In the second quarter against the Bills, Jets head coach Al Groh sends strong safety Victor Green into the backfield as Buffalo hands off to Shawn Bryson. The result is a loss of one yard. But if you guess wrong and the blitzer is blocked like the Raiders' Jon Harris was in the fourth quarter against Denver, the result can be a touchdown run like the one by Mike Anderson. The point is that usually there is no one behind the blitz to cover up an error. Blitzing a defensive back isn't an entirely new idea but the trend of sending them often and from anywhere on the field is becoming a staple of most NFL defenses.
All rules are off now, so be on the lookout for all kinds of exotic pressures.
A young aggressive corner like Barber could end up with eight or nine sacks this year. Chat with Pat each Wednesday at 1 p.m. Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. All Rights Reserved. Terms under which this service is provided to you.