Warren Sapp on Dorsey and LJ (NFL.com chat)

[Jilly]

How would a 1 gap work in a 3-4? Wouldn't that leave too much room for the run? Or is it just for a passing play?

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Jilly

How would a 1 gap work in a 3-4? Wouldn't that leave too much room for the run? Or is it just for a passing play?

1-gap 3-4 defenses are pretty rare. If I'm not mistaken they're often called an "attack" 3-4. The Cowboys sort of run this...

But mostly in a 3-4 it's going to be 2-gap.

You see more 1-gap in 4-3 defenses....Glenn Dorsey was drafted to be a 1-gap defender, get up the field and make plays. Of course last year our moronic coaches had him playing head up on guards trying to play 2-gap.

Smaller, quicker defenders = 1 gap

Bigger, stouter defenders = 2 gap

[the Talking Can]

married = 1 gap

etc...

[Frankie]

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

married = 1 gap

etc...

Usually

[notorious]

Originally Posted by the Talking Can

married = 1 gap

etc...

Perfection.

[Jilly]

Originally Posted by Claythan

1-gap 3-4 defenses are pretty rare. If I'm not mistaken they're often called an "attack" 3-4. The Cowboys sort of run this...

But mostly in a 3-4 it's going to be 2-gap.

You see more 1-gap in 4-3 defenses....Glenn Dorsey was drafted to be a 1-gap defender, get up the field and make plays. Of course last year our moronic coaches had him playing head up on guards trying to play 2-gap.

Smaller, quicker defenders = 1 gap

Bigger, stouter defenders = 2 gap

Wasn't he just slower then we expected him to be?

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Jilly

Wasn't he just slower then we expected him to be?

No. The Chiefs knew what they were getting. Although he did play over his recommended weight last year.

You don't need to be particularly fast to be a 1-gap defensive tackle. Dorsey ran like a 5.1 40-yard dash. It's more about quickness, acceleration, agility, burst off the line.

[Jilly]

Originally Posted by Claythan

No. The Chiefs knew what they were getting. Although he did play over his recommended weight last year.

You don't need to be particularly fast to be a 1-gap defensive tackle. Dorsey ran like a 5.1 40-yard dash. It's more about quickness, acceleration, agility, burst off the line.

so you're saying it was our coaches and their play calling that made him slower then he was at LSU?

[Hammock Parties]

Originally Posted by Jilly

so you're saying it was our coaches and their play calling that made him slower then he was at LSU?

Dorsey wasn't any slower than he was at LSU, unless the extra weight slowed him down. He was used improperly. God didn't intend for him to butt heads with guards all day. He was intended to get on their outside shoulder and blow past them.

It's sort of like asking Peyton Manning to run the option.

[Jilly]

Originally Posted by Claythan

Dorsey wasn't any slower than he was at LSU, unless the extra weight slowed him down. He was used improperly. God didn't intend for him to butt heads with guards all day. He was intended to get on their outside shoulder and blow past them.

It's sort of like asking Peyton Manning to run the option.

Thanks for entertaining my questions, Claythan!

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Jilly

How would a 1 gap work in a 3-4? Wouldn't that leave too much room for the run? Or is it just for a passing play?

This is your classic 2 gap 3-4.



The gap to either side of the center is called the A Gap. The Nose TAckle is responsible for BOTH gaps (i.e. 2 gaps). If the ball is handed off to a RB who goes through either A gap, then the NG is supposed to shut that play down.

[Sweet Daddy Hate]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

This is your classic 2 gap 3-4.



The gap to either side of the center is called the A Gap. The Nose TAckle is responsible for BOTH gaps (i.e. 2 gaps). If the ball is handed off to a RB who goes through either A gap, then the NG is supposed to shut that play down.

That was informative. Thank you. And Rep.

[Jilly]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

This is your classic 2 gap 3-4.



The gap to either side of the center is called the A Gap. The Nose TAckle is responsible for BOTH gaps (i.e. 2 gaps). If the ball is handed off to a RB who goes through either A gap, then the NG is supposed to shut that play down.

Thank you.

So, what happens in say, a bootleg or any other roll out play? The CBs go to the inside to cover?

[Amnorix]

Originally Posted by Jilly

Thank you.

So, what happens in say, a bootleg or any other roll out play? The CBs go to the inside to cover?

To answer you directly, as opposed to Clathan...

In general, any type of rollout play against the Patriots becomes a race between the offensive linemen to beat the inside linebackers and safeties to the point of attack. The OLB on the side of the play where the rollout is headed has a VERY SPECIFIC assignment -- turn the play INSIDE. If the OLB gets caught INSIDE, then it can quickly get ugly for the defense.

Thsi is called "keeping containment". Belichick refers to it often. The OLB MUST be strong enough to hold his position or better, and to avoid getting blocked down.

Then it's a race between the inside linebackers and safeties, on the one hand, and the "free" offensive linemen (those not tied up by the defensive linemen) to get to the point of attack. First, the defensive linemen are supposed to stop the running play from going past them at all. If it does, then the ILBs and safeties are supposed to crash down and fill any gaps.

Espeically in training camp, the team works on, and BB talks about endlessly "filling gaps" and working on the front seven "fits."

The 3 defensive linemen and the 4 linebackers are like the pickets in a fence. If they all fill in their gaps properly, there is NO WHERE for the offensive linemen to run.

The 2 gap defense is NOT designed, generally, to get at the RBs behind the line of scrimmage. You see much more of that from attacking linemen like the Steelers and Giants. Patriots defenses are more conservative -- less likely to get a stop behind the LOS, but also less likely to give up any long running plays.

By design, the Pats defense is a "bend but don't break" philosophy, forcing teams to mount extended drives without making a mistake in order to score, and then tightening down as the offense nears the red zone to stop the TD. It's not a high-risk, high-reward strategy.

[Jilly]

Originally Posted by Amnorix

To answer you directly, as opposed to Clathan...

In general, any type of rollout play against the Patriots becomes a race between the offensive linemen to beat the inside linebackers and safeties to the point of attack. The OLB on the side of the play where the rollout is headed has a VERY SPECIFIC assignment -- turn the play INSIDE. If the OLB gets caught INSIDE, then it can quickly get ugly for the defense.

Thsi is called "keeping containment". Belichick refers to it often. The OLB MUST be strong enough to hold his position or better, and to avoid getting blocked down.

Then it's a race between the inside linebackers and safeties, on the one hand, and the "free" offensive linemen (those not tied up by the defensive linemen) to get to the point of attack. First, the defensive linemen are supposed to stop the running play from going past them at all. If it does, then the ILBs and safeties are supposed to crash down and fill any gaps.

Espeically in training camp, the team works on, and BB talks about endlessly "filling gaps" and working on the front seven "fits."

The 3 defensive linemen and the 4 linebackers are like the pickets in a fence. If they all fill in their gaps properly, there is NO WHERE for the offensive linemen to run.

The 2 gap defense is NOT designed, generally, to get at the RBs behind the line of scrimmage. You see much more of that from attacking linemen like the Steelers and Giants. Patriots defenses are more conservative -- less likely to get a stop behind the LOS, but also less likely to give up any long running plays.

By design, the Pats defense is a "bend but don't break" philosophy, forcing teams to mount extended drives without making a mistake in order to score, and then tightening down as the offense nears the red zone to stop the TD. It's not a high-risk, high-reward strategy.

So, it seems like Dorsey would be great at this type of defense, in spite of the criticisms, right? As long as he sticks to his position.