A good read on the "Wildcat"

[nyfg89]

Here's the link: A bit long but worth reading to see how it works.

http://phinphanatic.com/2008/09/23/breaking-down-the-wild-cat-formation/


There were some good points made by posters on another site:

1) The WR position is not a protected position so you can jam the QB and rough him up.

2) If a QB gets injured when doing this play that will be the end of it in the NFL.

3) The wildcat works because the play gets moving quicker due to the stand-in QB usually running with the ball and is more athletic than the normal QB.

Any comments?

 

[Big Tim]

I think the league will not take well to teams "roughing" up the QB when he is split wide.

That theory will work until the NFL starts protecting them...... plus, a CB isnt normally as pjysical as the lineman and LB's they normally have hitting them.

The wildcat works because most teams dont know which way at all the play is going to go.

 

[Bumble]

Troy Smith has the number 1 passer rating in the NFL as our backup.

Wildcat = awesome

 

[nyfg89]

I think the league will not take well to teams "roughing" up the QB when he is split wide.

That theory will work until the NFL starts protecting them...... plus, a CB isnt normally as pjysical as the lineman and LB's they normally have hitting them.

The wildcat works because most teams dont know which way at all the play is going to go.

A good point about the NFL not taking kindly to roughing up the QB but if the WR position isn't a protected position then the rules might have to be changed.
The NFL might have to make a rule like when a tackle becomes eligible to catch a pass, they may have to elect the QB is protected.
I think this is what you were alluding to in your second point, but it would take the element of surprise away from the offense.

 

[boxa777]

1) The WR position is not a protected position so you can jam the QB and rough him up.

2) If a QB gets injured when doing this play that will be the end of it in the NFL.

Any comments?

Sure, hammer the QB. He'll just run out of bounds if need be and ROnnie and Ricky will use the extra room.. I don't think that's the way to stop it.

I personally love it and all the wrinkles Miami are applying. Its unorthodox and good for the game.

Baltimore's defence showed how to stop it. Their D line dominated forward and limited any room inside or outside.

 

[boxa777]

Very interesting analysis on stopping the wildcat..

http://www.nfl.com/news/story?id=09000d5d80c9ec68&template=with-video-with-comments&confirm=true

They did lose me a little at times cause it's so technical and you really need to be a student of the game, but I found the tactics interesting and potentially effective.

There seems to be an acceptance of the passing option on the wildcat as the most high risk for the offence and hence the defence worries less about it. The tactics above align with that notion.

However, if you have someone like Ronnie Brown from Miami who can throw well, that is a plus. That's why Miami are the most successful at it I think.

 

[Lynch]

so essentially to defend the Linebacker calls a 3-4 DE contain with OLB's acting as safties in zone coverage. the DE's attack the pocket or 'mesh' zone from a wide angle to turn the run to the inside where the NT's and inside linebackers are disrupting the inside mesh zone.
and the SS is focused on the ball.
i can see a weakness tho, using play action the RB runs deep to draw the SS and ur TE's are open or if the SS comes into the box and the RB or WR u have with the ball can dump it off to ut TE's.
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