Stuff

Description

Stuff is my best all-around run stopping play. While it excels against lead plays between the tackles that take just a moment to develop, with eight defenders playing the run it stands a good chance at stopping just about any kind of running play executed near the goal line. By placing the strong safety in zone and playing man coverage on the corners, Stuff is also good at defending against play action passes.

While Stuff is my favorite play when I really expect the offense to run the ball, it does have its weaknesses. The SS deep zone is a good measure against play action but with only three defensive backs in pass coverage a full-out passing play will usually get a man open, though the quarterback will probably have to throw the ball quickly in the face of heavy pressure. Also, the spread defensive line is somewhat vulnerable to quick inside runs such as a fullback dive because the defenders may not be able to run to the gap and close it quickly enough. If an inside run is likely and you have less than a yard to give the best action to take is to shift the D-line in tight. It's a bit of a gamble that the offense won't run outside, but you need to take a few risks when you don't have any ground to give.

Player Assignments

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Analysis

Pros:

• Excels at stop lead runs between the tackles
• SS dropping into zone coverage makes it very effective at stopping play action passes such as PA Dive
• Well balanced, providing a decent chance to stop any type of running play

Cons:

• Not designed to stop straight-up passing plays
• Somewhat vulnerable to quick inside runs such as FB Dive is the line is not pulled in tight