Attacking Modern Day Defenses with the Pass and Run.

Two things defenses agree on these days are making the offenses one-dimensional by stopping the run and forcing the quarterback to execute under tremendous pressure. They play mostly man coverage (at least on the corners) and place more defenders near the line of scrimmage than the offense has blockers to block for the run. Placing their defenders near the line of scrimmage puts them in position to rush the quarterback in passing situations. Once again they have the option of rushing more defenders than the offense has potential blockers. Buddy Ryan, while at the Chicago Bears, taught all of us that the defense has one more player than the offense does because the offense has the ball to deal with. One cannot block while he has the ball in his hands. Even though sacking the quarterback would be the defense’s goal, putting pressure and punishing the quarterback would be acceptable to