Breaking down the game- Football Film Study 101

Monday, December 21, 2020

New York Jets - Wide Zone OL Techniques

By Jim Jackson

In Football, like in life, there is an age-old saying, "It's never as good as it seems, it's never as bad as it seems."

There were some experts and pundits who were shocked yesterday when the winless NY Jets beat the LA Rams in Week 15 of the NFL season. We have been watching and studying the Jets for the last month and noticed that they were really a much better team than their record indicated. The OL had been physical all season, and they play with great technique specifically in their wide zone play. This article will focus on some of the great individual efforts displaying talent/coaching/scheme. NYJ have some really good and young talented players on the OL. We look forward to watching them develop.

Play 1: Week 11 NYJ vs LA Chargers 8 yard gain on Wide Zone. They run behind Mekhi Becton and Connor McGovern.

Play 2: Week 7 NYJ vs BUF Bills is a 7 yard gain on another wide zone. This is an elite play by the Center Connor McGovern. Great technique, great strength, and great finish.

Play 3: Week 7 NYJ vs BUF and another 9 yard gain on wide zone. This is a great example of elite and physical play by #68 Josh Andrews who is in his 5th season.

Play 4: Week 13 NYJ vs LV Raiders. The result is a 25 yard gain on another wide zone play. The LT stretch block is detailed here.

Thanks again for joining us! The NYJ are not as far off as people think! This young OL is technically sound and plays hard, they just need to be a little more consistent!

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

Washington Football Team - Duo

By Jim Jackson

The Washington Football Team late season push has been fueled by many factors. The first being the great defense the they have played in since Thanksgiving. On offense, controlled, quick passes has been another major factor. But this article will focus on the run game and specifically Duo. The WFT run it from a variety different formations, RB alignments, and motions. It is a downhill run that that allows the OL to come off the ball with double teams to create vertical movement. This is a statement play!

Duo is a gap scheme play that can be run from under center, pistol, or gun. It also can be run out of 11, 12, and 22 personnel. WFT runs this every week to compliment their wide zone game. Simply put, the OL is blocking on gap scheme angles in one direction and the RB is running the opposite direction. We will dissect the RB read in the diagrams.

The first play was vs DAL on Thanksgiving. 4th Quarter to ice the game. 23 yard statement play and run! Duo is a physical play! Vertical double teams right at the DL and LBs!

You can see the concepts and schemes below

Read the LB

LB Downhill while reading the LB

The second play is vs a 4 Down front in CIN. There is late pre-snap movement which takes OL off their double teams quicker than they wanted. Great play for the OC to call on 1st and 10 to get ball to 2nd and 4. In the third pic the TE blocking technique is detailed. L. Thomas is a willing combatant and is solid in blocking.

Nice design. Footwork loked at

The final play is a 4 minute situations vs PIT. Although the gain is only 2 yards, it accomplishes some critical points in a 4 minute system. The ball does NOT bounce so it keeps the clock moving. There are positive plays because it is a 1 cut play for the RB. The RB is this play does a great job of situational and game awareness.

The WFT is playing solid complimentary football at the best time. They are first place right now, and if they make the playoffs it will be because of defense, short passing, and running the ball downhill with Duo!

Other Resources of Duo:

https://insider.afca.com/xs-os-running-the-duo-at-san-diego/

Casey Scully

https://weeklyspiral.com/2021/05/10/duo-concept/

Duo Vs Zone

https://www.schwartznfl.com/how-to-identify-if-a-run-play-is-inside-zone-or-duo/

Friday, December 11, 2020

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.

New England Patriots v Los Angeles Rams 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.