|
AVAILABLE JULY 9! 
Click here for more info.
 COME VISIT 
|
Walkthrough: Chicago HopeMike Tanier has some nice things to say about the Bears offense. Somebody feel his forehead! Plus, a Write-it-Yourself template for minicamp rookie profiles and an in-depth look at the contents of Larry Johnson’s lunch bag. Walkthrough: Spread the WordThis week: The rise (or not) of the spread offense, safety blitzes and how to stop them, a review of Mark Bowden’s book about the 1958 NFL Championship, and the real reason Daunte Culpepper became a video game superstar. Walkthrough: Tree of KnowledgeCollege wide receivers often come to the NFL unprepared for complex pro offenses. But are they so unprepared that all they know is the basic nine-branch passing tree? Mike Tanier investigates. Also, a look into the creation of PFP 08, and the first Walkthrough spelling bee. Walkthrough: Paying the BillsCan the Bills save Western New York by leaving Buffalo? Mike Tanier enlists the help of a leading economist and author to explore this paradox and learn more about mega-regions. Plus, five questions about scouting and teaching with Rob Rang, and an update on the Jamal Lewis and Tony Gonzalez signings in Atlanta. Walkthrough: Off the ChartsDo you have off-the-chart intangibles? How can you tell without an Intangibles Chart? If anyone can find a way to measure the immeasurable, it’s Mike Tanier. Also, relive the 1983 draft with a very special edition of the Draft in Quotes. Walkthrough: Special AssignmentIn the debut of his new column, Mike Tanier asks scouts which draft prospects will make the biggest impact on special teams. Plus, Ryan Grant’s swing pass blues, a Jon Kitna prank gone wrong, and five questions with Scott Wright. Too Deep Zone: Full CircleThe Too Deep Zone season ends as it began: with an analysis of Eli Manning. Eli has grown up in recent weeks, but tape study shows that when it comes to the Giants passing game, simplicity is bliss. Plus, a breakdown of the Patriots run defense and a quibble with a Sporting News play diagram. Too Deep Zone: Chess MatchJason Garrett plays chess with death (or the Giants defense at least), Mike McCarthy bones up for the cold weather, the Jaguars’ tealprint isn’t precisely a blueprint, Wisconsin television stations try to deny Eli’s Seinfeld fix, and Mike Tanier’s kid searches in vain for a five-year-old version of Hines Ward. If Too Deep Zone sounds a little brain-sprained, it’s because football, unlike chess, is really complicated. Too Deep Zone: The BlueprintIt’s been a much-overused word this season, but after watching 20 hours of game tape, Mike Tanier has a developed a blueprint for beating the Patriots. He swears it’s foolproof. Has he discovered the secret to stopping the Patriots, or has he lost his mind? Judge for yourself. Too Deep Zone All-Rookie Team 2007Looking for surprises? Look elsewhere. The third annual Too Deep Zone All-Rookie Team has all the names you expect: Peterson, Ugoh, Willis, Edwards, Okoye. But Mike Tanier does have a few tricks up his sleeve, including a snub for a Pro Bowl kicker. Find out who made the cut this year. Too Deep Zone: Window DressingSaints coach Sean Payton likes to baffle opponents with dozens of formations, including straight-from-the-sandlot stack alignments. Colts coordinator Tom Moore uses no-frills formations but gets creative when designing route combinations. The Saints and Colts offenses look different, but Mike Tanier learns this week that the differences are only skin deep. Too Deep Zone: Sunday SweepsLaDainian Tomlinson, Adrian Peterson, Derrick Ward and others performed end runs around the opposition last week. How can a simple sweep turn into a long touchdown against an NFL defense? Mike Tanier discovers that the key to running outside is often the blocking inside. Too Deep Zone: Protecting FavreThe Packers can beat the Cowboys — if they can keep the Cowboys’ front seven away from Brett Favre. Mike Tanier reviews Packers game tapes to discover the secret behind their league-leading Adjusted Sack Rate. He discovers that slant routes and max protection schemes, not great blocking, are the reasons why Favre’s jersey is so clean. NOTE: Now includes a post-game update. Too Deep Zone: Fanboy’s ProgressIn their four-day Delaware Valley junket, Aaron Schatz and Mike Tanier watch the Cowboys crush the Eagles from the press box, and then on film with Ron Jaworski. They also saw a gambler risk his house on the Texans and participated in a roundtable discussion with a distinguished sportswriter and a Hall of Fame wide receiver. Too Deep Zone BlenderShhh… don’t tell anyone, but there are 13 other games this week. Mike Tanier empties his TDZ notebook, examining blitz packages that work and zones that don’t. No Pats or Colts here, but you will find out how Joey Galloway goes deep, how the Steelers get angry, and how the Philly D goes soft in the red zone. Too Deep Zone: Four Giant AcesThe Giants have been driving quarterbacks crazy by putting Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora, Jason Tuck, and Mathias Kiwanuka on the field at the same time. As Mike Tanier learns this week, there’s more to this “Four Aces” package than just speed. Find out how the Giants are using athleticism, creativity, and discipline to make life miserable for offenses. Too Deep Zone: Patriots-CowboysHad enough Patriots-Cowboys coverage yet? No? Good. Mike Tanier examines a successful drive by each team to decide who has the edge on offense. Find out how the Patriots shift on the fly from the run ‘n’ shoot to power ball, and learn more about the versatility of Jason Witten. Year of the Scab Part IIOur second excerpt from Mike Tanier’s “Year of the Scab: The True Story of the 1987 Replacement Games” finds Mike Ditka sounding off, Randy White attempting to run over Tony Dorsett with a pickup truck, and ABC replacing Monday Night Football with “Star Trek III.” TDZ: Bengal BungleThe Bengals defense bounced back from a 51-point debacle against the Browns with a good-but-not-great performance against the Seahawks. What went wrong against Cleveland that went right against Seattle? And what problems will haunt the Bengals defense for the rest of the season? Mike Tanier unspools the game tape to find out. Year of the ScabIf you learned everything you know about the 1987 players strike from the movie “The Replacements,” then you don’t know the true story. Mike Tanier takes you back to the craziest, most contentious month in NFL history with an excerpt from his historical mini-epic, now available for download exclusively here at FO.
|
| ©2003-2008 Football Outsiders, Inc. All rights reserved. || Site enriched by B:COMPLEX Creative and Built for the Future || A Penvelope Kravitz Production. |