Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

[RA30]

If u are a defensive coordinator and facing an excellent QB in the other team(e.g. Favre, Warner, Manning etc), would you...

1) Rush and try to pressure the QB
or
2) Play Coverage to limit passing lanes


This came about watching the Cardinals-Packers game when the analysts including Jimmy Johnson all said to rush an inexperienced QB and to play coverage against good QBs.
Well, that didnt seem to work out playing coverage.

Personally, playing Madden, I always rush/blitz the QB.

What would you do?

[CW McGraw]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

Depends. The Dolphins desperately rushed the living crap out of Peyton Manning, but he scored every time he touched the ball. With Brees, we blitzed him into oblivion and had success in the first half and then played coverage the rest of the day largely unsuccessfully. There's no right way to stop a Hall of Famer other than simply having overwhelming talent.

[kehlis]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

Must have a successful combination of both. Can't be one or the other.

[Cebby]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

It depends entirely on the defense you have and the players around the quarterback.

Personally if you can get it, I'll take pressure all day. Quarterbacks whether Jamarcus Russell or Peyton Manning don't do well when they're on their back.

[SPTO]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

You need a combination of both in a game, have multiple looks on defense and disguise the blitz package as best as you can.

[NYJets]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

The key is to mix it up, but how much of each depends on your team. If you can get to the QB, go after him. Just about every time Brady, Manning, etc. has a bad game, the key is that he was under pressure. If you don't have good pass rushers, then sit back in coverage. You'll have no hope of stopping them, but you at least can limit big plays, and maybe make a couple of plays on 3rd down or force a couple turnovers.

[OSUFan_88]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

Not only rush, but rush up the middle. 90% of the QB's in the NFL cannot throw well on the move.

If you get Manning or Brady out of the pocket, you've done your job.

[Vince]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

Not only rush, but rush up the middle. 90% of the QB's in the NFL cannot throw well on the move.

If you get Manning or Brady out of the pocket, you've done your job.

THIS

Warner was only rushed on the edge.

Jones and Matthews were completely shut down . They (GB) never blitzed the A gap.

[elgreazy1]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

Honestly, a lot depends on your personel.

[roadman]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

THIS

Warner was only rushed on the edge.

Jones and Matthews were completely shut down . They (GB) never blitzed the A gap.

Agreed. The book on Warner, if you get to him early and often with blitzes, he becomes rattled.

The Packers didn't even come close.

Leroy Butler said before the game that the Packers needed to blitz Warner and cover the middle. They didn't accomplish, either.

[lonewolf371]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

Honestly, a lot depends on your personel.

THIS

If you have guys that can rush, I think you always rush. Otherwise, you should just drop everyone and pray that the good QB screws up. That's why guys like DeMarcus Ware, Dwight Freeney, and Shawne Merriman (not so much this year) are so valuable. If the Jets had a guy like that plus Darrelle Revis, it would be the perfect modern NFL defense.

[metallicatz]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

Must have a successful combination of both. Can't be one or the other.

Yep.

[skydog71]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

Definitely rush. Rush as many people as it takes to get pressure on the QB and drop everybody else back into coverage. A team that can get pressure by rushing 3 is going to have more success than a team that has to rush 6. If for some reason you can't get any pressure at all, in theory, the QB will have an infinite amount of time to find somebody who is open, and a good QB will always find an open receiver if you give him enough time.

[Sinister8578]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

Tampa 2 with John Randle and Warren Sapp as DT's; Sean Taylor and Ed Reed as 2 safeties; Young Ray Lewis as MLB, Derrick Brooks/Urlacher as OLBs....ohh this isn't a dream team question......

[NYJets]

Re: Rush or Cover excellent QBs?

If the Jets had a guy like that plus Darrelle Revis, it would be the perfect modern NFL defense.

If only Vernon Gholston wasn't such a bust.