Offseason All22 Film Study

ARI #3
There are 3 down linemen, blue LB will be the 4th rusher.

Slant-flat to the left + triple slant to the right.
The slants look to attack the shallow middle of the field, which would be open in Cover1 blitz.
vs Cover 1 robber


The middle of the OL parts and blue has a free lane to Gabbert.


Although blue looked more interested in covering Draughn out of the backfield. Gabbert sees the unblocked rusher and can't wait to see whether or not the free rusher is coming or not.


+4. Punt.


As soon as Gabbert completes his drop, he targets Draughn in the flat, but it's because he sees the pressure as Boone slides to help Martin.


- On 3rd & 14, can't allow pressure up the gut right after the snap. Looks like Gabbert checked down way too early, but it's because of: - Bad pass protection.

ARI #4

Drive concept (yellow + red). The area to attack Cover 1 blitz is over the middle short/intermediate, so on the whiteboard, the red route should be open provided protection holds up.
vs Cover 1 blitz


Gabbert completes his drop and sees this. He knows the blitz is on and will target Patton's drag route. Because the DB covering Patton is loose over the top, he is able to attack downhill on the drag. Had the DB been in a trail position, that's when a drag route can get RAC.


The protection is good here and perhaps Gabbert could have waited a split second to target Vance, who won inside leverage, on the Dig route since the short/intermediate middle of the field is open versus Cover1 blitz. Is the MLB playing the throwing lane to Vance making this a moot point?


Patton drops the pass, but even if he had caught it, he would get drilled short of the first down. Punt.


Normally, the progression on Drive concept is Drag (Patton), then Dig (Vance) - although who knows how it's taught to Gabbert here. If this is true, then Gabbert had enough time in the pocket to wait for the Dig to develop, although the MLB might have been in the throwing lane. Targeting the drag when the DB is able to attack downhill gives Patton no chance. - Missed read/throw.

ARI #5

Designed throw. TE screen to Bell with Boldin and Patton blocking in front.


Boldin and Patton never look for the throw and are blocking all the way.


+7. Punt.


- Ball taken out of Gabbert's hands.

ARI #6

vs Cover1 Robber


It looks like a 5 man rush (blitz), but the LB manned up on Draughn only threatens to blitz and will hold up short of committing to the blitz to see if Draughn runs a route. Blue robber takes away Vance's Dig route. Gabbert looks towards Boldin on the pivot route. With the CB playing loose over the top on Boldin, the CB is able to attack downhill and make the tackle.


+7. Punt.


- Robber takes away Vance (Gabbert's first read). Patton's route is short of the marker. Torrey gets some separation but that's a long throw to the far sideline. CB positioning allows him to make a good tackle on Boldin. - Good defense.

ARI #7
This is a combination Trail concept (orange + yellow) and Texas concept (red + yellow). Red clears out vertically, Orange clears out horizontally, for yellow to work the area.
I don't know what coverage ARI is playing, but I know they are pattern matching.


Bell sells the flat and breaks back towards the middle of the field.


ARI pattern matches very well on this play and it's a tight window throw that Gabbert is able to complete. I like the play design, but for 3rd & 14, this play would have required good RAC. +9. Field Goal.


49ers were trailing by 3 and a FG ties it. So that's what they settled for with this playcall. Not sure what Gabbert could have done here. Torrey was double covered and the only other route near the sticks was Vance's and he was covered. - Bad playcall versus coverage

Originally posted by thl408:

ARI #4

Drive concept (yellow + red). The area to attack Cover 1 blitz is over the middle short/intermediate, so on the whiteboard, the red route should be open provided protection holds up.
vs Cover 1 blitz


Gabbert completes his drop and sees this. He knows the blitz is on and will target Patton's drag route. Because the DB covering Patton is loose over the top, he is able to attack downhill on the drag. Had the DB been in a trail position, that's when a drag route can get RAC.


The protection is good here and perhaps Gabbert could have waited a split second to target Vance, who won inside leverage, on the Dig route since the short/intermediate middle of the field is open versus Cover1 blitz. Is the MLB playing the throwing lane to Vance making this a moot point?


Patton drops the pass, but even if he had caught it, he would get drilled short of the first down. Punt.


Normally, the progression on Drive concept is Drag (Patton), then Dig (Vance) - although who knows how it's taught to Gabbert here. If this is true, then Gabbert had enough time in the pocket to wait for the Dig to develop, although the MLB might have been in the throwing lane. Targeting the drag when the DB is able to attack downhill gives Patton no chance. - Missed read/throw.

Man, on third and 8, you really want to work that dig. Although, you might be correct in saying the MLB in the pass lane.

I definitely think he could have gotten the ball to Vance over the MLB had he waited. The DB on Patton was coming from the bottom hash makers. He was a good 4 yards away when Patton dropped the ball. I think Patton could have caught the ball, turn the corner on the defender and tries for the 1st down marker. Don't think he would make it, but I don't think he would have gotten blown up like he did either.

Originally posted by qnnhan7:


I definitely think he could have gotten the ball to Vance over the MLB had he waited. The DB on Patton was coming from the bottom hash makers. He was a good 4 yards away when Patton dropped the ball. I think Patton could have caught the ball, turn the corner on the defender and tries for the 1st down marker. Don't think he would make it, but I don't think he would have gotten blown up like he did either.

Agree about McDonald. Especially being that he should've known the route McDonald is running and could've thrown the ball a little early to where McDonald was going to be before he even made his cut. I think Patton was gonna get rocked even if he did catch it. That defender closed fast.

Originally posted by thl408:

- On 3rd & 14, can't allow pressure up the gut right after the snap. Looks like Gabbert checked down way too early, but it's because of: - Bad pass protection.

Lol. Whoever that was rushing made the bold decision to go help block Joe Staley rather than going after Gabbert.
I would say Gabbert definitely went to the check down to soon he never was really under pressure.
Alex Boone didn't do so great on that play ether.
I wonder how it went in film review the next day.

Originally posted by lamontb:

Originally posted by qnnhan7:


I definitely think he could have gotten the ball to Vance over the MLB had he waited. The DB on Patton was coming from the bottom hash makers. He was a good 4 yards away when Patton dropped the ball. I think Patton could have caught the ball, turn the corner on the defender and tries for the 1st down marker. Don't think he would make it, but I don't think he would have gotten blown up like he did either.

Agree about McDonald. Especially being that he should've known the route McDonald is running and could've thrown the ball a little early to where McDonald was going to be before he even made his cut. I think Patton was gonna get rocked even if he did catch it. That defender closed fast.

Yeah, from my subjective POV, that's just an excellent play by the defense. Obviously with Torrey's route to clear deep space, Patton should be smoking across the formation and if he turns the corner, he's gone or at least picks up a first down. It's actually the second defender that gets to Patton as the first one passes him off...nice disguise. Even if Gabbert had looked to McDonald, he was still physically engaged with the DB with his back to the QB and pressure coming for Gabbert.

Originally posted by thl408:
ARI #6

vs Cover1 Robber


It looks like a 5 man rush (blitz), but the LB manned up on Draughn only threatens to blitz and will hold up short of committing to the blitz to see if Draughn runs a route. Blue robber takes away Vance's Dig route. Gabbert looks towards Boldin on the pivot route. With the CB playing loose over the top on Boldin, the CB is able to attack downhill and make the tackle.


+7. Punt.


- Robber takes away Vance (Gabbert's first read). Patton's route is short of the marker. Torrey gets some separation but that's a long throw to the far sideline. CB positioning allows him to make a good tackle on Boldin. - Good defense.

This is a big issue I have with Gabbert. He's not in trouble here, and if he looks directly past Boldin, he'd see Torrey Smith with great leverage on his man for the comeback. If Gabbert holds for half a second, that's a first down. I like that he gets the ball out quickly, but it's too damn quick at times.

Originally posted by WRATHman44:
This is a big issue I have with Gabbert. He's not in trouble here, and if he looks directly past Boldin, he'd see Torrey Smith with great leverage on his man for the comeback. If Gabbert holds for half a second, that's a first down. I like that he gets the ball out quickly, but it's too damn quick at times.

This is an issue Gabbert is going to have to overcome - resetting that internal clock. The way he was abused in Jacksonville and the the OL he played behind off the bench here, it's understandable why he's shaved .5 seconds off his internal clock and is too quick to pull the trigger and is more programmed to take the shorter/safer pass at times. But until this OL is settled and consistent, he's got no reason to do otherwise. That said, even if he doesn't change his approach (positive yards; no negative plays), it still may not be an issue as long as we can establish the run.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:
This is a big issue I have with Gabbert. He's not in trouble here, and if he looks directly past Boldin, he'd see Torrey Smith with great leverage on his man for the comeback. If Gabbert holds for half a second, that's a first down. I like that he gets the ball out quickly, but it's too damn quick at times.

This is an issue Gabbert is going to have to overcome - resetting that internal clock. The way he was abused in Jacksonville and the the OL he played behind off the bench here, it's understandable why he's shaved .5 seconds off his internal clock and is too quick to pull the trigger and is more programmed to take the shorter/safer pass at times. But until this OL is settled and consistent, he's got no reason to do otherwise. That said, even if he doesn't change his approach (positive yards; no negative plays), it still may not be an issue as long as we can establish the run.

Good point NC, and it would also help if the OC (now Chip) schemes to get the receivers at least out to the sticks... Gabs check down options might have looked better if we had done that more.

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:
This is a big issue I have with Gabbert. He's not in trouble here, and if he looks directly past Boldin, he'd see Torrey Smith with great leverage on his man for the comeback. If Gabbert holds for half a second, that's a first down. I like that he gets the ball out quickly, but it's too damn quick at times.

This is an issue Gabbert is going to have to overcome - resetting that internal clock. The way he was abused in Jacksonville and the the OL he played behind off the bench here, it's understandable why he's shaved .5 seconds off his internal clock and is too quick to pull the trigger and is more programmed to take the shorter/safer pass at times. But until this OL is settled and consistent, he's got no reason to do otherwise. That said, even if he doesn't change his approach (positive yards; no negative plays), it still may not be an issue as long as we can establish the run.

That's a good point about resetting his internal clock. Although I don't know if his sped up clock is a result of his days in JAC or that's just the way he is. His starts last season didn't help much about teaching patience in the pocket. I think a good running game could be the quickest, best way to improve the OL's ability to pass protect.

Somewhat related - so far from watching him closely, he short arms a lot of throws and it ends up being underthrown. There are many times he doesn't step into his throw and he shortens the motion of his release. I've watched his INTs and on all the INTs that were a result of a bad throw, he is underthrowing his WR. There are times he could have hit a WR for a huge gain, but he doesn't lead the WR enough. Something I'll keep an eye on.

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by NCommand:

Originally posted by WRATHman44:
This is a big issue I have with Gabbert. He's not in trouble here, and if he looks directly past Boldin, he'd see Torrey Smith with great leverage on his man for the comeback. If Gabbert holds for half a second, that's a first down. I like that he gets the ball out quickly, but it's too damn quick at times.

This is an issue Gabbert is going to have to overcome - resetting that internal clock. The way he was abused in Jacksonville and the the OL he played behind off the bench here, it's understandable why he's shaved .5 seconds off his internal clock and is too quick to pull the trigger and is more programmed to take the shorter/safer pass at times. But until this OL is settled and consistent, he's got no reason to do otherwise. That said, even if he doesn't change his approach (positive yards; no negative plays), it still may not be an issue as long as we can establish the run.

That's a good point about resetting his internal clock. Although I don't know if his sped up clock is a result of his days in JAC or that's just the way he is. His starts last season didn't help much about teaching patience in the pocket. I think a good running game could be the quickest, best way to improve the OL's ability to pass protect.

Somewhat related - so far from watching him closely, he short arms a lot of throws and it ends up being underthrown. There are many times he doesn't step into his throw and he shortens the motion of his release. I've watched his INTs and on all the INTs that were a result of a bad throw, he is underthrowing his WR. There are times he could have hit a WR for a huge gain, but he doesn't lead the WR enough. Something I'll keep an eye on.

Interesting. He threw pretty quickly in Mizzou, too, and everyone just attributed that to him having dudes running free in the secondary pretty quickly after the snap. I wonder if that system broke him a bit, in terms of timing, or if that system simply fit him because it allowed him to get the ball out as quickly as he already wanted to.