Room for the Punt Returner

How the St. Louis Rams use the vice technique to create space for the punt return
Special Teams Coach, St. Louis Rams
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The goal of the vice technique is to flatten the forcer’s release and keep him from getting vertically down the field. Also, to make him stop his feet and force him to take as much time as possible to get down the field toward the returner.

The player to the side of the release is involved in the “stun” phase and technique. The “stun” to the forcer must be physical. The “stun” technique is to attack like making a tackle but without wrapping or grabbing the opponent.

The player opposite the release is involved in the “relationship” phase and technique and must work to achieve a “relationship” between his block and the ball. He then makes a timely and precise block to launch the returner.

Safeties With Return to You

Alignment - Place your outside foot on the inside foot of the forcer.

Stance - Defend stance - align in a coiled and holstered position with your weight on the balls of your feet.

Key - The belt area of the forcer. Lazy eyes belong to lazy players.

Initial movement - Take a quick four-inch jab step to the inside. You want to deny an inside release by the forcer. It’s a proactive technique because any outside release will be reacted to.

Corners on return to you

Alignment - Inside foot will split the forcer.

Stance - Defend stance - align in a coiled and holstered position with your weight on the balls of your feet.

Key - The belt area of the forcer. Lazy eyes belong to lazy players.

Initial movement - Take a quick four-inch jab step to the outside. You want to deny an outside release by the forcer. It’s a proactive technique because any inside release will be reacted to.

Diagram 1.
Safeties vs. Inside Release - return to you

On the forcer’s inside release, the safety will slide and shuffle his feet, keeping his body square. The safety will take his eyes and inside hand to the inside edge of the forcer. The inside hand should be tight with the elbow bent.

The safety will “stun” or strike the forcer and face him as much as possible. The safety wants to get as much control and impact as possible.

The safety should hit the forcer as thought he is making a tackle. The forcer’s angle should tell the safety whether he will be able to get his body in front of the forcer or not.

Diagram 2.
If the safety cannot line-up the forcer for a collision, the safety will need to react with a “counter.” The “counter” is an off-hand stab with the outside hand. When using this technique, the safety will turn and run. The safety will incorporate this technique by taking his outside hand and eyes to the outside shoulder of the forcer.
Diagram 3.
Punch and stiff-arm the forcer’s outside shoulder. The safety’s feet and hips should move at the same angle as a head across tackle. Use the stiff-arm to direct the forcer flat down the line. When locking out the elbow, the safety will flatten the forcer down the line of scrimmage. The safety’s arm should be in a straight line from his shoulder through the shoulder of the forcer.

Defensive backs are quick to respond to the inside release of the forcer by opening and turning their butt to the sideline. This coverage technique must be replaced by a confrontational technique. The angle of the hold-up (as opposed to the angle of coverage) will allow greater strike ability and collision.

Once the safety loses contact with the forcer, he will look to the returner and work to the outside of the forcer. At this point, he must decide to either stay on the block on the forcer or abandon his efforts to block the forcer. If the safety decides to abandon his block on the forcer, he must immediately crack-back on someone inside of him.

Diagram 4.
Diagram 5.
Should the forcer re-direct and go back outside the safety’s butt in an attempt to split the vice, the safety will speed up, turn and find the forcer. The safety and the corner will attack the forcer as square as possible and re-vice with the corner.
Diagram 6.

Corner vs. Inside Release (Return to You)

When the forcer takes an inside release, the corner must close quickly at a flat angle to eliminate the forcer’s ability to split the vice. The corner must not give any ground. He must work laterally. The corner must close the gap between himself and the safety with his shoulders and body in a square position. This will deny the forcer the opportunity to move behind the butt of the safety and possibly split the vice.

Diagram 7.
When the forcer has run inside to a point where there is no threat of the forcer splitting the vice, the corner will burst vertically upfield, “building a relationship” outside the forcer. The corner must be physical and work to shove the forcer to the ground with a hand shiver. The corner will “fit” into the forcer (body on body) when his body language shows he is playing the returner. The forcer will show he is playing the returner by changing his direction or decelerating his speed.
Diagram 8.

Safety vs. Outside Release (Return to You)

When the forcer takes an outside release, the safety must close quickly at a flat angle to eliminate the forcer’s ability to split the vice. The safety must not give any ground and he must work laterally. The safety must close the gap between himself and the corner with his shoulders and body in a square position. This will deny the forcer the opportunity to move behind the butt of the corner and possibly split the vice.

Diagram 9.
When the forcer has to run outside to a point with no threat of him splitting the vice, the safety will burst vertically upfield “building a relationship” inside the forcer. The safety must be physical and work to shove the forcer to the ground with a hand shiver. The safety will “fit” into the forcer (body on body) when his body language shows he is playing the returner. The forcer will show he is playing the returner by changing his direction or decelerating his speed.
Diagram 10.
Corner vs. Outside Release (Return to You)

On the forcer’s outside release, the corner will slide and shuffle his feet, keeping his body square. The corner will take his eyes and outside hand to the outside edge of the forcer. The outside hand should be tight with the elbow bent.

The corner will “stun” or strike the forcer and face him as much as possible, trying to get as much contact and impact as possible.

The corner should hit the forcer as though he is making a tackle. The forcer’s angle should tell the safety whether he will be able to get his body in front of the forcer or not.(see diagram 11)
Diagram 11.
If the corner cannot line-up the forcer for a collision, the corner will need to react with a counter. When using this technique, the corner will turn and run. The corner will incorporate this technique by taking his outside hand and eyes to the outside shoulder of the forcer. Punch and stiff-arm the forcer’s outside shoulder. The corner’s feet and hips should move at the same angle as a head across tackle. Use the stiff-arm to direct the forcer flat down the line. When locking out the elbow, the corner will flatten the forcer down the line of scrimmage. The corner’s arm should be in a straight line from his shoulder through the shoulder of the forcer. (see diagram 12)
Diagram 12.

Defensive backs are quick to respond to the outside release of a forcer by opening and turning their butt to the field. This is a coverage technique mentality that must be replaced by a confrontational technique. The angle of the hold-up (as opposed to the angle of coverage) will allow greater strike ability and collision.

Once the corner loses contact with the forcer, he will look to the returner and work to get to the inside of the forcer. At this point, he must decide to either stay on the block on the forcer or abandon his efforts to block the forcer. If the safety decides to abandon his block on the forcer, he must immediately crack-back on someone inside of him. (see diagrams 13 and 14) Diagram 13.
Diagram 14.

Should the forcer re-direct and go back outside the safety’s butt in an attempt to split the vice, the safety will speed up, turn and find the forcer. The safety and the corner will attack the forcer as square as possible and re-vice with the corner.(see diagram 15)
Diagram 15.

Safety with Return Away or Middle

Alignment - The safety will align with his outside foot two or three inches from the corner’s inside foot.

Stance - Defend stance - align in a coiled and holstered position with your weight on the balls of your feet.

Key - The belt area of the forcer. Lazy eyes belong to lazy players.

Initial movement - Take a quick four-inch jab step to the inside. You want to deny an inside release by the forcer. It’s a proactive technique because any outside release will be reacted to.

Corner with Return Away or Middle

Alignment - The corner will align with his inside foot on the forcer’s inside foot.

Stance - Defend stance - align in a coiled and holstered position with your weight on the balls of your feet.

Key - The belt area of the forcer. Lazy eyes belong to lazy players.

Initial movement - Take a quick four-inch jab step to the outside. You want to deny an outside release by the forcer. It’s a proactive technique because any inside release will be reacted to.(see diagram 16)
Diagram 16.
Safety or Corner vs. Outide Release (Return Middle or Away)

Anytime there is an outside release by the forcer, the vice will play the exact technique as mentioned above. The only difference between a return to the vice or a return to the middle or away is the alignment of the vice.

Safety vs. Inside Release (Return Middle or Away)

This is an occurrence we absolutely do not want to happen. The greater inside alignment by the safety will help insure the ability of the vice to keep any inside release by the forcer from occurring. The safety should aggressively “stun” the forcer on his release. He should do everything in his power to flatten the forcer’s release and force him to go behind his butt. (see diagram 17)
Diagram 17.
When the forcer cuts back behind the safety’s butt, the safety will turn and re-vice. (see diagram 18)
Diagram 18.
If the forcer gets across the face of the safety, it will result in the safety running behind or trailing the forcer. The safety should sprint to the returner and work to establish alignment leverage on the ball side of the forcer to block the forcer.(see diagram 19) Diagram 19.
If the safety makes a decision that alignment leverage and relationship is lost, he should “crack” on the first man to the inside. (see diagram 20) Diagram 20.
Corner vs. Inside Release (Return Middle or Away)

If a forcer beats the safety with an inside release, the corner will not have any alignment leverage to make a “fit” on the forcer. To combat this disadvantage, the corner must sprint hard over the top of the forcer and cut across his face. This will result in the forcer cutting behind the corner’s butt. This action will place the corner to the ball side of the return. The corner will speed up, turn to face the forcer and be in a position to “fit” into him. (see diagram 21) Diagram 21.
If he makes a decision that leverage and relationship is lost, he should “crack” on the first man to the inside.(see diagram 22) Diagram 22.

When the forcer cuts back behind the safety’s but, the corner will step up and he will re-vice the forcer with the safety. (see diagram 23) Diagram 23.

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