[CBFF] TDZ: Protecting Rex Grossman

[Steve Behrens]

Yeah, I saw that out there a couple days before the game.  I took it as the
author wanted to make sure the Bears opponents knew exactly what he thought
they needed to plan against to beat us....   ;-)

-Behr




On 1/12/07, mactbone <mactbone0 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>
> I know this won't get through right, so you really should check it out at
> http://www.footballoutsiders.com/2007/01/11/ramblings/too-deep-zone/4822/there are diagrams and everything.
> TDZ: Protecting Rex Grossman
> 1/11/2007
> by Mike Tanier
> Rex Grossman's hot-and-cold performance was one of the major subplots in
> the NFL this season. After playing well in his first five games, Grossman
> endured a seven-game stretch in which he mixed competent performances with
> some of the worst games a quarterback has had in recent memory. He bottomed
> out in Week 13 against the Vikings, when he threw for just 34 yards and was
> intercepted three times in a Bears victory. Since then, he's gotten the
> short leash and training wheels treatment. The Bears hope that he can do
> just enough offensively for their defense and special teams win games.
> How does a team compensate for a major weakness at quarterback? To find
> out, I broke down tape of three late-season Bears games to see what
> coordinator Ron Turner was doing to get Grossman back on track. It was clear
> from the game tape that Turner was taking the "keep it simple" approach with
> his quarterback, stressing power running, short passing, and relatively
> primitive formations and reads. The goal was to protect the football and
> Grossman's psyche, and the strategy was successful … to a point.
> Power Running
> The best way to protect a shaky quarterback is to run the ball. The Bears
> have a strong running game; running backs Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson are
> both effective, and the veteran line is anchored by Pro Bowl center Olin
> Kreutz. The Bears can win games with running, defense, and special teams,
> but they cannot allow teams to constantly play eight-man fronts and simply
> tee off on Jones and Benson. For Turner, the challenge is to disguise the
> Bears' run-oriented personnel packages and formations.
> Diagram 1: McKie in motion
>
> One way to keep opponents from stacking the box is to use pre-snap motion
> to hide a run-dominant formation. The Bears don't use complicated motion
> schemes the way the Redskins, Jets, and other teams do. Turner uses basic
> motion principles, like moving a fullback or tight end across the formation,
> to keep defenders from recognizing the strong or weak sides of a formation
> or to force defensive backs to change assignments. These simple tactics can
> be very effective.
> Diagram 1 shows a typical Bears pre-snap tactic. Fullback Jason McKie
> begins the play as a slot receiver, then motions into the backfield. He
> becomes a strongside-I fullback in the diagram, but Turner will move him to
> the traditional I or the weakside, and sometimes McKie moves twice: from
> slot to strong-I, then to weak-I without re-setting. McKie will motion from
> slot to backfield 10-to-15 times in a typical Bears game.
> The goal of the motion is simple. Before the shift, the Bears are in a
> three-receiver look, and while the left side of the formation is technically
> the strong side, McKie's presence on the right makes it impossible for the
> defense to stack one side. After the motion, the Bears are in a power
> running formation, with McKie and Desmond Clark on the left side. The rest
> of Diagram 1 shows how the Rams reacted on one first quarter play in Week
> 13. They flipped their safeties just before the snap, but they weren't in
> position to make other adjustments. Had the Bears simply lined up in a
> strong-I, a Rams linebacker would probably have played head-up on Clark in a
> five-man front, and the extra safety would have started the play in the box.
> The play the Bears ran — a power sweep with guard Roberto Garza blocking the
> safety as McKie logs the linebacker — would have been harder to execute
> against a five-man front, because Clark wouldn't have the luxury of blocking
> down on a
> defensive end.
> Diagram 2: McKie in motion vs. Bucs
>
> There's a downside to this kind of simplified motion: defenses are quick
> to adapt. When the Bears played the Buccaneers, Turner tried to stretch the
> defense horizontally with the formation shown in Diagram 2. It's a flip
> formation, with three receivers (McKie in the slot) on the right side. McKie
> then motioned into the backfield. This should create a variety of problems
> for the defense: the formation has gone from trips-right to balanced and
> from pass-oriented to run-oriented. But the Bucs never bit. At the snap,
> they lined up in a very vanilla formation, with their three linebackers
> shifted left and a safety shading forward to cover the inside receiver.
> After the motion, the linebackers simply slid to their right. The Bucs were
> probably in a Cover-3 defense on this play (that's a guess, mind you), and
> they weren't worried about accounting for McKie in man coverage or making
> adjustments to the three-receiver look. Translation: the Bucs weren't that
> worried about a
> successful pass. The dive by Benson gained a few yards, but Turner would
> rather have feigned the Bucs into a dime defense and cleared out some
> linebackers for a longer gain.
> As you can see, running to set up the pass only gets a team so far.
> Eventually, Grossman has to put the ball in the air. When that happens,
> Turner tries to limit the number of long throws and complex reads his
> quarterback has to make by emphasizing screens and throws into the flat.
> Screens and Flats
> Screen passes do a lot for an offense. They slow the pass rush by forcing
> defenders to worry about the screen threat. They get the ball into a running
> back's hands in the open field. And they can boost a quarterback's
> confidence by giving him some short, easy-to-complete passes. The Bears have
> used screen passes frequently in the last two years when trying to
> manufacture a passing game with Grossman and Kyle Orton.
> Diagram 3: Thomas Jones screen
>
> Diagram 3 focuses on the right side of the Bears formation on a
> well-executed screen pass against the Rams. The diagram is rather busy, so
> bear with me. It's first-and-10. The Rams are in man coverage with a deep
> safety. Left linebacker Brandon Chillar (54) is blitzing, and Will
> Witherspoon (51) has coverage on Thomas Jones. At the snap, Jones squares to
> block, and Witherspoon reads a double team as Olin Kreutz and Ruben Brown
> pair off on the nose tackle in front of him. The three receivers to the left
> side (not shown) run deep routes. Bernard Berrian cuts off his route after
> about five yards and appears to be running a shallow drag.
> Two factors make this screen successful at the outset. First, there are
> sustained blocks by Kreutz and right guard Roberto Garza. Kreutz stays with
> his double-team long enough to freeze Witherspoon, while Garza rides La'Roi
> Glover deep into the backfield so the Rams tackle doesn't suspect a screen.
> The second factor is a remarkable block fake by Jones. He squares to engage
> Chillar, flinches as if he is shying from contact, then appears to whiff on
> the block when he is actually leaking into the region vacated by the rushing
> defenders. Everything about this play suggested that Jones was responsible
> for blocking the A-gap to Kreutz's right. In fact, it was all a con to get
> the Rams defenders up the field.
> Sure enough, Grossman flicks a screen to Jones. Grossman times the pass
> well and is nearly crushed between Chillar and Glover when he throws.
> Witherspoon and cornerback Tye Hill are in position to make a tackle, with
> Kreutz and Garza climbing out to block. Here's a final factor that makes
> this play successful. Remember Berrian? Instead of turning to stalk block
> Hill, he crosses the middle and blocks Witherspoon. Garza then nails Hill,
> who must shift quickly from his coverage responsibility to the pursuit of
> Jones. The cross blocking puts Berrian and Garza in better position to
> engage their defenders. Berrian gets an assist from Kreutz, but he does an
> impressive job of stopping Witherspoon. Jones turns upfield and gains 21
> yards before Pisa Tinoisamoa catches up to him, and Grossman draws a
> roughing the passer penalty to boot.
> The Bears must execute perfectly on their screens because they rarely have
> the element of surprise on their side. Opponents know that they will throw
> screens to open up their passing game. The Seahawks will be looking for
> plays like these, so Turner must do his best to disguise them.
> Diagram 4: Simple flat pass
>
> Screen passes aren't the only way to boost Grossman's confidence and get
> the backs involved. The Bears execute a lot of quick passes into the flat to
> Jones, McKie, and Benson. Figure 4 shows a typical example, a play so simple
> your local high school might use it. The fullback and right wide receiver
> run a slant-and-flat route combination, with the tight end running a curl to
> the middle. The key to this play is the block by the halfback: he is left
> alone to take on the defensive end while the right guard and tackle double
> team the 3-technique defender. This play is designed to go to the fullback,
> and only the fullback: the blocking scheme creates an easy throwing lane,
> and the halfback won't be able to sustain his block long enough for Grossman
> to look around. Against man coverage, the linebacker assigned to McKie (or
> any other fullback) will almost certainly be beaten into the flat. Against a
> zone, McKie can leak into the cornerback's zone while that defender is
> busy dropping or jamming his receiver. Either way, it's five quick yards.
> When Grossman was playing terribly in midseason, the Bears couldn't
> execute this play successfully. Against the Vikings, Grossman waited too
> long to throw to McKie, then inexplicably tried to find his tight end as the
> pass rush closed in. He threw the ball away just in time. Later in the game,
> Turner called the exact same play, and McKie gained eight yards. The same
> play re-appeared against the Rams with a slight wrinkle: McKie started the
> play in the slot, then motioned into the backfield as in Diagrams 1 and 2.
> Didn't think McKie was that important, did you?
> Getting the Tight End Involved
> Fullbacks aren't the only players who can exploit the flats. When a tight
> end slips into the flat, he forces the defense to cover a lot of ground
> along the sidelines. The Bears' best weapon for stretching the field isn't
> tough receiver Muhsin Muhammad or speedster Berrian. It's tight end Desmond
> Clark.
> Clark was a major weapon in the Bears offense early in the year, but
> lingering injuries slowed him in the middle of the season. Against the
> Buccaneers, he caught seven passes for 125 yards and two touchdowns. When
> he's on the field and healthy, the Bears passing game is much more diverse
> and dynamic.
> Diagram 5: Bootleg pass to Clark
>
> Diagram 5 shows how Turner uses Clark to work the flats as a short-yardage
> passing option. It's third-and-2, and the Buccaneers are crowding the line
> in anticipation of a running play. The Bears respond with a tight
> three-receiver, single-back formation, and they execute a play-action pitch
> at the snap. Grossman and Jones sell the pitch well, and the Bucs defensive
> line flows in the direction of the fake. Clark blocks defensive end Greg
> Spires at the snap; this helps sell the run, and it also makes safety
> Jermaine Philips, who is assigned to Clark in man coverage, creep to his
> right to defend the cutback lanes.
> After the fake, Grossman turns and rolls to his right. Grossman is mobile,
> and Turner often rolls the pocket to help his quarterback find easier
> throwing lanes. This reverse rollout buys time and keeps Grossman away from
> blitzing Ryan Nece. Clark disengages from his block and leaks into the flat.
> Philips is out of position in coverage. A short pass by Grossman turns into
> a long catch-and-run by Clark. The Bears need plays like this, particularly
> in short yardage situations, to keep defenders from ganging up on the
> running backs.
> Once the Bears forced the Bucs to cover the flats, Grossman was able to
> complete passes over the middle of the field. Just a few plays after Clark's
> catch and run on third-and-2, the Bears used the threat of a pass to the
> flat to pick up a big gain. Diagram 6 shows the Bears in a single-back,
> slot-left formation, with Clark as the tight end to the right and McKie as a
> wing or H-back next to him. The Buccaneers use this opportunity to call a
> zone blitz. Defensive end Greg Spires drops into flat coverage on the
> offensive right, while linebackers Derrick Brooks and Shelton Quarles blitz.
> It's a smart defensive call: the zone blitz could easily confuse the
> turnover-prone Grossman, and there are no fast receivers to the offensive
> right to challenge Spires.
> Diagram 6: Clark's double move
>
> As with Jones' successful screen play, several things go right for the
> Bears on this play. The offensive line makes an accurate read, and left
> tackle John St. Clair stops Brooks' outside rush. Good blocking gives
> Grossman time to read the field. McKie runs hard into the flat, clearing
> away Spires. Clark runs what appears to be a corner route. Flat-and-corner
> routes make a natural combination against this kind of coverage, but that's
> not what the Bears are doing on this play. McKie turns his flat route into a
> wheel route by turning upfield, and Clark executes a fine double-move,
> turning his shoulders around quickly and working back to the middle of the
> field. Cornerback Phillip Buchanon is in a bind: he must support Spires and
> respect McKie up the sidelines, and he's suddenly out of position to cover
> Clark. Grossman makes the right read and hits Clark for a 17-yard gain. The
> Bears score on the next play.
> Later in the game, Clark scored a 12-yard touchdown on a similar double
> move. The routes worked because Clark is a very athletic tight end, and
> because the Bears spend a lot of time tossing the ball into the flat. Turner
> does a good job of adding simple wrinkles to keep the Bears from becoming
> too predictable (although they are somewhat predictable). But the key
> remains Grossman, who must stay comfortable in the pocket, make accurate
> reads, and deliver the ball both accurately and on time.
> A Simple Plan
> Rex Grossman does a lot of things right. He moves well in the pocket. He
> isn't afraid to hang in and take a hit. He sells fakes and does the little
> things. Some of his passes are crisp and right on target. But the things he
> does wrong can kill a team. His timing is terrible at times, and he'll throw
> to receivers a second or two after they flash open, leading to
> interceptions. He doesn't appear to always think through his reads and often
> locks on his primary target, which is another recipe for a turnover.
> Turner's simplified offense seems to have helped Grossman late in the
> season, though he regressed against the Packers in a meaningless season
> finale. The trouble with a simple offense is that it's just as easy for the
> defense to figure out as it is for the quarterback to master. Turner went
> against his tendencies a few times in the Rams and Bucs games, keeping those
> defenses off balance. But he's working with a limited palette. Everyone has
> seen tape of Clark's double moves and of Jones' screen passes. Everyone
> knows that Berrian is a burner. The Bears will have to come up with
> something new or they'll become very predictable.
> The Bears have enough offense to get past the Seahawks, a team that can be
> out-muscled at the line of scrimmage and is struggling to cover up injuries
> in the secondary. The Saints or Eagles will be a tougher task. The Saints
> front four is very good and can take away the run. The Eagles blitz
> constantly and force a lot of turnovers. All three of the NFC survivors have
> better defenses than the Rams or Buccaneers teams that Grossman played well
> against late in the year.
> Should Grossman have been benched at some point this season? Probably.
> It's too late for that now. The best the Bears can do now is keep things
> simple and hope that the offense does just enough.
>
>
>
>
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