Nov 23, 2014; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Giants defensive end Damontre Moore (98) sacks Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo (9) during the first half at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports
3rd Down: Ways To Get To The QB
The Giants know more than any team the importance of taking down the opponent’s quarterback. Steve Spagnuolo knows that it takes more than just athletic pass rushers to accomplish this. The Giants have to use greatly timed stunts and blitzes to dominate in the backfield.
A stunt is an attack by the defensive lineman that usually works in coordination with a blitzing linebacker. A simple example of a stunt is a “TE” stunt which means tackle over end. The defensive tackle swoops around the offensive tackle and the defensive end swiftly attacks the in between the tackle and the guard. My favorite stunt, especially in a 4-3 defense is a super stick stunt. This is when the defensive end comes from the outside and crashes the A Gap (the space between the center and the guard).
In the 4-3 defense the offensive line essentially sees who is coming on every play because the defensive line is responsible for most of the pass rush. Instead of lining up and rushing at the guy in front of you on every play, stunts allow the defensive linemen to attack in unpredicted ways.
The Giants defense needs to rely on the pass rush of the defense to win football games. The defensive unit is built to get after the quarterback. The Giants need to use strategy in combination with great talent to do this.
Next: 4th Down: How Odell Beckham Jr. Can Avoid Sophomore Slump