Football Strategy: Attacking a Weakness!

Football Strategy: Attacking a Weakness!
By: Mike Neri

Strategically, football has similarities to war. Commanding officers use photographs of rival positions in an attempt to identify weaknesses in the enemy lines, then plot their offensive strategies accordingly. A smart commander doesn’t have his men go head on at the enemies’ strongest defensive positions – you exploit the weak spots. Football coaches devise Xs and Os in their game plans and watch endless hours of film. Any soft spots will help them exploit weaknesses in an attempt to find victory on the gridiron.

An obvious example is when a strong rushing team faces an opponent that can’t stop the run. Did you watch the Cowboys win and cover Sunday against the previously unbeaten Colts? Dallas attack the major flaw of Indy, their run defense which is last in the NFL. Dallas had 117 rush yards and held the time of possession edge 34-26. The strong running game took the pressure off young QB Tony Romo, who was able to find open receivers as the Colts were focused on the run. Romo was 19-of-23 passing! Attacking one weakness can help a team in other areas, as well.

Navy and West Virginia have had an outstanding ground game the last few years. This past weekend West Virginia ran right through a Pitt defense that has had all kinds of trouble defending the run the last month. Even down at the half, the Mountaineers didn’t panic as they knew they could attack the Panther run defense in the second half, which they did. They not only came back strong but still covered despite being a double digit road favorite. This is basic strategy, too – “We’re going to run the ball, can you stop it?”

Sometimes those weaknesses change from season to season and it’s up to the handicapper to stay informed. The Arizona Wildcats went from being a poor defense to an aggressive strong one ever since Mike Stoops arrived as coach. He worked with his brother Bob to build the Oklahoma defense into a powerhouse unit. Mike Stoops has had great success for many years as a defensive coordinator, which was a large factor in him getting the Arizona job. Defense can keep a team in any game and it’s been the story as Arizona is on a 4-1 SU/ATS run, ripping Cal and Oregon the last two weeks as a big dog each time. The point is, Arizona is no longer a weak team against the run because of the new coaching staff, which has designed game plans to stop the run wherever they’ve been.

The Patriots have had an up and down season passing the football, but Sunday they went right at the Green Bay Packers through the air, a team that is last in the NFL against the pass. New England won and covered with ease, 35-0, attacking the major weakness of the Packers.

Green Bay shredded the Saints pass defense early in the year with 322 yards. That was a weakness that Pittsburgh and Cincy exploited the last two weeks. The Bengals on Sunday had 266 pass yards in a 31-16 upset at New Orleans. Atlanta has injuries on defense and the last three weeks they’ve gone 0-3 SU/ATS giving up 127, 91 and 103 yards rushing, a weakness the Ravens exploited Sunday with an edge in time of possession 37-23! So keep updated on injuries, coaching changes and the strength and weaknesses of both college and pro teams. It will help you identify good teams to play on and ones to play against each week.

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