Team by team offensive/defensive scheme profile

Posted by Brad On March – 22 – 2013

"X's and O's"Towards the end of March, we release our team by team update of schemes. Last year’s was released on March 28 and remains one of the most highly viewed articles on the site.

From some feedback we received last year, we will do a better job of explaining the specific schemes and what they mean to a team’s draft philosophy. I have spent the last two years on my soapbox about the future of football. It’s my belief that teams are becoming increasingly multiple in formations and schemes. With offenses spreading the field horizontally, defenses are attempting to employ more multiple looks to matchup with situations and teams. It’s been widely publicized that NFL offenses are becoming more college-like in their use of spread zone principles. The goal of those principles is to create space to allow athletes to work in as the game shifts away from the tackle box.

We’ll start with the offense. Two basic offenses are prevelant in the NFL – matchup-precision and vertical-power.

Precision offenses will fit Matt Barkley type passers

Matchup-precision offenses are rhythm based, west-coast style offenses that are predicated on timing. The ball comes out quickly with routes and drops timed accordingly. The quarterback must be able to diagnose the defense quickly and deliver the ball accurately to receivers that can run after the catch. 

The vertical-power offense is built on deep (five and seven step) drops allowing receivers to work vertically behind the defense. Arm strength is critical to this system as the ball will be driven down the field on deep ins, outs, and 9-routes. Because of the extra time involved in blocking deep drops, it’s ideal to have a quarterback that can avoid pressure and drive the ball into tight windows.

It’s important to remember the type of offense of team runs when selecting quarterbacks and wide receivers. Precision offenses will fit Matt Barkley type passers that are experienced in delivering the ball with timing and accuracy. When looking at receivers that best fit precision based offenses, you would look at a Keenan Allen type. Allen doesn’t have great vertical speed but his big, runs precise routes, and can create after the catch. In a vertical offense, you want a big armed quarterback like Mike Glennon. But Glennon struggles to move and avoid pressure will cause him some concern. EJ Manuel offers intrigue in the system because he has the arm and mobility to be an effective downfield passer. In terms of type of receiver, you could look at Markus Wheaton as an ideal fit in a vertical offense.

The second half of the offensive focus will be on blocking schemes. NFL blocking schemes are comprised of a stretch-zone, slide protection or man-power style. In stretch-zone schemes, teams will look for more athletic offensive lineman that can move and occupy zones rather than blocking man up. This draft class is loaded with solid fits in ZBS athletes. In a man-power scheme, blockers are assigned a man and it requires a bigger, physically strong blocker. With many college teams employing zone principles in the run game, man-power blockers are becoming lesser and lesser entering the NFL ranks.

It’s important to remember, as we move onto the defensive side of the ball, that teams are becoming more multiple on defense and the below graph is comprised of base defenses and primary coverage style. As offenses increase tempo and employ the horizontal stretch, zone action defenses are forced out of base defenses more often than not.

We first look at the base front of a defense. In a three-man front (3-4), teams will employ big body space eaters to stack and

"Star Lotulelei"

Russ Isabella-US PRESSWIRE

allow the edges to be attacked by rush linebackers. In an odd front, the linebackers have to take on blocks and aren’t as free to run and chase. When 3-4 teams seek out linebackers, they want a bigger body athlete with the ability to take on blocks and shed.

In a four man front (4-3), teams look for an athletic rusher on the right side and a more physical base end on the left side. At the linebacker position 4-3 teams will look for athletic run and chase athletes. Smaller stature linebackers that aren’t necessarily great at taking on blocks fit better into an even front as the four down lineman will occupy blockers and allow the LB’s to roam relatively free.

In terms of coverage schematics, it’s likely that teams will employ a blend of man and zone principles depending on situations and tendencies of teams. The base coverage style identifies the defensive coordinators primary coverage tendency. They are broken down as man, press man, zone, press zone.

In some later articles we will analyze team needs and scheme fits as we place specific names with specific teams based on schematic fit. The following graph is something you  will want to bookmark for reference as you embark on mock drafts and deciding on your team’s draft.

TEAM OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR BASE PHILOSOPHY BLOCKING SCHEME
ARIZONA HAROLD GOODWIN VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
ATLANTA DIRK KOETTER VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
BALTIMORE JIM CALDWELL VERTICAL-POWER STRETCH-ZONE
BUFFALO NATHANIEL HACKETT PRECISION-MATCHUP STRETCH-ZONE
CAROLINA MIKE SHULA VERTICAL-POWER STRETCH-ZONE
CHICAGO AARON KROMER MATCHUP-PRECISION STRETCH-ZONE
CINCINNATI JAY GRUDEN MATCHUP-PRECISION MAN-POWER
CLEVELAND NORV TURNER VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
DALLAS BILL CALLAHAN VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
DENVER ADAM GASE VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
DETROIT SCOTT LINEHAN VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
GREEN BAY TOM CLEMENTS PRECISION-MATCHUP STRETCH-ZONE
HOUSTON RICK DENNISON MATCHUP-PRECISION STRETCH-ZONE
INDIANAPOLIS PEP HAMILTON MATCHUP-PRECISION MAN-POWER
JACKSONVILLE JEDD FISCH VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
KANSAS CITY DOUG PEDERSON PRECISION-MATCHUP STRETCH-ZONE
MIAMI MIKE SHERMAN VERTICAL-POWER STRETCH-ZONE
MINNESOTA BILL MUSGRAVE RHYTHM PASSING MAN-POWER
NEW ENGLAND JOSH MCDANIELS MATCHUP-PRECISION STRETCH-ZONE
NEW ORLEANS PETE CARMICHAEL, JR MATCHUP-PRECISION STRETCH-ZONE
NEW YORK GIANTS KEVIN GILBRIDE VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
NEW YORK JETS MARTY MORNHINWEG MATCHUP-PRECISION STRETCH-ZONE
OAKLAND GREG OLSON VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
PHILADELPHIA PAT SHURMUR PRECISION-MATCHUP STRETCH-ZONE
PITTSBURGH TODD HALEY VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
SAN DIEGO KEN WISENHUNT VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
SAN FRANCISCO GREG ROMAN MATCHUP-PRECISION MAN-POWER
SEATTLE DARRELL BEVELL VERTICAL-POWER STRETCH-ZONE
ST. LOUIS BRIAN SCHOTTENHEIMER VERTICAL-POWER MAN-POWER
TAMPA BAY MIKE SULLIVAN VERTICAL-POWER STRETCH-ZONE
TENNESSEE DOWELL LOGGAINS VERTICAL-POWER STRETCH-ZONE
WASHINGTON KYLE SHANAHAN PRECISION-MATCHUP STRETCH-ZONE

Click here to check out the defensive chart

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  • John Steppling

    define “physical 3+4……..” not sure what that means.

  • Little Bobby Tables

    great writeup, although I’ve got one correction — the 49ers run a predominantly press man coverage scheme, not zone.

    seattle is also a press man team, IIRC, but I could be wrong.

    • a57se

      Yeah and the Jets run a Hybrid, they use 3-4, 4-3 and 46 looks through the course of a game….

    • BlackHatter

      ^ Points for the XKCD reference.
      I wish they pointed out which teams run the under/over 43, like I know Seattle, Baltimore, and maybe the Eagles will run the under. In 34, which teams are one-gap and which teams are 2-gap. And some teams run their defense almost exclusively with 5 D-Backs, the Giants come to mind. I think just labeling teams with 43, 34, even with the attacking and what-not is updated.

  • Greg Manusky

    the colts dc is not keith butler lol good job

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