"But Sean McDermott is a defensive mastermind. And his answer to the run game woes has been, effectively, to give up. McDermott has stopped trying to load the box or reinforce the front. He is happy, it seems, to concede steady yards on the ground if the Bills do not cough up an explosive run (10-plus yards). And by not adding extra bodies to the box, he's been able to maintain schematic flexibility in the secondary."
"McDermott has now centered his defense around disguises on the back-end secondary, betting that, eventually, opposing offenses will want to throw the ball even on run-obvious downs. Blurring the coverage, without superstar talent, is the best way for a coach to induce mistakes. McDermott put on a clinic against the Jaguars, baiting Trevor Lawrence into errant throws that forced Jacksonville off the field."
"The Bears are living a charmed life on offense. They have a water-tight scheme. They hammer people with the run. And with Caleb Williams, they have a quarterback capable of creating something out of nothing. Defensively, however, they are more limited. They have lived on turnovers this season, leading the league in takeaways. In the playoffs, that doesn't cut it."
Buffalo finished the season 25th in defensive rush success rate with interior defenders lacking mass and outside defenders struggling with discipline and technique. The Jaguars rushed for 154 yards, 119 on outside runs, highlighting those problems and raising concerns versus a physical Broncos rushing attack. Sean McDermott has shifted strategy, declining to load the box and instead conceding steady, non-explosive runs to maintain schematic flexibility in the secondary. The defense now prioritizes disguises to bait risky throws and induce mistakes, a tactic that worked against Jacksonville. Chicago’s offense thrives on a run-first scheme and Caleb Williams, while its defense relies heavily on takeaways.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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