Danny Kelly is a Talent

Trrrroy

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http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2013/3/6/40 ... ell-wilson

Fantastic article covering the need for modern defenses to change in order to cope with the read-option.

So, ultimately, how do you stop the read option?
Cover Corners and Speedy Safeties
Because there is a numerical advantage given to the offense in how things run, the most likely solution involves dropping an additional safety into the box. As seen above, keeping four defenders back (two safeties/two corners) can create problems in the run game as your front-seven gets beat. Bringing one of those safeties into the box neutralizes the numbers game somewhat but here's the rub:
Your cornerbacks better be strong in press and man-to-man, and your deep safety better have range to cover the deep-middle of the field.

Sounds like we're set for a while.
 

SmokinHawk

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When we went to cover-1 press man as our base defense, it was in preparation for the read option offenses creeping into the NFL. We have been in great position to defend this kind of play for a long time now, and will likely be the best in the NFL at stopping it this season.
 

HawkGA

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I thought I read somewhere that the best way to stop the read option was with zone defense? Not saying I agree (I'm not football smart enough to know one way or the other and also, I hate the zone), just thought I read/heard that somewhere.
 

Scottemojo

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The question of how to stop the read option is an easy one, getting the talent that can do it is not. (Though I agree, Kelly is a talented writer)

Just watch Kaepernick roll left on a read option in our red zone. Just as he gets ready to make his cut, Earl Thomas flies in and takes it away. the play gets stretched out, and Kaepernick ends the play gaining one yard while having been flattened by Branch. Point is, even though Earl didn't make the tackle, he made the play. A play maybe 5 other safeties in the league would or can make. Earlier in the game, it was Kam destroying Gore on a read option. Our safeties and edge playmakers are the real deal, our coaching staff and middle linebacker have a lot of experience going against spread option teams, and we are one of the few teams in the league who is ahead of the curve on stopping the spread option. The 3 points we gave up to the Panthers offense, the 13 to the Niners, and the 14 to the RacistSkins is proof.

The rest of the league is freaking out about this, and we don't have to. Nice, isn't it?
 
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Trrrroy

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HawkGA":3ti2fyvd said:
I thought I read somewhere that the best way to stop the read option was with zone defense? Not saying I agree (I'm not football smart enough to know one way or the other and also, I hate the zone), just thought I read/heard that somewhere.

That's not for the read-option necessarily, but more for the running QB. Take GB vs. SF in the playoffs. GB kept running man-to-man and Kaep kept running, not by play design, but because so much of the field was left open.
 

kearly

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I haven't read Kelly's article yet, but man coverage isn't the key to containing read option, zone coverage is. If you go with man coverage and they send their recievers deep, you typically wont have any protection from a 20 yard run. And if it's Kaepernick, maybe a 60 yard run. You could assign a "spy" of course, but that also means you are losing a defender on a pass play. Zone coverage sucks for covering, but is good for turnovers and provides natural protection against mobile QBs. If a QB runs against a zone coverage, he's usually getting under five yards. I think this is why we saw Seattle go so heavily in favor of zone late in the season despite having mostly press/man coverage type talent in the back seven.

Scottemojo":2vo3wq3h said:
The question of how to stop the read option is an easy one, getting the talent that can do it is not. (Though I agree, Kelly is a talented writer)

Just watch Kaepernick roll left on a read option in our red zone. Just as he gets ready to make his cut, Earl Thomas flies in and takes it away. the play gets stretched out, and Kaepernick ends the play gaining one yard while having been flattened by Branch. Point is, even though Earl didn't make the tackle, he made the play. A play maybe 5 other safeties in the league would or can make. Earlier in the game, it was Kam destroying Gore on a read option. Our safeties and edge playmakers are the real deal, our coaching staff and middle linebacker have a lot of experience going against spread option teams, and we are one of the few teams in the league who is ahead of the curve on stopping the spread option. The 3 points we gave up to the Panthers offense, the 13 to the Niners, and the 14 to the RacistSkins is proof.

The rest of the league is freaking out about this, and we don't have to. Nice, isn't it?

Lol. So true. Yes it is.
 

pehawk

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Is it possible to do a man-zone hybrid, to protect against wasting BB and Sherm's strengths?
 

kearly

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They switched between both last season during games. They went very zone heavy late in the year, but they still ran both.
 

pehawk

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I mean, run man coverage with zone concepts.
 

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