First, finally scrap the outside Zone blocking for good. It hasn't worked very well ever since McCarthy brought it here, far to often our Oline is blocking on our side of the LOS rather than the defenses side on run plays and our line gets beat to the edge far too often. The outside zone also does not give the option for Counter plays.
Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins
I think when properly executed the zone blocking worked better than fans give it credit for (which is why they were doing it), just that fans don't take notice of the blocking as often when it works, just when it fails.
I think the outside zone gives the RB the option to go to the outside, which gets the defense to flow and often times over flow, giving to where if the OL can effectively get a cut block in there to opens a big/huge cut back lane which if the RBs see they can cut it up and make a good amount of yardage. Which the Packers used very effectively at times later in the season but struggled with earlier in the season with.
Also think the outside zone plays are better for a RB with speed, which just isn't Lacy. I think when they expect to run a lot of it, they might need to go with a faster RB and mix Lacy in as a back-up / change up.
I remember when the Broncos power RBs went down with injuries, they had to use speed/quickness backs and talked about it giving them an extra dimension they didn't have before, because they had to worry about speed from the RBs. I think that's something the Packers seriously lack... though Starks flashes some once in a while. But yes they can break tackles, but normally you don't feel a threat of them going for a very long run and can focus on Rodgers, even with a speed back they'll focus on Rodgers but it'll open a homerun threat at RB.
Third, get the damn play called and lined up so we are not always snapping the ball with 1 second on the play clock, pass rushers see that play clock getting close they are going to get a better jump on the ball. For all the talk about the pace of the offense, we had to take far to many time outs because of the clock. And once in a while, just snap the ball rather than the same fake snap in order to get the defense to show their hand. The defense knows what is going on, so they are faking what they are doing anyway. So get to the line and instead of the fake snap, actually snap the ball and drive them off the ball getting a cheap 5 yards or so, doing so, will enable the hard count to be more effective latter on.
Originally Posted by: PackFanWithTwins
I COMPLETELY agree here!!!! Often times it seemed like they'd line up, and by the time Rodgers was done playing games (which are very important at times) it was within 5 seconds and as you said some defenses finally picked up on this, and started giving fake looks/actions until 5 seconds and then change up. I forget which game, but I remember one game where the DTs were basically in an easy to hold passive stance until about 5 seconds where they would switch into a more aggressive harder to hold/stay in stance but gets more power out when you fire out, basically they were conserving energy knowing it wasn't going to happen right away.
Got to mix it up more... sometimes snaps it right away with little to no read to surprise them. Other times try to draw them off side, and make them wait.