Seahawks vs 49ers Preview: How The Seahawks can upset the 49ers.

 The Seahawks open the playoffs against one of the best defenses in football. The 49ers can flat out play on the defensive side and have won 10 straight. It will be an intriguing matchup and here's what the Seahawks need to do in order to beat the 49ers. 

 They have a very good matchup but a game they can win. It will come down to several things on both sides of the ball.

Offensively
They have to get some run game going early. They 49ers are so aggressive, I think you have to run some trap schemes and influence schemes. They are so well coached so it won't be an easy task. In the last meeting they threw the ball 44 times and ran it 14 times. The only shot is to be more balanced offensively.

#1 trap them and influence them as much as possible to slow them down early

Raiders run counter scheme with the guard kicking out and the H leading up. Very effective in my opinion as it slows them down. Mix in some play action off the same scheme.

#2 Quick screens and maybe even some fake screens to slow them down early. 

Raiders had a few good ones which slowed the pass rush down.

#3 Heavy play action with one or 2 man routes. Here's one out of 13 personnel. Take some shots in the passing game. With 13 you are going to get probably cover 3 and some type of zone coverage which may allow you to hit some things in the passing game. Could even do it with a tackle at tight end which will dictate coverage even more.

 

#2 example of effective play action to slow them down. They go jet motion, fake the jet and hit Adams on a wide open crossing route vs cover 2. 

Look at the middle of the field and how wide open it is. If they try to take away Walker in the run game some of these concepts may be there. 

#4 Run right at them.

Defenses predicated on speed will at times overrun things. 

Heres 2 plays vs the Raiders week 17. Lead and toss. 

On Defense:

In the last meeting the defense played well with the exception a few plays. The offense didn't help things with some turnovers.

#1 They must limit the big plays. Again, no big plays due to Shanahan scheming up a screen, some fancy play action and every other gimmick he runs.  

#2 Keeping Christian McCaffrey in check. That is not an easy task as he was very effective last time they played rushing 26 times for 128 yards. The Seahawks have struggled against the run so they need to find a way.  The best way to do that is to load up the box and try to take away gaps and running lanes. Playing man coverage will help things as well as they can match up with the 49ers on the perimeter.  

Here's how he hurts you when you don't blitz engage him in man coverage. Tough with all they do in the run game. Cover 0 pressure below. 

 

#3 Play more man coverage:

    A. Fact-Brock struggles against man coverage. He isn't that efficient a passer. Shanahan does a gret job scheming things up for him. We know the Seahawks like their zone concepts but getting more aggressive and playing man could be utilized. 

    B. It helps in the screen game because it allows you to blitz engage and take away their effective screen game. Watch the 49ers in their screen game and it's effective use vs man coverage. Ever notice that every time they run a screen they run it with motion? If you watch the last game, the Seahawks were more efficient in man coverage but got hurt several times in zone. Will Pete Carroll be more aggressive against the rookie Brock Purdy?

 #3  Kittle needs to be accounted for. Both big plays last game came against man coverage were critical. The screen was against zone and the 60 yard td was just a blown coverage. Account for him, bracket him at times while still trying to get a rush on Brock and get him off his spot. That guy will not beat us in the  pass game.

#4 Bait Purdy into some bad throws. Cover 3 weak gave the young qb some issues. There was almost 1 pick and another play if the ball was late as the weak safety was lurking on several throws. They get 1 or 2 of those picks, they easily are in the game.

He often doesn't see the weakside safety in his progressions so a savvy safety may be able to pick him off. You can see he gets locked in on film and don't be surprised if the Seahawks get one this game. 

Overall, I hope you enjoyed this article and I look forward to a great game. It will be a closer game than people think.  

 

Robert Saleh, 5 man overload pressure, match coverage concept!

The NY Jets and 49ers 5 man pressure with match concepts in the passing game

Robert Saleh is an excellent defensive coach. One of the schemes he likes to implement is a 3x1 pressure where he sends LB's and or db's and plays a cover 1 match concept.

The reason it is a match concept is that the coverage rules are as follows:

The CB on each side will take #1 wr. 

The Safety and LB to the 3x1 side will combo the slot wr and the #3 wr. This allows them to play inside outside on the #2 and #3 wr.  At times he's even dropped a wr to take the #3 wr. 

FS- The Free safety is a deep 1/3 defender

Peel rules-Usually a defensive end or an outside LB will be responsible for the back if he releases that way. It has been very effective for Saleh when he was with the 49ers and he still uses it with the Jets today. 

Jets Vs Falcons

front odd 3-2 although Huff is a DE by trade.

In this situation the Jets anticipate a slide and put the RB in limbo with 2 rushers attacking him. One inside and one outside.  They actually send three LB's and the first one does a great job occupying the RB vs the Falcons 4 man slide. Great design and ability to take advantage of the RB. You can see the Mike and the safety playing #2 and 3 in the passing game. Safety has outside leverage and mike does a good job on the #3 wr. 

 Jets vs. Saints

The Jets run a 3-2 look vs the Saints and run their cover 1 match concept. The safety and the lb are comboing the #2 and 3 wr. The DE peels for the rb.  The jets overload rush with a game on their right side and get 2 rushers home free.

Nice Design

De takes the rb and they get good pressure with the overload blitz

Jets vs Jags

Jets run a 6 man pressure (5man with the safety blitzing engaging the running back) but do a  a nice job forcing a bad throw.

Nice design out of the load front with the match principle with the lb and safety.

They bring good pressure again with the appearance they are sending 6 and playing man free with match principle  and jumping routes.  They actually are playing a defensive lineman in coverage in this situation. 

Most teams would sit and 4, they bring the pressure.  The 49ers bring great 5/6 man pressure with blitz engage principles.

The mike bails but they bring edge pressure

Excellent pressure from the load front. 

Its a 6 man pressure with match principles. Mike playing 3 to 2. 

Vs the Seahawks

Heres a very similar blitz on 3rd and 6 vs the Seahawks. This time they drop the de and match him on #3 

Here's look at the pressure in the situation.

They get into it but they are load left as the dT is standing up. 

The De drops as they bring the overload from the right side.

Good 4 man pressure to a side with the LB both coming and 23 off the edge. 

Excellent design and pressure from Saleh

Another 3rd and 10 and the 49ers bring pressure against the Cardinals. Good design with man free coverage. The 49ers get a 3x1 set with a te backside and the back strong to the 3x1 side. They scheme it up nicely as the cb comes clean and the coverage is great downfield.

These are just some of the things that Saleh ran with the 49ers and Jets on defense. 

You also saw it in the NFC playoffs when the 49ers ran it vs the Packers two times in a row. 

Later in the game on 2nd and 8 and 3rd and 8 they play cover 1 match, send 6 and double Adams with the safety, daring Rodgers to throw the ball to someone else. He actually had the tight end open but missed the read. 2 clips are below

2nd and 8

3rd and 8 and the next play, they run the same concept and get home. Forcing the punt which was blocked for the lead. Great defense!!

Its an excellent 3x1 concept that is utilized by the Jets and 49ers.