re: Mett and reading defenses...many of you have mentioned that he has

You may have also noticed the QB (even Mett) hand signalling behind his rear. That is to alter the running gap left or right or to signal the most likely defender that the blocking back will have to take on. Mett makes these kind of signals all the time but doesn't hot read the plays outside or into any particular gap. If they have practiced it enough, for some reads, signals or audibles should not even be required. The receivers, backs and the QB have the vantage point to see the entire defense, and they should be on the same page with what they see.

This is a mix of coaching and player execution, and it isn't really possible for us on the outside to figure out where the breakdown is.

with regards to the passing game the qb gets his initial indicator by safety alignment. is it 2 high, 1 high, or no high? by "high" typically what is meant is deeper than 10 yards. if 2 high, you are looking at cover 2, 4, palms, or 2 man. Of the 2 zone varieties you might see squat 2, tampa 2, or 2 sink. Expect 4 man pressure.

If 1 high, coverages are typically limited to cover 3 and man free. 4 or 5 man pressures are expected.

If no high it is most likely cover 0 (straight man - no safety help) expect a 6 man pressure.

These rules only apply if the defense aligns this way pre-snap and are considered easy. The difficulty arises in that most defenses show a 2 high look and then roll either just before the snap or post snap. So they may show cover 4 and right after the snap roll a safety over the top to a deep third and bring a cobra stunt (corner blitz). the result is what is called a "fire zone" = 5 man pressure with 3 deep and 3 underneath. typically a fire zone brings pressure from the boundary (short side) to mitigate their only being 3 underneath defenders. there are all sorts of games played from a 2 high look that make it so difficult on a qb. the safety can roll to flats to replace a blitzing olb, roll to the hook-curl zone to replace a mike, or roll over the top to replace a corner on a cobra call. mix all these in with cover 2, palms, and screaming safeties down at the last minute to play straight man and bring a 6 man pressure and what you've got is a real shite storm. Miles' plan has always been to run effectively enough to force one high and take advantage of the easy reads that 1 high affords

I haven't even gone in to determining what kind of pressure might be coming. you can be picking your teeth up if they bring 4 from a side and you don't see it so you only have 3 in protection. remember when Tebow got knocked out vs. kentucky? totally his fault - 3 man pressure showing to a 2 protection side. should have check protections or unloaded it in a hurry. You miss one, you get teed off on.

Run checks are relatively easy. what front are you seeing? If they get a certain look they may run inside zone. vs. another they may want to run power O or stretch. All of those bubbles people were bitching about were run calls with a bubble to account for an apexed (splitting the difference between slot and tackle) outside linebacker.

hope this helps