Falcons offense Run Game 12 formation 2x2 Wide Zone Toss Windback

 In 2016, the Falcons offense was #1 in scoring with 540 points. It was one of the best offenses of all time. They did it with a very sound run game as well as a vertical passing game with Julio Jones at wr and Matt Ryan at QB.

Some of the stats were incredible that year. 6.7 yards per play! That is more than some teams yards passing per play in today's NFL. They averaged 418 yards per game and 33 points per game. They had a very heavy playaction approach which was accomplished with a strong under center wide zone run game

It all started with the coaching staff. The staff was led by Kyle Shanahan, Mike Lafleur, Mike Mc Daniel , Raheim Morris  at wide receiver and long time offensive coach Chris Morgan. They also had one of the best Running Back coaches in Bobby Turner, who went wherever Shanahan went in his career. It was a tremendous staff.

The nice thing was they had a very good fullback that they lined up as a tight end and they can run many different formations with him. It gave them the versatility to move him around and get numbers In the run game. They could go 21 or 12 personnel as a result. 

Let's break it down and look at some of the pieces.

12 personnel 2x2

Wide Zone

It all started with the wide zone. They did a tremendous job running wide zone and either cutting on the backside or fanning it at times. Here they fan the backside and look at the land the running back has to run thru.

Look at the hole the left guard and left tackle create by fanning the back side. What a job they do.

In the 2nd example they come out balanced in 12 and run wide zone again. They run it left as the 49ers come out in a 3-4 scheme. The 49ers play a 4i on the left and 5 tech with the dt on the right. 

It all starts with a reach block by the Left Tackle on the defensive end which allows the TE to get to the LB. The LG also is able to get to the  next level as the center and right guard handle the nose and RT

The TE is on the 2nd level the tackle has the DE reached and you can see the excellent blocking starting to develop. Great angles as the front side is sealed. On the 5th step the RB makes a decision and his is to keep it outside. 

THE wr is important as he executes a find block. Find the run support and that is the Safety. He makes his block and the TE washes the LB to the sideline. The RB sees it and makes his cut up the alley for a nice touchdown run.

Look at the seem created. The great execution by the LT and excellent seem created.

Here is wide zone vs the Rams. They run it at the 4i as the Rams are in an even front. They are in 12 but with 2 wr to the left of the formation. Here/s the front. 

They do a nice job with the edge and angles.

Again, the best thing about this is they fan the backside and try to cut a run lane. The other thing teams will do on the backside which is another effective way of doing it.

These are a few examples of the wide zone. Another 12 run is toss windback.

Toss Windback is similar to split zone up front with the toss action to get the defense moving.

The 49ers come out in an under front as the Falcons are in 12 balanced again. This is a tough front to run against as they have one more blocker than the offense can block. They toss it left with the te coming across to block the OLB on the edge. 

They block it like split zone but toss the ball to try to get more movement horizontally from the defense to create run lanes.

#20 the safety will be unblocked on this play.

You can see the blocking develop.. With #20 being unblocked. Center land left guard do a nice job

Nice lane develops and Coleman sees it. Nice job on the cutback and solo blocks on the backside.

The mike is able to get off the block or this was an even bigger play. 

Here is just one post on the falcons wide zone and toss windback. More posts coming on the Falcons 2016 top ranked offense.

NFL wide zone and playaction, boots and screens off it.

 1. In the NFL you see the wide zone as a major component in most teams run games.They use it along with different plays off it that makes it tough to defend.

Here are the plays you see off the wide zone:

1. Boot- Sail, flood route concepts

2. Play action - Deep over game

3.  RPO's- #2 vertical or slants by #1 or #2

4. Screens- TE screens, bubbles, etc.

Wide Zone-

Coach Jackson does a great job on our wide zone. Please check his article to discuss the features of that play. But we wanted to look at some of the plays off it. 

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Rams run wide zone, against the Bears.

As Coach Jackson noted,   the reverse pivot to get the ball to the tailback deeper

The ball actually bounces outside and Rams get 11.

Washington goes trips 3x1 to the left side  with the tight end with a tight end backside. They get nice leverage based on alignment. Nice job blocking it as they get nice leverage on the defensive end.  12 personel puts them in a bind as they stay cover 2 shell vs Herbert and Oregon

Boot 

The Rams do a nice job checking the boot out of 12 personnel,depending on the matchup they like.
Here they run it at Mack, who they know is coming. 

 Diagram 2 they run it away from the ss at Adams who they anticipate is blitzing. 

Here the Rams check Boot out of 12 personnel away from the drop down safety.

They see the safety down and they check it to the short side

The Jets run boot and hit the te who blocked and released for  a nice 6 yard gain.

Boot comeback

Here the Rams keep the TE and go max and run boot comeback off the wide zone. and hit the wr for a 14 yard gain off the wide zone action.

2. Playaction

Here is the Bears playaction, qb stays in the pocket and hits Robinson on the post corner. Can be thrown into the boot throwback category as well

The Rams do something similar, Difference here is they go max because the Dolphins were killing them early with edge pressure.
They went wide zone, max protected and hit the deep over, (dover route)

Wide Zone boot with max protection and the dover concept. more of a quarter role. The Rams hit it for 18.

TE Screen 

Here the Rams  run a tight end screen off the wide zone. They see Adams prowling and anticipate him coming and run screen at him.  All off the wide zone action

The 49ers run the wide zone as good as anyone and here is the tight end screen they run to Kittle

RPO's 

Here is the Bears running wide zone rpo to Allen Robinson.  Colts are in a cover 3 look and Foles makes a good read to Robinson on the lb and hits the 14 yard rpo. 

Here's the Bears version of the wide zone rpo. Similar play from Matt Nagy, Andy Reid's former qb coach. Here's the wide zone rpo, that the Cardinals run vs the Dolphins out of 12.

Running it off wide zone action allows for more of a vertical passing game

As stated earlier the Browns are a top wide zone team. Here they run 2 boots below out of different formations. Te 1st one you see a lot of but they do it with the Z coming across rather than the tight end. Great execution and 24 yard game. After that they run it out of 13 personnel and catch the Jags 2 plays later. All well designed plays off their wide zone.

The jets love the boot game under coach Mike Lafleur. They motion the wr in return motion, he goes left then comes back rt. Dolphins are in zone coverage, and the Jets execute nicely. The tight end blocks and then released to the flat for a 16 yard gain. 

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On the next example they run it off their power game. They sell power and hit the tight end dragging across.

Hope you enjoyed the wide zone and plays you are seeing run off it.

Please keep an eye on some of my posts, more to come!