Green Bay vs. The Tampa-2
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by Cheezer
Over the last six quarters of football, the Green Bay Packers offense has ground to a halt. Beginning with the second half of the Bears game and continuing throughout the Redskins game, opposing defenses are completely ignoring the Packers running game. They are playing a modified version of the Cover-2, called the Tampa-2.
The effects on Favre and the Packers are as blinding as they are true. Favre’s rating has gone from 101.6 to 35.9 for those six quarters. He has zero TD passes and four interceptions in those six quarters. As a result, Green Bay’s scoring has dropped from almost 7 points/quarter for the first 4 ½ games to 3.33 points/quarter over the last 6 quarters.
The best way to attack the Tampa-2 is with a strong rushing attack because the safeties are committed to deep zone coverage. Each safety has to cover half the field about 15-20 yards from the line-of-scrimmage. As a result of the safeties being so deep, the MLB must drop to cover the middle of the field and protect against seam routes.
This is when you attack the core of the defense with your rushing game. Unfortunately, the Packer ground attack has been non-existent and they’ve been relying heavily on the slant pass to keep the clock and the chains moving. The Redskins took that away by lining the CBs up in inside leverage and, in some cases, dropping a defensive tackle into the shallow middle of the field.
Possible Solutions
- RUN!
- Send four receivers on Go routes and attack the safeties.
- Run Drag routes to force the cornerbacks (CBs) out and Hook the tight end in the hole between the corners and the linebackers.
- Run a Post-Corner route over the top of the CB. Fake the Post route to freeze the safety and since the CB is committed to inside leverage, the Corner route should be open.
- Use a TE or a third receiver to attack the seam. If the safeties are overly concerned, the sideline patterns should be open.
Of course all of these potential solutions require an offensive line that can either make holes for the running game or give Favre more time.
The Packers bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. Time for the coaching staff to get to work.
UPDATE 29Sept08: This still hold true for the Packers. They still struggle with the Tampa-2
Hattip: Milwaukee Journal-Sentinal
