The cushion and turnovers

[12intheBox]

Someone on this forum posted a theory about why the Rams have this bend but not break style cushion on defense. I can't find the thread to give whoever said it credit - but I'm hoping he or she will raise a paw here.

The theory - as I best recall - was this.

The Rams D is playing for turnovers and they are willing to give up yardage to do it. They want to keep the ball in front of them and make a play to strip it - or generally put a helmet on it when it arrives.

I'm sure I'm not doing the theory full justice with this paraphrase but it has stuck with me. I keep thinking about a drill I saw at camp where the secondary was practicing these thumper hits. Not a single player was wrapping up or even trying to do so - they were coming in like missiles - each and every one of them. For a while I thought this was about hitting hard - but it's more than that. They are hawking the ball on every play.

Remember week 2 (I think) when they completed a pass and Jenkins came up and really just missed the guy who turned the other way for 5 more yards? I think Jenkins was doing as he was coached there.

We saw the philosophy work against Az with the Fitz fumble. Same thing - McLeod comes in like a heat seeker straight for the ball - showing very little regard for wrapping up Larry.

 

[ChrisW]

Someone on this forum posted a theory about why the Rams have this bend but not break style cushion on defense. I can't find the thread to give whoever said it credit - but I'm hoping he or she will raise a paw here.

The theory - as I best recall - was this.

The Rams D is playing for turnovers and they are willing to give up yardage to do it. They want to keep the ball in front of them and make a play to strip it - or generally put a helmet on it when it arrives.

I'm sure I'm not doing the theory full justice with this paraphrase but it has stuck with me. I keep thinking about a drill I saw at camp where the secondary was practicing these thumper hits. Not a single player was wrapping up or even trying to do so - they were coming in like missiles - each and every one of them. For a while I thought this was about hitting hard - but it's more than that. They are hawking the ball on every play.

Remember week 2 (I think) when they completed a pass and Jenkins came up and really just missed the guy who turned the other way for 5 more yards? I think Jenkins was doing as he was coached there.

We saw the philosophy work against Az with the Fitz fumble. Same thing - McLeod comes in like a heat seeker straight for the ball - showing very little regard for wrapping up Larry.

I think I saw somewhere, be it here or another board where @jrry32 summed the scheme up.

Basically we play off coverage to limit chunk plays. We give up yardage in the hopes that a sack or a penalty will stall a drive for the opposing offense. This is why we dominate when we get ahead, because teams are forced to go for bigger, longer developing plays and that plays right into our strengths.

 

[yrba1]

Works pretty well but I would like to see us mix up our defense with tight coverage in certain situations. Rodgers is gonna take advantage of the short passes this week if we play with cushions and knowing his red zone efficiency, that's going to be a bad idea.

Hope we throw the wrench in the first half by playing tight coverage to give our pass rushers enough time to rattle Rodgers. Then we can play cushions once he adjusts to deep throws but that's just an oversimplification of the gameplan.

 

[A.J. Hicks]

Rodgers is going to be such a tough match up for us. We cannot get behind fast

 

[LesBaker]

Rodgers is going to be such a tough match up for us. We cannot get behind fast

I agree and said the same damn thing, the Rams cannot get down double digits and then have to get away form the game plan. Not on the road against that team, and that QB.

 

[RamBall]

I think I saw somewhere, be it here or another board where @jrry32 summed the scheme up.

Basically we play off coverage to limit chunk plays. We give up yardage in the hopes that a sack or a penalty will stall a drive for the opposing offense. This is why we dominate when we get ahead, because teams are forced to go for bigger, longer developing plays and that plays right into our strengths.

Maybe deploy a similar gameplan as the Denver game last yr, give them the shallow middle then thump em. But the Rams do need to play a bit tighter on the outside to blow up the quick screen.

 

[12intheBox]

Hopefully - if whoever had this theory was right - it isn't an every game philosophy and instead is used only on teams more likely to give up the ball on these kind of hits.

There is no book on Rodgers - no one had figured out how to shut him down. But we can take a look at his weapons and realize where their offensive limitations are.

This is a game where I would dare them to beat me deep. They haven't found a deep threat at WR with Jordy out, their O Line is beat up, and our front 4 may be fast enough to stay w Rodgers and not let him scramble to buy more time.

 

[A.J. Hicks]

I agree and said the same damn thing, the Rams cannot get down double digits and then have to get away form the game plan. Not on the road against that team, and that QB.

I'll be interested to see (if we win the coin flip) whether we defer or take the ball.

We have to gang tackle Lacy when he gets the ball and we have to pressure Rodgers. But we have to pressure Rodgers similar to how we pressure Wilson - close the whole pocket around him. Rodgers is an escape artist. Not to mention the guys unbelievable arm and smarts.

Rodgers almost never gets flustered. He'll just keep coming at you.

We need our Offense to help us a lot in this game. Hopefully Cignetti has a great game plan!

We all know that Williams will need a great game plan as well. I look to see Barron and Joyner coming off the edge a lot, attacking those tackles.

 

[LesBaker]

I'll be interested to see (if we win the coin flip) whether we defer or take the ball.

We have to gang tackle Lacy when he gets the ball and we have to pressure Rodgers. But we have to pressure Rodgers similar to how we pressure Wilson - close the whole pocket around him. Rodgers is an escape artist. Not to mention the guys unbelievable arm and smarts.

Rodgers almost never gets flustered. He'll just keep coming at you.

We need our Offense to help us a lot in this game. Hopefully Cignetti has a great game plan!

We all know that Williams will need a great game plan as well. I look to see Barron and Joyner coming off the edge a lot, attacking those tackles.

Win the toss and take the ball. Why give Rodgers the first shot? I'd rather see a long drive by the Rams where they push the Packers defense around and mix up plays to keep them off balance.

I do not want to give the Packers any advantage at all LOL.

 

[DR RAM]

Bend, not break, is not a new theory, or practice, for it has been around forever. I don't remember the originator of it, but I do know the theory. The theory, was based on stats, and turnovers. You let your opponent make the mistake, by the amount of plays they have to make in a drive. All the while, your defense is designed, not to give up any big plays. Not to be mistaken, for prevent defense.

Our defense, does just that, and it was realized fully, when we stiffened up in the red zone. There is less area to cover, in the red zone, it's easier to defend. We take it a step further, by ratcheting up the pressure, on the QB. Pressure, and patience, in this theory, will lead to turnovers, or punts, or only yield FG's in the red zone. The better our safeties play, the better our defense will be. Obviously, there are a lot of moving parts, and pressure means just as much, as disguising coverages.

It doesn't work well, if you still give up big plays, or the offense, executes well, and consistently. We pressure up front, and are cautious, and hopefully smart, on the back end. It's not based on us causing turnovers, specifically, but by the other team, making any kind of mistake, and us capitalizing, on those mistakes. Which, why it is huge, when our defense doesn't execute, by dropping an INT, for instance.

 

[jrry32]

I think I saw somewhere, be it here or another board where @jrry32 summed the scheme up.

Basically we play off coverage to limit chunk plays. We give up yardage in the hopes that a sack or a penalty will stall a drive for the opposing offense. This is why we dominate when we get ahead, because teams are forced to go for bigger, longer developing plays and that plays right into our strengths.

I built off of what @CoachO was saying. Can't take all the credit haha.

 

[LACHAMP46]

I'd be very nervous playing like this with Rodgers...It's assuming he'll make a mistake, or one of his receivers will....

 

[A.J. Hicks]

Win the toss and take the ball. Why give Rodgers the first shot? I'd rather see a long drive by the Rams where they push the Packers defense around and mix up plays to keep them off balance.

I do not want to give the Packers any advantage at all LOL.

I feel the same, in ways.

We've seen how our offense has started and if we do that giving the ball to Rodgers with no points on the board. . . also affording them the opportunity to have the ball at the start of the second half.

 

[CGI_Ram]

Someone on this forum posted a theory about why the Rams have this bend but not break style cushion on defense. I can't find the thread to give whoever said it credit - but I'm hoping he or she will raise a paw here.

The theory - as I best recall - was this.

The Rams D is playing for turnovers and they are willing to give up yardage to do it. They want to keep the ball in front of them and make a play to strip it - or generally put a helmet on it when it arrives.

I'm sure I'm not doing the theory full justice with this paraphrase but it has stuck with me. I keep thinking about a drill I saw at camp where the secondary was practicing these thumper hits. Not a single player was wrapping up or even trying to do so - they were coming in like missiles - each and every one of them. For a while I thought this was about hitting hard - but it's more than that. They are hawking the ball on every play.

Remember week 2 (I think) when they completed a pass and Jenkins came up and really just missed the guy who turned the other way for 5 more yards? I think Jenkins was doing as he was coached there.

We saw the philosophy work against Az with the Fitz fumble. Same thing - McLeod comes in like a heat seeker straight for the ball - showing very little regard for wrapping up Larry.

This was probably the thread;

http://www.ramsondemand.com/threads/why-do-we-play-so-much-off-coverage.40219/

 

[Rmfnlt]

I'm OK with the bend but don't break, as long as it works (duh). But it is hard to watch because we seem to let the opponent march down to the 20 fairly easily. Makes me drink more beer!

As far as playing off WRs so we can hit them hard and jar the ball loose, I am not a fan of that. I've seen too many examples of our guys trying that and not wrapping up the player, who moves past them for more yardage.

I'd prefer fundamentally sound tackling in the bend but don't break.