NFL Week 9: Fundamentally Unsound
Monday, November 8, 2010 at 9:30AM Joe Simmons 
Watching football this weekend I noticed something that bothered me a lot. Some teams were just not coached up the way they should be. It appears the scheme is greater than technique when it comes to coaching in todays society.
As I watched the games on Sunday I noticed a few things that professional athletes were doing that I learned not to do when beginning to play the game. There were instances of stepping with the wrong foot on a cutoff block like Jason Witten did last night in the Cowboys versus Packers game that nearly got Marion Barbers head taken off. There were also instances of wide receivers giving away their route by alignment and first step the way Pierre Garcon did in the Colts versus the Eagles game leading to a couple of Asante Samuel interceptions.
These were not the only other cases of bad fundamentals. I understand that the NFL is cracking down on helmet to helmet contact but the reality of the situation is that is fundamental football. Tackle what you can see. If you drop your head, that is where the concussion comes from. I have never seen a face to face concussion.
Other instances of bad football were some of the defensive schemes that were present. Teams repeatedly lined up wrong and there is so much of an attempt to disguise blitzes that teams were caught in situations where alignment was really awful.
I watched linebackers let tight ends get free releases and also let receivers cross their zone under the 5 yard mark and not bump them off their route. I watched safeties give up the deep ball to try and get a head start on the big hit over the middle of the field. I watched corner backs give up the outside release against cover 2 when they know their rule is to push their man inside.
To the average fan I am nitpicking but if you are a true fan of the game with any knowledge these things would bother you. Quarterbacks not letting the ball go on the 3rd step of a 3 step drop makes the offensive line look bad. Three step drops are the easiest as the quarterback has just one read. It is also amazing of how many quarterbacks do not know how to do the box drill in the pocket. They are just quick to start running to the sideline to avoid pressure. They should take a look at Peyton Manning and Aaron Rodgers. They have two different styles but watching them do the box drill in a game and make the pass rush look bad is like poetry in motion.
I know... I know... I am ranting and raving, but I just call them like I see them. If you are selling us a product, sell us a good product. Right now the NFL is selling us a product that is a little suspect right now.
Reader Comments (3)
Man it was bad. Witten just set Barber up. He didn't even try to block.
Well it looks like it cost Wade Phillips his job.
I'm glad I didn't see one second of that garbage in Green Bay. Bad news is I get to see it on Sunday against the Giants.