Post by jkeeler on Feb 19, 2009 8:40:59 GMT -5
Interesting read from Homersmith.net.
In what is called the red zone, defenses change according to the distance of the line-of-scrimmage from the endline. Change begins on about the 35-yard line, inside of which a normal deep route by a wide receiver will not have enough room, where a passer must begin “fading” the receiver to get the defender behind him. Change continues with each yard gained, until the ball is on the 1-yard line.
The red zone is a zone of changing pressures by the defense. It is a zone of changing needs by the offense, a zone where distances to the endline must be considered along with distances to the firstdown line.
Here are eight offensive considerations in the red zone:
One, as the defense has less and less depth to defend, the offense must have more and more lateral faking and running.
Two, as the length of the field can be used less and less, the width of the field must be used more and more.
Three, as the chances for a fieldgoal increase, the chances for lost yardage by a sack or a penalty should decrease.
Four, as pass routes get to the endline faster, the quarterback’s delivery of the ball must be sooner.
Five, as less field means more man-for-man pass defense, it also means more difficulty in keeping unoccupied defenders off points of attack on hand-off runs, which means increasing value in quarterback runs.
Six, as less field means higher fieldgoal percentages, it also means more full-pressure defenses and more plays that discourage full-pressure defenses.
Seven, as less field means more concentrated pass coverage, the more costly it is to give the coverage one-for-one trades, the more costly it is to let one defender take one receiver out of the game.
Eight, there are two clock-management situations that evolve through the redzone:
As the field shortens and throws for the endzone become less and less likely to be intercepted, the comparing of time consumptions by incomplete passes and runs become more and more of a consideration.
As the field shortens and the percentage chance of scoring increases, the possibility of executing plays to consume excess time becomes more and more of a consideration.
Eight more articles follow.
In what is called the red zone, defenses change according to the distance of the line-of-scrimmage from the endline. Change begins on about the 35-yard line, inside of which a normal deep route by a wide receiver will not have enough room, where a passer must begin “fading” the receiver to get the defender behind him. Change continues with each yard gained, until the ball is on the 1-yard line.
The red zone is a zone of changing pressures by the defense. It is a zone of changing needs by the offense, a zone where distances to the endline must be considered along with distances to the firstdown line.
Here are eight offensive considerations in the red zone:
One, as the defense has less and less depth to defend, the offense must have more and more lateral faking and running.
Two, as the length of the field can be used less and less, the width of the field must be used more and more.
Three, as the chances for a fieldgoal increase, the chances for lost yardage by a sack or a penalty should decrease.
Four, as pass routes get to the endline faster, the quarterback’s delivery of the ball must be sooner.
Five, as less field means more man-for-man pass defense, it also means more difficulty in keeping unoccupied defenders off points of attack on hand-off runs, which means increasing value in quarterback runs.
Six, as less field means higher fieldgoal percentages, it also means more full-pressure defenses and more plays that discourage full-pressure defenses.
Seven, as less field means more concentrated pass coverage, the more costly it is to give the coverage one-for-one trades, the more costly it is to let one defender take one receiver out of the game.
Eight, there are two clock-management situations that evolve through the redzone:
As the field shortens and throws for the endzone become less and less likely to be intercepted, the comparing of time consumptions by incomplete passes and runs become more and more of a consideration.
As the field shortens and the percentage chance of scoring increases, the possibility of executing plays to consume excess time becomes more and more of a consideration.
Eight more articles follow.
