Dont’a Hightower & The Green Dot

[nazz45]

 
Even during training camp this year, [Dont'a] Hightower was open about preferring to have the play-calling duties shifted elsewhere. If the job of an NFL linebacker wasn’t hard enough ‒ with the constant chasing down of ball carriers, shadowing of tight ends and backs in coverage and pressuring quarterbacks ‒ adding in the duties of the defensive signal caller only complicates matters.
 
The defensive signal caller is responsible for much more than simply relaying the defensive call from the sideline to his teammates. Much like a quarterback, the man with the green dot will engage in a pre-snap game of chess, making sure all the pieces in front of him are in the correct places (e.g., setting the defensive alignment) as well as communicating with the secondary. Using film study and opponent tendencies to his advantage, he must be able to adjust the defensive front or line stunt, or call a blitz on the fly based on particular offensive formations and alignments. In addition, he has to be able to decipher and react to any pre-snap motion and/or suspected audibles that may have placed the defense in a vulnerable spot (e.g., a motioning tight end may force change in coverage, linebacker progressions, and/or pass rush lanes).
 
Now, imagine doing all the above within 25 seconds (and most of the pre-snap adjustments/reactions happen in the last 12 seconds) and top that off with the actual down to be played once the ball is snapped. It’s easy to see why a then-second-year player had his share of struggles.
 
This year’s transition to the middle has been a slightly different story. Continue Reading.

 
Once again, Dont'a Hightower is back in the middle of the defense after replacing Jerod Mayo as the signal caller. After struggling in the same role at times a year ago, how has the linebacker feared with the transition so far this season? Click here to find out.

 

[kelpapa]

On the play where Collins and Hightower switch spots just before the snap (Hightower is blitzing and Collins is dropping into coverage) is that done because of the positioning of the running back? Since Hightower is blitzing, it would be further for the running back to move for blocking. Or is this just a case of them moving up front in an effort to confuse the offensive line?

 

[Import78]

Really good stuff here, keep it up!

 

[ElcaballitoMVP]

On the play where Collins and Hightower switch spots just before the snap (Hightower is blitzing and Collins is dropping into coverage) is that done because of the positioning of the running back? Since Hightower is blitzing, it would be further for the running back to move for blocking. Or is this just a case of them moving up front in an effort to confuse the offensive line?

 
That would be my thought, as well. He and Collins switched due to where the RB was lined up. But for a number of reasons:
 
1. If Manning checks to a run out of the shotgun, as we saw in previous clips, the back is likely going to be running towards the middle or right side of the OL after taking the handoff. This would be heading right towards where Hightower was blitzing.  
2. If they decide to pass (as they did here), Hightower is a step or two away from the RB, allowing him a slightly easier path to the QB, as you noted. 
3. If Peyton checks to a screen pass to the RB, the Pats would have Collins dropping into coverage on that side, rather than it being vacated by a blitzing Hightower if they didn't make the switch. 
 
And if you look at that play again, you'll see the center picking up the wrong LB, which helps blow up the play. He has pass protection help from the RB behind him and to his left. If he decided to pick up Hightower instead of Collins, that play probably would've been a lot different. The presnap switch between High and Collins may have helped lead to some confusion in pass protection here. 

 

[Red Averages]

Really good stuff here, keep it up!

 
Agreed - I loved the video breakdowns.

 

[ALiveH]

It's interesting to me that the defensive signal caller (usually the MLB) rarely seems to be given credit for orchestrating great defenses, whereas on offense, the QB is in a similar position and gets a ton of credit.  Probably, because the QB has the ball most of the time and the overall offensive performance gets mostly reflected in his personal stats.  But, still it'd theoretically be possible for a MLB to be awesome at his job by orchestrating a historically great defense, while not putting up the most gaudy counting numbers.

 

[ragnarok725]

Can't say enough great things about the video breakdowns. Unlike anything else out there in terms of football journalism. You guys are really knocking it out of the park. 

 

[nazz45]

On the play where Collins and Hightower switch spots just before the snap (Hightower is blitzing and Collins is dropping into coverage) is that done because of the positioning of the running back? Since Hightower is blitzing, it would be further for the running back to move for blocking. Or is this just a case of them moving up front in an effort to confuse the offensive line?

 
 

 
That would be my thought, as well. He and Collins switched due to where the RB was lined up. But for a number of reasons:
 
1. If Manning checks to a run out of the shotgun, as we saw in previous clips, the back is likely going to be running towards the middle or right side of the OL after taking the handoff. This would be heading right towards where Hightower was blitzing.  
2. If they decide to pass (as they did here), Hightower is a step or two away from the RB, allowing him a slightly easier path to the QB, as you noted. 
3. If Peyton checks to a screen pass to the RB, the Pats would have Collins dropping into coverage on that side, rather than it being vacated by a blitzing Hightower if they didn't make the switch. 
 
And if you look at that play again, you'll see the center picking up the wrong LB, which helps blow up the play. He has pass protection help from the RB behind him and to his left. If he decided to pick up Hightower instead of Collins, that play probably would've been a lot different. The presnap switch between High and Collins may have helped lead to some confusion in pass protection here. 

 
Good observations, kelpapa. ElCab covers it really well here (more favorable angle for the actual pass/run blitzer in Hightower and it may cause confusion for the center / back tandem on who to pick up), and I'll add the following:
 

Looking at it from a pass protection standpoint, I am not sure of the exact scheme being used, but it looks like man protection across the board. I noticed that the center points out Collins after the two linebackers exchange gaps.


 


Who exactly screwed up would depend on what the point/line call indicates (is it the center's defender to block or is it the back's defender to block?). Usually it indicates that, in this case, Collins is the mike linebacker. Typically, though not always, the mike is the responsiblity of the offensive line to block.
 
If it were a man-on-man blocking (on left) and slide/area protection (on right), the center is correct in his focus on Collins while the back is responsible for the back side rusher (Hightower) - and the back is sort of late because he appears to react to Collins' first step.
 

Anyway, it all comes down to how it’s being coached and then deciphered at the line by whoever is calling the protection scheme (usually the QB or center).

 
But this is why disguising the A gap blitz (or bringing both rushers) can be so effective because no matter what protection scheme is being used, it places a lot of pressure on the center/guard or center/back blocking tandem to communicate and confirm protection assignments in a split-second.
 
Edit - Wanted to add that, after this game, the Broncos switched center Manny Ramirez to guard and replaced him with Will Montgomery - regardless of fault on this particular play, Ramirez did not have a good game anchoring the middle of the line against the Patriots.


 

 

[tims4wins]

This was probably my favorite FC article yet. Really well done.

 

[nazz45]

This was probably my favorite FC article yet. Really well done.

 
Thanks for the love. Like a good starting rotation, I think all the writers try to push each other. I mean, I'm not sure I really understood what Cover 6 looked like until this week.

 

[mascho]

This was probably my favorite FC article yet. Really well done.

 
Yeah, when nazz turns in a new piece it's pretty much a race to read it. Every one is pretty awesome.
 


 

 

[tims4wins]

I watch the BB breakdowns every week after wins and I think you guys do an even better job with film study than he does

 

[kelpapa]

That would be my thought, as well. He and Collins switched due to where the RB was lined up. But for a number of reasons:
 
1. If Manning checks to a run out of the shotgun, as we saw in previous clips, the back is likely going to be running towards the middle or right side of the OL after taking the handoff. This would be heading right towards where Hightower was blitzing.  
2. If they decide to pass (as they did here), Hightower is a step or two away from the RB, allowing him a slightly easier path to the QB, as you noted. 
3. If Peyton checks to a screen pass to the RB, the Pats would have Collins dropping into coverage on that side, rather than it being vacated by a blitzing Hightower if they didn't make the switch. 
 
And if you look at that play again, you'll see the center picking up the wrong LB, which helps blow up the play. He has pass protection help from the RB behind him and to his left. If he decided to pick up Hightower instead of Collins, that play probably would've been a lot different. The presnap switch between High and Collins may have helped lead to some confusion in pass protection here.

Good observations, kelpapa. ElCab covers it really well here (more favorable angle for the actual pass/run blitzer in Hightower and it may cause confusion for the center / back tandem on who to pick up), and I'll add the following:
 

Looking at it from a pass protection standpoint, I am not sure of the exact scheme being used, but it looks like man protection across the board. I noticed that the center points out Collins after the two linebackers exchange gaps.


 


Who exactly screwed up would depend on what the point/line call indicates (is it the center's defender to block or is it the back's defender to block?). Usually it indicates that, in this case, Collins is the mike linebacker. Typically, though not always, the mike is the responsiblity of the offensive line to block.
 
If it were a man-on-man blocking (on left) and slide/area protection (on right), the center is correct in his focus on Collins while the back is responsible for the back side rusher (Hightower) - and the back is sort of late because he appears to react to Collins' first step.
 

Anyway, it all comes down to how it’s being coached and then deciphered at the line by whoever is calling the protection scheme (usually the QB or center).

 
But this is why disguising the A gap blitz (or bringing both rushers) can be so effective because no matter what protection scheme is being used, it places a lot of pressure on the center/guard or center/back blocking tandem to communicate and confirm protection assignments in a split-second.
 
Edit - Wanted to add that, after this game, the Broncos switched center Manny Ramirez to guard and replaced him with Will Montgomery - regardless of fault on this particular play, Ramirez did not have a good game anchoring the middle of the line against the Patriots.

Thanks for going into more detail on this. The article was a great read. I'm off to find the cover 6 article that I apparently missed.
 

 

[kelpapa]

Thanks for going into more detail on this. The article was a great read. I'm off to find the cover 6 article that I apparently missed.
 

Didn't we have a pinned thread from Rev containing every article?
 
Edit: Nevermind. Found it.

 

[soxfan121]

Didn't we have a pinned thread from Rev containing every article?

 
We did. It had not been updated recently so it has drifted off page, to return soon. 
 
However, on every page, up in the left corner under the SoSH banner is this link, which can give you access to every article. Search works really, really well (we've spent a lot of time making sure of it) so "cover 6" will get you a treasure trove of reading. Enjoy.