Below, the Panthers line up in a trips set with their best Wide Receiver, D.J. Moore, on the backside before they motion the back out to 4×1 against a 2-high safety look. QB Sam Darnold reads Linebacker Micah Parsons (#11); if Parsons stays in the box, he’ll throw the swing screen. If Parsons vacates the box, Darnold has a numbers advantage for the QB draw:

Swing screen/Q draw pic.twitter.com/L7TJAVe2SH

— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) October 4, 2021

Later in the season, Joe Brady dialed up an old play from his LSU days. The Panthers line up in trips and motion out the running back out again. This time, the QB draw is paired with a glance route from D.J. Moore. When the weakside Linebacker and Safety fly up to the QB draw, Cam Newton throws it over their heads for a Touchdown:

Q draw/glance RPO w/fast motion to 4×1 pic.twitter.com/ZNrg59tZCq

— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) November 22, 2021

Motioning to Quads from the backfield forces defenses to communicate quickly and can be difficult to sift through. Below, the Texans motion to Quads and 3 Panthers go with the motion man–leaving the original outside WR #3 Anthony Miller wide open for an easy Touchdown:

Motion to 4 strong creates a miscommunication in the secondary pic.twitter.com/X4n7XZyqL6

— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) September 24, 2021

In another example, the Jets simply do not react to the motion and the Titans get an easy score:

D with no response to the motion to 4 strong pic.twitter.com/5heOmoZKWV

— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) October 5, 2021

Offenses have also effectively used the 4 strong side as eye candy to target the single pass catcher side. Below, the Saints are in a Trips Nub formation and the RB goes in fast motion. Multiple Green Bay defenders over shift to the motion, and the Saints throw a delayed Tight End screen to take advantage:

Motion to 4 strong w/nub TE. TE delay on 4th and 7 pic.twitter.com/iWDBZfu3ve

— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) September 16, 2021

The Packers then run the very same play the next week!

-Trips nub (Davante @ 3)
-Fast motion to 4 strong
-TE delay screen pic.twitter.com/REvmgrd1Cp

— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) September 21, 2021

Sean McVay and the Rams have been quite creative in window dressing in their Quads sets to execute simple plays. Below, Cooper Kupp lines up in the backfield and fast motions out to the trips side in an attempt to draw defenders away from the backside Tight End tunnel screen:

Kupp fast motions to make it 4 strong, tunnel screen the other way. More WRs in the backfield! pic.twitter.com/nW1Kr2sS1T

— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) September 26, 2021

Here, because defenses often lock up the backside of 4×1 sets in man to man, the Rams are able to exploit defensive rules with a mesh concept. The goal is to allow speedster DeSean Jackson (#1), who is the second inside most WR, to attack a vacated area and catch the ball with a ton of space in front of him:

Rams running mesh out of 4×1 pic.twitter.com/Y3F9IAnVCo

— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) September 28, 2021

Quads also forces defenses into tough choices and punishes double teams. Below, the Bears decide to commit two defenders to #19 Deebo Samuel, who is on the backside of the 4×1 set. The Bears have a 5 man box and 4 DBs over 4 WRs. #11 Brandon Aiyuk is able to take advantage of the matchup for a TD:

49ers running a 4×1 cheetah variation. Bears have 2 shaded to Deebo Samuel and Aiyuk is 1 on 1 pic.twitter.com/YqFYIhNbVP

— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) November 24, 2021

Teams can even play with personnel to get playmakers in space. Below, the Cowboys have multiple tight ends and an extra OL out wide to escort CeeDee Lamb:

Cowboys with 2 TEs and an extra OL on the 4×1 quick screen pic.twitter.com/eGsMS12gFh

— Shawn Syed (@SyedSchemes) November 24, 2021

NFL offenses have finally adopted 4×1 sets as a regular part of their offenses. Offensive coordinators are creatively using 4×1’s structural advantages to get their playmakers in space and exploit matchups. 

The post Connect 4: The NFL’s 4×1 Quads Renaissance appeared first on Syed Schemes.

Week 14: 3rd Quarter, 4th & 19 from KC 35

On 4th & 19 from their own 35 the Chiefs line up in a standard spread pro punt formation, with three blockers to each side of the center, a personal protector, and a gunner split out wide to each side. The ball is on the left hash. The Patriots have eight men up, a jammer on each gunner, and one returner. Although they start with four men on each side, the Patriots shift to six right and two left from the punter’s perspective just before the snap with almost no space between them:

But the Chiefs don’t adjust in any manner. Even if the long snapper and the entire right side of the punt team block the most inside man, the Patriots would have two outside rushers free. Instead, the right guard steps out to block (#18) Matthew Slater, and (#43) Nate Ebner runs free up the middle to block the punt:

And it looks like (#29) Justin Bethel would have reached the block point as well. So what could the Chiefs have done differently? First, the personal protector likely should have switched to the overloaded side. He may not have because the punter is left footed. Or because the Chiefs called a fake punt but apparently weren’t on the same page. A 6-2 overload is a great look to fake a punt against! Next, the Chiefs could have brought in their gunner to a tight split. This creates a greater distance to the block point for the unblocked outside rusher.

Week 4: 6:30 left in 1st Quarter, 4th & 14 from Buf 32

The Bills line up in a standard punt formation. This time, the Patriots line up five left and four right:

Although the Bills’ punter is left footed, the personal protector is set to the right. This may be because the right outside jammer comes down late and rushes. But the jammer probably can’t get near the block point from so far outside, and the Bills could have tightened their own gunner’s split in response. Instead, a low snap allows for the unblocked Patriot (#27 J.C. Jackson) time to get there:

Week 12: 3rd Quarter, 5:51 remaining, 4th & 12 from Dal 30

The Patriots other two blocked punts stem from their execution combined with their opponent’s miscues. Below, the Cowboys are in the same punt formation. The Patriots have five rushers left and three right, but the Cowboys are prepared. With the personal protector toward the lefty punter’s foot they can matchup and block both sides:

But Matthew Slater (#18) beats the left tackle, bends hard, and blocks the punt. Note Slater’s excellent form in avoiding a penalty—he does not dive in front of the punter. Instead, his body and momentum are off to the side, with his arm low and extended to block the punt:

Week 6:06 remaining in the 1st Quarter, 4th & 9 at NYG 19

The blocked punt against the Giants is pure execution and effort from (#38) Brandon Bolden. The Patriots don’t appear to have a block scheme on. Given the two left five right alignment with multiple jammers on the right gunner, a left return is the most likely call. The Giants are not outnumbered. But Bolden bull rushes aggressively, bends towards the block point, and pushes the right tackle back far enough to block the kick:

A few trends emerge from the four blocked punts. All four were on 4th & 9 or more with the ball was placed inside the opponent’s own 35 yard line. This allows punt block teams to be more aggressive for two reasons. First, a running into the kicker penalty does not cause a first down. Second, the punting team is less likely to try a fake because of the combination of the yardage to gain and field position.

Three had an overload rush to the punter’s foot. And all four blocked punts occurred in relatively “innocuous” time situations in the 1st and 3rd quarters of games. This is an important takeaway for coaches and fans alike; “must have” blocked punts are the most difficult to execute because the punt team is quite aware of the situation.

One other significant observation: none of the blocked punts had particularly elaborate schemes outside of shifting before the snap and outnumbering the punt team. None, for example, had multiple twists to cause confusion:

Credit: Chuck Zodda, http://insidethepylon.com/film-study/film-study-nfl/special-teams-film-study-nfl/2015/12/10/eagles-punt-block-exploited-patriots-protection/

Sometimes execution and technique reign supreme; the Patriots take excellent angles to the punter and know the block point. They also have ideal hand placement keep themselves in position to avoid roughing the punter. Special Teams is a priority in New England.

Finally, these examples also provide lessons for punt teams. You must have a plan when an opponent shifts pre-snap, whether it be moving personal protectors, tightening gunners, or being aggressive and calling a fake.

The post Breaking Down the 2019 Patriots’ 4 Blocked Punts appeared first on Syed Schemes.

In our first three games, we gave up four kickoff returns of over 75 yards. Our opponents average starting field position was inside our territory, while we had a starting field position inside our own 25 yard line. We started 0-3. Luckily we were headed into a bye week to lick our wounds. In that two week stretch, I took more time to learn and think about Special Teams than I had ever before.

This article gives coaches 5 concrete ways to immediately improve their Special Teams. It also gives fans insight into how seriously their favorite team takes Special Teams. Although I use NFL and Division I NCAA examples, the principles apply to all levels of football.

Know the Rules

This sounds simple enough, but Special Teams include some of the most complicated and intricate rules in the game of football. Special Teams rules also change drastically across levels of football, with different rules for high schools, colleges, and professionals. High school rules can change from state to state. Consider the following Special Teams scenarios:

• A punt returner signals for a fair catch but then thinks the ball may go in the end zone. May he legally hit a player trying to down the ball while the ball is in the air? How about after the ball hits the ground? NFL Answer at Rule 10, Section 2, Item 5.
• Team A kicks the ball off and the football gets close to going out of bounds. A player on Team B places one foot out of bounds then touches the ball at the 5 yard line. Where should the official spot the ball? NFL Answer.
• Can a player’s feet touch the goal line while downing a punt? Can the ball cross the goal line in the air before being downed? NFL & NCAA Answers.

Did you know the rules in each instance? More importantly, does your team know the rules? The rules can affect the clock, field position, penalties, and directly change the scoreboard. For example, in the NFL a team making a fair catch has an option for their next play–snap it regularly, or try a “fair catch kick” with the chance for 3 points, off a tee, without a defensive rush. This normally is a meaningless choice, but can be critical in end of half or end of game situations. In one of 2019’s Tampa Bay vs. Carolina games, the Bucs punted from inside their own 20 yard line to the Panthers, who fair caught the ball at the 50 with :01 left:

Another situation is where one team needs to run the clock out, but may not want to punt the ball back to the other team for a number of reasons. If you are leading by more than 2 in the NFL, you can have every player hold for as long as they can, and then have the ball carrier run out of the back of the end zone. Whether there are 0 or 100 flags on the field, there is no time reset, and the game is over:

There are countless rule and clock scenarios between kickoff, kickoff return, onside kick and hands team, punt, punt return, field goal, field goal block, and both extra point units. The more of them you know, the better position your team will be in to win.

Eliminate Easily Correctable Mistakes

Field position is precious. No coach would volunteer to lose 10+ yards on an offensive play. Yet every week during football season, teams do just that the play before their offense takes the field. Punt Returners at all levels of football fail to field the ball and allow the opponent to down the ball 10+ yards later:

At the high school (and even lower college) levels, sometimes it’s just best to use two returners. Coaches should emphasize and prioritize fielding the ball nearly 100% of the time. And if a returner is instructed not to field the ball inside a certain yard line, they should have a plan. They should either 1) run to a different spot and fake like they are making the catch to draw away attention or 2) be ready to hit and prevent a player from downing the ball.

Dig into the Details

Offensive coaches know the proper timing for their pass game, whether it’s catch and throw, 1-step, 3-step, or 5-step. Defensive coaches know the intricacies of the blitzes, stunts, and coverages they call. Special Teams requires the same level of detail. Below are examples of Special Teams details a coach should know about BOTH their team and their opponent during the practice week and on game day:

• How long does it take for the long snapper to get the ball to the Punter?
• Where is the Punter’s launch point?
• How long does it take for the Punter to catch, step, and punt the ball?
• What is the Punter’s average hang time?
• Are there any left footed kickers? It matters.
• How long does it take for the short snapper to get the ball to the holder?
• How far do a Kicker’s kickoffs go? With what hang time?
• How long does it take for the edge rusher to get to the Punter/Kicker’s launch point? Is either team susceptible to blocked kicks this week based on the above times?
• What do the most common formations for the Kickoff, Punt, Field Goal, Extra Point, and Return teams look like? You could be giving away an obvious fake or missing a clear sign of a fake/trick play from an opponent.
• What is your Kicker and Punter’s range in each direction?
• Does weather impact any of the questions listed above?

This is also a great opportunity to get younger coaches, grad assistants, interns, and volunteers involved. If you are tight on time, delegate these tasks, but make sure they are being accounted for. And if you haven’t thought of them before, don’t worry. These details are missed at even at the highest level of football. Below, even after multiple kicks into the wind come up extremely short, the Cowboys coaching staff doesn’t adjust their returner:

Be Aggressive, Creative, and Deceptive

Aggression is consistently rewarded on offense and defense. But coaches don’t show the same aggression on Special Teams even when presented with the opportunity. These opportunities are more often available in high school football, where younger and more inexperienced players are the primary Special Team players. For example, when you watch an opponent’s kick return tape, note their front line: Is their depth well beyond 10 yards? Do they bail out hard and fast as the Kicker runs up to the ball? Are they players that rarely handle the ball? If so, it could be a great opportunity to have something like the following onside kick in the game plan:

Another opportunity to be aggressive are kickoffs after a 15-yard penalty against your opponent. Don’t just boom it out of the back of the end zone. This is a great chance to either kick it high inside the 5 yard line and pin them inside the 15, or to try a surprise onside kick.

My personal aggressive philosophy on Special Teams is constantly going after kicks–trying to block as many punts, extra points, and field goals as you can. Essentially, Beamer Ball. I’m obviously far from the only person who loves this strategy, and there are countless resources to help your team improve in this facet of the game.

Like play action and window dressing on offense, or a well disguised zone blitz on defense, there is plenty of room for deception and creativity on Special Teams. First, the low hanging fruit. When punting on 4th and short from inside your own 10, consider a shift and/or aggressive hard count to draw your opponent offsides. The downside of a false start is outweighed by a potential tremendous reward. Do the same when punting on 4th and medium from around the 50 yard line.

In the latter example, another strategy is to keep your offense on the field for long as possible before quickly mass substituting the Punt team. This tests your opponent’s discipline and whether everybody on the other team is paying attention. And something just like it may win you the biggest game of the season:

Think about your players’ skillsets. Can your Quarterback pooch punt? If so, you can always line up to go for it, try and draw the defense offsides and if you don’t like the look, punt it. Your wideouts also get a clean release to down the ball, all while saving a timeout:

Are your punt gunners having trouble getting off jammers? Consider moving around your gunners and personal protectors to get a clean release and full head of steam:

The Patriots tried out a pretty funky punt formation vs. the Redskins, with Terrence Brooks lining up 10 yards behind the line. They essentially ditched the personal protector to add a third gunner. pic.twitter.com/vZ76eOIoLk

— Zack Cox (@zm_cox) October 8, 2019

If your Punter can throw, have a fake punt in the playbook. But don’t expect a pass interference call. This can counter heavy rush looks. And if you’re a little hesitant to actually call it, show a basic version of it in the pre-season. This will make opponents prepare for it and make them less likely to go for all out blocks.

Finally, if your punt team has trouble blocking or direction punting, consider punting from a different formation. There are numerous ways to do so.

Prioritize Special Teams Culture

Like anything else in life, one must spend time on an activity to improve or be great at it. Special Teams is no different. In addition to the rules and X’s and O’s of Special Teams, you must practice drills and techniques that will put your team in the best possible position to win. Although technique details are beyond the scope of this article, there are countless resources for Special Teams specific drills that can help your team win.

Ask yourself: when you watch film in the off season, does your staff take time to discuss Special Teams ideas, X’s & O’s, and philosophy? Do your players know what good and bad Special Teams looks like? Below are some video compilations to start that process:

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7lAn-CpXmUA (Downed Punts Compilation)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThQ4x7rDBWM (2019 NFL Special Teams Plays)
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sq1z1P9AK78 (Fake Punts Compilation)

Players on your team can easily name offensive and defensive players across the NFL. But do they know who Matthew Slater, Justin Tucker, and Brett Kern are? They should.

Special Teams must become a priority and a part of the team culture. When your team practices Special Teams, is it at the end of practice for five minutes with the sophomores on the field and the starters off to the side goofing off? Don’t worry, we’ve all played on and coached plenty of teams like this. Now is the time to change.

Does your team incentivize being a Special Teams ace? Consider naming a Special Teams ace each week and allowing that player to walk out with the other captains. Better yet when a captain IS the ace of the week. Also consider whether the team leaders and assistant coaches are engaged when you watch Special Teams film with your team. Who leads the film session? Being great at Special Teams starts with the coaching staff’s attitude towards it.

And for those still wondering about how that season ended following the bye week? After the disastrous 0-3 start described in the introductory paragraph; our special teams didn’t give up another kickoff return over 30 yards, blocked 4 punts, fielded every punt the remainder of the season, and recovered two surprise onside kicks. We won 4 of our next 7 and finished 4-6.

The post 5 ways to immediately improve your Special Teams appeared first on Syed Schemes.

Seattle is in Cover 1, with a linebacker providing inside help with a jam on Lazar. This coverage is ideal for the Packers play call. NFL defenses have a plan to address pick/rub route combinations. Here, a man scheme like Seattle is in here has a call to automatically switch any pick/rub. They also can decide to fight over or under any pick, particularly when defensive backs have help inside or over the top:

But here, Seattle’s defensive backs aren’t on the same page on what to do in response. Nobody actually ends up running with Allison, who breaks free inside. Adams route ends up functioning as a sluggo route. Both defensive backs hesitate when they are fooled by the play design. The result is confusion, and multiple wide open WRs. The deep safety is unable to get to Adams, leading to a touchdown:

Although it may be the first time the Packers have used this play this season, it isn’t the first time Rodgers or LaFleur have had success with slant/flat variations over the past few years.

Texans v. Chiefs

A series of plays on Houston’s first drive against Kansas City also caught my attention. On the very first play of the game, Houston is in a bunch formation, with a tight end opposite the bunch. The Texans run a bubble or stay pass for a gain of a yard.

On a 3rd and 1 on the same drive, the Texans come out once again in the same formation, with a few subtle differences. First, the order of the receivers is different, as DeAndre Hopkins is the point of the bunch instead of Will Fuller. Next, the depth of the inside receiver isn’t as deep as the original bubble. The Chiefs are in Cover 0, with every other defender rushing the quarterback. The Texans fake the bubble, the Chiefs defensive backs bite up, leaving Kenny Stills wide open for a touchdown:

Although its a decent example of running an offense to look the same to a defense, bubble combined with bubble & go is a relatively common series in college and pro football. The interesting note will be what Tennessee can take from this tape to try and exploit the Chiefs’ defense, including double moves and play designs to challenge their assignment discipline.

The post 2019 Divisional Round X’s & O’s Review appeared first on Syed Schemes.

The Eagles show a six man pressure with Cover 0 man to man behind it. There’s not much defensive disguise here; the Falcons being in empty makes the Eagles declare their responsibilities. Although one of the linebackers could theoretically drop into coverage, allowing the Falcons to account for each of the rushers with no deep safety and true man to man on Julio Jones is a recipe for disaster. Based on this information, the Falcons audible to a tunnel screen. Instead of trying to block the Eagles six rushers with 5 lineman, the Falcons have left tackle (#70) Jake Matthews release and create a 3 on 2 situation to the short side of the field:

Mohammad Sanu outside releases and picks up his block. The Falcons offensive line blocks inside out and buys Matt Ryan just enough time to get the ball out. Most importantly, Jake Matthews releases and pancakes his assignment, allowing Julio Jones to bend inside and turn on the afterburners for a touchdown:

Here, it looks like the Falcons baited Schwartz into bringing max pressure against an empty formation. This play works for a few reasons: first, Matt Ryan quickly sees the look he wants and checks into the tunnel screen. Second, its important to run the tunnel screen to the short side of the field and to the two wide receiver side. This minimizes the time Matt Ryan must hold onto the ball, the distance the ball must travel, and the chance for a missed block. This was a great example of chess on the football field with the game on the line.

The post Falcons Tunnel Screen Audible appeared first on Syed Schemes.

In week 8, the Chiefs faked an outside toss to Tyreek Hilll with a shovel pass to Hunt underneath. Kelce and Watkins arc blocked to sell the outside pitch, and the line blocked like power with a pulling guard:

The end zone angle shows one potential issue on defense. Because Broncos DB Bradley Roby (#29) is in man coverage on Hill, he lines up in the box, which is unusual for him. Roby goes out wide with the fake to Hill, giving Hunt just the crease he needs:

[gfycat data_id="PleasedMindlessBuffalo" data_autoplay=false data_controls=true data_title=false data_expand=true]

In week 9 against the Browns, the Chiefs come out in the same formation and show the same pitch action to Hill. This time, Kelce and Watkins run routes. Meanwhile, both guards and the center pass set before releasing for a screen away from the pitch fake:

As seen from the end zone angle, the flow from the pitch fake moves both Browns linebackers enough to create great angles for the Chiefs to block downfield after Kareem Hunt catches the screen:

[gfycat data_id="UnpleasantWealthyBedbug" data_autoplay=false data_controls=true data_title=false data_expand=true]

The Chiefs have also shown other runs to Tyreek Hill with other reads from this set. Here, Sammy Watkins motions from outside to inside Kelce, and Kareem Hunt arc blocks:

[gfycat data_id="NextJealousAlbertosaurus" data_autoplay=false data_controls=true data_title=false data_expand=true]

The end zone angle also shows the weakside guard pulling and Sammy Watkins taking a shovel path. Because the Chiefs leave the end man on the line of scrimmage unblocked, they almost certainly have a read element in this play as well:

[gfycat data_id="LittleImpeccableLaughingthrush" data_autoplay=false data_controls=true data_title=false data_expand=true]

The play essentially ends up like the shovel power read the Chiefs have run over the last few years. Overall, this formation presents a variety of problems for defenses. From a personnel standpoint, the defense has to be ready to defend the run with two tight ends on the field. With respect to the formation, because the Chiefs line up both tight ends to the outsides, the defense will often give strong coverage indicators pre-snap. For example, a linebacker lined up across from a TE out wide is a strong man coverage indicator, as is a DB lined up in the box across from Tyreek Hill.

The Chiefs have several plays they haven’t shown yet from this formation. First, the outside pitch to Tyreek Hill. Next, a fake pitch outside to Hill with a route combination similar to that of the screen touchdown. Finally, it wouldn’t surprise me to see a tight end screen to Kelce as well.

The post Chiefs Film Review: 2 back formation with Tyreek Hill appeared first on Syed Schemes.

Will Fuller

The post 2018 Week 8: X’s & O’s Review appeared first on Syed Schemes.

1. Game situation: 1st Quarter, 5:23, 1st & 10 at KC23, 3-3

After tight end Demetrius Harris (#84) motions to the left side of the formation, the Chiefs are running the following route combination with play action:

The Patriots are in Cover 1. Because Harris is staying in to block, Patrick Chung (#23) can act as an extra pass defender. As for the front 7, one consistent strategy from the Patriots was to have box defenders stand and/or move around pre-snap, making it more difficult for Mahomes to decide protection schemes and discern who was rushing. Here, defensive end Trey Flowers (#98) is also aligned extra wide to jam Travis Kelce (#87) at the line:

Post snap, the Patriots rush four and linebacker Dont’a Hightower (#54) is sucked in by the play action to Kareem Hunt (#27). This normally clears throwing windows, but Hightower is able to make an incredible recovery to undercut Travis Kelce’s route and intercept the pass. While watching live, I thought Hightower had faked a blitz, dropped, and fooled Mahomes. After film review, I think it’s likely that Mahomes discounted Hightower based on his reaction to the play action. Mahomes held onto the ball for a split second longer because of Chung’s presence, and Hightower flipped his hips in time to make a great play:

[gfycat data_id="RealisticFortunateIndigowingedparrot" data_autoplay=false data_controls=true data_title=false data_expand=true]

Mahomes also misses Sammy Watkins (#14) on the deep over route. Duron Harmon is the deep Cover 1 safety and is playing outside the right hash, presumably because Tyreek Hill is the outside receiver on the play. Nobody else is on the left side of the field, giving Mahomes tons of grass to air the ball out and let Watkins run under it:

[gfycat data_id="FlawlessSpiffyAnaconda" data_autoplay=false data_controls=true data_title=false data_expand=true]

2. Game situation: 3rd Quarter, 13:39, 3rd & 2 at KC33, 24-9 New England

On the first drive of the 3rd quarter, the Patriots force a third and short with a 24-9 lead. Pre-snap, the Patriots are showing a look that could be a blitz with man coverage, Cover 1 or Cover 5, behind it. However, when Tyreek Hill motions across the formation, Jason McCourty widens with him and no defender follows him. This is generally a zone indicator. The Patriots have 6 defenders up at the line of scrimmage to cause confusion in pass protection. Tyreek Hill takes an inside release and runs a deep curl. The Chiefs route combination also includes a pivot and dig combination, sometimes referred to as “X Follow,” with Kelce running a spot route and Hunt swinging out of the backfield:

Post-snap, the Patriots are in Cover 2. They rush 3, and Dont’a Hightower tries to rob underneath Travis Kelce’s spot or short hook route. The initial coverage is excellent, and Mahomes is forced to escape the pocket to his right. Here is where Hill’s speed comes into play—with no outside vertical threat, deep half safety Devin McCourty clamps down on Hill. But when Mahomes escapes, Hunt converts his route from a swing to a wheel route, and nobody is back deep:

[gfycat data_id="EnviousJoyfulBallpython" data_autoplay=false data_controls=true data_title=false data_expand=true]

This play and throw from Mahomes is simply incredible. Cornerback Jason McCourty actually plays this pretty well, sinking with the route and forcing a precise deep throw while on the run. If the ball isn’t deep enough or too far inside, it’s either intercepted or broken up:

[gfycat data_id="RipeSecretLadybug" data_autoplay=false data_controls=true data_title=false data_expand=true]

3. Game situation: 4th Quarter, 4:33, 3rd & 8 at KC27, 37-33 New England

On a crucial third down with the game on the line, the Patriots once again tried to confuse Mahomes pre-snap with box defenders standing and moving. The Patriots show Cover 0, with no middle of field help. However, Hightower and Kyle Van Noy(#53) show blitz, occupy lineman, and then drop off for any crossers or shallow routes:

Tyreek Hill ends up open, but the Patriots accomplish their goal by forcing an underthrow off Mahomes’ back foot. With better footwork, it’s likely a huge play:

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4. Game situation: 4th Quarter, 7:12, 1st & 10 at KC24, 33-30 Kansas City

At this point, a fake bubble/swing screen with a seam or wheel behind it is a huge play in the NFL every week. Here, the Chiefs are in Cover 3. Julian Edelman motions to the backfield and runs a bubble/swing screen, with Chris Hogan running up the seam:

[gfycat data_id="scarydeliriousballoonfish" data_autoplay=false data_controls=true data_title=false data_expand=true]

Both the underneath hook defender and the safety fly up toward Edelman, leaving Hogan wide open behind them. Note from the end zone angle how well Brady uses his shoulders and eyes to sell the fake before throwing the ball to a wide open Hogan:

[gfycat data_id="piercinguntimelykingsnake" data_autoplay=false data_controls=true data_title=false data_expand=true]

5. Game situation: 4th Quarter, 3:50, 1st & 10 at NE21, 37-33 New England

With an opportunity to put the game away with a touchdown or run out the clock, the Patriots come out in 21 personnel. The Chiefs aim to stop the run with a 3-4 front and are playing Cover 1. Brady sees the defensive look and checks the call to a play action:

Post snap, because the defensive back Jordan Lucas (#24) is so close to the line, the Patriots left tackle blocks him. Gronk runs underneath the block, and is wide open for a huge play. It’s hard to believe this is how the Patriots drew it up. But it is plausible they are coached to do this if a man to man defender is this close to the line of scrimmage. I’ve never quite seen this in an NFL game before:

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6. Situational football

Finally, a note about situational football at the end of the first half. The last four minutes of the first half decide a game more often than the average fan thinks. Good teams consistently score just before half and get the ball right back to start the third quarter, and also make sure their opponents don’t “double up.” Teams who mismanage the clock or turn the ball over before half miss out on “double up” opportunities. This is precisely what happened to KC, who was down 24-9 with :17 left on New England’s 15 yard line. They had 1 timeout and were getting the ball back after half. On 1st & 10, Mahomes turns the ball over on this play:

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Getting the ball back after half and down 15 points against a potent offense means Mahomes has to throw this ball away and make sure the Chiefs score to get the opportunity to double up.

Unfortunately, I learned tragic news this week. Kyle Janeczek, one of the players I had the privilege of coaching, passed away suddenly. He was attending Dartmouth medical school, and was one of the kindest smartest people I knew. Kyle was also an incredibly gifted athlete who made me a better person and coach. I hadn’t posted an X’s & O’s breakdown in a while, and reminisced this week on Kyle’s successes as a football player and person. Kyle, this one’s for you buddy, RIP.

The post Key Plays from Week 6: New England v. Kansas City appeared first on Syed Schemes.

Eagles

The Eagles used running back motion, the wheel route, and the mesh concept repeatedly to take advantage of the Patriots decision to predominantly play man to man coverage. The Patriots were weak against pass catching running backs all year, particularly wheel routes. In the AFC Championship, Jacksonville missed their opportunity multiple times to hit an open running back against a linebacker or peeling defensive end; but the Eagles cashed in.

2nd Quarter, 1:46, 3rd & 3 on Phi 37 (Phi 15 NE 12)

Late in the first half, the Eagles make a huge play using both the mesh concept and the wheel route. Defensively, the Patriots are in Cover 1:

The Patriots have it covered well, but Jordan Richards (#37) takes a bad angle on the wheel route, leading to an easy throw for a huge gain. The angle below shows Richards could have gone over the sit route and been in position to make a tackle before the first down marker, instead of shooting underneath. Of course, if Malcolm Butler was on the field, Richards probably wouldn’t have been:

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This won’t be the first time the Eagles use these concepts to beat the Patriots D. In fact, this particular play ends up being key for a fourth down conversion late in the game.

3rd Quarter, 7:25, 3rd & 6 on NE 22 (Phi 22 NE 19)

In the middle of the third, the Eagles use return motion as a coverage indicator; once #59 linebacker Marquis Flowers motions in with running back Corey Clement, Nick Foles knows its man to man coverage. The Eagles are running a drive concept with Clement’s wheel route behind it from the backfield. The Patriots are playing man to man with a free safety in centerfield. They are also doubling Zach Ertz; (#37) Jordan Richards has any in breaking routes, while (#32) Devin McCourty has any out breaking routes:

The Eagles end up getting a speedy running back on a linebacker. Foles has plenty of time  and delivers perhaps his best throw of the day for a touchdown. Meanwhile, the free safety is too far to make an impact on the wheel, and McCourty hesitates ever so slightly, flips his hips the wrong way, and is unable to make a play on the ball:

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4th Quarter, 6:10, 4th & 1 on Phi 45 (NE 33 Phi 32)

The Eagles wouldn’t have had the opportunity for the go-ahead touchdown had it not been for a fourth down conversion in their own territory earlier in the drive. Earlier in the game, the Eagles gashed the Patriots with two huge passes to running back Corey Clement, analyzed above. The Eagles come back to the mesh concept on this critical fourth down. The Patriots are in man to man coverage, middle linebacker Kyle Van Noy blitzes, safety Duron Harmon is a “robber” in the box, and outside linebacker James Harrison has peel responsibility if the running back has a route. The Eagles mesh works perfectly, and Ertz is able to get free:

However, Patriots safety Duron Harmon is still in great position to make a play on Ertz. This is where the Eagles previous success on wheel routes to Clement comes into play; Harmon hesitates ever so slightly to the wheel, leaving enough space for Foles to complete the ball to Ertz for a crucial first down.

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4th Quarter, 2:25, 3rd & 7 on NE 11 (NE 33 Phi 32)

On perhaps the most important play of Super Bowl 52, Pederson used motion to out-formation the Patriots and get exactly the matchup he was looking for: tight end Zack Ertz in 1 on 1 coverage. Pre-snap, the Eagles come out in bunch trips right, running back Corey Clement offset left, and Ertz wide left. The Patriots are playing man-to-man on the trips, but importantly, safety Duron Harmon can help Devin McCourty, currently lined up on Ertz, and take away any in breaking route. The Patriots would handle Clement out of the backfield with James Harrison peeling off to the flat:

However, when Clement fast motions from the backfield to the trips, the Patriots are completely outflanked and Harmon is forced to match him. This leaves McCourty on an island with Ertz at the very last second, and the rest is history:

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While Pederson called a near perfect game, Josh McDaniels was just as good. The Patriots, more than any other team, use movement before the snap as coverage indicators. Super Bowl 52 was no exception:

Patriots

1st Quarter, 1:41, 3rd & 7 on NE 21

Before the snap, the Patriots motion in James White to the backfield. By this time, the Patriots know the Eagles are matching up safety Malcolm Jenkins (#27) with White. Jenkins follows White, but the Eagles could still plausibly be in a variety of coverages. The Patriots go one step further and have receivers Danny Amendola and Brandin Cooks switch places. When the Eagles defenders don’t move, Tom Brady knows its zone coverage:

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A side note, most analysts expected Malcolm Jenkins to match up with Gronk. Given that James White had 14 catches in Super Bowl 51 and Shane Vereen had 11 catches in Super Bowl 49, it made sense that the Eagles decided they’d try to limit James White. The move was effective; after the first drive White didn’t have a single catch.

2nd Quarter, 2:55, 2nd & 10 on NE 31

Down 15-6 with just under 3 minutes in the first half, the Patriots get a one on one matchup they unquestionably circled before the game; Eagles cornerback #31 Jalen Mills in man to man off coverage. Mills has struggled with double moves in this scenario throughout the year, (top of screen in first clip, bottom of screen in second clip):

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This time is no different. Chris Hogan is matched up with Jalen Mills at the bottom of the screen, in off coverage, with no deep half help. He runs a curl and go for a huge gain:

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3rd Quarter, 3:29, 1st & 10 on Phi 26

Down 10, the Patriots began the second half by attacking with seam routes. They also took advantage of a bit of confusion in alignment; in the NFC Championship game, when a non-pass catching back (Latavius Murray) split out wide, the Eagles were confused and gave up a wide open touchdown:

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Below, Patriots fullback James Develin is highlighted at the top of the screen. When he lines up out wide, the Eagles are confused on coverage assignments. Meanwhile, the play call is double seams with Gronkowski and Hogan:

This becomes a big play because of three factors: First, the Eagles pre-snap confusion causes Malcolm Jenkins (free safety, highlighted above) to keep his eyes solely on Gronkowski as opposed to playing deep middle. Next, Tom Brady’s eyes hold Jenkins toward Gronkowski’s side. Watch Brady’s eyes flip to Hogan just before the throw. Third, Chris Hogan expands his seam route to the wide side of the field, creating more room for the throw:

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Finally, it’s impossible to do a full review of Super Bowl 52 without mentioning “Philly Special,” the throwback pass the Eagles used to score right before the end of the first half:

Shot 13 – “Philly Special” … one of the most legendary moments in Philly Sports History. So much to love about this play….the design, the call, the timing, the execution. Foles reels in the TD from Trey Burton #FlyEaglesFly #SBLII pic.twitter.com/VU0zg76dKV

— Fran Duffy (@fduffy3) February 7, 2018

It was a great play call and design, but there’s more: the Patriots ran the same play the last time they played the Eagles in 2015:

“Philly Special” 2015 Pats vs Eagles. We’ve seen this before. pic.twitter.com/KRmhYG55ld

— Michael Giardi (@MikeGiardi) February 8, 2018

It may have been in the playbook already, but it’s also possible Philly added it specifically for this game after reviewing that film. For those looking to add this play to the playbook, make sure you know the rules; in the NFL, the quarterback must be in the shotgun, or he is not eligible to catch a pass. There is no such rule in college:

Now Baker Mayfield is out here catching TDs too pic.twitter.com/S3esgz4L9s

— 2018 NFL Draft (@DraftRT) January 1, 2018

The post Super Bowl 52 X’s & O’s Review appeared first on Syed Schemes.

Eagles v. Falcons

The play call on Atlanta’s do or die 4th and Goal from Philly’s 2-yard line is understandably what everyone is talking about. After motioning Tight End (#80) Levine Toilolo across the formation, the Falcons ran sprint right with two short outs:

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It’s easy to second guess a play call after watching it on TV, but there’s a lot not to like about this call with the season on the line from the two yard line:

The first issue I have with the play call is personnel choice–Atlanta has Fullback (#40) Derrick Coleman lined up out wide at the bottom of the screen. A running back out wide by itself isn’t a bad choice (it can help a Quarterback assess coverages). However, Atlanta should have had its best playmakers on the field, which certainly includes Running Back (#24) Devonta Freeman.

The second issue I have is sprinting out on 4th and Goal; I don’t like cutting the field in half without one of the following: 1) some sort of rub/pick concept, 2) a flat route that can turn into a wheel if not open at first, or 3) some sort of throwback option, like below:

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Without any of these, the Eagles’ defense has defended almost 2/3 of the field without doing anything, and there is no recourse if Matt Ryan’s first read isn’t open.

This 4th and Goal also could have been a game winning Field Goal had it not been for an inexcusable end of first half mistake from Atlanta. With seven (:07) seconds left to play, the Eagles had the ball at the 50 yard line and no timeouts remaining. Understandably, Julio Jones is on the field in the deep middle in case Philly decides to take a shot at the end zone. Atlanta is also prepared with four defenders pre-snap for Philly to run a 3-man Flood concept to try and throw an out route and get out of bounds in time for a field goal attempt.:

Players #1 (Linebacker Deion Jones) and #3 (Cornerback Desmond Trufant) in the graphic allow for the intermediate out to be completed and out of bounds in six seconds. First, Jones hops inside and does not defend the sideline, even though any completion in the field of play would end the half. Then, Trufant sinks to the deep out, even though another defender is over the top and the clock would have run out if the ball was thrown to the deepest out.

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The next play, the Eagles make a field goal as time expires. Understanding game situation and clock management cost Atlanta on two separate occasions in the divisional round.

Jaguars v. Steelers

Jacksonville offensive coordinator Nathanial Hackett called a near flawless game on Sunday, but my favorite play was their final Touchdown with 4:34 to play in the 4th:

Jacksonville is in I-formation tight, with an extra Tight End to the right side of the formation. Pittsburgh is still in a 2-high Safety look, although the strong side Safety is playing with a staggered stance somewhat closer to the line of scrimmage. The Jaguars are running iso play action Fullback seam, otherwise affectionately known as “pop pass:”

The outer most Tight End takes a wide release and runs a fade to hold the Cornerback, while the play action sucks up the only two players in position to stop the play, leading to an easy touchdown:

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Patriots vs. Titans

The divisional round didn’t make the Patriots sweat, but they have added a small X’s & O’s wrinkle I’ve noticed a few times this year. Similar to a jet sweep or toss crack, New England has scored multiple times this year with a Running Back or Wide Receiver (usually Brandin Cooks) coming in motion and Tom Brady ‘dropping’ the ball to them as they run around the corner. Below, James White (#28) comes in motion slowly at first, and Titans Linebacker (#59) Wesley Woodyard follows, confirming it’s man-to-man coverage and a good look for the dropoff sweep. It’s possible the Patriots have a check out of this play if it isn’t man to man or against certain fronts: 

As long as Left Guard Joe Thuney can reach his gap and make sure the Defensive Tackle (Pro-bowler Jurrell Casey) doesn’t penetrate, New England has great look: down blocks by Gronk and Wide Receiver Chris Hogan (#15) with Nate Solder (#77) pulling around to lead the way on the Cornerback originally lined up over Hogan:

Thuney does his assignment, there are great down block angles, and James White is able to catch the ball at almost full speed for a relatively easy touchdown:

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Vikings vs. Saints

The game winning touchdown in the Vikings vs. Saints game began as the same exact situation as the Falcons vs. Eagles end of half scenario; there were ten seconds left and the Vikings had no timeouts, so any completion in the field of play would end the game. However, the Vikings were at their own 39 yard line, so a Hail Mary to the end zone was out of the question. The Vikings run the same play as the Eagles, a 3-man Flood concept:

We all know what happened next:

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It’s obvious Saints DB Marcus Williams misplays both Stephon Diggs and the ball. But the Saints coaching staff could have put the defense in a better position. First, given the game scenario, the absolute number one priority is “do not let the Vikings complete the ball and get out of bounds,” yet the Saints only have 3 defenders guarding the sideline. Instead, the Saints should have either rushed only 3 down lineman or pulled their Middle Linebacker much closer to the sideline and the bunched Vikings. The Saints already have 3 defenders to account for the backside Wide Receiver Adam Thielen and Running Back Jerrick McKinnon, and the Vikings can’t complete the ball in bounds, so the Middle Linebacker does nothing but cover grass.

Overall, there was a lot to learn on game management this weekend; football fans can only hope the championship round and the Super Bowl bring as much excitement as the divisional round.

The post 2017 Divisional Round Review appeared first on Syed Schemes.