I HATE Prevent Defense!!!

[Michael82]

Seriously, what is up with Jerry Gray and his love for the Prevent defense? It seems to kick us in the ass all the time. I wish he would just rip all prevent plays out of the playbook.

[The_Philster]

It's not just Gray....it's like that for every Def coordinator we've ever had

[Michael82]

It's not just Gray....it's like that for every Def coordinator we've ever had

Well, then whoever it is. Please, please, please scrap ALL Prevent defenses OUT Of the Playbook. The defense can't do anything without the blitzing and the rushing. Prevent kills us all the time.

[Michael82]

Anyone know why coaches like the prevent defense? It always seems to get the other team back into it!

[Jayhawk]

ah the good old Prevent from Winning Defense. If I had a time machine I would go back and find the guy that invented it (probably a Dolphins coordinator) and beat the living snot out of him. and then torture him until he promises to never invent it.

[Michael82]

ah the good old Prevent from Winning Defense. If I had a time machine I would go back and find the guy that invented it (probably a Dolphins coordinator) and beat the living snot out of him. and then torture him until he promises to never invent it.

I would join you. I agree with the title. It's called the "Prevent your team from actually winning the game" Defense.

[Michael82]

How to PREVENT yourself from winning

No one knows who came up with it no one knows when it was first used. However the earliest known occurrence of the prevent defense was in the city of Troy when they prevented the Greeks from ill will by accepting their first of a giant wooden horse. We all know the result of that strategy, just try to find Troy on a map. Since the prevent defense was employed by Napoleon at Waterloo, and by George Custard at Wounded Knee. Each with disastrous consequences, now the Prevent Defense has become a favored end game strategy of NFL coaches, do people ever learn?

In theory the prevent defense does work in some occasions. When you have a 2-touchdown lead or lager, with less then 1 minute left and the opponent has no time outs. Letting them get some yards to chew up clock does work. However, at the endzone the defense should have a trap set ready to spring when the offense gets close. Case in point in the latter stages of their blow out win over the Colts last week the Jets allowed Peyton Manning to chew up yards, but around the 20 they had tighter coverage forcing a turnover twice. However, more often then not teams start using the prevent defense too early.

What exactly is the prevent defense? The prevent defense is when a team allows the offense to go up the field by not rushing the quarterback, and allowing the receiver to catch the pass. Once the receiver catches the pass they prevent the big play, by tackling him, hoping to keep him in bounds so the clock would continue to run, forcing the offense to burn one of their last timeouts, or make a mistake of turning the ball over when faced with desperation.

However, where the prevent defense does not work is that more often then not the receiver is just a step or two from the sidelines, and the clock is stopped. In addition big play are more the results in missed tackles then an over aggressive defense, plus a Touchdown is still worth 6 points weather it come on a single 60 yards pass or 6 slant passes. One thing coaches also fail to realize is that a Quarterback that is under pressure is more likely to throw an interception and less likely to make a big play. When not rushed a quarterback could be patient allowing a receiver to beat the cornerback that is covering him, which would result in the dreaded bug play. If the offense still has timeouts and there are more then 2 minutes left all of a sudden the game is in jeopardy......READ MORE HERE...

[Michael82]

I was looking for info on the prevent Defense and found this article. Good read...

[Dozerdog]

I don't know-


If Vince Lombardi, Bill Walsh, Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Joe Gibbs, Don Shula, Tom Landry & Chuck Knoll all used the prevent defense - then I got to beleive it has merit.


No one complains when a 12-4 team uses it. Only when teams that make mistakes and blow games uses it.

You want to go with the standard 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB offense when the opposition is going to throw 4 or 5 WRs at you?

[Michael82]

I don't know-


If Vince Lombardi, Bill Walsh, Bill Parcells, Bill Belichick, Joe Gibbs, Don Shula, Tom Landry & Chuck Knoll all used the prevent defense - then I got to beleive it has merit.


No one complains when a 12-4 team uses it. Only when teams that make mistakes and blow games uses it.

You want to go with the standard 4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB offense when the opposition is going to throw 4 or 5 WRs at you?

I'd rather see a nickel or dime Defense with some pressure on the QB. The Prevent always seems to kill us. I have seen it kill many teams, including winning ones. There has been many instances where the playoff teams have gone to prevent and either lost the game or came close to losing it.

[Forward_Lateral]

Every single team uses the prevent at the end of the game. I think it's a secret rule between coaches. To me, it looked like our D was in prevent all game, not just at the end.

[Michael82]

Every single team uses the prevent at the end of the game. I think it's a secret rule between coaches. To me, it looked like our D was in prevent all game, not just at the end.

A secret rule? Hmmm.

[Forward_Lateral]

Mikey, I was being sarcastic.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

That didn't look like the prevent defense to me, I might be wrong, but it looked like a cover 2 that was beaten down the middle.

[Michael82]

Mikey, I was being sarcastic.

I know.