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Check mate Employing empty backfield only part of chess gamePosted: Tuesday December 04, 2001 4:07 PM
Every defense expects four- and five-wide receiver packages to be loaded with empty set plays. But recently more teams have been experimenting with empty sets with regular personnel in the game. Let's take a look at a few examples. In the second quarter against New England, the Jets started out in a one back set with the tight end, fullback and wide receiver to one side. When they saw the matchup they wanted with Laveranues Coles on Otis Smith to the left, New York decided to "empty" the backfield. As Curtis Martin shifted away from Coles, the Patriots' linebackers adjusted to the motion and gave Coles an easy slant route for a first down. When offenses build four receivers to one side, especially in the middle of the field, there's not much the defense can do to support the single side. Later in the quarter, on a second-and-10 situation, the Pats lined up in a 3 x 2 empty set. The tight end, fullback and receiver lined up to the right. Mo Lewis checked to a blitz. Left defensive end Shaun Ellis and defensive tackle Shane Burton ran a twist stunt so no linemen could pop out to block Lewis. Lewis came free and got a good hit on Tom Brady as he threw an incompletion. By halftime the Patriots realized they needed to throw quickly in the empty set and made an adjustment. On a second-and-6 situation in the third quarter, New England ran the triple slant route and hit Troy Brown for a 10-yard gain and the first down. Middle linebacker Marvin Jones tried to tell the defensive tackle to drop to the curl from his stance because New England was in empty. He didn't get the call and Brown had a nice open space to catch the ball. On the next play, on first-and-10, New England went right back to regular personnel empty set but this time the tackle dropped out and all Brady found was a very short out route. If that's all the Patriots can get from empty, it's not worth it. So why do teams employ a no-back offense in traditional run-down situations? By doing it with regular personnel, the base defense has to be on the field. Otherwise, if an offensive coordinator saw a defense with dime people using six defensive backs, he'd shift back to a two-back set with the tight end in close and play smash mouth against the pass coverage unit. This game is a constant chess match. Pat Kirwan, who spent 12 years as a pro football coach, scout and personnel administrator, is an NFL analyst for CNN/Sports Illustrated and a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
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