NLL Insider

So far, in this series of articles, I’ve talked about: the two-man game; macro systems; the power play; the man down defense; and the “bench game.” This week, I’m going to discuss 5 on 5 pressure defense.

It seems we’re hearing a lot about teams playing aggressive, trapping, pressure D lately.  Over the past several years, many teams have utilized some form of pressure in their defensive schemes. There are a variety of methods and opportunities to apply pressure defense. It can be applied immediately in your attacking zone by your offense and/or your transition (T) players on a loss of possession. It can also be applied in the neutral zone (between the two face-off restraining lines), at half floor, or in your own defensive zone.

Teams generally pick and choose when and how they’re going to apply pressure D based on situations arising throughout a game. Among the reasons for applying pressure defense are: using it to try to force turnovers; changing the tempo of the game; taking advantage of the 10-second clearing rule; eating up shot clock time; or forcing the attacking team out of their rhythm or set offense. 

Let’s take a look at some of the pressure tactics used by NLL teams.

The first that comes to mind for me is the old “yellow zone trap” that was a staple of the Toronto Rock defense not so long ago. This trapping, half-floor defense would utilize the center line, the side boards by the penalty box area and two defenders. An opponent clearing the ball would be steered to the penalty box area by a defender and, as soon as the ball carrier crossed the center line, the steering defender would quickly close the gap between him and the attacker and shut off the lane up the side boards. A second defender would then come across the floor parallel to the center line and shut off the escape route across the floor. The attacker could be effectively double-teamed, given the side-board route and the back-across-center route had been eliminated.

The Buffalo Bandits have utilized a defensive zone pressure defense for the past few years. They basically try to steer an attacker to the outside down the side boards toward the attacking zone corner and then shut off the goal-line-extended route to the net (similar to shutting off the baseline in basketball). Then, as the attacker is forced to turn back to the boards, he is double-teamed by a second defender. The two defenders aggressively check the attacker trying to force a turnover.

This year’s edition of the Calgary Roughnecks has been playing a half-floor style pressure defense that puts aggressive pressure on the ball carrier at all times and looks for double teams on a constant basis. They extend their one-on-one defense well out toward center and the sideboards and look to double team the ball carrier when an opposing attacker comes to the ball carrier to either relieve the on-the-ball-carrier pressure or attempt a two-man-game pick and roll.

Any of the forms of pressure D can be highly effective when used wisely and executed properly. Like any defenses however, they have their weaknesses as well as their strengths. It usually makes best sense to apply pressure D intermittently (and in different forms) given it doesn’t take too long for the opposition to figure out what you’re doing and devise a counter strategy. And, after awhile, players instinctively begin to recognize the initial stages of a trap or double team. The “yellow zone trap,” for example, began to become so well-recognized by players clearing the ball that today you will still  notice them come to a screeching halt before crossing the center line by the penalty box if they see the possibility of the trap being set up.

A major factor in deciding how and when to apply pressure D is your team personnel. Do you have the appropriate levels of athleticism, quickness and intelligence to employ some or all of the pressure methods? A few players are capable of applying pressure instinctively in certain situations. Jim Veltman comes to mind as a player who constantly recognizes game situations when he can opportunistically apply some form of pressure. He also has a great knack of finding the “dump pass” lanes of opposing attackers who are under pressure. John Tavares is skilled in “hiding” in the attack and neutral zone and then picking off passes. Both of these are examples of passive pressure.

Other highly effective pressure defenders that possess the right combination of knowledge, skills and abilities, just to name a few, are players like Nenad Gajic and Josh Sims of the Mammoth, Jarrett Park and Matt Alrich of the Titans, Pat McCready of the Bandits, Andrew McBride of the Roughnecks, Ryan Cousins of the Swarm, Taylor Wray of the Wings and Brodie Merrill of the Lumberjax.

Yes, that sounds like an NLL All-Star defensive team but it stands to reason that some of the best defenders in the league excel at all aspects of defense including pressure. Players like Merrill, Wray, Sims, Park and Alrich also have the added experience of playing high level field lacrosse where slides and double teams are second nature.

So, when you’re taking in your next NLL game, try analyzing some of the pros and cons of any pressure D you see. What pressure defenses does your team use? Are they full floor, neutral zone, half floor or defensive end? When are they used? Does it look like the opposition has figured out an effective counter strategy yet? Would you try different kinds of pressure versus different teams? What personnel would you use to apply pressure or, conversely, which opposition players would you choose to pressure and which players would you avoid pressuring? 

Pressure D. It’s a must for any team’s tool kit of defensive systems.

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