Philadelphia Eagles coaches game analysis

The screen game is huge part of the PHI playbook and the 49ers did an excellent job containing it. They didn't always shut it down, but they definitely kept it under wraps. The longest screen play they ran netted 12 yards and it came at the end of the 1st half with :25 left on PHI's side of the field.

Screen #1
This actually went in the stat sheet as a run play because it wasn't a forward pass, but this is a screen. 49ers show a Quarters look to McCoy's (#25) side.


Quick throw to McCoy as the 3 WRs look to start blocking. Brooks quickly engages the blocker to prevent the blocker form getting any further upfield. The ball is in the air (red circle).


McCoy just caught the ball. It's up to Bethea and Willis to make the play. McCoy has one lead blocker to spare, #81 Matthews.


Instead of getting upfield to meet Willis for the block, Matthews sets and waits for Willis to approach him. I don't blame Matthews, but a lead blocker needs to get up the field. This isn't pass blocking. Matthews' weak block doesn't allow for McCoy cut to the inside. McCoy has one way to go, to the outside. Bethea closes the angle and shows form tackling.


Gain of zero.

Screen #2

PHI looks to throw a screen to Matthews. Riley Cooper will block Brooks. Notice Brooks is about 1 yard off the LoS, the 8 yard line.


The ball is in the air and Cooper has gone up to the 11 yard line to engage with Brooks in a block.


Flagged for Offensive Pass Interference. 10 yard penalty.

Screen #3

PHI will run one of their fancy misdirection screens. Fake a toss to the right on a jet sweep action, then set up a screen to the left.


Fake the throw to the right.


Foles just completed his pump fake to the right. Dial has a clean path to run at the QB.


Dial recognizes the screen and immediately peels off his rush to locate Sproles.


Screen play busted. Foles has to throw it in the grass. Heads up play by Dial and Dobbs as Dobbs also stops his pass rush to sniff out the screen.

Screen #4

PHI tries it again with a similar play - misdirection screen. This time to Ertz.


The fake throw to the right. Whether it's fake or not, Lynch is seen following Sproles (#43). To the left of the offensive formation, Ertz (#86) is seen blocking Skuta.


Ertz fakes getting beaten on the pass block and Skuta bites towards Foles. Foles lobs the pass over Skuta.


12 yard gain.

Screen #5

WR screen to Cooper from a stacked formation.



Skuta, Justin, and Cully react to the screen.


The center (orange) doesn't see Cully as he moves upfield. Cully slips around and makes the tackle.


Gain of 8.

Originally posted by Niners816:

Originally posted by jonnydel:

Here's the pick from CK - props to Thl, he did correct me on it being man-coverage. Case in point - I don't see everything lol....


Philly is going to run a cover 1 "lurk" with the MLB playing a "lurking" middle zone. We're going to run an in/out pattern up top and a double slant on the bottom.


The slot corner does a good job of staying in a "trail technique" against Boldin as he knows he's got help to the inside with the LB. Loyd does a good job of creating separation at the bottom.


The only thing is that the slot corner slows up on his coverage because he knows we're looking for a shallow route and he's got inside help.

Here you see the corner break off of his coverage on Boldin. Loyd had the separation for a first down and CK is getting hit right as he throws - so he couldn't hold the ball any longer.


The corner is in the perfect spot for the pick.
Remember, the guys on the other team are getting paid a lot of money too. Sometimes, players make plays and it's not something you can count on. You can't count on a guy completely abandoning his responsibility like this. I know this happened to Alex Smith a couple years ago when he threw a pick against the Giants. The "mic'd up" from that game showed Smith go to the sideline and Harbaugh asked, "did you guess on the coverage??" and Smith said, "no, he guessed". Meaning, the defender broke off his coverage and guessed on the slant route. That's what happened here. This guy "guessed" where the ball was going. - It happens to every QB from time to time. The Saints did it to Peyton Manning when they won their super bowl....

Great breakdown....that is just a superb play by the Philly db. Still had me throwing s**t, I just had a very bad feeling at that point.

I'm not feeling this play design at all, they really need to put this one on the bucket list. Just bad spacing, if one reciever runs a drag route and other goes slant, at least theres probably no pick.

Screen #6

Screen to Maclin.


Lynch bites upfield thinking he has a clear path to the QB. RayMac (directly behind Lynch) is seen reacting to the screen.


RayMac chases down the play and makes the tackle from behind. Gain of 11.

And finally...Screen #7

Misdirection screen as PHI looks to set up a screen to Sproles.


Fake the throw to the jet sweep action.


Look back to the right as Sproles (#43) is shown looking to get into open space.


Dial slams on the brakes as he recognizes the screen. Locate Sproles.


Busted screen. Foles scrambles for a -4 loss. Stat sheet credits Ian Williams with a sack.

So to summarize PHI's screen passes:

1. Completed. No gain.
2. Offensive PI.
3. Dial busts the screen. Incomplete.
4. Ertz 12 yards. (harmless, was at end of 1st half on PHI's side of the field)
5. Cooper 8 yards.
6. Maclin 11 yards.
7. Dial busts the screen. IWilliams sack -4.

Those are fantastic results for the 49er defense in snuffing out PHI's screen game. PHI excels at these high percentage plays that quickly gets McCoy/Sproles/WRs the ball to get RAC with blockers in front. Big props to Dial who showed that he knows when he cleanly beats his pass blocker, something isn't right. No but really, big props to Dial in particular for sniffing out two screens. Very nice play recognition and awareness. 49ers as a team did very well in restricting any screen play from netting chunk yardage.

Originally posted by Niners816:
This sort of play has been a go-to staple of harbaugh and Romans offense. I remember delanie walker scoring the game winning td at Detroit in 2011 and I remember boldin scoring a couple of tds on it last year. Pressure really forced the issue on this play.

I think Crabtree scored on a similar play in the Saints playoff game as well

Originally posted by T-9ers:

Originally posted by Niners816:

Originally posted by jonnydel:
Here's the pick from CK - props to Thl, he did correct me on it being man-coverage. Case in point - I don't see everything lol....


Philly is going to run a cover 1 "lurk" with the MLB playing a "lurking" middle zone. We're going to run an in/out pattern up top and a double slant on the bottom.


The slot corner does a good job of staying in a "trail technique" against Boldin as he knows he's got help to the inside with the LB. Loyd does a good job of creating separation at the bottom.


The only thing is that the slot corner slows up on his coverage because he knows we're looking for a shallow route and he's got inside help.

Here you see the corner break off of his coverage on Boldin. Loyd had the separation for a first down and CK is getting hit right as he throws - so he couldn't hold the ball any longer.


The corner is in the perfect spot for the pick.
Remember, the guys on the other team are getting paid a lot of money too. Sometimes, players make plays and it's not something you can count on. You can't count on a guy completely abandoning his responsibility like this. I know this happened to Alex Smith a couple years ago when he threw a pick against the Giants. The "mic'd up" from that game showed Smith go to the sideline and Harbaugh asked, "did you guess on the coverage??" and Smith said, "no, he guessed". Meaning, the defender broke off his coverage and guessed on the slant route. That's what happened here. This guy "guessed" where the ball was going. - It happens to every QB from time to time. The Saints did it to Peyton Manning when they won their super bowl....

Great breakdown....that is just a superb play by the Philly db. Still had me throwing s**t, I just had a very bad feeling at that point.

I'm not feeling this play design at all, they really need to put this one on the bucket list. Just bad spacing, if one reciever runs a drag route and other goes slant, at least theres probably no pick.

I have a hard time bashing the play design, because it's actually a Bill Walsh play - I've seen it in one of his playbooks from the 80's.....

Originally posted by Niners816:
This sort of play has been a go-to staple of harbaugh and Romans offense. I remember delanie walker scoring the game winning td at Detroit in 2011 and I remember boldin scoring a couple of tds on it last year. Pressure really forced the issue on this play.

have to agree pressure and he just missed it. we usually score on that all the time from kap to whomever. we ran similar concept against chicago and kap floated it to him. does it to boldin does it all the time. he just missed this play.

Originally posted by jonnydel:

I have a hard time bashing the play design, because it's actually a Bill Walsh play - I've seen it in one of his playbooks from the 80's.....

This....double slants has worked forever. It really does take a great play like the Philly cb made to stop it.

These DOODz...these DOODz are good DOODz, you should PM them. Nice thread as always.

Originally posted by defenderDX:

Originally posted by jonnydel:
Here's a missed opportunity in the game - it doesn't end up hurting us because we score on the next play, but still, it could've really cost us and I'm not sure why we don't get it.


Here we're going to run an in/out pattern. It's a combo, zone/man beater. If it's cover 3 zone, you look for the corner route to the TE, if it's man, you look for the inside slant. Note, Philly has no safety - revealing man coverage.


This play should be a win all day. Boone did get a little confused again with the front look and makes almost the same fail he did on the earlier sack I showed.


The play is there to be had, the TE clears out the space and clogs up the lane so Crabtree's man can't stay with him.


If CK hits Crabs in stride it should be a walk in TD. The nearest defender has his back turned and there's no way the other guys are gonna get him. Should be a simple pitch and catch but CK throws it several feet off.


Not sure why he misfires. He was under a little pressure, but his footwork was good, he had his shoulders square, good flex in the front knee, good drive off the back leg. His mechanics are there, but still misses the throw. This should be routine - gotta make these plays, you don't get a lot of these opportunities.

he needs to practice the short throws BADLY. he seems to be very inaccurate when throwing checkdowns, and in this case, this throw. The anti-Alex

He's made that throw before tho.

Its similar to a TD he threw to Crab in the Packer playoff game after the 2012 season and to the TD he threw Boldin in week 1 last year....again vs GB.