Against the zone blocking scheme

[CaptainKickass]

Last year - our D opened up a can of Whoop Ass on the Atlanta Falcons and their running game (zone blocking). It was indeed one of the highlights of the season.

We obviously had their number in that game. Vick had nowhere to run, nor did the running backs.

I really like the cerebral concept of the zone scheme but I am optimistically cautious because of that game.

If our D was capable of that - which other team's defense - that we play this coming season, will learn from our past performance and give us the most difficulty against the run?

[Partial]

wait and see

[RashanGary]

wait and see

Ditto

[MadtownPacker]

Keyword = ron vick at QB. With a real QB (Favre) I dont think you see the same results. I like it.

[Partial]

Worked pretty well for the broncos, who are in my opinion the best franchise in the nfl now that the packers have started to slip

[CaptainKickass]

Ok......

Obviously - the easiest thing to do is "hurry up and wait".

But the point here is to guess, go with your gut or an educated guess based on what you've read -or- how the defenses we play this season "appear" on paper.

I'm gonna say that the Seattle ChickenHawks are going to be the most difficult to run against. They've made upgrades to the D-line in key positions and they have a serious vendetta aginst the Pack after loosing the last 3(?) to us. Plus it'll be the first time GB has visited Seattle in at least 4 years. Holmgren and Hasselhoff want revenge and they will not allow GB to take the win easily.

[chain_gang]

I'm saying overall it'll be great, there isn't a team that runs it that hasn't had success. I'm sure over the season we'll see a couple rough games. The one Defense I'm worried about it in is the games against the Bears. Just remember what they did to the Falcon's last year, but again it was in the cold, wind, and Vick is not a passer like Favre. It really all depends on how the backs pick it up though too, Samkon needs to figure it out still, Ahman hasn't been in it, and Najeh gets hurt reading the playbook. But overall all I think it'll be successful this year, and even more the following year.

[swede]

I'd be surprised to learn that William Hung had come twice.

[CaptainKickass]

I'd be surprised to learn that William Hung had come twice.

I was wondering how long it would take for someone to comment......

[Tarlam!]

The poll results make me proud to be a PR!!! Just got home from my first day on the new job, log on, see a poll (am addicted to these), and BOMN!

I love you people!

I voted, I have no life....

[The Leaper]

Rather than considering one game played against the Packers, why not look at the entire season. Or even the last two seasons. Atlanta has been the #1 rushing attack in the league during that time. Granted, Vick is a major part of that, but even without Vick they would be a reasonably successful running attack. Denver has also been one of the more consistent rushing attacks in the last 7-8 years.

I wouldn't be overly concerned that the scheme is prone to failure. I would be more concerned that the guys on the roster are not capable of fitting the new scheme. Going from a power blocking system to a finesse blocking system is a big change.

[gureski]

I will say flat-out that I hate it. I may learn to love it but right now I don't like it because it's contrary to the way football is supposed to be played. It's a gimmick. It's a scheme and when you have to scheme to win, that means you don't have the horses to just line up and play the game the regular way.

There is no reason at all why the Packers can't continue to get the kind of lineman who play smash-mouth football and just line up and block like traditional offensive lineman are supposed to.

I hate the cut-blocking style and I hate the zone attitude. Line up and take out your man, is what I say. Smashmouth football. That's what the NFL is all about.

Like the 3-4 does to defensive teams, you have to look for certain players to fit the zone-blocking scheme. You're narrowing your ability to acquire talent because not every guy can function in this scheme. You look at a guy like the OG from Georgia Jean-Gilles in this past draft. The Packers are desperate for guards and Jean-Gilles was one of the top rated guards in the draft. He ended up going in the 4th round and the Packers passed on him and passed on him solely because he doesn't fit their scheme. (the guy is 350 lbs) With a typical blocking style the team would be able to take guys like Jean-Gilles when they fall through the cracks. As it stands, the Packers are battling for a typecast type lineman for their scheme and helping teams like Philly benefit from our passing on guys like Jean-Gilles.

So, my distaste has many levels. It's no one thing. I may change my tune after a while but I'm not a fad guy when it comes to how you play the game and I don't like the cut-blocking style of the zone blocking scheme. It's cheap.

[AtlPackFan]

I don't give a flying F--- if the offensive line employs a "turn around and fart at the defense" blocking philosophy as long as it opens holes and the running back hits it for positive yards.

[CaptainKickass]

I had to laugh out loud at the "Turn around and fart at the defense scheme" - man that cracked me up!

It seems like a question of ethics for you Gureski. Being a fan of traditional methodology myself I can see where you would see the "cut block" nature of the scheme as being cheap.

The NFL deems it as legal and within the rules so until they change the rules I can't say that there is a moral or ethical dilema.

I'm curious if there is a way to break down statistics of the Zone Scheme teams in terms of yardage gained against the 4-3 defense versus the 3-4 defense. I wonder if it's more or less effective against a certain defensive "scheme"?

[AtlPackFan]

All,

I don't pretend to be a football expert. I visit this sight for the insights of individuals with a lot more knowledge of the sport than I have but...

When it comes down to it, isn't everything a scheme, a gimmick? From the forward pass, to Air Coryell to the 3-4 Defense to the West Coast Offense...isn't everything about trying to outwit your opponent any which way you can? In essence, doesn't winning or losing come down to talent and execution no matter what scheme you are running?

My second favorite quote: Just win baby!!!