INSIDE THE PLAYS
Atlanta Falcons 2018
Tunnel Screen Concept
35 Yard Touchdown Pass
Tunnel Screen Concept
35 Yard Touchdown Pass
Atlanta has used creative screen packages to get their playmakers the ball in space with favorable matchups for a long time now. This is a bit of a delayed "tunnel screen" concept with a play action built into it. Atlanta is in "13 personnel", which means 1 back, 3 tight ends, 1 wide receiver. The formation is a bunch right look with all three tight ends forming the bunch to the right.
At the snap, the entire offense from center right blocks for a runningback sweep to the field side. The runningback carries out the fake with a dead sprint to the field, but its the quarterbacks movement that is the most important part of this play. He turns his back to the defense and follows through with the pitch motion, and its a convincing enough fake that the entire defense flows to the right, including the single high safety who is 15 yards off the ball.
On the backside, you have a receiver one on one with the corner. The receivers responsibility on this particular play is to outside release to make the corner to think deep. As soon as the corner opens his hips outside, the receiver stabs the corner with his inside arm and works straight back to the quarterback. The two remaining offensive linemen, the left tackle and left guard, release downfield. The left tackle angles directly toward the cornerback. The left guard takes the next nearest defender.
The key to this play is the Falcons allowing the edge defender to the tunnel screen side to free release to the quarterback. They want to create a 3-on-2 situation with the screen, one blocker for each defender, and the ball carrier, so allowing the edge defender to take himself out of the play works to your advantage. The quarterbacks timing is also crucial, too early on the throw and the left tackle isn't on time with his block on the corner, too late and you risk a sack. The quarterback does a nice job of knowing that the edge defender has free released and he needs to flip around and get the ball out with someone in his face.
At the snap, the entire offense from center right blocks for a runningback sweep to the field side. The runningback carries out the fake with a dead sprint to the field, but its the quarterbacks movement that is the most important part of this play. He turns his back to the defense and follows through with the pitch motion, and its a convincing enough fake that the entire defense flows to the right, including the single high safety who is 15 yards off the ball.
On the backside, you have a receiver one on one with the corner. The receivers responsibility on this particular play is to outside release to make the corner to think deep. As soon as the corner opens his hips outside, the receiver stabs the corner with his inside arm and works straight back to the quarterback. The two remaining offensive linemen, the left tackle and left guard, release downfield. The left tackle angles directly toward the cornerback. The left guard takes the next nearest defender.
The key to this play is the Falcons allowing the edge defender to the tunnel screen side to free release to the quarterback. They want to create a 3-on-2 situation with the screen, one blocker for each defender, and the ball carrier, so allowing the edge defender to take himself out of the play works to your advantage. The quarterbacks timing is also crucial, too early on the throw and the left tackle isn't on time with his block on the corner, too late and you risk a sack. The quarterback does a nice job of knowing that the edge defender has free released and he needs to flip around and get the ball out with someone in his face.
LSU Tigers 2019
Divide Pass Concept
52 Yard Touchdown Pass
Divide Pass Concept
52 Yard Touchdown Pass
LSU is in a 3x1 set with 2 receivers and 1 tight end to the field (wide) side (Trey Left) and 1 receiver to the boundary (short) side. LSU dialed up a divide concept with a run action (aka play action) built into it. In a divide concept, an outside receiver will run a deep route, and the slot receiver next to him will run the divide route which usually breaks across the field at some point. The protection is a 5 man pass protection, looks like "B.O.B Right".
On this particular divide concept, both outside receivers are outside releasing into a go route, and the #2 receiver to the field side is running the divide route, which in this case is a deep dig with an inside release. The run action will be from the runningback who will cross the quarterbacks face from right to left. Pre-snap, Burrow needs to identify what the coverage is, and whether it's a MOFO (Middle Of Field Open) or MOFC (Middle Of Field Closed) defense.
On this particular divide concept, both outside receivers are outside releasing into a go route, and the #2 receiver to the field side is running the divide route, which in this case is a deep dig with an inside release. The run action will be from the runningback who will cross the quarterbacks face from right to left. Pre-snap, Burrow needs to identify what the coverage is, and whether it's a MOFO (Middle Of Field Open) or MOFC (Middle Of Field Closed) defense.
The first coverage indicator to identify is the safeties. Here, you will see there are 2 safeties over top, or "2 safeties high". This can narrow your coverage down to cover 2 or cover 4. While reading the safeties, the quarterback also notices that while Cover 2 usually means MOFO, the safeties are lined up close together in the middle of the field, so Burrow may have picked MOFC.
The next thing the quarterback will ask himself is what are the cornerbacks doing? Are they 10 yards off the line of scrimmage or up close to the receivers? Do they have eyes on the quarterback or on the receivers?
The next thing the quarterback will ask himself is what are the cornerbacks doing? Are they 10 yards off the line of scrimmage or up close to the receivers? Do they have eyes on the quarterback or on the receivers?
The quarterback sees that the corners are giving a man indicator by showing press man coverage on the outside. This confirms that the coverage is most likely cover 2 man. Since the safeties are aligned inside, Burrow takes the snap and looks left toward the inside divide route to draw the safeties inside (aka look them off) - and it works. The boundary safety has opened his hips to the right, looking toward the wide side of the field. By the time he flips his hips back to the short side of the field, the ball is already coming out of Burrows hand. He's beat.
Kansas City Chiefs 2019
Gun Trey Right 3 Jet Chip Wasp Y Funnel
44 Yard Pass Completion
Gun Trey Right 3 Jet Chip Wasp Y Funnel
44 Yard Pass Completion
The 49ers were in Cover 3 most of the 2019 season, and the Superbowl was no different. The Chiefs had a plan. "Gun Trey Right 3 Jet Chip Wasp Y Funnel". It became famous in a few seconds.
Gun Trey Right is the formation that the Chiefs line up in. Gun Trey is the base and indicates 2 receivers and 1 tight end on the same side, and the "Right" in this case appears to mean the lone tight end will be to the right, so the Trey set will actually be to the left. Could be wrong on this but it's my guess.
The 3 Jet Chip portion of this playcall is the pass protection. 3 Jet is also known as 300 Jet, and it slides the offensive line to the strong side of the play. Generally speaking, 300 Jet is a 6 man protection scheme using the runningback and offensive line. 4 of 5 offensive linemen will slide to the strong side of the play, with a tackle being left alone to the weak side.
The runningback will have blitz pickup check, usually on the mike. On this particular play, it seems like the right guard checks into sliding right given the defensive line alignment. 'Chip' tells the runningback and tight end to chip before they release to their routes.
Wasp Y Funnel is the pass concept speaking to the receivers. The #1 receiver runs a deep dig (aka IN or SQUARE IN) route, #2 runs a deep post corner route, and the #3 receiver runs a deep crossing route over the linebackers and under the safety in the middle of the field.
The 49ers ran Cover 3 Zone as they frequently did.
Gun Trey Right is the formation that the Chiefs line up in. Gun Trey is the base and indicates 2 receivers and 1 tight end on the same side, and the "Right" in this case appears to mean the lone tight end will be to the right, so the Trey set will actually be to the left. Could be wrong on this but it's my guess.
The 3 Jet Chip portion of this playcall is the pass protection. 3 Jet is also known as 300 Jet, and it slides the offensive line to the strong side of the play. Generally speaking, 300 Jet is a 6 man protection scheme using the runningback and offensive line. 4 of 5 offensive linemen will slide to the strong side of the play, with a tackle being left alone to the weak side.
The runningback will have blitz pickup check, usually on the mike. On this particular play, it seems like the right guard checks into sliding right given the defensive line alignment. 'Chip' tells the runningback and tight end to chip before they release to their routes.
Wasp Y Funnel is the pass concept speaking to the receivers. The #1 receiver runs a deep dig (aka IN or SQUARE IN) route, #2 runs a deep post corner route, and the #3 receiver runs a deep crossing route over the linebackers and under the safety in the middle of the field.
The 49ers ran Cover 3 Zone as they frequently did.
- Free safety has deep middle zone; he lines up to the strong side and then rotates to the middle after the snap.
- Corners have deep half zone
- 2 hook and 2 curl/flat zone underneath
For whatever reason, on this particular play, the strong side cornerback locks with the #1 receiver, and chases the dig route or completely missed what the coverage was. This leaves the entire deep left half of the field open, and the #2 receiver is running a post-corner right into that area of the field. Great playcall, but not many quarterbacks are making this throw in the situation that Mahomes did.
San Francisco 49ers 2019
Split Zone Run Concept
83 Yard Touchdown Run
Split Zone Run Concept
83 Yard Touchdown Run
I could build this entire website off of just posting Kyle Shanahan's playbook. All of his plays have layers and can be ran multiple ways out of many formations.
Within this play, you are going to see a play called "Split Zone" unfold, with a misdirection built in with the fullback. Keep in mind, one of the earliest things a linebacker will learn when playing football as a young kid is to follow the fullback. "The ball goes where the fullback goes". When you are facing an 8 man box, and you commit to running the ball anyways, you better fool someone.
As the fullback shifts from offset left to the right, you see the 3 off-ball linebackers in the middle of the field shift ever so slightly to the strong side. At the snap, the fullback takes two hard steps to the strong side before flipping his hips and cutting back to the weakside, where he seals it by cutting the unblocked edge defender. The fullback shifting and then taking these steps toward the strongside cause the linebackers to commit to a strongside run.
To add to the misdirection, every other player except the fullback is blocking in unison to the right. The left guard and left tackle perform a "Deuce" combo block. This means they will both block the shaded defender (in their shared gap), before the guard works up to the second level. This couldn't have been more perfectly executed, because the left guard takes two linebackers in one block at the second level. The tight end shows he is also zone blocking to the right, before flipping around and sealing off the last defender on the weakside.
The runningback does a great job of cutting back and hitting the hole behind the seal blocks of the fullback and tight end. Result: 83 yard touchdown.
Within this play, you are going to see a play called "Split Zone" unfold, with a misdirection built in with the fullback. Keep in mind, one of the earliest things a linebacker will learn when playing football as a young kid is to follow the fullback. "The ball goes where the fullback goes". When you are facing an 8 man box, and you commit to running the ball anyways, you better fool someone.
As the fullback shifts from offset left to the right, you see the 3 off-ball linebackers in the middle of the field shift ever so slightly to the strong side. At the snap, the fullback takes two hard steps to the strong side before flipping his hips and cutting back to the weakside, where he seals it by cutting the unblocked edge defender. The fullback shifting and then taking these steps toward the strongside cause the linebackers to commit to a strongside run.
To add to the misdirection, every other player except the fullback is blocking in unison to the right. The left guard and left tackle perform a "Deuce" combo block. This means they will both block the shaded defender (in their shared gap), before the guard works up to the second level. This couldn't have been more perfectly executed, because the left guard takes two linebackers in one block at the second level. The tight end shows he is also zone blocking to the right, before flipping around and sealing off the last defender on the weakside.
The runningback does a great job of cutting back and hitting the hole behind the seal blocks of the fullback and tight end. Result: 83 yard touchdown.
Dallas Cowboys 2019
Glance Run-Pass Option Concept
9 Yard Pass Completion
Glance Run-Pass Option Concept
9 Yard Pass Completion
The Dallas Cowboys offense undoubtedly got better after Scott Linehan was replaced by Kellen Moore, and it makes you wonder how much Romo and Dak have been held back by the old regime.
On this particular concept, there are two options. The first option is a run play, commonly known as "Buck Sweep". If there is a favorable numbers matchup to the run side (meaning there are more blockers to the run side than there are defenders), then the Cowboys will run the ball. The second option is a pass play. If the Cowboys have a favorable coverage matchup and/or the Cowboys don't have favorable numbers on the run side, they will throw the ball, usually setting it up with a play action (or "run action").
The runningback begins this play split out wide as the 3rd receiver. Quarterback motions him back in and this shows him what coverage the Giants are in. He also is able to identify the defenders responsible for covering his potential pass targets. The defender who is responsible for Amari Cooper (2nd receiver in the slot) is 13 yards off-man. The Giants have also aligned 6 of their 11 defensive players to the playside/run side. This, combined with the alignment of Amari Coopers defender, gives Dak his answer - this will be a pass.
The offensive line to the playside block "Pin and Pull" to sell the Buck Sweep. Runningback crosses the quarterbacks face to show buck sweep. The offensive line to the backside block "B.O.B" or Big On Big. The left tackle who doesn't have a big to block takes the "MDM" or Most Dangerous Man. They ignore the offball linebackers because it favors the Cowboys pass concept if they vacate the middle of the field, which they do.
The quarterback throws an accurate pass on time and in rhythm for a 9 yard completion.
On this particular concept, there are two options. The first option is a run play, commonly known as "Buck Sweep". If there is a favorable numbers matchup to the run side (meaning there are more blockers to the run side than there are defenders), then the Cowboys will run the ball. The second option is a pass play. If the Cowboys have a favorable coverage matchup and/or the Cowboys don't have favorable numbers on the run side, they will throw the ball, usually setting it up with a play action (or "run action").
The runningback begins this play split out wide as the 3rd receiver. Quarterback motions him back in and this shows him what coverage the Giants are in. He also is able to identify the defenders responsible for covering his potential pass targets. The defender who is responsible for Amari Cooper (2nd receiver in the slot) is 13 yards off-man. The Giants have also aligned 6 of their 11 defensive players to the playside/run side. This, combined with the alignment of Amari Coopers defender, gives Dak his answer - this will be a pass.
The offensive line to the playside block "Pin and Pull" to sell the Buck Sweep. Runningback crosses the quarterbacks face to show buck sweep. The offensive line to the backside block "B.O.B" or Big On Big. The left tackle who doesn't have a big to block takes the "MDM" or Most Dangerous Man. They ignore the offball linebackers because it favors the Cowboys pass concept if they vacate the middle of the field, which they do.
The quarterback throws an accurate pass on time and in rhythm for a 9 yard completion.
Inside The Play
