Thanks for posting….a very interesting column
I have a couple of minor issues with some of the pretenses presented in the article, i.e, if you are a great bull rusher, you are a great pass rusher...it is a great start, but more work is needed .
I suppose to illustrate what I feel are the shortcomings, I would use examples of another sport, baseball.
For example, if I were to say that someone has the best fastball, I would seem to imply that he is one of the best pitchers, when in fact, batters can “sit-on” that fastball, rendering it less effective. In contrast, if I had a pitcher with a good fastball, a good curveball and a very good change-up, this pitcher would likely be far more effective as the batters would not know what to expect.
In Gary’s case, being only good at bull rush may speak to an overreliance on the move and/or a lack of willingness to learn or implement an effective swim, stab, or push/pull move, to the detriment of his overall effectiveness as a pass rusher.
The article also says,
At the same time, edge defenders who bend edges also have higher “momentum” ratings than edge rushers attempting to bullrush through an offensive lineman, because benders are trying to build up speed to “half-man” an offensive tackle rather than trying to cut the distance to go through one.
True, as far as it goes, but the implication is that bull-rushers need to make a complete frontal assault. Some very effective bull rush techniques “half-man” the offensive lineman so the two are not mutually exclusive.
To the main point.......The article, however is outstanding and worth the read.
Moreover, should Gary develop a second strong technique, it would greatly improve his overall effectiveness.