The Seahawks have been anything but spectacular in the blocking spectrum since the 2005 Super Bowl season. They lost G Steve “Poison Pill” Hutchinson to the Minnesota Vikings in the 2005 offseason.

This was followed by the subsequent retirement of Pro Bowl C Robbie Tobeck in 2006. Former starting G Chris Gray has not officially retired, but age and injuries have taken their toll and retirement seems inevitable.

The Seahawks are making the switch to the Zone Blocking Scheme. The Denver Broncos are considered the gold standard of Zone Blocking. That offense literally runs anyone (Selvin Young, Peyton Hillis?) behind their OL and produces consistently successful results. Since 1995, the Broncos have not finished below 12th in the league in rushing.

Last season, the Broncos attained that 12th ranked rushing status while they had seven total RB’s placed on IR.

The Seahawks can relate to that type of injury plague (3 WR, 5 OL on IR in 2008, 7 total WR injuries).

With the absence of a feature RB like the great Shaun Alexander, the Seahawks are wise to be pulling some pages from the Broncos’ fountain of knowledge. The Zone Blocking scheme does not require a feature back, but something more of a RB by committee approach.

The Seahawks appear to be doing that with RB Julius Jones, RB TJ Duckett, and RB Justin Forsett. Jones is expected to be the main RB, but Duckett’s role will be expanded with the arrival of his former Atlanta OC.

Duckett enjoyed tremendous success under Knapp. In the three seasons the Falcons led the league in rushing from 2003-2005, Duckett tallied 28 TD’s and had a 4.0 TPC average as a role player.

The new Zone Blocking scheme being implemented by Knapp and OL Coach Mike Solari will be critical to rebuilding the underwhelming Seahawks ground game. Since the 2006 season, the Seahawk’s have finished on average a mediocre 17th in the league in rushing.

The Zone Blocking scheme replaces the strategy of blocking a certain player or gap all day long. The idea is to block a certain area on any given play, and utilize double teams to push players back into the second level. The TE’s and T’s work together, the T’s and G’s work together, and the G’s and C’s work together.

As a former OL, I loved this strategy because in laymen terms it allows you to blow people off the ball at the line of scrimmage, and get to the second level extremely fast.

By clearing the line of scrimmage away you allow your RB to run downhill and make his one quick cut, rather then force him to dance around looking for an open running lane. It is a much more decisive approach and a better fit for the Seahawks quick, athletic OL.

CAUTION: You are about to enter the X’s and O’s zone.

A technical explanation of this scheme could be described as such:

WOLB   MLB     SOLB (Weak Outside LB) (Middle LB) (Strong Outside LB)

DE     DT   DT   DE

LT LG C RG RT TE

The strong side is set to the right because the TE has lined up there. The defense will counter with putting their SOLB on that side. For the sake of example lets say this is a toss play going off of the TE.

I know the blocking could go one of two ways at the line of scrimmage. The calls made at the line are naturally subject to the defenses personal and scheme. They could change on any given play based on the defenses alignment.

Since the play is a toss, this is the likely blocking scenario:

TE and RT double the Strongside DE.

C and RG would double the Strongside DT,

LG and LT would double the Weakside DT

The Weakside DE would be left unblocked.

 

Now let’s say an audible is called, and the play is a dive up the middle:

TE blocks the DE straight up,

RT and RG double Strongside DT

C and LG double the Weakside DT,

LT blocks the Weakside DE straight up.

 

After the play begins the OL have to adjust according to the variables the defense presents.

Typically after the initial double team of the Strongside DE one of the blockers will break off and seal the SOLB. Either the T or TE  will be the one to do this. 

Sealing off the outside allows the RB to bounce outside if the offense fails to cover the MLB.

On the inside, after the RG/C block the Strongside DT, one will break off and seal off the MLB.

This is critical because the MLB is the one keeping his eye on the RB. An NFL LB is more then capable of reading a play. If the C/G fails to reach him quickly,  The MLB could stop the play before it breaks into the secondary.

On the backside, after doubling the Weakside DT, either the LG or LT will break off and seal the WOLB. If the C/RG fail to block the MLB, they could attempt to go after him because he has a better chance of blowing up the play.

All of the scenarios would largely depend on what gap the DL is shading. An example of this would be:

The C, RG are doubling the Strongside DT,

DT is lined head up on the G, or shading the outside (right side) of the G,

C will be the likely candidate to go after the MLB.

The scheme, and the way it is run, largely depends on what skill set the OL bring to the table. All of the OL in a Zone Scheme should be quick and athletic.

The Seahawks would appear to run a more interior driven Broncos-esque scheme. In this scheme the T’s emphasis is taking care of the initial double teams and staying with them because of their larger size. The G’s are smaller in this variation, and are typically the ones who will break off to cover the LB’s because they are quicker.

The Broncos have relied on small, athletic OL to make their system thrive over the years. The Seahawks have a little more size across the line then the Broncos line does.

They have a future HOF in LT Walter Jones. He is designed to play in any scheme and will easily neutralize anyone the defense sticks in front of him. He has a massive frame (6’5″ 325 lbs) and is incredibly quick for his size. He is considered the NFL’s top LT (Ryan Clady, Jason Peters are getting there)

Mike Wahle is a savvy veteran G who possesses the necessary technique to adjust to the changes this system brings.

Chris Spencer is extremely athletic and would offset Wahle’s lack of speed (compared to the rest of the Seahawks line). Wahle could stay with the initial double team while Spencer uses his speed to break off to the second level.

RG Rob Sims is a very similar player to Spencer, smaller, and very athletic. He fits this scheme very well.

RT Sean Locklear has been a good starter so far in his career and has a lot left in the tank. He would be the best of the Seahawks right side OL and would most likely be the one to stay with the initial double team. Either Sims, or the TE, would be the one to break off to cover the LB.

From the RB perspective, you are supposed to adjust to what is opened up. You then make a decisive cut into the given hole, and explode into the second level.

Seahawks RB Julius Jones has been described as a one cut RB even before the transition to the Zone Blocking scheme was discussed. He seems to be the perfect RB to thrive in this system as the feature RB. He averaged 4.4 YPC last season, a solid stat-line.

In the example given above, Jones would be looking for the hole that develops either between the T, and the TE. He would then break into that hole, and make his cut based on what LB’s were effectively blocked.

If the defense blitzes up the middle, and become clogged by the interior double teams, you can gash the opposition all day long. If the call is a run up the middle and the same thing ensues, the clogged interior allows the RB to make a quick cut to the outside.

The Zone Blocking strategy does not always deliver the big play though. What it does do is nullify losses in the backfield because the DL is more focused with keeping up with the OL, rather then penetrating and attacking.

By grinding away at the defense with effective three-, four-, five-yard gains, it eventually sets up the deep play action pass over the top.

As is with almost everything in life, there is a flaw to this scheme.

You rely on double teams to open up holes and push the DL back and get to the LB quickly. Sometimes you even end up pushing the DL into the LB’s.

Because of this there is generally one DL, typically the backside DE, left largely unblocked. (If the play is run to the Strongside). If he is an absolute stud (like a Patrick Kerney) he could potentially blow up the play in the backfield if he reaches it in time.

With an effective scheme though, typically the T on the backside will release on his double team and will go to block said DE, if he sees this problem occur. The backside  T’s job normally it to break off on his given double team and pursue the LB’s. This would be the adjustment needed to be made to account for a game changing DE.

After a 4-12 season, the Seahawks are doing the necessary task of overhauling their thought process. A fresh breeze is blowing through the Emerald City. Here’s to hoping that breeze does not turn into a stifling Seattle downpour.

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