5 Keys to Beating the Denver Broncos Read Option Offense

The Denver Broncos did something thought nearly impossible in today's NFL: They won a football game after passing the ball just eight times for two completions.

While a lot of that has to do with poor play by their opponents, the Kansas City Chiefs, it does prove that there are ways for a pro team to run the read option offense and come out on top.

It isn't a hard offense to beat, however, if a defense approaches it correctly, and there's little chance of the system holding firm in Denver for long.

Here, I examine five ways opponents can disrupt quarterback Tim Tebow as he runs the option play after play.

Stop the Pitch

The read-option relies heavily on the pitch game, with the quarterback (in shotgun, generally) tossing the ball to one of his backs.

If a defender can key in on this pitch and disrupt it and fly directly in the path of it, or immediately wrap up the rusher as soon as he gets the ball, the play is at best an incompletion, and at worst, a loss of yardage.

Because the Broncos have relied so much on the option, it will be easy for opposing defenses to have a man dedicated to picking this up.

Generally, there's an unblocked defensive end or a safety playing on the line of scrimmage who is responsible for the quarterback; with Denver relying so heavily on these play calls, it shouldn't be hard for a defense to find a way to get stop after stop on the running back receiving the pitch.

Contain the Quarterback

While there are also opportunities for the pass in the read option offense, it's clear the Broncos aren't comfortable taking that route, with quarterback Tim Tebow throwing just eight passes for two completions and 69 yards, while the offense as a whole ran 55 times for 244 yards.

So that means the responsibility of the unblocked defensive end in the read option is to stop Tebow from getting mobile.

The rest of the defense needs to mind their gaps and allow few running lanes, while that unblocked end (or free safety, especially when talking about 3-4 defenses) is solely responsible for the quarterback.

While Tebow is both large and elusive, that doesn't mean he is invincible. Disciplined play on the line of scrimmage is all it will take for a defense to get stop after stop on Tebow, rendering his only true offensive asset ineffective.

Shallow Safeties Make Plays

While that unblocked safety can be a defense's first line of defense against the read option offense, especially when the team is expecting the quarterback to run, shallow safeties are equally as effective when the quarterback chooses to hand the ball off to a running back.

The hand-off happens fast when the option is run out of the shotgun, and to stop it, a defense needs to send someone fast to stop any gains as soon as the ball exchanges hands.

With corners playing zone down the field (should Tebow peel off one of those 56-yard touchdown passes, like he did today to receiver Eric Decker), the safety plays up, not to put pressure on Tebow, but to get a quick stop against his running back.

Consistently drilling the back behind the line of scrimmage play after play will cause confusion to the Broncos offense, and would force them to try a more traditional approach to both their offense and to their running game.

Force the Quarterback to Throw

With enough pressure from the defensive end and safety and enough gap discipline, a defense can easily stifle the Broncos read option offense just by simply rendering it ineffective.

That means quarterback Tim Tebow would have to take to the air, not his strongest suit to be sure. His delivery is still out-of-whack, his accuracy especially suffers under pressure and it's clear that head coach John Fox is not interested in letting Tebow pass unless truly necessary.

With enough pressure, Tebow has to throw. If Tebow has to throw, he's prone to major mistakes. If an opposing defense can capitalize on those mistakes, then they're in a great position to defeat Denver and send the team back to the drawing board.

Score a Lot of Points

if the defense cannot contain Tim Tebow and his running backs when they run the read option, there's a fool-proof method to get them to change their tactics: Score a lot of points.

Simply put, a team playing from behind (even the Broncos) will have to abandon the run, and therefore, the read option in order to catch up.

It's another way to force Tebow to throw, and it puts Denver in the unenviable situation of having to give up the one formula that has worked.

The read option is a great way for the Broncos to gain yardage, to be sure, but it's not a fountain that spews points. A strong offense can easily put up 20, 30 or more points against the unimpressive Denver defense.

Once they do that, Tebow's collegiate playcalling will have to fall by the wayside, with a switch to a pass-first offense the only thing between their opponents and victory.