How to Stop the Deadly Screen Pass

Originally posted by WestCoast:

Originally posted by endz0ne:

Originally posted by GorefullBore:

Originally posted by LA_NINERS:
A little sidenote, once we draft CJ Spiller teams will have to try to figure out how to stop our screen game!

I'd like to see them try some bubble screens with Crabs. He had some big plays at Texas Tech on that route.

They did. It didn't work so well with NFL quality defenses and players....

its not like theyre gonna stop trying

there were some very effective 7,8 and 9 yard gains on many of those plays...
and just like gore in the run game, eventually he's gonna start breaking some of those for bigger gains.

Isn't THIS a good question to ask and so far, I haven't seen a lot of really good responses to this. I'm sort of typing out loud here but here are my speculations:

1. Philosophy - there was a shift this year in that the OLB's (esp. Manny) were asked to attack much more than in the past (almost predominately). This means your OLB's are focused on rushing up the field and on a screen pass, running themselves right out of the play. While Manny did improve in play recognition overall, neither OLB were consistent or effective at stopping them before the play got started.
2. We're slow defending around the edges at time esp. against speedy backs. Our linemen do a good job of facing 5 linemen and most teams have a change-of-pace back designed for screen passes.
3. Disengagement of blockers has ALWAYS been a big problem for us esp. for the DE's and OLB's out in space.
4. Veteran recognition - Spencer is the only veteran CB we have that can instantly recognize a screen and fly up and make the tackle before it starts (Clements used to excel at this)
5. Scheme - how many times did you see a team take a screen and you wouldn't see one niner in the screen until the guy already had some 20+ yards. That means your LB's and secondary are playing WAY off and focused on one thing and one thing only (intermediate to long-range pass coverage).
6. Team speed - b/c of the beef up front you're lineman aren't going to be making many tackles behind the LOS or chasing RB's down from behind on these plays. In fact, letting them rush up field buys the QB/RB more time to get into space which then falls on the linebackers and secondray to make plays and frankly, we don't have the types of guys who are knocking players over - they are ducking/dodging and weaving in between blockers (not good) or are designed to take out one blockers or occupy a space in order for Willis to make tackles.
7. Practice - do we even practice this b/c it's been a MAJOR weakness for years now and we certainly aren't getting any better at it.

Any other thoughts, ideas?

Originally posted by NCommand:
Isn't THIS a good question to ask and so far, I haven't seen a lot of really good responses to this. I'm sort of typing out loud here but here are my speculations:

1. Philosophy - there was a shift this year in that the OLB's (esp. Manny) were asked to attack much more than in the past (almost predominately). This means your OLB's are focused on rushing up the field and on a screen pass, running themselves right out of the play. While Manny did improve in play recognition overall, neither OLB were consistent or effective at stopping them before the play got started.
2. We're slow defending around the edges at time esp. against speedy backs. Our linemen do a good job of facing 5 linemen and most teams have a change-of-pace back designed for screen passes.
3. Disengagement of blockers has ALWAYS been a big problem for us esp. for the DE's and OLB's out in space.
4. Veteran recognition - Spencer is the only veteran CB we have that can instantly recognize a screen and fly up and make the tackle before it starts (Clements used to excel at this)
5. Scheme - how many times did you see a team take a screen and you wouldn't see one niner in the screen until the guy already had some 20+ yards. That means your LB's and secondary are playing WAY off and focused on one thing and one thing only (intermediate to long-range pass coverage).
6. Team speed - b/c of the beef up front you're lineman aren't going to be making many tackles behind the LOS or chasing RB's down from behind on these plays. In fact, letting them rush up field buys the QB/RB more time to get into space which then falls on the linebackers and secondray to make plays and frankly, we don't have the types of guys who are knocking players over - they are ducking/dodging and weaving in between blockers (not good) or are designed to take out one blockers or occupy a space in order for Willis to make tackles.
7. Practice - do we even practice this b/c it's been a MAJOR weakness for years now and we certainly aren't getting any better at it.

Any other thoughts, ideas?

Our LB's are allot more aggressive, and Manny definately disrupts allot of these types of plays. Haralson just seem slow in the transition. Multiple times it looked like the DL and LB's just jailbreaked on the QB dropping back for an obvious screen pass. Not sure which is which in this scheme but either the DE or the OLB needs to rush while the other drops back and follows the lineman. Usually its just pure fundamentals for D-Lineman to recognize the quarterback dropping back and follow the guard that is pulling. My guess is I.S. constantly got tangled up too much to perform his function and good offenses exploided it.