New Staff Writer: Bahamas! : The Importance Of Being Robbed

If you have been over to our forums you will have noticed a lot of posts by a member that calls himself “Bahamas”. Yes, he is from the Bahamas and is now our new staff writer. He will be covering different aspects of the team and will join our group as a weekly contributor, and when you don’t see him here, you can always check him out on our Forums. Here.

Here is the first post by D-PJ Aka “Bahamas”

The Importance of Being Robbed

There is a commonality between being “robbed” and the “robber technique” that Mike Nolan is beginning to implement. Both require a keen sense of awareness, quick and fluid movements, and of course the ultimate goal – taking what doesn’t belong to you.
Our new base 3-4 defence has a main secondary revision, which is a cover 1 robber. Nolan likes to have his safeties (FS, SS) roam the field. Let his best athlete’s make the best plays (-I am biased since I use to play FS) by allowing them to react to the play and using their knowledge to “do what is right.”
Let’s take a step inside the coverage, what is Cover 1 robber? The best analogy I can give you is picture a center fielder in baseball as the only player in the outfield. The center fielder is responsible for everything and anything that comes into his zone.
Now let’s break it down into X’s and O’s….keep reading!

Offence calls double I set, drag (-one RB, one FB, two WR, and TE, RUN) 1st and 10

Nolan calls a 3-4 base cover 1 robber
The way calls are broken down are as follows:
3-4:
The type/formation of Defence pertaining to the play, 3-4 (-3 DL, 4 LBs)

Base:
“base” advises the DL/LB of their responsibilities,

Cover:
“cover” is always for the secondary and what they are supposed to do for the play.

Responsibilities:

CBs are going against the WR
LBs – are going against the backfield
DE – eat the QB
SS – is responsible for the TE
FS – Robber

What Nolan does best is disguise his defence, to keep it simple we are not going to take into effect the shift the LB’s can make or player adjustment.
Y. Bell is our starting SS and Chris Clemons is our apparent starting FS (-still don’t know why, Sobe or finz…where’s OJ)
Nolan will ask Y.Bell to start things off as soon as the play is starting to develop. His first queue is to mess with the QB’s mind. Bell will start moving up to where the LB’s are, giving the illusion to the QB that a “Spy”, “Hit” or “Contain” is being called. As soon as Bell starts moving around, Clemons is now activated. Now Clemons can move as soon as Bell moves or remain set, it is up to him on how he is reading the field. For example, if a motion is called (and the TE shifts from left to right) moving Clemons at the same time might give off the hint to the QB we are in man.
Let’s continue with the motion on this play…QB pre call, TE moves left, QB huts the ball.
Right now, all of our players know they are shadowing their man responsibilities except Clemons. Clemons is activated; he is sitting reading the play. QB pitches the ball to the RB.
Clemons now reacts to the ball, and swings to the RB. Since we already have 8 in the box (-with Bell moving up to the LB on the pre snap read) Clemons should be able to attack unblocked and stop the RB dead in the tracks.  Robbing the RB of any gains, and stealing his pride.  Now let’s do the same thing, but with a pass play called.

Offence calls double I set, Cut zone (-one RB, one FB, two WR, and TE, PASS) 3rd and 4

Nolan calls a 3-4 base cover 1 robber:

We will do the exact same pre snap read on defence (-Bell creeping up)
Offence does not call the motion.
QB huts the ball

Clemons is responsible for reading the pass; he should see this and move right to the center of the field. What his main goal right now is to see who is losing their shadow, and what player on offence is ready to make a play.
Let’s say WR does the cut zone (-meaning receiver jams for 5yrds then cuts right into the middle of the field) for example Sean Smith against Randy Moss. Moss and Smith jam for 5 yards and now Moss is free of his jam coverage and breaks into the middle of the field leaving Smith 2yrds behind him. Moss is open (-or so it seems) Brady see’s this and does the quick pass.
Meanwhile, as Moss is breaking loose, Clemons sitting in center field notices Moss coming into this zone and the “shadow” is broken. Since Clemons is not covering anyone, he should be able to make the play.
Back to the throw

Moss attempt to make the catch, Clemons reacts by either INT or contact.
Robbing the WR of the catch or stopping him from getting the YAC.

The Robber has to have great instincts in making plays. This is the one position that allows the player to make multiple game changing plays in one game. Think Ed Reed, Troy Polawhatever, Brain Dawkins. The players in which I mention are use to having their names called on Prime Time, because the DC knows what they can do and how to use them.
Nolan is going to give Clemons every opportunity to make a play against the run or the pass. If what we have seen in the pre-season games is taste of what is to come….then, it is us, the fans, who are getting robbed.