Yesterday we saw the Packers defense come out in a new formation. The 1-5-5.
Or "Psycho", if you will.
In this formation, the defense uses just 1 defensive lineman, while having 5 linebackers on the field, with 5 defensive backs behind that.
It worked to perfection. Out of the seven times that Capers called this formation on 3rd downs, the Bears converted only once.
The first and most noticeable thing about the Psycho package is the controlled chaos. The single d-lineman, Jenkins in our case, usually lines up over center. The linebackers pretty much don't stop moving. They keep going in motion, showing blitz, backing off, lining up as an OLB over the OT, then moving back further inside.
Obviously, it makes for a defense that is very hard to read for the QB.
Secondly, it gets a lot of speed on the field. Your 320 pound o-linemen will obviously be stronger than most LBs, but with all that speed and confusion, you can easily miss an assignment or just get beaten out by a quick speed rushing move.
Of course, the package has some downsides, as well. First of all, you take out your own big guys, leaving those same speedy LBs to battle those big guys up front. Now, like I said, when you beat them quick with a speed move or confuse them enough to make them miss an assignment, you're getting to the QB quickly enough. When you don't, though, you won't have the guys there to keep battling and still get to the QB. Often, your LBs will be overpowered by the linemen.
Secondly, it's very susceptible to a draw, or regular run play. When an offensive line can already get you 4 yards deep into the defense, the back doesn't have to do that much. Of course, this is a pass rushing formation, so this is one con that you usually don't have to worry about.
Before we take a look at the pictures, look at the personnel that we're using in the Psycho.
First of all, we get our best pass rushing d-linemen in with Jenkins.
Behind him, we come out with Clay Matthews, Nick Barnett, A.J. Hawk, Brandon Chillar and Desmond Bishop.
No Brad Jones at all in this one.
We play the regular secondary, with Charles Woodson, Tramon Williams, Jarrett Bush, Nick Collins and Atari Bigby.
This gives us a great balance in a mainly pass rushing situation. Obviously, you have the 5 nickel defensive backs on the field, but we get a great coverage LBer out there in Chillar, a decent coverage ILB in Hawk, two good blitzers in Matthews and Bishop and finally Barnett, who can do it all.
Lets take a look at the first picture.
Yes, great editing, I know.
This is all pre-snap motion, but timed just perfectly before Cutler wants to snap the ball. We change from a regular cover 1 formation, into a cover 2 and overloading the right side of their O-line. Because of the perfect timing, Cutler doesn't make any adjustments.
Like you can see here, we have an overload to the right. This is a second or so before the ball gets snapped. All the guys on the right side are going to blitz, with A.J. Hawk and Brandon Chillar playing in a shallow zone.
The Bears O-line shifts to the right quite effectively, but with Jenkins commanding a double team, used to spreading the line out, and the RT having to kickslide more than 5 yards in a short time, they completely fail in blocking Woodson, who gets around the edge and gets the quick pressure.
The play ends in Cutler getting rid of the ball quickly, throwing it incomplete, as Hawk has the coverage on Bennett.
This is one of the ways in which Dom Capers dials up some big pressure, while only bringing 5, defeating 6 blockers.
I hope, and think, that the Psycho package is here to stay.
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