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How to defend the 'Wildcat'

In the most recent edition of Sports Illustrated, Dr. Z's pick of the week happens to be the Dolphins/Texans game.  But more importantly, Dr. Z got to ask a "defensive coach who later faces Miami" how to defend the now famous 'Wildcat' formation that the Dolphins run about a quarter or so of the time.

Here's what that defensive coach said:

"Seal off the edges and don't let him bounce outside.  Put a man over the center and go at him hard.  The center has to have his head down for the long snap; make it as uncomfortable for him as possible.  Put a man over each guard, and present a very firm front inside.  Move your outside linebackers up close, and tell them not to let anything outside them."

"I'm even toying with lining up in an old-fashioned 6-2."

Now that's an interesting idea being presented by one of Miami's future opponents.  But I still think this style of defense leaves them vulnerable.  First off, I still believe that, if the offense - especially the lineman - execute perfectly, Ronnie Brown can still pick up positive yardage.  It almost reminds me of the Packers' old "power sweep" offense.  When executed 100% perfectly, it cannot be stopped - at least not for no gain or even for a loss of yardage.

More importantly, this makes the defense insanely vulnerable to the pass.  We know Ronnie can pass if asked to.  This past week, we even saw Ricky Williams take a hand-off from Brown and look to pass.  And of course, there's always the possibility of Brown passing behind the line of scrimmage to Chad Pennington, who is lined up as a receiver, and then Pennington making a throw down the field.

Regardless, this is interesting because it shows that teams who play the Dolphins later on in the season are already taking some time to think about how to defend Miami's variation of the single-wing offense - an offense that has been around since 1906.

So what do you think?  Is this unidentified defensive coach's idea the way to defend the 'Wildcat'?

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thoughts........

first of all i think this is great…people are spending all week trhying to figure out that play./..and the most we have run it is 11 times in a game. meanwhile we are practicing Fasano down the middle deep routes….and routine smashmouth run plays…great.

i heard last night we are 3 point underdogs..is that true?

3 pt dogs to a winnless team? that says it all right there…no respect.

the wildcat is all the rage….i love it…..suck it nfl

"Somebody has got to take it, and say NO! Not today!"
-Tony Sparano

by Rzayo24 on Oct 9, 2008 12:08 PM EDT reply actions  

one step ahead

The best play the wildcat provides is making others prepare and say things like this. As long as we keep one step ahead, we’ll have the other on their throats.

As far as being “dogs”, the home team always gets 3. So the bookies are saying that its an even game, but if Miami wins by 1-3, they still make money. I think the oddsmakers just don’t know on this game. The Texans should be doing better, they expected Miami to do worse. I read somewhere that Vegas is having a bad first quarter. Bookies don’t care about respect, just about money.

"When we win, we're humble!" Coach Sparano 10/5/2008

by HuskerDolphin on Oct 9, 2008 12:41 PM EDT up reply actions  

I'm waiting for...

the Wildcat formation pre-snap ‘shift’ back into a traditional pro set…with the defense out of position and maybe even with wrong personnel on the field (old-fashioned 6-2?…seriously?) Winning is fun!

by OntheGo on Oct 9, 2008 12:27 PM EDT reply actions  

Not a bad idea

But can Jake Long shift from right tackle back to left tackle?

by Donphin on Oct 9, 2008 11:29 PM EDT up reply actions  

Just imagine...

that shift…accentuated with the 6’7" dude…shifting back to the balanced line. All about the clock mgmt. ;)

by OntheGo on Oct 9, 2008 11:59 PM EDT up reply actions  

One more game then adaption time

I think we’ll see one more game when the wildcat as we know it will be on show.
Then the weeks after watch it change and evolve.
As you can see everybody is prepared for Wildcat A, so give them Wildcat B and watch them get all confused again.

I don’t know what Wildcat B is yet, but I’m looking forward to finding out.

by DickDevil on Oct 9, 2008 12:37 PM EDT reply actions   1 recs

UNSTOPPABLE!!!!

This 6-2 would work most of the time if Ronnie couldn’t throw. Because ronnie can throw he would hit the TE 5-8 yards over the middle all game long, to keep the defense honest you give it to Ricky or Ronnie takes it outside of Jake and when we are on the goal line we would see Jake catch his first TD pass. With a Guys like Ronnie and Ricky running this offense, it’s unstoppable……..If we ran this play 3 straight times we pick up the first down everytime unless we have guys miss there blocks. This offense is the reason why I feel we can compete for the division (and the fact Brady is done). If our D keeps getting better and our Offense can score points and control the field position we are going to be tough to beat. Our D is now ranked in the top 10 (I think), think about were we would rank if we showed up and played Arizona like we should have……..

by jvw on Oct 9, 2008 12:56 PM EDT reply actions  

IMPOSSIBLE

here is the deal….

we run it so they cant sub. so we run regualr plays…and all the sudden the wildcat. if we dont sub they cant…..

so they cant just have all those run stoppers on the field…cuz next play we hurry up and throw it downfield….

unstoppable

5yards a carry….ill take it

"Somebody has got to take it, and say NO! Not today!"
-Tony Sparano

by Rzayo24 on Oct 9, 2008 1:18 PM EDT reply actions  

The only one who know how to..

stop the bottlenose(wildcat) play, is Sparano and company, so we better pay our coaching staff, so they stay with us longer LOL

Ps i like more the name Bottlenose, rather than wildcat ; )

I will see the Dolphins win a SUPER BOWL before i die(21 years and counting)

by Aleta on Oct 9, 2008 1:41 PM EDT reply actions  

The defensive coach is from a 3-4 team

Who do we play that runs a 3-4 after the chargers?

by ph0enyx on Oct 9, 2008 6:22 PM EDT reply actions  

I think Houston is a 3-4 and the Pats and Jets

and I think San Fran plays a variation of the 3-4 too. I think thats it.

by jvw on Oct 9, 2008 7:03 PM EDT up reply actions  

Houston is 4-3

"When we win, we're humble!" Coach Sparano 10/5/2008

by HuskerDolphin on Oct 9, 2008 7:05 PM EDT up reply actions  

regardless i think we can agree...houston sucks ASS

On this team, we are all united in a common goal: to keep my job
-Nicky Primetime

by finsxfactor on Oct 9, 2008 7:44 PM EDT up reply actions  

regardless I think we DOLPHIN FANS can agree...houston sucks ASS

On this team, we are all united in a common goal: to keep my job
-Nicky Primetime

by finsxfactor on Oct 9, 2008 8:46 PM EDT up reply actions  

no doubt onthego

someone refill this kids medicine.

Cool you had a good time at the game Onthego, I bet it was awesome.

"When we win, we're humble!" Coach Sparano 10/5/2008

by HuskerDolphin on Oct 9, 2008 9:00 PM EDT up reply actions  

They will stop the Wildcat when the defense starts executing better than the Dolphins offense. The Wildcat is not rocket science. The great play of the O-Line has been making it work so far.

by icerob on Oct 9, 2008 9:11 PM EDT reply actions  

And...

…another thing:

The D can play 6-2 if they wish, but those extra linemen would be LBs anyway. The only reason the Wildcat even works is that they run it using regular personnel. That means they don’t tip it off through substitutions, and therefore the D can’t get the field full of run defenders.

by icerob on Oct 9, 2008 9:15 PM EDT reply actions  

Overload left?

Why don’t they try running the other way? Move Vernon to the left side, put Williams in motion right to left, and watch confusion on the defense. :)

by Donphin on Oct 9, 2008 11:44 PM EDT reply actions  

we'll see what they do against the Txns

On this team, we are all united in a common goal: to keep my job
-Nicky Primetime

by finsxfactor on Oct 10, 2008 12:03 AM EDT up reply actions  

100% perfect execution

dude, i dont think any offense can be stopped if its run 100% perfect execution. maybe a clock play.

by smirish on Oct 10, 2008 11:34 AM EDT reply actions  

a 6-2 leaves the TEs or WRs going over the middle open.

"How can I blame you
When it's me I can't forgive?"

-From the Unforgiven III off of Death Magnetic

by Patssuck456 on Oct 10, 2008 12:40 PM EDT reply actions  

yea gotta stack the line to stop the run...but then a little dump over the middle = big gain

On this team, we are all united in a common goal: to keep my job
-Nicky Primetime

by finsxfactor on Oct 10, 2008 9:31 PM EDT up reply actions  

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