The Fatal Flaw In Romeo Crennel’s Defense

[T-post Tom]

by Andrew Crocker (ArrowheadAddict.com)

Having been in this business for something approaching two decades, Kansas City Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel has a signature defensive scheme that has been called many things. It is called reactive. It’s called bend-but-don’t-break. It’s called technique-oriented. It’s been praised by supporters to be the ultimate team-approach to successful defense, utiliting the ability of all eleven defenders to elevate the play of all their teammates. It’s been criticized by detractors as being unaggressive, more concerned with preventing big plays than promoting big stops, playing on your heels instead of pinning your ears back.

The Two-Gap

However you term it, it truly is a unique defensive style that stands in stark contrast to almost the entirety of other NFL defensive schemes, and fewer have promoted it more successfully than Crennel.

His style is termed the “two-gap 3-4″ defense. At its base, that means you have three lineman with their hands in the dirt, typically two defensive ends that are big and strong enough to take on offensive tackles and tall enough to deter passes by the quarterback in the pocket (think of Tyson Jackson’s prototypical 6’4″, 296 lbs frame), and a humongous, bulky nose tackle that is built for getting low, absorbing punishment and administering immediate push against a hopelessly outsized center (think of Jerrell Powe’s prototypical 6’2″, 331 lbs frame). Then you have four linebackers: two passrushers on the edge (one who is a more one-dimensional pocket assaulter, and the other who is a swiss army knife of abilities), and two in the middle (one who is more of a line of scrimmage attacker, and the other who is more coverage-oriented). This earns Crennel’s defense the “3-4″ moniker, for those who didn’t already know.

But roughly half the teams in the NFL play with a 3-4 arrangment. It’s Crennel’s two-gap approach is what truly sets this defense apart from every other style in the NFL.

From the Bears’ cover 2, to the Eagle’s wide 9, to the Texans’ one-gap, to the Patriots’ hybrid, to countless other 4-3 and 3-4 teams, the name of the game is very simple for the defensive line: get upfield. The players might line-up at different points along the defensive line. They might be bigger (3-4 nose tackles), smaller (cover 2 passrushers), ends, tackles, or rushbackers. But they all want to disrupt the pocket and get upfield.

Not so with the two-gap.

Think of this as your typical offensive line:

(C Gap) RT (B Gap) RG (A Gap) C (A Gap) LG (B Gap) LT (C Gap)

This is a comprehensive listing of the “gaps” in an offensive line. The “A” gap is between the center and guard, the “B” gap is between the guard and tackle. Most defenses in the NFL tell their defensive lineman to shoot a gap, which would either penetrate the pocket or at least disrupt the offensive line’s blocking assignments. Some defenses give a defensive tackle the job of occupying blockers, or “two-gapping,” meaning they focus less on getting upfield, and focus more with minding two gaps and clogging the lanes, offensive lineman be damned.

This two-gap strategy asks every single one of its defensive lineman to do exactly that. It turns the traditional role of the defensive lineman from pocket invader to space occupying, gap eater. There’s a reason young bucks like Tyson Jackson and Dontari Poe take a long time to adjust to it, the techniques involved in this are completely different than the simple “get up and go” of more attack-oriented defensive lines. (By my count, only four other teams in the NFL share this defensive style: Ravens, Jets, Dolphins, and now the Colts.)

The complexity of all of this aside, there is one thing needed to make this work. One thing needed to turn this defensive style, unique as it is, into an offense-wrecking machine:

The defensive linemen must occupy offensive linemen.

It’s that simple. It’s the first domino for the entire scheme to make sense. If these defensive linemen can force offensive lineman to double-team them, it frees up the linebackers behind them and to their flanks to make plays. If Glenn Dorsey and Jackson play their roles properly, Tamba Hali and Justin Houston are battling tight ends and fullbacks en route to the QB, rather than massive, athletic offensive tackles. If Poe can demand maximum attention in the interior of the line, it allows Derrick Johnson to flow to the ball freely. It therefore cuts down on the amount of time secondaries have to cover receivers. It allows the safeties to clamp down open spaces faster. The key to it all is that the defensive linemen must absorb multiple offensive linemen every play.

The 2012 Preseason Chiefs Defensive Line

But it’s a delicate ecosystem. If the defensive linemen do not regularly command double- and triple-teams, then the defensive line is getting no penetration and the linebackers are battling far too much on every play. Passing lanes will be bigger, and running the ball gets easier. In other words, if the defensive line can’t work, nothing works.

That’s what the 2012 preseason is teaching us. And if the problems we’re experiencing here carry over to the regular season, it may spell either the failure of this defense in Kansas City, or even worse, it may suggest that this defense is officially too antiquated to exist anymore in the modern NFL.

But during the first preseason game hosting the Arizona Cardinals, this was not a problem. The Cardinals bought the just-now-gaining-traction notion that Dorsey and Jackson are formidable talents worthy of maximum attention, and saw our nose tackle lineup of Anthony Toribio (fairly big), Dontari Poe (huge), and Jerrell Powe (very large) and convinced themselves that double-teaming would be a necessity.

We slaughtered them. First-team, second-team, third-team. Our rushbackers racked up sacks by the quarter, the Cards couldn’t run the ball, it was glorious. It was the true example of (a.) how talented our defense is, and (b.) how this scheme can maximize teamwork to create as hostile an environment for offenses as there can be in this league.

The Rams, too, tried taking on our defensive linemen two-at-a-time for much of the first half of the Chiefs second preseason game in St. Louis. The result was a pretty fair degree of success; despite the box score, the Rams had to convert two fourth downs to score their two touchdowns. The few runs broken off by Steven Jackson were anomolies of unusually missed assignments. The base lineup of Jackson, Toribio, and Dorsey were again a bit too much for the Rams’ offensive front to handle.

The second half of the Rams game, however, is where everything took a turn.

With a second-team defensive line setup of Ropati Pitoitua, Poe, and Amon Gordon, the Rams offense decided to try an experiment: what if we just didn’t double team them at all, ever?

The results were disasterous and frustrating to watch. The Rams single-teamed all three defensive lineman for their time on the field, and constantly launched both of their guards into the Chiefs linebackers (who were already struggling to begin with). Disasterously, none of the three players, with the rare exception of Gordon, were able to free themselves from their blockers, rarely ever being able to clog anything, and runners were frequently breaking into the second level as linebackers struggled to come off their blocks.

The Rams didn’t even make a pretense of it. They understood our depth and speed on the outside, so they ran right down our throats for the first few drives, to the visible frustration of players like Poe.

In the passing game, again, none of the linemen were double-teamed. All rushbackers were snagged by tackles before they could ever get into a serious move, and blitzers were easily absorbed by whomever the Rams kept in the backfield. By stymying our linemen with one blocker, the Rams opened everything up — and shut us down.

The Seahawks, perhaps noticing this on tape, decided that they’d repeat the same formula, this time against our starters, with consistently positive results. The Seahawks simply took the risk, figuring they had no shot if they had to double-team our 1′s. They figured it would be better to gamble on the chance the defensive line would disrupt them in one-on-one’s, while banking on the fact that they probably wouldn’t.

There were a few instances in short yardage where the offensive line felt the need to double players like Dontari Poe, and virtually every time the Chiefs made them pay. But for the vast majority of the first half, the Seahawks simply ignored double-teaming, which freed up LT Russell Okung to snag Hali on the edge, and allowed the guards to assault our linebackers and safeties in the run game.

There lies a fundamental flaw here: teams are starting to simply refuse doubling our defensive linemen. If that happens, neither of our starting ends (Dorsey and Jackson) have proven able to disengage and punish offenses for their lack of respect. Toribio’s ability to demand double teams has weakened considerably in light of his injury, and Dontari Poe still has miles to go before he can harness that ability.

Only third string NT Jerrell Powe has really shown the power and burst necessary to command double teams, but if teams think their best shot is just going one-on-one with everybody, it almost doesn’t matter who you put out there. Teams will continue to gamble that your linemen won’t adjust, and the entire defense will risk exposure as a result.

Is the problem with our players? Is it with the scheme? That answer is not yet clear.

What is clear is that this has been a Jekyll and Hyde defense all preseason, and it’s likely to stay that way if Romeo Crennel can’t force offenses to respect his defensive line.

http://arrowheadaddict.com/2012/08/2...nnels-defense/

[BoneKrusher]

Originally Posted by Reerun_KC

You actually believe what you are saying?

i'm so confused, you got a Prozac?

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by BlackBob

Good post man. Ultimately, they were just to experienced.

Also, anyone who says Waters sucked in 2010 should watch him in those highlights....

man, I can't wait to watch the real deal.

It will only take about 15 minutes to completely kill your enthusiasm too...about the time you realize that this is Buffalo 2011 all over again...

[Chief Roundup]

Originally Posted by Deberg_1990

They fatal flaw of this defense is we need more talented defensive linemen and its shame we spent such high picks and money on ones who underperform.

That is the reason that both of our DE were in the top 10 in the league last year IIRC.

[Chiefnj2]

"The Seahawks, perhaps noticing this on tape, decided that they’d repeat the same formula, this time against our starters, with consistently positive results."

"But for the vast majority of the first half, the Seahawks simply ignored double-teaming, which freed up LT Russell Okung to snag Hali on the edge, and allowed the guards to assault our linebackers and safeties in the run game."

This is where I call bullshit. Tyson Jackson may not have played more than 2 series and Toribio went down early.

For the first 3 Seattle possessions (not including Wilson scrambles) the Seahawks rushed the ball 12 times for 36 yards, or 3.0 ypc. That's good run D by the starters.

[Black Bob]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

It will only take about 15 minutes to completely kill your enthusiasm too...about the time you realize that this is Buffalo 2011 all over again...

I would feel better with Flowers and Hali out there but, I think we will be prepared for Atlanta. Win or lose, I won't lose my enthusiasm. It's a long season.

[Black Bob]

Originally Posted by Chiefnj2

For the first 3 Seattle possessions (not including Wilson scrambles) the Seahawks rushed the ball 12 times for 36 yards, or 3.0 ypc. That's good run D by the starters.

Exactly.

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by Lightrise

This isn't good. Frankly the Rams picking up on this was very smart and likely to spread throughout the league. It's early, but for the scheme I say the gig is up.

Good lord. Yup. The gig is up. You're as dumb as the guy who wrote this.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by BlackBob

I would feel better with Flowers and Hali out there but, I think we will be prepared for Atlanta. Win or lose, I won't lose my enthusiasm. It's a long season.

Even longer when they hold your hope right up to the point they get blown out in the first round of the playoffs.

[beach tribe]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

It will only take about 15 minutes to completely kill your enthusiasm too...about the time you realize that this is Buffalo 2011 all over again...

Is that what you're expecting??

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

That is the reason that both of our DE were in the top 10 (against the run) in the league last year IIRC.

FYP

that is part of the schemem DE,NT,DE sacrifice rushing the passer to protect the linebackers and focus on defending the run.

In a 2-gap scheme the pass rush primarily comes from the linebackers.

ROLB(Hali) all the time
zone blitzing the passer for the rest


Since Crennel doesn't like to blitz much our pass rush lives and dies with Hali.

[htismaqe]

Originally Posted by beach tribe

Is that what you're expecting??

Yep.

This team is built for it.

The league revolves around scoring points, and fast. So we do the opposite. Brilliant!

[BoneKrusher]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Yep.

This team is built for it.

The league revolves around scoring points, and fast. So we do the opposite. Brilliant!

i think they kill us again as well.
they will score, we cant
SOS.

[Ace Gunner]

Originally Posted by Chief Roundup

That is the reason that both of our DE were in the top 10 in the league last year IIRC.

In one catagory -- run defense.

This 34 defense scheme works, anyone saying it doesn't needs to spend more time with what it really looks like, not this crap being halfway done by a host of veteran players that never could pull their head out their dumb ass.

These players need to get it straight starting tonight Go Chiefs

[Black Bob]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Even longer when they hold your hope right up to the point they get blown out in the first round of the playoffs.

I disagree. I think we win a playoff game this year. We are due. I understand your "if I don't expect too much I won't get let down" approach. However, I think we will be good. I think you'll be the one let down when we lose the AFC Championship at home.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by htismaqe

Yep.

This team is built for it.

The league revolves around scoring points, and fast. So we do the opposite. Brilliant!

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand a thread about defense turns into an offensive bitch thread.

Brilliant!