'Show Me Tape': Lions May Not Be Fans of Using QB Spy
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Generally speaking, the "QB Spy" tends to be an NFL linebacker who is assigned to cover an offensive player man-to-man, when they are expected to run the football.
This strategy is oftentimes used with a "dual-threat" quarterback who has the ability to leave the pocket and secure significant rushing yards, usually after a play breaks down.
The defensive player is intended to follow the quarterbacks movements in order to avoid having a large chunk of the field open for talented and speedy signal-callers to run towards.
Against the Philadelphia Eagles, many supporters of the Detroit Lions were curious why the team did not simply assign a quarterback spy to limit the ability of quarterback Jalen Hurts to rush the football.
Linebackers coach Kelvin Sheppard shared with reporters in attendance on Friday why he may not necessarily agree with using a spy to stop an opposing mobile quarterback.
"You show me tape where the spy stuff works. What you do is you waste a defender when you operate like that and you're playing defense in a sense," Sheppard said, via SB Nation. "Show me where a spy has tackled (Jalen) Hurts, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray in open space. So, to each his own. Whatever you believe in, but I've seen that get torched on the college level and the NFL level."
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