I didn’t understand that defensive formation at all. I would rather send those 4 guys at the QB rather than giving him time to load up on a Hail Mary heave. I don’t like how we’ll often have one defensive lineman “rushing” the QB in those situations. For what reason? Just a wasted pylon. Seems like there is an opportunity to have some exotic blitzes drawn up.
I think the light bulbs will start to kick on at some point with Sheppard this year. It’s early yet. Getting a less than 100% Branch will still be a major boost to that much maligned secondary, giving Shepp’s focus some breathing room.
I understand the formation and the thinking behind it. I also understand why the coaches are being “vague” in the way they answer questions about it.
I understand the formation with 10 seconds to go. I don’t understand it with 3 seconds to go.
Understand the formation, not the personnel
Why not just run all dbs and lbs out there in that formation?
This. I’d personally rush more than one guy to not give the QB time to stand there all day, but this was my feeling as well.
At first I thought it was crazy… But those sideline defenders ended up at the endzone too. They sprinted deep too.
The issue with rushing 4 on a hail mary is they better get heat or else you may be limited deep.
So I have changed my opinion after watching the play again.
NFL teams watch personnel groupings like prisoners watch prison guards. They notice everything, because that is all they do every day.
Keeping predictable personnel and running a completely different strategy is the brilliance of the approach. AG ran the same defense against the Bears at the end of the half, and Hutch got an interception. Nobody complained when that happened. In this game we ran it twice in a row, and it was successful both times. It was an “I love you" and '“F-U" to AG both times we ran it.
This is not your everyday analogy.
There is something to this point for sure. I remember bill belichek playing 4d chess back in the day by using weird personnel groups and other situational things to break the analytics.
The difference was there were 7 seconds to go in the half in the Chicago game. Chicago was trying to hit the sideline so they could get within field goal range. The Jets did not have that luxury. They needed a Hail Mary touchdown with 3 seconds on the clock. There’s zero reason to put any defenders along the sidelines under those circumstances. Even a 5 yard out runs the risk of burning through 3 seconds.
I prefer 2 cb and 2 des.
I’d line up 3 on the qbs right side to make him throw against his body.
Meeks and Tesla in endzone with 4 dbs and Campbell.