Anybody know about the offense/defense balance of?: - rugby - cricket - field hockey - volleyball
I am so damn tired of NBA basketball. The game has been destroyed by rules changes and exploiting those rule changes. Defense is so unbelievably difficult now.
This is arguably the golden era of defense but no one realizes it because they are looking for statistical validation that isn't possible. They have never had more rules stacked against them. In reality this past decade has been bar none the hardest it has ever been to play defense successfully; but now it has gotten to the point that defenses have embraced pure assignment coverage and are EXPOSING how poor both the Offensive play-calling and QB play are in the NFL right now.
I agree to an extent, but the problem is that the rules are still heavily nerfing defenses. Look at the whole Roughing the Passer crap. You can't even breathe on the QB anymore.
This is why I love football. Every play is like a move in chess. The coaches constantly adjusting trying to out do the opponent with the best resources they have while opponent does the same
Yea absolutely and coaching is SUCH a huge part of it. Don’t think many fans and same with these so called analysts on TV and a lot of YT creators who “breakdown film” truly understand that.
You’re also describing futbol and that game is even older and I would dare say more tactical. I love both sports, but the fact that grown men and kids put their futures and their brains on the line just hurts me man.
This is so informative. I had a lot of theories about why the NFL seemed so poor this year even with so much talent. This really makes sense, and it shows why Baltimore is so good. They actually commit to running instead of running to just keep defenses honest. These defensive looks could lead to running backs making a comeback and getting better contracts. Still, it also illustrates the absolute need for a solid O-line. Either the QB needs time or the RB needs holes.
The Lions have done a similar thing. Leaning on their run game and using a lot of 12 personnel from under center. This also puts defenses in a tough situation because the offense has a larger base package than most teams.
I don't think this will help RB salaries. The issue they have is that they very susceptible to injury and there are lots of available replacements. No one wants to risk spending big money they could lose to an injury especially when there are cheaper options available.
@@popweasel2883 I think I agree with you. There are other ways to run the ball. I see maybe a hybridization of wide receivers and running backs, like Deebo Samuel and other big wideouts who can get to the edge really fast. You're paying WRs big money, so you can expect some carries out of them, too. Not too many and less risky runs like sweeps or a trap on a quick handoff. Maybe 80 carries per season? Meanwhile, your RBs are a committee, no one getting more than say 200 carries per season. Better number would be 150 or so, plus however many checkdowns and designed pass plays. Maybe give extra carries if an RB is having a big game. We won't see 1500+ yard seasons anymore, but 1,000 will still be on the table. Teams can economize on the running game while still rushing more and forcing defenses to adapt. Again, it depends on great O-line play.
Running backs not gettting paid is entirely economics - Unlike most positions, RBs peak seasons are years 1-5, before the brutality adds up from thousands of hits. This is unlike a QB or a Lineman or even WRs and Linebackers - when the match of their mind and athletic talent make them truly at their peak. The current CBA allows teams to control RBs pay through their peak years, therefore why bother paying them. It's a reactionary position where often players first or second season are their best in the league - why would you give that person a second contract. It's the CBAs fault, not front offices.
@@ThinkingFootball I'm aware of that, and I didn't mean to blame anyone. But statistics play a part in the second contract. Holding touches down limits statistics as well as injuries. It also extends careers. Look at Raheem Mostert. He's 31, ancient for a running back. But he had limited touches at Purdue, and this is his first year over 200 carries. In his four productive years, he averages 150 carries. All those years are after age 27, although he has had injuries. If a team could draft a running back or two and do this consciously, they could economize as well as keeping consistency on a part of their offense.
It’s not just the schemes too. The offenses have been simplified in some ways as a carryover from college. So the one read plays, RPOs, etc. are nice, but defenses have figured out how to minimize them and make QBs work through real progressions and a lot of these guys especially the younger ones are a little slow on it
The path to the NFL is younger and younger, with less time to be coached and develop. Thus athleticism becomes more valuable and most college coaches at this point win more from raw talent on the roster than with a developed roster of 5th-year redshirted seniors. Almost nobody can purely out-athlete the competition at the NFL level. Works sometimes, but so often but the QB gets smeared by 300-pound men who can out-sprint 99% of the population. The speed is unbelievable
@@greenlantern7959 100%. Also with the rookie pay scale for QBs. Everyone thinks the rookie QB has to start right away and win. There's not as much room for these guys to grow. The guys who get drafted high are physical phenoms but that sometimes means they have poorer fundamentals, but can get away with it at times based on athleticism. It's a weird time for QBs in the NFL I think. And it helps more complex defenses slow some of these new QBs down. It's like every starter is either 24 or 34 years old
Big receivers who can make plays on the ball in 1on1 situations also need to be brought back into style. Everyone is looking for speed, speed, speed on offense when the solution might be to start looking for size and strength again. Running a short inside fade with a 6’5 250 pound TE who can simply out leverage a small corner for the ball would probably seem primitive to all these new OCs, but it might be exactly what the doctor ordered rather than trying to find the perfect play on 3rd & 5.
Agreed, also a lack of power run based offenses contribute. Practically every NFL team looks identical on offense; everything spread out, QB almost always in shotgun, empty or at best 1 player in the backfield.
The league systematically traded brains for wheels at the QB position (you almost NEVER get both, God doesn't make perfect QBs). Hence why we now have this mediocre crop of QBs, a far cry from the previous era. You couldn't just spam coverages at Brady, the Mannings, Brees, Rodgers, Ben, Rivers, Romo, etc. they would absolutely carve you to shreds and laugh about it. Teach QBs how to actually play QB again.
Thank you for taking the time to explain these complex meta plays. As a European NFL fan who did not grow up with watching/playing football it is exactly these videos which make watching football even more fun. I won't lie and say I got all the details and nuances but I at least got a better understanding of what goes into running a top level defense in today's football.
Saban and Belicheck made defenses that are impossible for the average fan to understand popular. They change their coverage assignments based on the routes being run, as they are being run. Basically changing who is responsible for what coverage in real time. It's colloquially known as "match coverage" but there are obviously a ton of different varieties of it.
What is a "meta play"? Is it the same use of "meta" as in the video title? I don't understand it there either. "Meta" typically means self-referential. Is that how you're using it? Seems unlikely. What do you understand the word to mean?
@@agb1113 Meta play as in meta-game, the game about playing the game. What happens on the field is the game of football. What you stuff into the playbook to counter specific opponents and strategies is the metagame of football.
only a few years ago people were saying that the age of the QB would take over and point averages would rise in the NFL, but the people who said that didn't account for the fact that half the people in this sport work 60-100 hours a week to figure out how to stop offenses. it is exciting to see what the next evolution of the offense will be, and then how defense responds again.
Hey dude. I never paid too much attention to football as a kid, but thanks to people like you I'm starting to "get it". Your writing, annotation, and especially editing are top-notch and easy to follow even for relative novices. Keep it up.
Last night's Texans-Colts game really showed how far defense has come. So many times the game was threatening to turn into a shootout and yet both defenses kept a relatively solid lid over things. Credit to the Colts despite that heartbreaking loss, Stroud was so close to breaking that game wide open.
Eh. Shanahan wide zone play callers have always enjoyed matching up against defenses who employ cover 1/cover 3. Its no surprising Nico Collins the sole receiver threat for the Texans was still putting up big numbers against Gus Bradley's defense. Even if scoring wise things slowed down in the 2nd half.
That game came down to one play. 4th and 1 inside the 13 yard line and Shane Steichen decided on a pass play when Taylor's only restriction in that game on yards was having to stop in the end zone....
@@sstrange1973don’t blame the call because the QB was unable to put an accurate pass on the running back for the conversion. It was the right play call the players didn’t execute. 🤷♂️
The same thing happens in Soccer - you get a few years of Defensive dominance but then a new breed of players and coach styles come along then you have Offensive dominance until the D learns how to counteract that. And so on... Obviously the information process speeds up so now the turnover is monthly or even weekly or actually in-game.
As an American soccer player I agree. What I find interesting as well is that you can have a ton of momentum and controlling the ball and being offensively dominant, but still get nothing out of it because the defense refuses to bend. It’s like the defense and offense change and morph from one moment to the next.
@Rogue_Centurion You can actually see the American football equivalent of this early on this season during Steelers games. They were out-gained offensively every game, but still won quite a bit because the defense was just that good
This is the best video I've ever seen on this topic. I've done a bunch of reading into Match Quarters stuff, but finding a video to break down most of it while also including the progression from Cover-6 is incredible. Should also be noted that, with all those rules for passing off 1s/2s/3s in Match Quarters, not only is it tough for QBs to diagnose and break down within 2.5s seconds, it's tricky for defenses to consistently do it 100% correctly every snap. Every snap the DBs and Apex defenders need to all be on the same page as far as where the 2 is going and whose assignment the 1 is etc. And it's tough to be 100% correct with this on every snap with so many rules to process instantly while reading WR releases. It's what leads to all the big busted play TDs we see from otherwise great defenses. Because it relies on all 7 coverage defenders to be on the same page mentally, and it only takes 1 guy being on the wrong page to result in a 60yd free TD. The Bengals had one of these in the Chiefs game last week, when they gave up the 61yder to Rice late in the 3rd Q. They lined up in a Cover-3 look but blitzed the weak side Apex and dropped a DE, and dropped into a Tampa-2 coverage. The only problem is, despite the other 6 coverage defenders getting their jobs right it only took the 1 safety to mess up his assignment. The Tampa-2 disguise involved the strong side CB to drop into a deep half zone, with the FS rolling left into the other deep half and the weak side CB in a cloud flat coverage. But that FS instead was assuming the opposite - that the weak side CB would drop deep and the strong side CB would stay in the cloud flat, and he rolled to his right instead. This left the weak side cloud flat CB with ZERO over the top help on a deep route after he bumped the WR at the LOS. At first glance it looks like the CB's fault for allowing the deep ball, but film review shows it was instead the safety who blew is assignment. This wasn't a Match Quarters look, but it's this kind of stuff that happens in those Match Quarters defenses that allow big plays. It only takes 1 out of 7 guys effing up their assignment to blow the entire play. Defenses need to be intelligent and play with great chemistry and communication. You can't have any "dumb" players in these systems. The entire point of these defenses (and that Vikings Cover-0) is to be able to always have enough defenders to match vertical routes, while converting underneath (or blitzing) if their guy doesn't go vertical. These Match Quarters defenses can play like a straight Cover-2, Cover-3, or Cover-4 depending on how the WRs release. They can wind up looking like straight Man or basic Cover-2. The intention is for defenders to quickly read routes and be able to play vertical or underneath, wherever they are needed, instead of basic zones that are static and only guard grass until a WR runs through. And as mentioned in the video you also need a lot of team speed especially with the Apex defenders to be able to close down on stuff in the flats. If the goal is to play Off and have as many as 4 guys play over the top, there's going to be gaping holes underneath and especially the flats. That is the weakness of Cover-4 after all. So you better have the team speed and tackling to close on those routes and shut them down to avoid giving up chunks to the flats. I've also watched quite a bit of tape on the Vikings defense as the Bengals just played them too. As mentioned their defense is just a different flavor of the Match Quarters. They line up with 4 guys in Off coverage, and all 4 can be over the top of Verticals just like Quarters. But instead of lining up any help underneath, they just blitz everyone to force a free rusher and shorten the QBs timer. Can't get beat deep if the QB only has 1.5 seconds to throw and then the 4 DBs can sit on and jump underneath stuff. Plus as mentioned they can drop into literally ANY coverage from that Zero look. Whether it's just rat defenders underneath to help with crossers, or into full-blown Tampa-2, as a QB you literally have no clue what you're going to get on any snap. They line up in that Punt Block look with 8 guys on the LOS and can drop into anything, but you also know you might only have 1.5 seconds to figure it out. And that's what makes these defenses truly tough to decipher within 2-3 seconds. Because even as complicated as they are, all defenses are based on "rules", even complicated ones like Match Quarters. So if you know those rules you know how to send out route patterns to poke holes in it. But all the defense has to do is throw in some basic Cover-6 or Tampa-2 where those rules are flipped on their head and it totally throws off the QB. Again, excellent video. I've been a subscriber for a while - this is one of your best vids IMO. Also I fully agree with having an entirely separate video break down how to run against these Match Quarters looks, especially with the Counter.
This is kind of unrelated to your post but my Highschool team played these same read-and-react schemes almost 15 years ago. How rare would that have been a the time? Its odd to see this be a thing that's finally shutting down NFL Offenses when 16and17 year olds were implementing it to success so long ago. Albeit it did take a bunch of hammering home to trust your assignments and teammates, and like you said when there was a screw up it was big.
@@ATC43 It should work better in high school because offenses aren't nearly as sophisticated as in the NFL. But then again, the guys on defense aren't as smart or athletic either so that cuts both ways. Would be an impressive defense to trot out in high school.
@@CMCFLYYY Our guys were actually pretty undersized, but very smart and all fast so it worked out. Forcing teams to check down to the flats and we all would just rally to tackle got us short of the state finals by 7 points. Looking back it was fairly unique because I dont remember seeing any opposing defensive backs communicating and calling out where number 2 was nearly as much our unit did when on the field. Like they were all playing Cover 2 or man. I think more than anything our Defensive front made it work, in particular the Outside linebackers. If they didnt get their run/pass reads right we would get gashed on counters/zone reads.
My brotha you need to take your knowledge and do something with it. You’ve gotten to the certain level of football where you’re not just learning but are valuable.
"The entire point of these defenses (and that Vikings Cover-0) is to be able to always have enough defenders to match vertical routes, while converting underneath (or blitzing) if their guy doesn't go vertical." Am I wrong to say it sounds like Sluggo routes or something similar (basically faking a shallow route and then going deep) could really exploit this strategy? Of course, the big issue I see is having an O-Line that can buy enough time for it to develop and having a QB with the arm and accuracy to get the ball into a tight but existent window downfield.
Also gotta add that while the injuries for QB1s mount, teams aren't really putting capable replacements behind them either. It took the Browns till December to find Joe Flacco after playing DTR and PJ Walker after Watson officially went out. Many teams are playing younger guys hoping to discover a value QB1/QB2 from the day 3 draft they got. But in reality they aren't ready for these exotic post snap looks especially if the offense gets put on a early pass script. Especially with no working run game to break at the defense playing soft on the box. But also good point on how many of the young guys on defense coming up in the league now have been seeing shotgun RPO stuff since their youth. Some of these QBs are more comfy playing that and if they aren't ready to make the right read post snap on an opportunistic defense, they are getting their bell rung.
The poor play of backups are driven by #2 QBs are selected by their ability to work with the starter. Its not a real backup. They pay the starter $40M they are invested. The backup is there simply to help him prepare not actually see the field. Thats why when you have an entrenched starter with a capable backup there are problems. Often these starters are hand-picking their backups.
Dude your videos are a blessing. I genuinely hate when those media guys just tell you how this guy sucks this year and that guy sucks this year, but they're not even remotely close to understanding why.
This reminds me of what Ray Lewis said one time in an interview when he said the game will always take care of itself. While rules have made it hard for defenses to play the hard hitting ways of the past eventually schemes become designed and with the right personnel you can still have lockdown play w/o taking people’s heads off
One of the best video essays I've seen... on any topic. And I'm not even a big pro football guy. Well done, completely absorbing and comprehensive script + clips + illustrations. This was awesome!!!
Nice video, I love it! As a Spaniard, I have never experienced the game from the inside, so these videos help me a lot, as they offer a clear explanation of advanced concepts such as pattern match schemes.
The point about the NFL (and Football in general) being cyclical is really on-point. I remember watching a PFF video floating the idea that establishing the run was unnecessary because the analytics said that the expected outcome of run plays was so much lower than passing plays. Of course, I'm not going to hold the PFF guys to every take they make, but that one was particularly bad because it ignored the role of counter-play in Football strategy. The very existence of a run game makes your pass game better by making the defense consider more lines of attack when drawing up plays. What this defense shows is that if the league as a whole prioritizes passing for too long, eventually defenses will not only give up scheming the run, they'll also start filling their rosters with linebackers and edge players that are fast and agile enough to be able to cover receivers, punishing the pass even more. In previous decades, these schemes would be hard to pull off, as you had the linebackers like Derrick Thomas who were 20-30lbs heavier than ones today. Not to mention the shift from pure Defensive Ends to Edge Rushers who can drop into coverage.
PFF is numbers and that's all. Not real world. If you play or build your team listening to these guys, you'll be drafting number 1 every year. They are mostly clueless number that don't matter in a real NFL world.
This is why scrambling QBs are so good. Even the best coverage guys struggle when the qb makes his own time and everything breaks down to a scramble drill
Excellent video and explanation. That’s exactly why Eagles fans are screaming to run the ball! Sirianni is enamored with the “explosive” plays and you have given a master class on why he’s failing on offense. Our defense doesn’t communicate well and with so many new defensive players they don’t always know their assignments. In addition to that, they often tackle on the level of first year pee wee players. Baltimore and San Francisco are looking more like they understand the the concepts that you described. Well done video, it was interesting, informative and entertaining.
This is a GREAT breakdown. Reminds me of Ravens / Michigan 2021-present - just smothers and picks apart high octane offenses. “Bend not break” turns into just complete dominance.
I love these videos. As a football junky its hard not to love the way defenses have really seemed to have a leg up this year in certain situations. Keep up the great work. Your content is awesome.
Very nice. I've called 2023 the "return of D" for the NFL. This is the most thorough and clear description of modern defensive concepts that I have seen. It's a great primer for folks that like to watch all of the QB debrief videos out there.
Not to mention the fact that even when they do run the football, it's still always out of a shotgun formation and it's always inside zone, trap, or power, which all have way more potential from under center allowing the RB to find good cuts. Sure, they'll get a steady 4 yards a carry, but rarely will anything break big and it gives the defense no incentive to adjust from the leverage positions they're playing against the pass. The Eagles have all the talent and personnel they need to succeed against these defenses and haven't really been hit by the injury bug the way some other offenses have, but they just keep shooting themselves in the foot with this horrible, efficiency based playcalling they run to death
I just commented the same thing. But so painful man. We would have been lethal under center. Took pressure off hurts and had a two headed monster. What a damn shame
Man, i just found your channel. I learned a ton just from this short video. I love tempo were you explain things fast so I can choose to rewind if I didn't understand the first time. I really don't like videos that drag on too long.
This is so cool. Great breakdown and insights. This definitely enhances the experience for a enthusiast of the game. Also I think it's funny because the pattern matching terms like "box" and "triangle" covers. Like wait which box? No the other box! Good times.
Thank you for talking about this; all season long I've been hearing people whining about how "offense is down, offenses are worse" and every time I reply, usually to someone unwilling to listen, that it's not that offenses are worse, it's that defenses are finally, *finally*, at long last, catching back up to offenses and adjusting to the way the game is played now, whether that's accounting for rules that have previously made defenders' jobs harder, to figuring out counters to an explosion in offensive variety over the last decade or two. This was always going to happen sooner or later, and I hope the NFL doesn't panic and slap down another suite of rule changes to "stimulate offense." Defenses being able to keep up and gum up offenses is a good thing. If I wanted to see endless rounds of scoring, I'd watch basketball.
The offenses are 100% worse. Don't get me wrong, there are some great defenses but with how much the NFL is geared toward offense, no defense can effectively and completely shut down the offense without the offense making mistakes. Qb's overall are worse and not as accurate as the legends of the past 2 decades, RB's suck, and receivers drop way too many catchable balls. Add all that up and you get terrible offenses which results in defenses looking better than they are. A great defense will definitely be able to cause problems for a great offense, but there is only a few teams with a great defense yet all the offenses across the league are struggling even when they run into an average defense. This shows that there is problems with offenses more than defenses are so good. For example, Packers defense shuts down Chiefs and then gets blown up by Giants and gives up 30 to Panthers.
@@tomatoisnotafruit5670 On the contrary, middling QBs in today's league are far better than their equivalents ever were in previous decades; the floor of QB play has risen significantly, as anyone that watched the NFL before 2010 can attest. Pre-2010, a 60% completion rate was considered pretty decent for a middle-of-the-road starter; now it's considered barely acceptable for a back-up. While perhaps the top QBs now aren't as great as the most recent wave of legends who retired, that's largely due to an experience gap; the next generation of elite QBs are in their late twenties in a position that tends to get better with age and experience. Even then, the number of perfect QBR games is still climbing, and every week it seems there's at least one QB completing 80% of their 20+ pass attempts. As for RBs being worse? Nonsense. RB's don't put up the numbers they used to, that's true, but that's because of multiple factors: the first is that RBs are increasingly asked to run out of formations (shotgun, mostly) not well-suited to the run (if you don't believe this matters look at the Bills and what made their run game dramatically better late in this season), behind offensive lines increasingly optimized for pass blocking, and being forced to split carries as RBbC becomes the norm, because there are so many capable RBs that teams keep several; this is also part of why RB's basically can't get paid, which also leads to the top of the position becoming worse because guys who would have been elite RB's in earlier decades play WR now because the get hit less and paid better. As for WR play... The level of WR play has never been better, league-wide; most teams have a WR who would have been considered at least pretty good, if not elite, pre-2010. There's never been more true WR1's running around than now, some of them on the same teams. The volume of drops is attributable, in large part, to more throws, and QBs willing to attempt them into tighter windows and coverage than before. Some guys are having down years, true, but league-wide WR play is at least as good as it's ever been. No, the reason for the slow in offensive acceleration is that defenses have adapted, both schematically and in terms of personnel, from the defenses faced by the Draft Class of 2004, as techniques have been developed and perfected by LBs and DBs to play the pass after traditional coverage skills basically became automatic penalties, after a whole generation of kids have come up playing the more aerial game the spread, Air Raid, and the class of elite QBs pushed forward, from childhood, and coordinators have adjusted to QBs who can read defenses better than ever, by improving their disguises and how they design their defenses. The defense was always going to catch back up, short of the NFL continuously putting their thumbs on the scale in the offense's favor (which, to be clear, would be bad for the game).
Thx for the great vid. There is too much shotgun formation on early downs. Teams don’t run the ball well enough. Run blocking is an art. The qb needs to be under center more.
I loved seeing how simply you were able to break down these complex defensive responsibilities. Watching modern defenses fly around can be dizzying to try and comprehend.
I am a first-year NFL fan (go Browns!) and your video helped me so much! Now I understand this offence-defence dynamics much better and even get some nuances in defensive tactics
Excellent breakdown. Really excellent. And peripherally, a window into the struggles of the Jaguars and Eagles offenses seemingly in particular -- nothing under center, slow developing bubble screens, and a lack of physicality in/dedication to the inside run game. And of course, in the Jaguars case, a hobbled QB for half the year. You could watch this plus Kollman's critique of the Eagles' issues and have all you'd really need to understand what happened this year. Awesome job man.
If I never see another low-effort inside run zone from shotgun, it'll have been too soon. Way too much shotgun in the NFL today, and too many zone reads and shotgun playfakes in general. They aren't effective, and they're boring and ugly. You have to have an under center run game to have a true play action game, in my opinion. HOWEVER I will say that the weakness of these deeper zone defenses is obviously the run game, and that why we've seen the run game exploding in the NFL.
@@PlaySA Definitely. But you know what’s even worse than inside zone from the gun? Outside zone. Arc is way too wide, no momentum. Not good either way, agree on all this.
Good video. In the context of having watched the NFL since the early 80s, you can see one of the few overall reversals of fortune for defense league wide in the last 25 years. If it wasn't for a ton of ambiguous illegal contact, holding, and the various roughing penalties, this would be even more pronounced. I'm convinced that illegal contact could be called on 80 percent of all passing downs in the NFL. The rule book is really hurting the league. Too many judgement calls not enforced uniformly. Injuries continue to mystify me though... The game is suffering a great deal more injuries than ever before and yet it's not as brutal as it was in the past. Over training muscles to the determent of ligaments/tendons? Maybe...
@@stebo5562 Faster and stronger. Beyond the ability of ligments and tendons to a lessen extent. I think this is the problem and the next revolution in sports performance will be how to mitigate it. Same issue with pitchers in baseball.
I think it's mainly youth sports fault. They are having kids cut and juke and all that crap at a young age where tendons and ligaments are still developing. The human body at that age isn't built for the forces applied and excerted at that age, therefore creating more damage to the tendons and ligaments before a more developed foundation in tendon/ligament health is laid
The increase in injuries is most likely due to the increase in high speed collisions that come from players being faster than ever and offenses designed to get their play makers with the ball out in space.
Just glad Cover 4/6 is getting more usage again. Game is pass heavy now, which also means more running lanes for RBs. However RBs aren’t being use the same way like they used to be.
I think the power RB will make a comeback this decade with how small these coverage LBs are getting. Being able to pound the rock will also be a great reminder to defenses that they have to earn the right to rush the passer.
@@samuelault4723There are a few power backs with serious production in the last decade. There's Derrick Henry (9,349 yds/8 seasons), Ezekiel Elliot (8,850 yds/8 seasons), Latavius Murray (6,552 yds/10 seasons) and Nick Chubb (6,511 yds/6 seasons). The oft-injured Saquon Barkley might qualify, but not if you're looking for the next true fullback, someone who gets at least 100 carries per season. They say Mike Alstott was the last one, and there is not another Czonka, Bettis, Steven Jackson, Eddie George, etc. appearing in the first three rounds of the draft in the near future. Walter Payton was a power back at 205 lbs., but offenses were still run-based in his day and ready for that special player who could handle 250+ carries per season. Emmitt Smith wasn't particularly big (221 lbs.) but could break that first tackle more often than not. How could Beast Mode not enter the chat, the only player other than Adrian Peterson with at least six 1,000 yd. seasons since 2007? Considering QBs are now expected to run for first downs when necessary or possible, homes for power backs are growing fewer all the time. For the last 20 drafts (2004-23), just 42 running backs over 230 lbs. have been drafted: stathead.com/tiny/pf1Jb That's two per season, and just two since 2018 (AJ Dillon, Najee Harris). I once shook the hand of Larry Czonka, and his fist seemed as big as a cantaloupe. The only player on that Dolphins offense of the early 1970s who was noticeably bigger was guard Larry Little (265 lbs). A different world and different game 50 years ago.
I think the lack of quality QBs is also a big problem. I don’t remember watching the NFL and seeing so many below average guys. I’m not just talking about backups. Even the QB1 on a lot of teams suck. Brady was right about the lack of player development and poor coaching
Facts, growing up we had Manning and Brady but we also had Rothlisberger, Brees, Philp Rivers, Aaron Rogers, Carson Palmer, etc. Better than most starting QBs today in my humble opinion.
But Mahomes struggles. Burrow struggled befor his injury. Hurts struggles. Allen is having a poor year. Brock Purdy crumbles when options are denied. What I suspect is that the days of the almighty QB able to generate TDs out of nothing by himself are over. Now Qbs have to rely on the IQ and finesse of all their weapons. In short, they now all have to be smart!
@@jeanfourcade Mahomes struggles I feel are exaggerated. He's doing a lot of heavy lifting this season with Chiefs issues on tackles play, receiver quality and in part putting more pressure on Pacheco help set up the offense. Burrow was dogged with his hamstring deal but after that he was looking great until he was taken out for the season. Hurts is struggling in part due to bad play calling/design that makes it harder for him and his star teammates to make efficient plays. Balance has always been needed to crack at opportunistic defenses. And getting around situations where they are at their best such as late passing downs where they can hide those looks.
Thanks for good coverage of the current defensive meta. The counter to pattern matching zone is pre- and post-snap motion, lots of motion. That makes the defensive reads much harder. Mike McDaniel and Kyle Shanahan are the major proponents of this, along with others in Kyle's coaching tree like Sean McVay.
Love this video, defence is my favourite part of football and I feel never gets enough attention as offence. I find football gets boring when teams just run up and down the field with no resistance and the scores are 45-42. It’s nice to see the defences getting the edge again after all the rule changes to benefit offence like rouging the passer and pass interference.
Thank you. Brilliant presentation, as usual. Now I understand why the Mahomes-Kelce act has become suddenly so sterile, allowing Pacheco to emerge as their Nr 1 weapon. A lot is said about the Chiefs deficient WRs, but at the same time I see why Mahomes has been looking hesitant and confused so often this season, like a man coming back to his hometown and not recognizing his surroundings (same for Burrow before his injury, btw). Happy and prosperous NY to you all.
Kelce has been slowed by those WRs being sub par. Defenses can focus on him more. Rashee Rice has emerged though as a rookie. Even in a down year with the most drops by any WR core since 2017 Mahomes is still in the top ten in almost every category.
Excellent video! I hope you get a chance to take a look at the Rose Bowl film here as I think we saw some things from both Michigan in the natty run as well as out of Ben Johnson in Detroit and Kyle Shanahan in the Super Bowl that are going to play heavily in leading the next evolution in football. Not only is it the ability to heavily run the ball, but in using pattern-match systems against themselves to clear out short routes over the middle, especially when using big personnel sets to generate switch releases in places defenses are not expecting to have to handle them.
This is some very in-depth analysis my man. I love how you highlighted what has changed and been adapted to across the league. You gained a subscriber!
One result of offenses falling in love so much with "mobile" QBs and adopting so much college game in spread, RPOs, QB runs, etc. is a massive decline in top tier QB play, a lot of QBs who read their primary and bail the pocket. The advantage of old school, under center pro style offenses is they have a constant supply of answers as the play develops, with a talented QB able to work through his reads in 2.5 seconds and reset with receivers coming open late but still in structure. The option game leaves a lot of dead routes if the initial option is closed off, receivers with no plan but scramble drill. QB play is at the lowest level of the past 25+ years and QBs aren't developing the skills they need to carve up these defenses.
Good point. I would add that decline in OL play goes hand in hand w declining QB play. Who knows which is chicken & which is egg but it's cool to see defenses adapting & pushing back in relatively little time. God bless football 🏈🏈
@@nasMFkhanit’s all a result of the college scheme where college coaches are trying to maximize the talent they have. College coaches are paid to win games with the players they have. Not develop nfl skills
Exactly right. In general, Zone hybrid concepts aren’t new. They just didn’t really don’t work that well when a smart, decently protected QB has a chance to make his 2nd and 3rd read and his receivers are coached up on stretching the zone. It works like a mousetrap on a shaky young QB who’s going to force his first read or run for it.
Is this trend why mobile QBs have become so valuable? Having a quarterback who can run or scramble well on top of the other elite traits can nullify some of the strengths modern defenses have, as a mobile QB can run for yards, or find open spots if they plan with receivers to redirect to now open spots.
As Tim Ryan said "With a great mobile QB you have to defend two plays. The play that's called and then the school yard play that happens when the first play doesn't work"
Mobile quarterbacks are 90 percent FOOLS GOLD for those who dont understand the game. Jackson is an exception to a hard rule. Great passers WIN CHAMPIONSHIPS regardless of mobility. BRADY 7 2 MANNINGS 4 MAHOMES 2 FOLES 1 ROETHLISBERGER 2 Rodgers 1 Flacco 1. Yes some of these quarterbacks had mobility. Some very little to none at all. But ALL THESE QBS WERE PASS FIRST
This and the decline in offensive line play over time. It’s almost a necessity as a QB to be able to escape the pocket because defensive linemen nowadays are so athletic and there aren’t enough quality O-linemen to block them
@@bnegs521except most the guys you listed won those rings a decade,or more, ago and did it behind great offensive lines. The players playing the game have changed.
Sir, this is too informative and detailed, EA's head will exploded trying to implant this at any point in Madden. Seriously though, this is extremely detailed info
@@tylerchamberlain7511 right, because a game where the defense allows you to scramble around infinitely if you know how to glitch it along with the same cheese plays that work every time, plenty of videos showing it over the years. Concepts can be there, the AI isn’t and if the AI is worth a damn, it’ll never execute them properly
@@hockeyfan1799 yep, I’ve never played a Madden game, the achievements/trophies in my old consoles that popped when I played it never existed apparently nor the old 2005 copy I still have. You can stop sucking off EA. The game is terrible from every aspect and the only reason it’s the only pro football game around now was because they bought the rights to do so when 2k made a superior game a sold it for less. But yep, I’ve never played a Madden or have no history of the franchise
Could getting bigger and stronger help offenses counter these defenses? Perhaps lining up with two Fullbacks and two TEs to dominate the shallow middle of the field?
Ive been screaming that at my TV all year. lol. Not sure if it would work, in Indy we could use one of our huge tight ends to follow Big Q get 5 yard deep holes. Maybe. Maybe not.
@@robertmcdowell3769 The Colts would be a great team to give such a strategy a try. Force the defense to stack the box and then burn them outside with Pittman or Pierce.
Amazing breakdown showcasing what the best defenses are doing and the perfect highlight to how the league has addressed the "always in shotgun" offenses. Every offense that has shown up gets a year or two before defenses catch on, but the offense is already committed to a style of play based on the weapons and QB. The interesting part will be finding QB's who can actually play well under center, as it seems colleges are running more shotgun than ever. You have also highlighted the largest change in team personnel since the, almost completely, removal of the FB. I formation is rare outside of goal line or 3TE looks and you do not even see the older west coast style Near and Far offsets anymore. I wonder when someone will pull out the old Bill Walsh west coast near/far/offset I and implement it to circle the league back around and confuse/negate these types coverages. Closest thing to a throwback I formation was Baltimore with young Lamar, grinding yards and wearing down teams. Great breakdown OP.
Makes me think of a few years ago when offenses starting using motion just about every play to pick up whether the defense was in man or zone and use that advantage. The game has a lot of ebb and flow of offensive and defensive scheming. Quarterbacks started getting more mobile, defenses got faster with edge rushers. Love to see it
@@AlexTSilver Young guys competiting for a nfl contract, playing in front of a bunch of die hard fans in traditional stadiums, great atmospheres, etc. It doesn't get any better than that. Majority of NFL players don't even give effort anymore because their paid so much money
@@stacc_8334I don’t think that’s true because we have all-22 video and football players only need to try for 6 seconds at a time. The problem with basketball and other sports is you gotta move every second. The nature of football allows players to basically go all out every play. I’m sure the playoffs bring the effort level up a notch like all sports. But I don’t see people in the nfl half assing things much. Maybe they used to. You’re playing for your 2nd contract a lot of the time too.
One thing they do that not enough teams do is actually value off-ball linebackers and safeties. Having guys like Roquan, Queen, and Hamilton who can make plays from sideline to sideline and either blow up underneath routes or clog up the middle of the field makes it harder for teams to rely on quick, easy throws to beat them.
I’ve been watching football for years. Honestly, I never really picked up on all these cues. Thanks for breaking them down. It really makes the game that much more interesting.
Fangio himself is solid because he was more consistent than most of his disciples in implementing and adapting his defense. Flores' defenses were always a strong measuring stick of how well an opposing offense can adjust. Elite offenses always got around to his man coverages and pressure looks.
Awesome video. I notice the video itself is a good metric for success this year. You see a lot of the Baltimore and SF defenses, but almost none of their offenses.
Good analysis. I don't see this as a problem. The NFL has tilted the rules in favor of the offense for years. It should not surprise anyone that the defenses have adapted. Add to that the large amount of starting QBs that have missed games and it only makes the problem worse. It's such a QB dependent league now, you have seen the results when backups get into games. There is a reason they are backups. Offences have to adapt as well. Maybe that means changing how they do things and forcing the defenses to adapt to them rather than the other way around.
This is exactly how I feel this year. Sure you have some anomalies (Dolphins/Broncos) but something felt off this season and I couldn't put my finger on. Good video.
I just found your channel, a very brilliant take on the game. I'm old school, never played football, so devised my own names etc. This was very easy to following along with, if one just focuses a bit, and I agree with much of what you said, save a couple things. I think the exploit, of which is basically the old Walsh west coast defense, (quick snap, quick hit, take what they give you), is even more dangerous that you mentioned. Have you seen these... what I call, "pocket" plays- where receivers and TE's are totally alone, with 3 defenders around, PAST first down markers, if short plays? I've NO idea wtf that is, but I've seen monster plays develop out of them... then the converse- where these guys have gotten so good at coverage, they are RIGHT THERE, and yet we're seeing some pin-point accuracy,.. and it HAS to be, or it's 6 the other way. You helped explain some of this, and maybe I'm just catching some of the games where this is more prevailant that others.. but those "pocket" plays are gonna lead to some big things if they don't tighten those up. Then there's my main pissing point about the NFL circa 2010's & on- The "Running QB". Sure, there's some times where a QB will need to run- but these used to be a rarity. The NFL got the wild hair up their ass that the league would be SO much better, with running QBs. I called BS back then, (and even earlier- they just weren't pushing it like they began to), and I call BS now. If people focus on the yes on some of these guys, they're NOT just scanning and checking down.. they're LOOKING FOR RUNNING LANES. Now, they may be more advanced these days- but they're not THAT advanced. Great, they get the first down. Fine. Great, they get a big run. Wonderful- crowds cheering... et al. SO WHAT. Football IS, has always BEEN, and will always BE, a TEAM SPORT. Running QBs, ALL of them, develop what I call the "Hero Complex". Do you know how many games have been LOST- even though the QB has 150 damn yards rushing, by these types of people? QB's are LEADERS first & foremost. They GUIDE their teams, they're NOT running backs, even though they can run. They are the generals on the battlefield. They MUST be thinking constantly, about EVERYONE ELSE, NEVER themselves. THIS is what makes GREAT QB's. LEGENDARY QBs. Not "Running QB's... But the NFL wants that so desperately? I believe several of these defensive schemes? Have been created to specifically CAUSE QB's to run. To CAUSE the "Hero Complex" to take over? To through teams off their games. It may not always work? But it works enough. Who ever thought we'd see Mahomes going ballistic? I thought the guy composed for the most part- but when the drops begin? We've all seen what he does, takes off running. Most of them do now. And what happens when your general isn't leading his troops, but is showing off on the front lines? People are getting HURT. Running QB's get hurt. Because football is a TEAM SPORT. These players are each given a specific position for a reason, and they're professionally trained to EXCEL THERE. Running QB's might be fine for college- home of "anything goes". It's college. There's not NFL money/pressure on the line. I think if more QB's did their LEADERSHIP ROLE as it's meant to be played, run that "West Coast"? They'll smoke these new defenses, just as often as they can shut them down on the longer side of things. They change dis, dat, and de odder ting, in order to PROTECT QB's and players... what happens? MORE get injured. Because they're not playing all-out. They're pulling punches, and many times get penalized for doing so, because these Refs are NOT super human, they cannot see at super-high speed, how they guy rolled his back to NOT lead with his shoulder up on, as in that Pittsburg game a couple weeks back. And I've this sick feeling the officiating system is broken as well. There are still a few good ones. But NOT enough. Sorry to drop so many words on my first post- but venting had to be done. Feel free to rip it all apart- I love discussion and debate.. because, uh, I'm an American, it's what we do, and why we EXCEL.
Aw man you giving away the game. I remember I used to run cover 6 ALL the time when I used to play madden online because comparatively to cover 3 it's like the difference between looking through a clear class of water(cover 3) and looking through a glass of milk. It looks similar but it operates on different principles and responsibilities that most casual football players don't take the time to learn. Especially with the defensive adjustments you can make to your front 7 and secondary, and usering the mike, it gets really ugly when you run into people who's only gameplan is air it out, which is most of the madden community. Great video. The cover 0 was something I hadn't payed much attention to but great breakdown on why it's so effective at stifling modern offenses. I'll be looking out for that next season.
I think this is one of your best videos! I wish you did a couple of those coverages in an all-22 look and slowed down, maybe draw an arrow. It's kind of hard to decipher what I should be looking at. Props to the QBs! I also didn't know what "deliver" meant or why that's different than passing off a player to the safety (deliver just means to linebacker instead?)
What helped me understand pattern match is help-side defensive or switching in Basketball, but a lot harder when dudes run sub 4.5s and there's lots of open grass
It's a fascinating Chess match. The answer is to go more run heavy, bringing back the "2 Back" back field. Pro and I formations. Hell, you could even go Power I with 3 backs to help block those LBs reading run. Of course that will create a new defensive scheme to try to counter the new offensive approach. This back and forth of Defensive and Offensive schemes has been going on in the NFL for decades. Great video!!!
Just discovered your channel and I am liking what I am seeing. One suggestion is to add numbers to your video. How often are these defensive schemes being used in a game? How effective are these new defensive strategies?
I’m a go player in addition to a big football fan (look up go game or go baduk game if you don’t know what that is) and it’s always cool to see how this beautiful carousel of offensive and defensive technique (and strategy) shift with what’s in fashion, and develop on a small delay that has to do with what players have seen in the context of the tactics and strategies employed during their upbringing in the sport
Pattern matching was always an essential part of split-field coverages. Quarters is just the first defensive coverage built from the ground up on pattern-match principles.
