Slowing it Down - An ad lib by the Bucs earns big yardage

by UNFNOLE on Nov 14, 2009 8:12 AM EST in News Comment 7 comments

It's that time friends, for another edition of Slowing it Down. This week we are back to analyzing an offensive play.

This week we look at a play in which the Bucs are lined up in Shotgun. They have 3 WR, with the strength to the wide side of the field (K2 and two WR). It looks like Stovall, though I can't see the white numbers is line up at the bottom of the screen. DWard in the backfield.

The Packers are in a 3-3-5 look. It's an obvious passing down (3rd and 10) so that makes sense. Nick Barnett shows blitz. They are in man coverage with S help over top. However, I think Clay Matthews is supposed to be manned up on Ward. However, he penetrates the line (which throws me off about his coverage. If he were in man he would sit down) and blitzes all out. Jeff Faine gets a chip on Matthews and the sprints downfield...which is a penalty in most cases. By the time the ball was thrown he was 15 yards downfield. Regardless, he doesn't get flagged.

Josh Freeman is under heavy pressure, but it's from straight up the middle. The defensive line gets absolutely no penetration. He uses a pump fake to try and freeze the blitz. It successful on Matthews. Watch how Matthews yanks up (briefly). This give Freeman the option to go to his dominant side, the right. The Bucs have to WR run Post routes while two others sit down short. This give Derrick Ward a wide open, middle of the field. Freeman delievers a very nice pass to Ward.

Ward looks the ball in and turns up field. I would have been satisfied with him being tackled. GNB had him dead to rights. Maybe the player with the best opportunity to make the tackle is Nick Collins. Clayton makes a spectacular play and cuts back and gets a phenomenal chip on Collins. This spurs Ward to an extra 15 yards. My only problem on this play is that Ward continued straight up field. If he cuts it back outside, it gives him an extra couple of steps to regain his balance and possibly go for a touchdown.

This is a very well designed pass play that was spure by Freemans ability to make a few steps outside and go downfield. I couldn't find much wrong with Freemans mechanics other than his inordanitely long stride in his drop back.

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Couple things I noticed, and a question or two

Trueblood gives no help to anyone here. No one comes in his “zone” but rather than slide over to help Joseph, he just runs in a circle. Oh well, I suppose I should be happy he didnt commit a penalty.

Question. Does Penn take the right defensive player? I’ve always thought that you take the pressure from inside to out, meaning the LB that is coming on a blitz inside gets picked up before the outside rusher. I know in a man scheme, Penn is right on as his designated player would be #77, but I suppose my concern is this. What if #77 faked a rush and backed off into coverage? Penn would have been useless. I dont ever advocate letting a free man rush or putting a RB on a DE, but it just seems that in the zone scheme, Faine wouldve (or shouldve) called out the protection that had the blitzing LB picked up by someone.

Faine hits Matthews, Zuttah slides to his right (which is correct I believe) and Penn kicks out, which I would guess is wrong, but I dont know the call.

Also, the more I watch this, the more it looks like a middle screen to Ward. That’s why Faine go going. Watch Ward square up before Freeman scrambles. 3rd and 10 with the blitz on, a middle screen would have been a good play call there. It might be an assumption, but good call by Olsen, interesting assignment call by Faine, and overall, a big play.

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by Buc Wild on Nov 14, 2009 8:39 AM EST reply actions

I did a terrible job of breaking this play down.

Excellent observations.

A Middle screen would make sense, but wouldn’t Faine still be ineligible? It just seemed like a very deep screen. However, having both WR run posts make more sense when you think of them as being lead blocks.

You are right about the blocking scheme. Someone is off. I can’t imagine it would be Penn. Penn needs help. Not sure what Zuttah is doing. The blitz is right in front of his face. It seems like there would be some sort of check call that was missed. Unless, they wanted the LB’s to come untouched and completely take them out of the play. Faine fleeing def screws up the blocking schemes. Watching Trublood on this is somewhat humorous. I would think if the wasn’t going to help Joesph and he had nobody to block he would work towards the backfield to help pick up the blitz and give Freeman some breathing room. However, he spins around and just kind of pushed the DL into Joesph, which doesn’t seem like much help.

"I have come that you may have life, and life to the max"

by UNFNOLE on Nov 14, 2009 8:52 AM EST up reply actions

I can't believe I don't know this, but I'm not sure on the ineligible man downfield rules once the QB breaks the pocket.

Are they still in force? (I honestly dont know and I should know). If I remember correctly, the blocking call should come from Faine, although the QB did it early in the year. He should be pointing out assignments. Either Faine called out the wrong protection or it was misunderstood, but Faine has the right read. It’s almost as if they slid the protection to the right by a man. Trueblood is free, Joseph takes the LDE, and everyone else slides right, except Penn. He may have made the right call, I’m just speculating.

Screen does and doesnt make sense here. Faine, Ward and Freeman seem to be on a screen mindset. Trueblood and Joseph do not as they never release, although Trueblood looks like he could at one point. #77 for GB (too lazy to go look him up) also reads screen as when he is stoned by Penn, he tries to flee upfield after Ward, but doesnt get very far.

I can see them chipping the LB’ s and letting them come in, but not coming in free. Not enough time to develop the play, which is what we see happen.

Another bit of speculation. I wonder if Ward is who messed up the blocking assignment. Maybe he was supposed to chip the blitzing LB before breaking.

The screen, if its thrown at the right time, would have been legal I believe. Ward has one guy in front (Faine) and he isnt that far away. But I’d be curious why no one else was there also. Dont see too many screens with only one OL in the convoy.

Whether Penn, Zuttah or Joseph (or Faine) is wrong, they all at least block well. None of their supposed assignments did anything.

For all that running, Faine doesnt do much, but Stovall also picks up a nice block.

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by Buc Wild on Nov 14, 2009 9:37 AM EST up reply actions