Offseason All22 Film Study

Originally posted by Luckycharms:
I think Saleh is going to use cover 1 with our corners playing press man a lot more than cover 3 zone. I think our corners are suited best for man. Also I'm trying to recall which podcast I was listening too, maybe Ross tucker with Cossell on, but they mentioned that the past season or 2 the Seattle style defenses are playing more cover 1 with press man rather than that cover 3 zone because OC's have started to find a lot more ways to expose it and beat it.

Interesting stuff. Makes sense. In a radio interview, Shanahan spoke specifically to why he thought the SEA style of defense was a defense he wanted to run. (paraphrased) He has faced it a number of times and it forces the offense to work methodically down the field. Stringing together 8-10 play drives in order to score.
@14:40
http://www.knbr.com/2017/02/17/kyle-shanahan-says-49ers-will-run-seattles-defensive-system/
......
Cover1 is the natural complement to Cover3 but, "playing press man a lot more than cover 3 zone", could apply mainly to 3rd downs. When it's 1st down or 2nd & intermediate, and the offense might run the ball, 8 in the box, all eyes in the backfield - cover3. We'll see. I do agree that the CBs (mainly RR and Spoon) are currently best suited for man.

Rather than go game by game (ATL/CIN,DET), I thought it'd flow better to go skillset by skillset for DJ. So to continue DJ's zone awareness as a deep 1/3 defender..

When no WR immediately threatens a deep zone defender's area, the defender has to go find work. Look around to see what route could be coming in. Diagnose the route concept that is developing. 49ers in a Cover3 vs Pin concept. The Post is run by the slot WR - Megatron.


When the WR that DJ lined up across from runs a Crosser, DJ leaves him and continues to bail with eyes across the field to watch for any incoming threats. He sees Megatron.


If the pass was thrown to hit Megatron in stride, DJ is in position to make this play. The pass is a bit underthrown and that throws off DJ's route to the ball. Megatron has a chance but drops it. Still, DJ was aware to let the #1 go, keep bailing, find work.

This isn't Cover3, but DJ is responsible for a deep zone. The 49ers are playing some sort of 'Cut' coverage on Megatron while dropping 8 into coverage. Total Mangini coverage call - unorthodox.
vs Dagger concept (three level high-low over the middle of the field)


When Megatron runs a Drag (not vertical), DJ is no longer worried about him. Tartt will come down from safety position and man cover Megatron. That's the 'cut' coverage. DJ gains depth and looks for work. The QB is pressured and can't get set to make the throw to the Dig (red route).


QB breaks containment and rolls left while looking downfield. DJ has found work and will take away the Post from yellow.


DJ is aware and takes away a route that came from the other side of the field.

Mangini used DJ many times as a MLB in some subpackages when it was a passing down. This wouldn't happen unless Mangini thought DJ had at least a decent ability to recognize route concepts since the MLB has routes coming from both sides.

This is Fire Zone blitz (3 deep, 3 underneath). DJ will play the middle underneath zone.


DJ sees no route from the RB so he continues to gain depth and ends up taking away the Dig from the slot WR.

Here is DJ playing single high safety. He'll start off at the LoS.


Reveals Fire Zone. At the snap he gets to his deep middle safety spot. This rarely happened, DJ playing middle safety, but shows that he is trusted with playing a deep zone.

Originally posted by thl408:
This started out as just wanting to watch Dontae Johnson against Julio Jones to see how DJ did playing some Cover3, assuming Saleh will play some of this. Mangini played lots of Cover3 towards the last half of that season. Bailing and watching everything in front of the CB is a different skillset than watching an individual WR's body movement while playing sticky man coverage. When I looked at DJ's 2015 snapcount and saw that he had a lot of snaps in the CIN and DET games, it became wanting to see three of the physically biggest, premier WRs play, and how DJ did against them.

Dontae Johnson has been kind of a mystery. Seems to play well when called upon, but always behind guys with lesser draft pedigree (Acker, Reaser, Chris Davis). He is now entering the final year of his rookie deal (4th) and has a chance to get a starting role with Brock gone, Ward moving to safety, and now being the most NFL experienced in the CB group. This would be a good year for DJ to make some noise.

There will be some more of DJ vs Julio, AJGreen, and Megatron cut ups. This cut up is to illustrate one assignment that the DBs need to do in Cover3. Robinson and Witherspoon have not put anything like this on film (playing deep zone). At least not that I've seen.

This is Shanahan vs Mangini
Two things that a bailing CB can be tasked to key on are the QB's shoulders, and the #2 WR. As he bails to his deep 1/3, the CB's eyes will be keying whatever they are coached to watch, while keeping #1 WR at the edge of their sight. If #1 goes vertical, match him. If #1 is not vertical, watch for #2 to go vertical, because that would threaten a seam in Cover3. We'll get into Nick Saban's Rip/Liz Cover3 pattern match, which is designed to defend the seams, at some point this offseason.

In this route concept, purple + yellow work to vertically stretch the strongside Hook defender (yellow LB). Red is to stall the deep 1/3 field side CB (DJohnson). Notice the wide split by the #1 WR - far - to keep the deep 1/3 CB far.
Many defenses playing Cover3 will show 2 deep safeties presnap, then rotate one safety down to an underneath zone. When an offense knows this, attack the area that safety came down from, which is what the yellow route does (Julio Jones lined up as the #3 WR).
Blue is deep zones, orange is underneath zones.


Because the presnap #2 runs a drag and crosses under Julio, Julio is now the new #2. When #1 does not go vertical, #1 becomes the responsibility of the strongside curl/flat defender. DJ can now focus solely on the #2. QB looks but doesn't pull the trigger. He had it.


DJ showing alertness, as if he knew the seam was going to be threatened. But there was still a window to be had due to how much ground DJ had to cover from being lined up outside the numbers.

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Below: Later in the same game.
Same route combination versus same Cover3 with a strongside rotation. Orange + yellow trying to vertically stretch the strongside Hook.


Julio is the new #2. DJ has seen this before and hustles upfield.


Hook defender vertically stretched (blue). QB mid windup.


Right picture is the play from earlier in the game. In both pics, Julio is 10 yards into his route.
Left picture is the current play: DJ has more depth and is slightly over the top of #2, in a better position to defend a seam route. Tartt has done much better with his slide to middle 1/3.


DJ played a good number of games at safety in college and here flashes good route recognition and zone awareness. This shows up a number times in the ATL/CIN/DET games.

so, is the flat Reid's responsibility in both of those similar plays? If so then we are in trouble because he is not playing sound/disciplined by letting the guy in the flat wide open in both plays. On the second play I can see that he is reading the qb's eyes but, I still think he should be in the flat. Let me know if I am mistaken. Oh and I really love to read when you guys post plays like this. I really appreciate it.

How did DJ do against the play that attempts to break a Cover3 CB's responsilbilty? One of the plays that Shanahan is known to use to bust Cover3.

This is Cover3 Cloud. Most times when we see Cover3 it's two deep CBs with one middle deep safety. Cover3 Cloud uses two safeties and one CB. The benefit to a Cloud call is that the CB playing the Flat zone is allowed to press the WR hard at the line of scrimmage - disrupting the route, while having a safety deep to back up the CB. It puts a CB, generally a better pass defender than a safety/LB, in the flat zone of where the DC thinks the offense might target.
Julio motions across the field to become the slot WR (purple).


DJ matches the #1 to his side of the field since #1 went vertical. The playaction outside zone left pulls the box defenders up to the LoS. The bootleg right pulls the deep defenders to the defense's left. The inline TE sneaks out and threatens DJ's zone. The area DJ has vacated because he matched #1.


A well schemed play can break the rules of coverage. DJ is doing what he's tasked to do - play the #1 if he goes vertical. It would take great play recognition to see this one coming.


Pass completed.

Originally posted by Cowboyhtr24:
so, is the flat Reid's responsibility in both of those similar plays? If so then we are in trouble because he is not playing sound/disciplined by letting the guy in the flat wide open in both plays. On the second play I can see that he is reading the qb's eyes but, I still think he should be in the flat. Let me know if I am mistaken. Oh and I really love to read when you guys post plays like this. I really appreciate it.

Yes, Reid is responsible for the strongside flat in both those plays. The reason he is playing soft in the flat is because the ball was marked at the far hash mark. This is a far throw for the QB to make and if Reid reads it, it's a pick 6. In both the plays, Reid is cheating away from the flat because he's reading the QB's eyes. Had the QB looked over to the flat, Reid would no doubt creep in that direction. The risk/reward will often times make the QB hesitate to make the long throw.

There was some discussion regarding what leverage a bailing CB should play with. When a WR has a 'plus' split (2-3 yards outside the numbers), it's critical that the bailing CB plays with inside leverage. If the WR breaks to the Post, then inside leverage puts the CB in better position. If the WR tries to win with a Go route up the sideline, have inside leverage and start edging the WR closer to the sideline, cutting him off. This is DJ vs Roddy White.

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2015: This is Kenneth Acker bailing to his deep 1/3 (Cover3). Acker is on the outside (lost inside leverage) and the WR has pulled even versus a Go route (Marvin Jones). Giving the WR inside positioning allows the WR to attack the seam of Cover3 before the safety can come over to help. QB just released the pass.


With the WR having inside leverage and pulling even (Acker has outside leverage, no longer over the top), the WR can use his body to wall off Acker from the throw. Pass completed.

DJ displayed what I thought was a clear strength and a weakness in man coverage. Overall, he was inconsistent when it came to the technique and athletics required to excel in man coverage. Watching him against the best of the best can highlight where he is good and where he isn't. Here are a few cutups of him in man coverage, or zone coverage where he ends up matching the WR.

DJ vs Roddy White
White aligned with a plus split, DJ lines up in press with inside shade. DJ doesn't want to give up the hard inside release, but if White releases outside, the sideline can be used for help.


As soon as White tries to get an outside release, DJ goes for the jam. With White trying to release outside, to DJ's right side, the correct arm to use for the jam is DJ's left arm. This allows DJ to jam and stay square to White.


Once DJ gets the jam, head off the WR, look up for the ball. I'm showing this play to set up the next play.

DJ vs Julio Cover1 blitz
DJ seems to be head up on JJ (not shaded inside or outside)


Julio gives some stutter steps then breaks to DJ's left. DJ incorrectly reaches out with his left arm.


DJ is moving to his left and Julio swats the left arm. This will affect negatively in DJ's movement because the force of the swat goes against DJ's body momentum.
Had DJ used his right arm he'd be naturally chest facing Julio (square to). If the right arm is swatted away, it's not as big a momentum killer.
Julio swats away the left arm and it works against where DJ wants to go.


Not sharp with his technique, it results in clear separation. Julio drops the pass.

DJ in off man coverage against Megatron


(not shown): After the snap, DJ reads the QB through any 3 step concept. After it's confirmed that it is not a 3 step concept, eyes go to the WR.
(shown): This is the frame that I think DJ sees the QB opening his shoulders for the throw and Megatron breaking inside. DJ needs to plant and drive.


Notice the couple extra steps that DJ takes to prepare himself to drive on the ball. It's wasted steps. The lower the CB stays, the easier it is to change direction. This is why WRs dip their hips before entering any break in their route. Same applies to CBs. Pass completed.

DJ vs AJGreen
Here's an example of how DJ wins a lot versus vertical routes, which is something I noticed when watching him.
DJ aligned 3 yards off, kind of in between press and off alignment. This will test DJ's patience as AJG will be allowed to approach DJ after the snap. Can DJ stay patient and not over commit to any direction until the WR commits.

1st postsnap pic: AJG stutter steps but DJ has not made a single move. Patience.
2nd postsnap pic: AJG has approached 1.5 yards closer and all DJ has done is slightly pivot his right foot.
3rd postsnap pic: AJG releases outside. DJ is step for step and edges AJG towards the sideline.

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Megatron aligned just inside the numbers. DJ with outside shade.


Megatron stems to outside the numbers. DJ doesn't lean back at all. With no deep help, recognizes the skinny Post.


Good transition from over the top to trail position. Nice PBU. How about a diving INT next time?