Steelers vs Ravens How the Steelers used empty formations to beat the Ravens

 The Steelers vs Ravens.

The Steelers are tough because they are in empty as much as any team. The Ravens tried many different defenses against the Steelers.

The biggest thing with NFL offenses is they have route beaters built in to each side of the formation.

What that means is if its cover 3 or 1 they will work the right side pre snap because they have certain routes built in. Thus, when teams show cover 1 and don't disguise offenses take advantage. The biggest part of running a defense is trying to disguise and making a  little cloudy presnap. 

In this article we will see some of the  things  that went on both on the offensive and defensive side of the ball. 

First Half 3 snaps of empty , 2nd Half the Steeler ran 21 snaps of empty after they realized they couldn't really run the ball against the Ravens

Coverage chart for the 24 snaps:

vs  4 man rush  Man free.    2/4 14 yards  (1 pass int penalty)

vs 5 man rush man free   5/6 for 37 yards

vs 4 man rush cover 3.     3/6 for 40

vs 4 man cover 2/2man/2trap  7/7 for 71 yards 2 tds 

Heres some coverages and the routes the Steeler used to beat it.

In this picture, the Ravens are giving a cover 1 look, they try to give a cover 1 look and then 

go to cover 2 trap. The Steelers read it and Ben tries to throw the out cut down below almost into the trap.

Defense Cover 2 trap

Offense concept to beat it  3 wr side -dig in,   (cover 2 side)

                                              2 wr side-fly, out  (cover 1 side) but Ben got fooled 

Cover 2 trap

Ben almost gets suckered into a pick 6

Combo Coverage

The Steeler show cover 1 or 3 presnap. Turns out to be combo coverage, cover 3 to the  3wr side and man free to the bottom of the screen

Ben works the man beater side as they have 2 concepts built in for a 12 yard gain. The slant out combo is the side he goes to if he reads man coverage

Combo coverage later in the game. The Steeler get 23 yards on the route below!

The Steelers hit the void in the defense in combo.

They are playing zone to the 3 wr side cover 3 principles and man to the 2 wr bottom of the screen.

Thus the void to the weak side with the crossing route.

Cover 2 man and cover 2

18 YARD TD TO EBRON. 

This is either 2 carry or 2 man and a blown coverage. The more I watch it I think its 2man with a blown coverage. 

The Ravens show cover 2 and the Steelers run shallow concept. #2 weak runs the shallow #3 runs the dig to high low the mike and hit the void. The MIKE linebacker gets turned around which makes it an easy catch and throw. BUT IS HE IN MAN AND THE WILL JUST LOSES HIS MAN

Something went wrong in coverage

Easy throw and catch, wide open Ebron

3 clips of how Steelers attack c-2/2man

        

vs cover 1 with 5 man pressure

Ravens in dime show cover 1 presnap.

bring the lb Big Ben works the man beater side 10 yard gain and completion but they fumble. 

Ebron runs the out opens the slant window

work the top side after reading cover 1 man beater side

tough to run stick vs cover 1

Here are 3 clips of the routes the Steelers ran vs cover 1, 5 man pressures

Cover 1

The other way to play empty is to rush 4, play man free and have 1 underneath lb playing hook.

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On the above picture, the steelers run a 10 yard curl with an out to the bottom.

They run an option route with #3 

they hit #1 on the bottom for a 10 yard gain

Cover 1 clips 

There you have some of the footage for the Steelers vs The Ravens.

The Steelers short  passing game and man/zone split field  concept system gave the Ravens issues in the 2nd half.

Stay tuned for more coverage and football analysis.