Going into week five of the regular season, three teams remain unbeaten. Teams around the league hit the drawing boards to wonder how to put the first blemish on the record. The question is, how does one do that?
Lets start with the defending Super Bowl Champs, the Denver Broncos. Now with a functional offense to keep the dominant defense rested, it seems no one can solve the puzzle of Wade Philips. To beat this defense a team needs to win on defense. You cannot throw against the best cornerback duo in the league, and a dominant front seven prevents any runs from breaking out. The best chance a team has is to force the young quarter back Trevor Siemian to make mistakes behind a questionable offensive line. Starting with a short field is the best hope of getting points on the Orange Crush Defense.
Moving on the the Purple Rein defense of the Minnesota Vikings. Lead by a formidable front seven, this teams defense is being placed among defenses like the ’85 Bears, 2000 Ravens, and the 2015 Broncos. With DBs more than capable of shutting down receivers like Odell Beckham Jr. in one on one coverage, causes the quarterback to spend to much time with the ball in their hands. This is one of the reason this team is ranked second in sacks this season. The defense of this Vikings team controls the game. If you let this team smother you, your defense will eventually wear down allowing a steady offense lead by Sam Bradford to work its way into the end zone. Scoring points early is another good way to beat this team. With such a suffocating defense, they wait until the opposition is worn out then strikes. The final way to beat this team takes it back to the basics… PROTECT THE FOOTBALL. Giving a quarterback like Bradford a short field to work with is a sure fire way to let up points and deflate your defense.
Finally we come to the surprise breakout team of the season. The Rookie lead Philadelphia Eagles are sitting at a comfortable 3-0 and taking out the Pittsburgh Steelers in week three and taking a rest on the bye week. This team is built around rookie QB Carson Wentz. So far Wentz has shown poise in the pocket, completely over 50% of his passes. However, these passes are predominantly short passes. This slow offense burns out opposing defenses between quick passes, strong running, and time consuming drives. To beat this team, you have to force Carson to throw over the top. Playing a press coverage and making the Eagles receivers beat your DBs and have Carson test his long game would be the best way of toppling this unexpected giant. A soft spot on this team is their defense. Wear out the defense with long strong drives. Keep Wentz off the field. Those are the keys to victory.
Looking forward to another Sunday of football, all we can do is wait for to see how who comes out on top.
Baylor's Sports Weekly 