Analysis from Seahawks Game coaches film

Originally posted by jonnydel:

Originally posted by 5280High:
Is it just me or are these pass plays remedial? The majority of routes are headed right into the 8 man box, when you'd think they would want to widen the field trying to find soft spots in the zone.

I'll show the times they tried to do other things. They ran a lot of play action passes, which you probably noticed on the broadcast. How Seattle makes the game difficult is they run a 6-2 front. They're DT's do a good job eating up blockers through all their slants in the line while their DE's press hard upfield because they don't have outside contain. This makes their pass rush better and their run defense more difficult to catch in a bad situation. Because they run 3 deep almost the whole game they can play 4 men on underneath coverage. That's why their DB"s molest receivers. Cause they cannot let anyone past them and they see a 5 yd defensive holding penalty as better than a 40 yd gain.

Here's an example of a well designed play to take advantage of the press cover 3 Seattle always runs.



Here we run another Play action pass. Boldin doesn't actually go out into the patter, he crack blocks the OLB on the line of scrimmage. Vernon runs a seem streak route and miller heads to the flat.


You see how Vernon draws the attention of 3 defenders on that side of the field. The PA holds Chancellor(with the short blue arrow,) and K.J. Wright in the middle of the field. Highlighted in Red is Boldin crack blocking the defender assigned to the strong side flat(technically he becomes the SS) leaving Miller with space on the outside.



Miller is able to catch the ball in space and get a 7 yard gain out of the play.
While not spectacular, it's a good gameplan type of play. It keeps the ball moving downfield, keeps the defense off balance, and keeps the LB's from being too aggressive in their run D because it isolates a player who, if the Seahawks run man coverage, is guarded by a LB.

Here's a good play Kaep made going through his progressions



the seahawks show their standard cover 3 pre-snap. Then right before the snap the Ted Backer(strong side inside backer) moves up to blitz. They are trying to overload the strong side. They know there are only 3 lineman to block 4 pass rushers. They drop the weakside DE into coverage. Roman called a good play in that he had both Miller and Gore in to chip a rusher before dropping into the pattern. The primary read on this play is to Crabtree on the crossing route. They're looking for the Mike Backer(middle Linebacker) to drop with Vernon. However, since Seattle drops with two "curl" zone defenders, the Mike stays home.



The O-line picks up the blitz masterfully giving Kaep great protection. Boldin gets the CB to turn his hips inside, an automatic win for a receiver running an out route. For Kaep his read on the corner is, once that DB turns his hips, that's where you throw.



You can see from this angle that he's watching the Mike, looking for him to drop with Vernon to hit Crabs coming across. But, Chancellor has carried Vernon up the seam so he then turns his head and sees Boldin has won, sets his feet, and delivers a strike.



I have to give it to Kaep. It takes elite arm strength to make that throw. I remember watching an analysis on Kurt Warner and how he made a throw 3 yards more shallow than this one and that they were talking about how Warner had elite arm strength to make that throw.

Nice thread, very informative. Thanks for starting it, and also all the comments.

It seemed like the Niners were able to minimize Wilson's scrambling better than Week 2. Would you say that is because the Niners were in more zone coverages or did the Dline do something different to contain him in the pocket? I just remember the Week 2 game where Wilson would scramble and buy more time to hit a receiver down field or take off running for a nice gain.

Originally posted by birdie2bogey:
It seemed like the Niners were able to minimize Wilson's scrambling better than Week 2. Would you say that is because the Niners were in more zone coverages or did the Dline do something different to contain him in the pocket? I just remember the Week 2 game where Wilson would scramble and buy more time to hit a receiver down field or take off running for a nice gain.

I'll have to go and look at what they did in week 2 to compare it to this last game. I'll have that for you tomorrow

Originally posted by birdie2bogey:
It seemed like the Niners were able to minimize Wilson's scrambling better than Week 2. Would you say that is because the Niners were in more zone coverages or did the Dline do something different to contain him in the pocket? I just remember the Week 2 game where Wilson would scramble and buy more time to hit a receiver down field or take off running for a nice gain.

Seattle wasn't looking to run as much, they drastically scaled back their read option packages. If you remember in week 2, Wilson got absolutely demolished a few times, took some huge hits while running the read option and I'm sure that was part of their thought process.

Here's a great play Kaep made in the Rams game. He does a great job of reading his keys, feeling the pressure and the biggest this is, ANTICIPATING the throw.



Here's one of the few times the Rams didn't run a single high safety against us. They go with a quarters look and stay with it in the play. Roman dialed up a perfect play for that scenario. He has Boldin and the 2nd TE(not sure who, it's not McDonald) run streaks With Davis coming behind on a deep in. All this of Play action.
You can see how the LB's have to respect the run action and are more shallow entering their drop. This allows Vernon to sneak behind them.



The Corner and Safety at the bottom of the screen get pulled off by the streak routes while Miller's route in the flat pulls the LB up opening a large area at the 45 yard line



From this angle you see the DE's have rushed very aggressively upfield expecting a deep drop. Kaep feels the pressure and steps up in the pocket



He moves forward which draw the LB up who has to respect his ability to run. Kaep is already in his throwing motion. This is really a big step for him. He's throwing to where Davis WILL be open.

This was the infamous "tackled by the willie" play by the way.....

I'm off to bed now, will check this thread in the morning. If there are any games you guys want taken a look at first I'll jump to those. If not I'll probably go back to week 2 against Seattle to see what was different about our defense and offensive gameplans tomorrow.

Originally posted by birdie2bogey:
It seemed like the Niners were able to minimize Wilson's scrambling better than Week 2. Would you say that is because the Niners were in more zone coverages or did the Dline do something different to contain him in the pocket? I just remember the Week 2 game where Wilson would scramble and buy more time to hit a receiver down field or take off running for a nice gain.

Here's the stop on 3rd and 8 in the 4th quarter to keep the game within a FG.
Below:
SEA: 11 personnel vs 49er nickel (cover1 man, zone under)

The 49ers fake a cover2 look, but Whitner will crash down to take away the curl/slant. This allows Brock to play outside leverage with confidence. Bowman is the ILB (red square). Rogers (slot) and Wright are playing over the top, guarding the first down marker. If the two WRs cross each other, the cushion is to allow a switch in assignment. This prevents a pick play on the CB.


Below: It's playaction, done to give Bowman a false step.


Below: RW has completed his dropback and is ready to pull the trigger on the first read, the skinny post. With the CB Rogers playing outside leverage, this route will win as it breaks inside. RW has to place this throw over Bow, in front of Reid. Bowman has not bit hard enough on the play fake and knows what's going on. He quickly recovers to his curl zone while letting RW know that Bow's eyes are watching him. It's important to not turn his head as a QB can throw it over him if he does. Bow gets in the passing lane and defends the skinny post.


Below: RW's view, same moment in time as above pic (sort of). The skinny post is not there. Notice Brooks (usual spot), he displays discipline and stays in control, with his eyes on RW, preventing a scramble right. Justin and RayMac have done a bad thing and are right next to each other. Here, RayMac has recognized it and will rollover to get back in the proper rush lanes for pocket contain. RayMac will switch sides with Justin.


Below: RW's next read is the out. Wright was jumping any short route and had already jumped the fake slant. When the WR came out of the slant to the out route, he slipped. With both reads to the play side covered, Aldon picks a fine time to make an entrance into RW's peripheral. Aldon is being held and grabbed onto the ground, but still forces RW to pull the ball down. Brooks has held pocket contain on the right. RayMac is about to re-organize the middle, this ends up being a big deal as he becomes the guy in RWs face.



Bowman seems to take some super fast steps to recover and take away the passing lane. Brooks, Aldon, RayMac all did well. Then RW finally throws it to the WR that Brock is defending and we saw on the telecast what happens.


RayMac bothers RW enough that he can't set and plant to throw to the skinny post WR who is now open along the back of the endzone.

The chicken and egg argument...

Do you think the WR primary read "design" is done because Roman cant scheme or because Kap isn't there yet with his pre/post snap reads and progressions?

I have argued its mental with Kap and its done to help him focus on a single target because he cant fully scan yet (on a consistent basis)?

Thanks again for the hard work, wish more threads were like this one

Nice. I need to stop reading this thread. Its like visual viagra

Originally posted by jreff22:
The chicken and egg argument...

Do you think the WR primary read "design" is done because Roman cant scheme or because Kap isn't there yet with his pre/post snap reads and progressions?

I have argued its mental with Kap and its done to help him focus on a single target because he cant fully scan yet (on a consistent basis)?

well it's shown in here he can do it, and can do it more than once or twice. so if someone shows they can, then you need to keep doing it that's the only way they can get good at it.

if he does it in training camp coming in, pre season and all the games up to this point how much more proficient would he be at it?

that's my argument/point.

kap can do whatever they allow him to. so if you want him to read progress, he's capable of doing so..

i think it's more philosophical on roman and harbaugh's side of things, outsmarting opponents with smokes and mirrors etc.

cause there's no reason to not open up the offense and still be balanced.. mix it up with run and pass plays no decoy routes and once in a blue moon a couple screen passes.

Originally posted by jreff22:
The chicken and egg argument...

Do you think the WR primary read "design" is done because Roman cant scheme or because Kap isn't there yet with his pre/post snap reads and progressions?

I have argued its mental with Kap and its done to help him focus on a single target because he cant fully scan yet (on a consistent basis)?

Dude jonnydel has posted multiple examples of Kap making reads and progressions in this thread, as many of us have been saying for Kap to go through progressions we need targets for him to progress through. He's still developing though!

I don't think it is coincidence that with Crabs back in the Rams and Seahawks game there's more examples of read progression because there are more targets to read. Also, the Oline pass blocking has improved though it's still not regularly great.

And excellent thread jonnydel, thanks you very much for your time and effort it's been a pleasure to read.

Originally posted by vrabbit:

Originally posted by NinerBuff:
This thread is full of win!

yup, dude wins the webzone today, everyone else just stop posting new threads.

only on page 2 so far, but yes... this is quality stuff here!