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. 

Sean Mcvay offensive genius, condensed formations, adjustments vs Seahawks, Bucs

 
Sean Mcvay showed me week 10 and 11 why he is a great coach. As a defensive coordinator, you have to start thinking like him when game planning. If someone had success the game before against him, he will have those answers built in early.

He also uses his condensed sets often, It allows him do do a few things:

1, When they are balanced, he can run the wide zone or boot to either side. You often see Goff check the boot on the line of scrimmage based on SS alignment or where the pressure is coming from.

2. It dictated coverage. When teams are condensed with 3 wr, they often bring the safety down to that side. It opens up windows in the passing game.

Here is an example in the Bucs game. The Bucs show cover 3 presnap, Goff checks to the Deep over route off the jet motion. These checks are built in to what they do. 

Here the Bucs are showing but by alignment of the Safety and corner,  you can tell it's either a 2 deep fire zone or cover 3 firezone. They run the deep over concept and hit it for 37 yards. If you watch some of The Bucs that's what they like to do. They high low the curl defender and its a great route concept.

A perfect example of McVay adjusting is the last game vs the Hawks. The game before he got killed with edge pressure  on 1st down. The Dolphins brought edge pressure to disrupt his running game and take away boot.. The Rams also got torn up with empty formations with straight cover 0. 

How did he answer:

1. He ran at it right at him: 
Here they run at the edge rusher Adams and he gets pancaked for a 6 yard gain. He didn't like the look weak so he ran it strong.

2.2. 

2. He knew it was coming this week and ran screens on early downs to nullify it. He runs the screen right at Adams, who he knows is coming.

 

3. He ran boot away from Adams, He also gave Goff the ability to check out of plays on first down which on the 17 yard gain that set up their first touchdown, Goff audibled from a Boot left to a boot right opposite Adams who was walked down to the strong side and giving them cover 3. They thought he may be coming off the edge. He changes the play with an oscar call and they run boot weak. Great call.

4. He had hot reads built in to each route. Here adams is coming on an edge pressure, Goff sees it and throws into it. Great route design and scheme having the hot throw built in

5. Limited empty but when he figured out he was getting man free, he went to the Higbie route for 39 yards. That was the 2nd play in empty. On the first play, the Hawks went man free, once he realize thats what he was getting, he was smart and ran a great play against it. The hawks were not comfortable early following the Dolphins game plan of going cover 0. The rams made him pay.

 

Later on he goes empty on 3rd and 9 and calls a screen away from Adams the 5th rusher. The hawks go 3 under 3 deep. Big 14 yard gain for the first down.

Sean Mcvay is a great coach. He looked at his weaknesses from the week before, Anticipated what was coming and adjusted with a great game plan vs the Seahawks. He really had a feel of  what he was going to get, anticipated it and helped lead the offense to victory.