Warrior General Games

I've been watching this a lot the last two days...

Against sweeps, contain defense should be the right call. Unfortunately, the LB's get caught up in blocking before they get outside leaving the QB/HB free to turn the corner and pick up big yardage.

It's why the sweeps from goal line formation cannot actually be reliably countered with any of the actual goal line defenses.

First thing, LB's need to line up wider on contain plays, and their first steps should be to the outside to make sure they are actually in position to fulfill their assignment. Once they're on the outside, they need to be playing run first, not pass. There should not be a delay while the linebacker runs to what seems to be a zone coverage position even if the LB has low zone awareness (because he's not supposed to be running a zone coverage).

BTW, here's a play that really shows off what's going wrong.

http://glb2.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay/32499/3310758

The offense is in goal line formation and running a QB sweep.

The defense is in a 5-2 contain.

At the snap, both linebackers are supposed to go outside to contain runners. However, if you watch the play, neither make it. A TE takes the playside LB and essentially freezes him in place (and the play side linebacker actually has good break run block)

Worse, CB2 who could also make a play on the outside, instead runs straight to the BTE and also gets frozen in place.

This leaves the QB running with two lead blockers. One of the lead blockers picks up the SS, and play is effectively over.

The first guy who breaks free of his block is the LDE, and he's already too far out of position to have a chance. the SS and CB1 also eventually get loose, but it's way, way too late.

Another issue is the two safeties. They run straight to the LOS instead of shuffling towards the sidelines with the flow of the play and waiting for the runner to cut up field.

Ya contains are pretty bad.

No, the LBs and Ss in man coverage run in the backfield or to the LOS to cover a HB/FB instead of letting the man come to them. I don't think I've ever even seen that coverage in a pee wee game.

Does DE contain work at all against the goalline pitch/sweep? or what about LB spy? Seems enough teams are using this play, is there a formation that keeps it in check somewhat anyway?

Originally posted by deweyy34
Does DE contain work at all against the goalline pitch/sweep? or what about LB spy? Seems enough teams are using this play, is there a formation that keeps it in check somewhat anyway?

DE contain has the same problem as LB Contain in that the DE's are really playing an outside zone pass coverage, so they will run to where there zone is at before attempting to make a play on the runner unless they make a zone awareness check. Given that most DE's agents ignore giving them zone awareness, this doesn't happen right away which means the HB is long gone before the DE's try to make a play.

It's also a pretty common occurrence for the DE's to get blocked before they ever get outside in the first place, and since blocked players have no technique to work for containing a play, the sim pretty much treats them as not there until they break free of the block.

Spy plays fail against run because LB's run into the LOS when they realize it's a run play rather than shuffling along in the backfield waiting for the runner to turn up field. Hence, the spy is practically always blocked on actual runs because GLB2 doesn't have AI for linebackers that works the way real linebackers play.

Originally posted by Xavori
Given that most DE's agents ignore giving them zone awareness
i'm going to avoid the snark potential and just inform you that de's do not have (the ability to put sp into) zone awareness.

Originally posted by Asheme

i'm going to avoid the snark potential and just inform you that de's do not have (the ability to put sp into) zone awareness.

No. I'm a firm believer you should always go for snark.

And ya, I thought about that after I hit post, but figured if I done goofed, I'd just take my lumps for it.

And maybe someone would come up with a really witty bit of snark for my entertainment.