Saints Run Game - Part 2 - Attacking 3 Down Fronts

by Jim Jackson

The New Orleans Saints are having great success in the run game currently, and they are doing it by having a plan to attack the 3 Down front. For purposes of this article we will call it a "Tight" front. The front we are talking about is the Center covered by a NG, both Guards covered by a 3 tech or 4I, and usually edge defenders capping the offensive formation. Some teams use 2 LB or 1 LB and a drop down Safety at the 2nd level. 

A variation of this front is the "Bear" or 46 front where the Center and both Guards are covered. This is typically a short yardage defense used with Man Coverage variations.

The Saints like to attack this front by running:

1. Inside Zone Weak (Away from TE) from the gun

2. Gap Scheme Strong (To the TE), either Power or Duo

3. Wide Zone Strong (To the TE).

Play 1 is Gun Inside Zone Weak. The result is a 20 yard gain by Alvin Kamara.

Play 2 is a QB Power with Taysom Hill as QB for a 13 yard gain. Hill is such a unique talent because he is so dynamic with the ball. Defensively, you have to respect and prepare for the Wildcat run game with a legitimate threat to pass as well.

Play 3 is a Wide Zone to a TE side. The result of this play is a 2 yard gain, but there are solid angles.

The Vikings, Patriots, and Ravens also have some good schemes attacking the Tight Front. As Defense evolves in the NFL, it is always great to see the creative ideas that coaches come up with to attack it.

Rams vs Patriots-Rams use of 12,21 personnel to beat Pats at their own game

Please take note. The Rams are for real! They dominated last night against the Patriots on both sides of the football, showing the NFl that they have what it takes to be a Super Bowl Contender.  

The Rams beat the Patriots at their own game. The Patriots are notorious for running the football out of 12 and 21 personnel and pounding teams running the ball and running play action off it.

Lets also be clear, the Rams have run 12 personnel on 24% of their snaps this year, which is a major game changer since their Super Bowl year in which they just ran it 8% of the time. McVay has adjusted and realizes the best teams rushing, run the ball out of 12/21 personnel.

The Rams surprised the Patriots by running the football out of 12 and 21 formations (they don't sub) and really caught the Patriots off guard with this strategy. They were 27/172 yards running the football out of 12 and 21 personnel. In the first quarter , their first 9 runs were out of 12 and 21 formation sets. They ran the ball 9 times for 86 yards in the first quarter, giving them an unsurmountable 17-0 lead.

They went up early but surprisingly in the 2nd quarter only ran the ball twice from that formation and went to more 11 and didn't really move the ball in the 2nd quarter. 

Mcvay at half time put on his thinking cap and went back to what worked.

In the 2nd half opening drive,  the Rams started on their 10 yard line. 

They ran 17 plays and sealed the  game.

14/17 were out of 12 personnel. The Patriots mixed up some fronts but didn't deviate from their nickel base package too often. 

Here's what the Rams did in that 2nd half drive out of 12.

11 runs for 66 yards 

3 passes for 15 yards but was 3 for 3 and kept the chains moving .

The Patriots stayed with their nickel personnel with #35 Kyle Dugger as a LB or #21 Philips at times in their nickel stuff. They are undersized lb's playing the role of lb. 

The ability to run out of 12 personnel also set up their play action game off it as they started the game in attack mode. They  ran some tempo stuff which really caught the Patriots off guard. They ran the ball effectively, played solid defense and handily beat New England 24-3. 

The star of the night and really workhorse was Cam Akers.

Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Akers ran for 171 yards on 29 carries. He ran hard, broke tackles and really gave them a downhill style that will give them an edge going into the playoffs.

Lets get to some clips and highlights.

The 1st play set the tone. The Rams came out in 12 personnel and hit the Patriots with a Boot right out of the gate.

Patriots go cover 2 and the boot is wide open.

Video clips of the 1st 2 plays of the game!

On the very next play, The Rams went 12 personnel and went zone ,off tackle to the left side. The Patriots stayed cover 2 not bringing the extra run defender into the box.

Akers finds a crease and is able to get 35 yards. Tight end seals, wr makes a great block on the run support cb and the safety takes a bad angle which helps make this play go.

Up 7-0, The next series, on 1st and 10 the Patriots bring the safety down into the box and go bear.

The Rams still in 12, run counter away from the wing. They get a great block from the left guard and tackle and the de #58 just runs up field, doesn't squeeze. (thinking boot)? The Rams hit it for 14 yards.

The next play they come out with 21 personnel and run iso for 9 yards. The Patriots stay 2 high. They get a good push and great cutback from Akers.

On a key 3rd and 12 in the first half up 7-0 the Rams use tempo to catch the Patriots off guard.

They snap the ball quick and the Patriots aren't set. They hit Woods for a key 14 yard gain.

On the next play the Rams run mid zone at the tackle out of 12 personnel. The Patriots stay with their base defensive personnel with 21 as a lb. They line up in the bear front out of the 4-2 pers group. The Rams  do a nice job getting the ball to Akers deep.

The really difference in the game was the 1st quarter with 9 rushes for 86 yards out of 12 personnel 

and the 3rd quarter drive of 10 rushes for 66 yards on the 17 play drive to open the half.

 

3rd quarter highlights:

A nice design and 6 yard gain

Another variation and the Rams kick out the de with the te. Pats 2 high so the wr blocks the cb who is the run support.

Here are the first 4 runs of the 2nd half

The Rams won this game because of their  12 run game and lack of answers the Patriots inability to stop the run game. 

Notre Dame offense vs Boston College Analysis!!

 Time to dive back into the college game.

What makes Notre Dame so difficult to defend:

1. It starts with their qb, Ian Book

He is a duel threat at qb and does a real nice job on their zone read game. He can throw on the run and can scramble to defeat pressure.

Against BC he threw for 283 and had 85 yards in the rushing game. He was responsible for 4 tds.

Clemson:22-39 for 310 yards and 14/67 rushing. 4.8 yards per carry. It starts with him.

2. They are a senior driven offensive line. When you have guys that have been in your system a few years, you will definitely find success. Great offensive line led by 4 seniors and the Jr Patterson.

3. Personnel

they can go 11, 12 and 13 and run or throw the football out of each set. You have to prepare for all 3

4.  OC Rees does a tremendous job of mixing it up. Love the way they throw it out of 13 as much as anything else. You cant get a read on him and has put up 40 points two weeks in a row against good defenses .

5. They go empty and can spread the field and cause match up problems. 

Here are some examples 

2nd and 4 they run counter for a 14 yard gain.

BC is in an 8 man front. Doesn't matter

Here on 1st and 10  they go 13 personnel  and run mesh. 

What most teams do agains 13 is play zone. Good play call running mesh. Rarely will teams go cover 1 vs 13 personnel so mesh route is a good call.

BC FS Sniffs it out as the sam/ss runs with the wheel route by #1 in zone. Probably shouldn't happen(usually teams run with 2 out on an out and up)

Should be a 2 yard gain but the tight end makes him miss fora 14 yard gain.

The next series they go 11 personnel

Pistol with h back and twins and h back to the boundary.  run zone boot and hit the deep crosser. 

BC goes cover 3 and the formation into the boundary causes some issues. The free safety should be playing the crosser but he's extremely deep. Does DJ Metcalf play for the Irish?

Again, they pull the lbs up and hit the boot behind it off zone action.

A big 24 yard gain on a nicely designed play.

The next play they go empty.

A couple things, Pre snap alignments show cover 1. Outside leverage on 2 and 3 and cb press up top.

The rb does a great job on his route, by inside releasing against the lb and beating him outside

 

A nice 21 yard gain.

After a nice stop by bc

It's 2nd and 11 and they run qb draw against what looks like a 2 deep look.

Here you see the versatility and running ability of their qb on display. They run qb draw vs what looks like cover 2. A nice 13 yard gain.

  

LBs flying out opens up lane for the qb draw

The next 1st and 10

Notre Dame is unbalanced trips.

BC gives Notre Dame a 3 man surface weak and cover 1 presnap and plays man free to the unbalanced side.

Notre Dame checks to jet sweep to the weak side.

They influence the de whose rubbing hard and don't block him.

Nice play design out of unbalanced for a nice 12 yard gain.

They score on the next play to tie it at 10-10

The next series BC up 13-10

2nd and 4 out of 11 personnel

The next play is just bad defense. De or lb screws up.  Notre Dame runs zone read, easy pull read and no one is on qb. 

It doesn't get easier from a qb point of view than this. 20 yard gain

3rd and 10 

Notre Dame is in bunch and runs the shallow cross dig concept. looks like cover 2. 

They hit the dig behind the lb for a 50 yard gain.

looks like BC goes to a 3-2 dime look . Sends 3 and spies the qb with a lb. LBs have to see the dig route but a nice call and Book does a nice job reading! Nice play call and execution vs cover 2.

Big play and nice play call by Notre Dame. They take the lead 2 plays later 17-13

After a 3 and out and a penalty on a punt return, Ndame gets great field position.After a few plays they go empty. BC tries to get cute and has the DT play the hook in a 4-2 look. The will lb buzzes the flat leaving the middle of the field wide open for a 20 yard gain.

Nice job of reading the coverage out of empty and hitting the 20 yard gain.

A few plays later they score to go up 24-13.

After a turnover, they get the ball at the BC 48 yard line. Brings up a big 4th and 2.

They run Jet. Watch the great block on the video below on the jet sweep. BC has a good shot at stopping it but the de goes inside giving the rb just enough space to pick up the first.

Y

4 plays later, after a scramble for 15 they run a great goal line man route agains man coverage.

You can see the clip below for the scramble and td pass.

3 clips:

1. 4th and 2

2. 15 yard scramble

3.TD Pass above

Book led a really impressive drive before the half and scored with 10 seconds to go.

Notre Dame goes up 31-16 at half

In the 2nd half, Notre Dame gets pinned deep but is able to run the football to get out of the situation.

Here they go to 22 and run to the h back side and get 10 yards.

On 2nd and 11 now they go  slice with the h back and give the football and block the defensive end who is sitting.  Thats the beauty, they can read it with Book and change to the slice concept and really run the football.  BC is in a 2 high look so N Dame runs it.

Zone block it and get 14 with a tough run with the rb. #88 misses his block or would have been a better play

2 clips of the run are below:

Now, Here' what makes Notre Dame so good, they come out in 12 personnel.

They get cover 2 with cb at 6 yards inside leverage. Condensed split, maybe could be a little more outside.

 Good release by the wr. Cb allows him to get vertical too easily.

so they run the dig shallow concept on the right and take advantage of it. They run the tight end right at 

the safety to freeze him which gives book just enough time to hit the wr on the bottom. Good play design.

Here is the clip below:

After N Dame turns it over, they get an interception and great field position. 3 plays later they are in the endzone 

Big play #1 

They go 12 personnel and run counter for an 18 yard gain. lb misses tackle big play 

Big play #2 

again 12 personnel.

The next play they run shallow to the right with the rb out of the backfield on an arrow route. its man coverage so the back is the first read.  He gets a nice pick vs the tight end in 12 personnel. Reads man and gets a nice 25 yard gain.

to the left you get 2 verticals vs man and they hit the rb out of the backfield on the left(film below)

Here are the 2 clips from the counter and hb out vs 12 personnel.

Three things to consider when playing Notre Dame.

1. What are you in vs their 3 major personnel groupings

vs 11 more zone read stuff. you sit the de or do you scrape exchange it. If you scrape exchange it, you better bring the lb or safety to simplify things.

vs 12  Do you match your cb against their wr. Meaning the cb travel and play man on them with the cb and then play zone with your lbs, allowing them and the safeties to play run and take away the play action as a change up.

vs 13/22- Would you treat it the same, cant overcoach it. Do you bring an extra def lineman in the game, like many NFL teams do (Steelers go 5 man def line vs it., get into a heavy def front and start there.

I hope you enjoyed the coverage of Notre Dame football vs BC.