Detroit Lions Offensive Playbook: How to Beat The Bears

Against the Redskins, the Lions were not scared to run right at the tandem of Haynesworth and Fletcher. Using a mixture of isolation and misdirection, the Lions were able to get yardage, even as Fletcher got his share of tackles.

Hillenmeyer will be a game time decision on Sunday but Coach Lovie Smith really wants him on the field. After watching Kevin Smith pile up yardage on Minnesota and Washington, Chicago does not want to be next.

There is, of course, the very real possibility that Smith does not play. If he does not, this play would be best suited for Jerome Felton to get the touch with Terrelle Smith in front of him.

This play calls for the guard and center to double down on one defensive tackle while the other guard takes the other defensive tackle. The offensive tackles and tight end can chip their men and get upfield as well as the center if he is athletic—as Dominic Raiola is.

Ideally, this leaves a big hole up the middle and the middle linebacker "isolated".

Hillenmeyer is 6'4", 235. Nick Roach is 6'1", 234.

Felton is 6'0", 246, so is T. Smith. Both are better-than-advertised blockers.

This play is executable because the offensive line does not have to hold its blocks for long—it is quick hitting. Against the Bears, it is even more dangerous because the Bears safeties play deep and the linebackers play wide.

The Bears would like to force everything outside to their outside linebackers and cornerbacks in run support. Running this play effectively forces the Bears to alter their game plan and neutralizes their best defender, Briggs.

For those who were lucky enough to actually watch the win against the Redskins, it was a treat to see plays which were being called to set up other plays. Calvin Johnson went in jet motion a number of times, drawing the defenders outside while the running back ran a simple dive play inside.

For those who were lucky enough to actually watch the win against the Redskins, it was a treat to see plays which were being called to set up other plays. Calvin Johnson went in jet motion a number of times, drawing the defenders outside while the running back ran a simple dive play inside.

When the Lions actually did run the end around, it was easy yardage.

Against the Chicago Bears, this could be an even more dangerous play. Out of the same formation as the Iso, the blocking can be identical except for the right tackle and guard must string the play out to the perimeter setting up a wall for Calvin Johnson.

Fighting against that wall will be backup SLB, Nick Roach. If Roach is forced inside due to a Hillenmeyer injury, Darrell McClover will be easily contained.

This play makes use of Bryant Johnson as a blocker—possibly his best trait. Detroit could either use him man-on-man with the cornerback or set up a crack-back block on Al Afalava.

Either way, Calvin Johnson should need to make one man miss before paydirt.

There is no better way to defeat the Cover Two defense than running your four best guys vertical and letting your QB air it out. Although Stafford has infuriated some by his lack of accuracy deep, Lions fans know he has the ability.

This should be a low scoring game, but the Lions could break it open if he hits on this play early.

The play is simple.

Spreading the field out wide will force the Bears into one of their subpackages—nickel or dime. The Lions can also make the Bears squirm by motioning a back out as one of the wide receivers.

The thought of running a 4-3, Cover Two against four receivers running vertical is enough to make any coach call a timeout.

The Bears run very little, if any, man coverage in most games. Running four men deep means the coverage cannot roll toward Calvin Johnson. If he ends up one-on-one with Charles Tillman, it should be a coin flip. If the coverage rolls anyway, Bryant Johnson should be wide open.

Stafford only needs to complete one-third of his deep passes to make this a very different game.

And of course, after this play is run a few times the defense will be softened up for a draw—whether the passes are completed or not.

Another way to beat the Cover Two is to force the defense's hand. Defenders and coaches have tendencies and old habits that are hard to break.

With two receivers on one side of the field, the Bears will most likely go to their nickel package. The zones are still the same, however, and running a few simple plays early can show how defenders will react.

On this play, each receiver will be running an out route. Prior to the snap, the quarterback can decide who he wants running long or short.

By both receivers running vertically at the snap, the cornerback will be forced to cheat back. If he does this, a running back can easily sneak out of the backfield.

If the cornerback remains on the flat, the receiver running the shorter out route will be wide open.

Another option is to sneak the tight end across the field forcing the outside linebacker to make another decision. With so many defenders being forced to think rather than react, there will be holes in even the tightest of zones.

With four possible receivers, two should be open—an easy read for Stafford.

With the middle linebacker playing deeper and Tommie Harris being hurt, Matthew Stafford could showcase his athleticism again this week.

On passing downs, Stafford will need to make a presnap read. If he finds the MLB a step or two back, he will switch the blocking scheme from man-on-man to double teams on the defensive tackles.

Knowing it's a draw; the linemen can hold their blocks for a moment and get upfield for a quick couple of yards and a hook slide by Stafford.

It won't be a big gainer, but it can certainly pick up tough yards and set up great field position. For each first down Stafford picks up with his feet, it helps this team immensely.

Minimizing mistakes is the name of the game.

The Bears feed off of errors like sharks in a pool of chum. If their defense knows it can rattle Stafford early, it will be a long game for the rookie.

Linehan is responsible for calling plays which put the game in the hands of his best playmakers and keeping the Bears on their heels.

The Cover Two is essentially an archaic animal. It was developed to beat the West Coast Offense which no one runs like Bill Walsh did years ago. Few teams have the personnel to run it effectively.

The Bears do, but have enough injuries to make this defense a liability.

The Cover Two is susceptible to power running and vertical passing, two things the Detroit Lions would like to describe themselves as. If the Lions win this battle of wills, it will make the division race that much cloudier.