If you're in a tough game against a good defense one of the quickest ways to get behind the chains is to max protect or " hold back " halfbacks fullbacks and tight ends from running their routes on pass plays to help defend against blitzing defenders. I know this sounds like a good idea when you need an extra second or two to get receivers beyond the 1st down markers but in doing this you are actually your own worst enemy and your team will soon become a victim of morale drain based on how often the sim calls the plays. Here's why, a good solid defense will have defenders with more than one man coverage assignment unlike a zone defense where the defender is responsible for covering any player that runs a route through a specific assigned area.
*** NOTE ***
Links to replays are meant to highlight the results of max protecting against a defense with multiple man coverage assignments only
Let's breakdown a couple of plays from last season
https://www.glb.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=3034878&pbp_id=569241
Here's it's 4th down and 6 1/2 yards to convert the 1st down so the odds are high that the defense is going to be defending against the pass. The offense chooses the Shotgun formation which is an excellent formation to attack a pass defense because with 5 receivers out in route combinations there's no way for the defense to double them all so the OC needs the receiver that's single covered to create separation and make the catch to convert the first down.
The Offense obviously scouted the high speed and agility defensive ends and countered by holding back the halfback to slow down the rush from the ends but in doing so leaves 4 receivers running routes. This takes away the strength of the formation and gives the advantage to the defense that now easily shuts down any potential catch with blanket coverage by doubling everyone
Here's one more
https://www.glb.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=3034913&pbp_id=906752
In this scenario it's 3rd down with 11 yards needed to convert which is an obvious passing down. The offense chooses the I Formation which has 5 potential receivers but not necessarily a passing formation because it's so much easier to defend against the pass when compared to multiple wide receiver spread out across the formation that you almost have to hope for a missed tackle or something drastic to convert. When the QB holds back the fullback to help slow down the rush the defense adjusts and doubles all receivers across the board.
In short, NEVER max protect unless it's something you've scouted and you're confident you'll have a receiver with single coverage or you'll be playing a zone defense
So what's the antidote ? How do I slow down a heavy pass rush without max protecting ? The first thing you have to do is have some confidence on your QB so that he doesn't panic. 2ndly, make sure your QB's tactics are set to run play as usual. As far as schemes go, if you'll be facing high speed and high agility defensive ends, run at them with slams and off tackle runs even if there is another player stacked behind them. The idea is to wear them down by forcing them to play to their weakness which is taking on blocks and making tackles. They'll make some but over the course of the game their pass rushing ability will reduce drastically.
If the blitz is coming off the edge with a corner or safety choose plays where your HB will run a route towards the side of the formation the blitz is coming from even if you have no intention of throwing the ball to him. I call this a rub or chip where the HB will slow down the pursuit of the blitzing defender
https://www.glb.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=3028223&pbp_id=400645
On this play the Strong Safety is blitzing outside of the tackle box so the offense chose a play where the halfbacks route would slow down the blitzing defender and produce 3 single covered receivers, turning the strength of the defense into it's weakness.
I hope this helps someone and if anyone has any questions feel free to ask as long as we're in the preseason I'm willing to share
*** NOTE ***
Links to replays are meant to highlight the results of max protecting against a defense with multiple man coverage assignments only
Let's breakdown a couple of plays from last season
https://www.glb.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=3034878&pbp_id=569241
Here's it's 4th down and 6 1/2 yards to convert the 1st down so the odds are high that the defense is going to be defending against the pass. The offense chooses the Shotgun formation which is an excellent formation to attack a pass defense because with 5 receivers out in route combinations there's no way for the defense to double them all so the OC needs the receiver that's single covered to create separation and make the catch to convert the first down.
The Offense obviously scouted the high speed and agility defensive ends and countered by holding back the halfback to slow down the rush from the ends but in doing so leaves 4 receivers running routes. This takes away the strength of the formation and gives the advantage to the defense that now easily shuts down any potential catch with blanket coverage by doubling everyone
Here's one more
https://www.glb.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=3034913&pbp_id=906752
In this scenario it's 3rd down with 11 yards needed to convert which is an obvious passing down. The offense chooses the I Formation which has 5 potential receivers but not necessarily a passing formation because it's so much easier to defend against the pass when compared to multiple wide receiver spread out across the formation that you almost have to hope for a missed tackle or something drastic to convert. When the QB holds back the fullback to help slow down the rush the defense adjusts and doubles all receivers across the board.
In short, NEVER max protect unless it's something you've scouted and you're confident you'll have a receiver with single coverage or you'll be playing a zone defense
So what's the antidote ? How do I slow down a heavy pass rush without max protecting ? The first thing you have to do is have some confidence on your QB so that he doesn't panic. 2ndly, make sure your QB's tactics are set to run play as usual. As far as schemes go, if you'll be facing high speed and high agility defensive ends, run at them with slams and off tackle runs even if there is another player stacked behind them. The idea is to wear them down by forcing them to play to their weakness which is taking on blocks and making tackles. They'll make some but over the course of the game their pass rushing ability will reduce drastically.
If the blitz is coming off the edge with a corner or safety choose plays where your HB will run a route towards the side of the formation the blitz is coming from even if you have no intention of throwing the ball to him. I call this a rub or chip where the HB will slow down the pursuit of the blitzing defender
https://www.glb.warriorgeneral.com/game/replay.pl?game_id=3028223&pbp_id=400645
On this play the Strong Safety is blitzing outside of the tackle box so the offense chose a play where the halfbacks route would slow down the blitzing defender and produce 3 single covered receivers, turning the strength of the defense into it's weakness.
I hope this helps someone and if anyone has any questions feel free to ask as long as we're in the preseason I'm willing to share
