Why Throwing Near the Goal Line is Risky

[BFritz21]

(11-08-2021, 12:50 AM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: The area of an NFL end zone is 533.3 square yards.  Given five defensive backs this means each must cover 106.7 square yards which is approximately a 30’ x 30’ space in zone coverage.

Every five yards from the goal line adds 266.7 square yards to cover for those five defensive backs.  

That means in the Red Zone the defensive backs must cover an area of 533.3 square yards of the end zone + 4(266.7 square yards) = 1600.1 square yards.  Now in zone coverage each of those five defensive backs must cover 320 square yards which is approximately a 54’ x 54’ space.

The smaller the area the easier it is for the secondary to cover receivers.  Near the goal line receivers have less area to accelerate and maneuver which shrinks the available branches on each route tree.  The defense can sit on routes all day and break up passes like we saw Cleveland do today.

The Bengals need to resurrect the 2009 “jumbo package” near the goal line and relearn to run that ball right at the defense for six points.

Exact same thing I said but apparently everyone in my thread thought it was a good play call.

The defender doesn't have to backpedal because he doesn't have to worry about anyone getting behind him.  

He's basically watching the quarterback and just waiting to break, and he's not going to jump at the whip route where Chase faked inside because he knows the area is too small with other defenders around and he could still make a break on the ball either way.