GumboBC

Stop the run, that's the key!!

You stop the run, gang–tackle, stay fundamentally sound, and fly to the football.


After watching Tampa Bay win the Super Bowl against the formidable aerial assault of the Oakland Raiders and noticing the previous year how New England silenced the Greatest Show on Turf, the entire NFL seems hell bent on finding great defensive backs that are speedy and can stop the spread offense which has become the predominant offense across the NFL.


But, the opposition may be swinging too far toward defending the pass. I think by going with the tried and true method of ball control (stopping the run), the Saints may find a way to get one step ahead of the pack.

Stop the run, that's the key. I hate to sound like a broken record, but that's the key to most games in the NFL.

I think it's so much easier when an offense can run the ball rather than HAVING to pass the ball. When you have an offense that can consistently run the ball it provides the offense with balance. It keeps the quarterback from having to go back 35 times, 40 times throwing the ball where you have more of a chance of sacking the QB. Point being, you allow the offense to play it safe and you never really put the offense in a situation where mistakes are likely to happen.

When you allow a team to have a successful running game, that really helps the quarterback.

If we stop the run then we will convert offenses and make them one-dimensional and then we’ll get after their quarterback and their passing game WILL suffer.

That's why Venturi needs to put so much emphasis on stopping the run. The formula should always be the same: force the opponent into obvious passing situations then set their sights on the quarterback and try to force turnovers with such pass-rushers like Darren Howard, Charles Grant and Will Smith.

Just to have some relevance on how important stopping the run is. Consider this:

The Bucs, you see, are 2-22 since 1996 in games in which an opposing back runs for 100 yards. It's not that the Bucs have ever had great corner-backs. It's just when they can stop the run it helps their secondary out so much as evidenced by how many games they lose when they allow a back to rush for 100 yards.

It seems to me Venturi was committed to stopping the pass last year instead of the run. And it worked for the most part. But, teams were able to slowly kill us with the run and we led the league in giving up running plays of 20 or more yards.

I don't know about you, but I'd just as soon have teams pass the ball on us than having them run it down our throat. At least if they are passing the ball they have more of a chance of making mistakes.

However, this year seems to be different. The coaching staff has seemed to finally grasp this concept. It's about time.

I'm not convinced that it's going to work. But, I am convinced they have the right plan.