by Ron Jaworski
Dick LeBeau going over Zone blitz variations with defensive team leaders Greg Lloyd #95, Rod Woodson #26, and Carnell Lake #37. For LeBeau, the basics of the Zone blitz could be boiled down to one question: How can we put pressure on the quarterback yet still remain fundamentally sound against the pass? PHOTO COPYRIGHT © GETTY IMAGES/ALLEN KEE
Don’t let those flowing blond locks fool you. Kevin Greene was a lethal component of LeBeau’s Zone blitz. Kevin was equally skilled either rushing the passer or dropping into coverage, although Greene clearly preferred knocking the quarterback on his butt. He halfkiddingly complained to Dick, “Hey man, you’re dropping me too much, come on!” PHOTO COPYRIGHT © GETTY IMAGES / JOSEPH PATRONITE
Rod Woodson played for seventeen seasons with four different teams in his Hall of Fame career. He ranks third in all-time interceptions (71) and holds the league record for most interceptions returned for touchdowns (12). And it all developed in Pittsburgh under the coaching of Dick LeBeau. “Dick helped me understand the angles of the game. I don’t know how I would have played later on in my career without his knowledge.” PHOTO COPYRIGHT © GETTY IMAGES / AL MESSERSCHMIDT
Carnell Lake zeroes in on Bills running back Thurman Thomas. Lake’s surprising speed and keen intelligence allowed him to attack Buffalo’s offense from a variety of launch points, reducing Marv Levy’s K-Gun attack to a pop gun. Lake believed in LeBeau’s system because, “Dick thinks about his defenses from the secondary’s point of view. He knows how crucial their role is because he played there himself.” PHOTO COPYRIGHT © GETTY IMAGES / JOSEPH PATRONITE
Richard Seymour putting the clamps on the Rams’ Marshall Faulk—the very essence of New England’s “Bull’s-eye” strategy. Bill Belichick believed it was Faulk, not quarterback Kurt Warner who was the crucial player in the St. Louis offense. If Faulk could be neutralized, then their entire offense could be controlled. It was all part of what I believe was the most creative game plan I’ve ever seen in the NFL. COURTESY OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Mike Vrabel was the quintessential Bill Belichick defender: tough, smart, versatile and hungry. After evaluating his performance in film study, I had to admit that for a guy who had no sacks, no interceptions, and was in on only four tackles, Vrabel played as good a game as you’ll ever see in a Super Bowl. What Mike accomplished away from the football was instrumental to the Patriots’ upset win. COURTESY OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Ty Law’s second quarter interception turned Super Bowl XXXVI on its head. His return for a touchdown gave New England a lead it would keep for most of the game, and sent a message to anyone watching that the underdog Patriots were going to give the mighty Rams all they could handle. COURTESY OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS
Willie McGinest celebrates after dropping Kurt Warner for a loss of sixteen yards late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XXXVI. Trailing by only a touchdown, the Rams mounted a drive well into New England territory, but McGinest’s sack ultimately forced St. Louis to punt. COURTESY OF THE NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS