Offseason All22 Film Study

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by matguy87:
Great stuff! Seems like Gabbert wasn't afraid to go for longer throws on third down this game and hit a few... what happened after this game? Did he get rattled by getting hit or conservative play calling?

Your questions are the reason why this is being done. We will have a much clearer picture afterwards. Up until now, the popular reason for why the 49ers were so bad on 3rd downs was because Gabbert throws checkdowns too soon. This was not the case in the ATL game, but there are 6 more games to breakdown.

Can't wait...later we may be able to guestimate how his tendencies coupled with how the type of passing offense Kelly employs (taking the ball out of his hands) might look this year.

Originally posted by thl408:

Final Result for ATL game:
Good read/pass - 6
Missed read/pass - 3
Play design takes ball out of Gabbert's hands - 2
Poor pass protection - 0
Checkdown too early - 0
Good defense - 0
Bad playcall versus coverage - 1

Disclaimer: I'm grading harshly in an attempt to get a concrete count as to why the team failed/succeeded on 3rd downs. I am just playing armchair QB/coach knowing that I can't do better than an NFL QB. The GIFs are for you to tally your own count if you'd like. Everything is open for discussion and I'm trying my best to be unbiased.

Pretty good results for the first time as a starter off the bench...one might expect more mental errors on third downs after sitting so long. It shows his mental preparation was pretty solid as well as his execution.

We also need to note the competition. ATL has no pass rush at all. They don't even have a notable player in their front 7. Not surprising Blaine was more composed as the o line did better job than they did the majority of the season. I'm sure in the following games he was hit a lot more.

Originally posted by lamontb:

We also need to note the competition. ATL has no pass rush at all. They don't even have a notable player in their front 7. Not surprising Blaine was more composed as the o line did better job than they did the majority of the season. I'm sure in the following games he was hit a lot more.

Good context. I think our OL was best the last 2-3 games when Brown and Tiller were in even though Pears was still stinking up the joint and we had Kilgore trying to get in football shape while playing.

Originally posted by thl408:
ATL #4
Double Post + Mesh vs Cover3


Near collision between Patton and Vance. Gabbert looking over the middle. Can't tell if Gabbert looks to the double post.


+8 to bring up 4th & 1. When executing the Mesh concept versus zone coverage, the WRs can be taught to stop and sit down in between the zones, in the quiet area, which is what Patton does here.


- A decent outcome for the play, and one where Patton could have turned it upfield faster to pick up the first down. I think Gabbert could have hit Torrey on the Double Post concept. Grading harshly - Missed read/throw.

Even here, Patton initiates the wrong route. After catching the ball, his first step is backwards, like he means to backtrack and go around defenders rather than taking the immediate and direct route. Had he not hesitated, he might have split the two defenders on the right and gotten the TD.

In the black and white capture above (post #576), Patton does the same thing, turning a possible TD into a sure tackle. He makes a soft curve rather than taking it directly to the defender. The number of yards that the play nets doesn't mean he made a good decision. He might have beaten the defender without a fake, but one quick cut had a great chance of a TD.

NCommand doesn't have Patton making the 53. I hope that the other WRs prove more useful than Patton.

SEA game where the offense went 2-11 on 3rd downs.
SEA #1
vs Cover3
Gabbert will first look strongside.


There might be a small window to Boldin after he clears the strongside flat defender as Vance occupies the curl defender. With EThomas watching and shaded to the field side, the window is always smaller than normal. Gabbert doesn't pull the trigger. Avril has beaten Pears around the edge.


Enough time for only 1 read, which was covered. High pressure from the edge. Sacked.


- This is good defense with the free safety taking away Gabbert's initial read. Gabbert did immediately look to the backside Curl (Torrey), and the high-low stretch did work to get a passing lane to the Curl. No time to throw there with Pears beaten so soundly. I'll do with 'Poor pass protection'.

SEA #2
49ers keep in 2 more to help pass block. Blitz doesn't come.
vs Cover 1 robber


Gabbert hits the top of his dropback, hitch, and throw to Torrey's backside fade.


Thrown too far to his outside shoulder. Incomplete.


- Coverage was good, but throw gave him no chance - Missed read/throw.

#3 SEA

Switch concept where the slot WR comes underneath the outside WR and goes vertical.
vs Cover3


On the dropback, Gabbert first looks to his right. Sherman plays with good spacing and would have jumped the route from Torrey. Boldin has a defender over top. 3rd & 10 so the underneath zone defenders get good depth.
As soon as Gabbert completes his drop (moment below), he looks left.


The boundary side hook defender plays this well and takes away the deep slant slant to Patton. Flat defender playing over the top on Vance, defeats that route.


Checkdown to Draughn. Punt.


- Notice the two flat defenders match the outside verticals. This allows the deep 1/3 defenders to match the deep slants. Switch is a good concept to use against Cover3, but the defense played it very well - Good defense.

SEA #4
49er's look to use play action and hit a big play out of a short yardage formation.
Looks like zone, maybe Cover3, but not sure.



Looking deep. Ellington is double covered with the free safety and the deep 1/3 defender over top.


Ellington versus ET and Sherman. Gabbert pulls the trigger (lol).


Gabbert doesn't look to the other two routes, but Vance was not open. Draughn had a defender nearby. Pass wasn't close and is nearly INTed by Sherman.


- Missed read/throw.

Originally posted by thl408:
SEA #2
49ers keep in 2 more to help pass block. Blitz doesn't come.
vs Cover 1 robber


Gabbert hits the top of his dropback, hitch, and throw to Torrey's backside fade.


Thrown too far to his outside shoulder. Incomplete.


- Coverage was good, but throw gave him no chance - Missed read/throw.

I hate the play call in this situation. On 3rd and 6, there should have been at minimum, one route that goes underneath the coverage. After checking to max protect, 1-2 of those routes should have been changed to better counter-attack man to man press beating concepts since that is what the defense was showing pre-snap.

I have never been a huge fan of vertical concepts without any jailbreak routes to check to. With max protect and vertical, it's assumed the additional blocking help will give the play more time to let deeper routes develop. However, this type of strategy is better suited for earlier downs or more yardage needed to complete a first down. Just my arm-chair offensive coordinator opinion.

SEA #5
Comebacks and Curl. Gabbert has to read leverage and make the proper throw.
vs Cover 1 blitz


With Patton's defender having his hips turned upfield and giving a cushion, Gabbert starts his windup just as Patton enters his break.


Crushed right as he throws, the throw is on rhythm and on target. +15.


- Good read/pass

Originally posted by jdk8008:
I hate the play call in this situation. On 3rd and 6, there should have been at minimum, one route that goes underneath the coverage. After checking to max protect, 1-2 of those routes should have been changed to better counter-attack man to man press beating concepts since that is what the defense was showing pre-snap.

I have never been a huge fan of vertical concepts without any jailbreak routes to check to. With max protect and vertical, it's assumed the additional blocking help will give the play more time to let deeper routes develop. However, this type of strategy is better suited for earlier downs or more yardage needed to complete a first down. Just my arm-chair offensive coordinator opinion.

I know what you mean. There should be one quick developing route to give the QB that option. After Pears got whooped on the SEA #1 play, they put a TE inline next to Pears on this play (SEA #2). So I understand the call for more protection, but give the QB an underneath throw too. Against man coverage, one broken tackle and it's a first down.

SEA #6
All Curls vs Cover 3
3 step timing. Throw needs to come on time or routes will die standing still.


Inside-out read, Gabbert targets Boldin.


Very tight throw. Complete for +17


- Good read/pass

Originally posted by thl408:
SEA #5
Comebacks and Curl. Gabbert has to read leverage and make the proper throw.
vs Cover 1 blitz


With Patton's defender having his hips turned upfield and giving a cushion, Gabbert starts his windup just as Patton enters his break.


Crushed right as he throws, the throw is on rhythm and on target. +15.


- Good read/pass

Loving these posts man. Keep up the good work. This was a great read by Gabbert. The RCB was showing zone with inside leverage, and there was no help in the flats.

SEA #7
Sucker concept to his left to bust zone coverage.
Spot concept to his right. The way the Corner and Curl is run creates a possible pick/rub versus man coverage.
vs Cover 2 Man


(not shown): During the dropback, Gabbert looks left to the Sucker concept, which fails versus man coverage (Boldin, Torrey covered).

Spot being run to his right has the Corner route (88) coming underneath the curl (89). This creates a nice pick to free up the Corner route.
(shown below) As soon as Gabbert comes off the Sucker, he sees possible pressure in his face and looks to escape.


Never gave the Corner route a chance.




Complete for +7. FG unit.


This was an interesting play because it was hard to decide on the outcome. Was Gabbert really pressured enough to have to look to escape? Pressure never seemed to arrive, but it was coming right into his face. At this point in the game, he's been pressured multiple times. The pressure also came where he would have had to step towards to hit the Corner.
I do know he did look to the incorrect side of the field for his primary read and may have seen the Corner route developing if he initially looked to Spot. But even then it's hard to know what his presnap keys were and why he thought he was about to see zone coverage. SEA does not call Cover2 man often so this is a changeup - Missed read/throw.