Containing spread (4+ WR) passing attacks

[rhombic21]

How do you do this? On current gen by general strategy is to try and bring serious heat, but this doesn't seem to work as well on next gen, partly because the "throw to uncovered WR" principle actually works correctly, and the number of zone blitzes seems very limited.

If you only rush the front 4, you're basically inviting your opponent to pick you apart, and with the way that corners and posts decimate zone coverage, it's just a matter of time until somebody is wide open deep. With man coverage, you're basically conceeding a first down if they throw an out, drag or dig pattern..

[whiteyc_77]

But isn't how this is in real life? If there is a team that has an exceptional spread passing attack, it will be incredibly difficult to stop. I'm sure defensive coordinators lose their jobs all the time trying to figure out the answer to this. Why should we thumb jockeys be any more proficient at stopping it that they are?

-YTC

[rhombic21]

I don't think it's that way in real life at all. I see lots of spread offenses that look pretty terrible at times. See Florida, 2005 and OU, 2001 for further reference.

My main concern is that the defensive line gets almost zero pressure at all (and when they do, it's usually pretty easy to scramble out of it), which means that you have to blitz way more than you want to. And you really can't blitz that often against a spread offense, unless you're in third and long type situations where you can afford to give up short passes.

[Mr. Option]

Control a DE

Run a QB Contain

Drop Zone, then bring the coverage all the way (Show Blitz)

[VandalJon]

I have also had success using my DE's to counter spread attacks if you use them as spy's this really cuts down on the QB rolling out and hitting a receiver that is crossing the field deep.