Week 9 ATL Falcons coaches film analysis

Cool breakdown

Originally posted by SJniner7:
Does anyone think the success on defense was partly attributed to the success of our offense? I know the TOP was still a bit skewed in ATL's favor, but when your offense scores points and plays the field position battle, it certainly makes it easier for a defense

I think it does. When you help your defense out with field position and you make at least a few first downs, it helps. That's not to say we didn't have a number of 3 and outs in this game, but, I thought it was at least efficient from the 2nd qtr on. A couple of the drives that stalled out, I don't put any of that on Gabbert - but on Chryst. There were at least 2 or 3 series when we went 3 and out where it was, "run, run, pass" and 3rd down was 3rd and long.

There was on play in particular on the first drive that I HATED the design of it.

Thanks man! I appreciate the learning, keep em coming.

I hope they blitz more in the A or B gaps instead of the safeties looping around the outside. Most of the time Ryan would simply step up in the pocket to avoid the blitz. But the few times they blitzed right up the middle Ryan had no where to go.

It seemed every time we passed on first down good things happened.

Are you listening to us Geep?????

These analysis shows me that Geep is either calling the passing plays at the right times or is designing some damn good passing plays because it seems that on almost every passing play, there is at least one good option for the QB.

Can't wait until Hyde gets back. Dude is a game changer.

The NFL's leading rusher came into the game averaging 4.4 ypc while getting 25, then 21 carries the previous two weeks - workhorse status. The 49ers held him to 12 yards on 12 carries. His runs were: 6, 0, -4, 1, -3, 1, 5, 4, -3, -3, 7, 1. I wanted to see which 49er was so instrumental to this, but couldn't come up with any one name because it seemed there was a different player making the play every time Freeman was tackled for loss or minimal gain.

Players to watch are Dial, Wilhoite, Tartt, and Brooks. Throughout the game, Tartt would creep up to the LoS on almost every run play it seemed, and did his job eating up a block or disrupting the play.
Stretch Left vs Nickel front


Dial (92) gets inside hand position on the LG and stands him upright. This is not a good look for an OLman. This allows Dial to control both sides of that LG. Wilhoite does a good job of diagnosing the play and will shoot the A gap, right past the Center. Brooks sets the edge very well, dominating the TE.


Wilhoite is in the backfield and Dial puts up a wall while giving up no ground. Tartt gets blasted by Julio. We know Tartt will get payback later in the game. Brooks continues to hold the edge which limits what Freeman can do on a stretch run. DJ gets into his run fit.


With no where outside to go, Freeman turns inside and Wilhoite is there to meet him. No gain. Wilhoite gets the Tackle stat, but Dial and Brooks give Freeman no running room.

Wanted to give the D some love. There's nothing to show for him on his drive, but, I thought Bow played a killer game. He really started to look like pre-injury Bow.

Anyhoo, this is a 3 play series of how we stopped ATL to hold them to their first FG of the game.


ATL is gonna do a stretch run to the strong side, should look familiar.


As Thl noted earlier, there was something, either in the play call or in something the offense showed because just before the snap, Tartt came flying down into the box.


The two guys who really do the dirty work on this play are Dial and Brooks. Brooks does a great job of setting the edge, it forces the RB to turn it up. You see how Bow is pretty free right now. The G has to choose between the LB and the safety.


The guard blocks Bow and the receiver blocks Tartt, but this free's up Johnson who steps up and Wilhoite has disengaged to slide into the backside hole.


The whole team, just about, clogs up the point of attack so that the RB doesn't have anywhere to go.

On a side note, I don't know what is happening to Williams....not sure how that's not a hold...or a personal violation of some sort.


Freeman is stopped for no gain.

LOL that we were breaking down the same play at the same time

Lol jonny. Beat you to this play by 4 minutes. Good display of team D. Like the aggressiveness of Wilhoite on this play.

God that was good guys. Thank you both.

The only time the defense really let down was during the final 2 minutes of the first half. Not sure why, but we've been much more prone to giving up big plays this year. Here's ATL's longest play of the day.


We're going to come out in a tampa 2 defense. One thing I noticed in the game was that Matt Ryan loves to throw the ball to Julio Jones. It seemed like most of their passing plays were designed to try and get him the ball. If he wasn't throwing to Julio, Ryan didn't look nearly as comfortable.


You see Bow making his drop in the trademark tampa 2, This is just to show that's it's tampa 2 coverage.


On this play, the pass rush fails as much as the coverage. You see here, we have everything covered.


Ryan is able to step up in the pocket and let's the ball fly. He's gotta have a lot of trust in Julio and Julio has a next gear that not many people have. Tartt should be dropping back at this point, but, he got caught up with Roddy White.


Tartt is late in picking up Jones and Jones runs past Bow - Bow's hips were turned so it's tough for a 250+ lb guy to smoothly turn his hips with a full speed Julio.


Tartt gets there late. Tartt is really good if the play is infront of him, not so much if he's having to anticipate a route coming across the field.

Here's the Simpson drop for an INT - whoever said it was criminal is right - a great play by Gabbert, horrid play by Simpson....


I just realized I forgot to draw the routes at the top - but, it's a seam streak by Simpson and a flat route by the RB. It creates an interesting concept on that side, almost like a smash or dagger concept. Because they have 3 receivers to the other side, the OLB on the single receiver side is going to have flat coverage in a cover 3 zone. So, if Gabbert reads that side, that LB is his key. If the LB drops with the receiver up the seam then he'll dump is off to the RB, if not, he's gonna take a shot at the seam. On the other side, it's a spacing concept - just a little different than normal. Normally, you have the routes crossing, but here, it's just a straight spacing concept. ATL is running cover 3 zone, you can see it pre-snap and so does Gabbert.


After the snap you can see Gabbert read the OLB. He's reading which route he'll take in coverage.


When the LB doesn't keep dropping back, Gabbert knows he's going for the seam.


Gabbert lets it rip and you see the hole between the defenders he has.


He drops it over the LB and between the corner and the safety right in the bread basket. If Simpson catches it, he might take it to the house. But.....



But...oh....uhgh.....


From this angle you can clearly see Gabbert reading the LB, he's not staring the receiver down.


He's got great knee bend and a good high arm slot on his throw.


You see the prettiness of Gabbert's throw. It had to have both touch and velocity to get over the LB but between the safety and corner. That's a pretty darn good throw.

Tartt got rocked on that play.

Here's an example of how Tartt is really good at playing the ball in front of him. This was a key 2nd down in the game. It was in the 4th qtr and held ATL to create a 3rd and 9 and then they were forced to punt.


We blitzed more in this game than probably the Vikings game. We were definitely not going to allow Matt Ryan time to let Jones work downfield. On this play, they're again trying to get the ball in Jones' hands. They trying to create underneath space for him to work. They're just gonna run to curls with Jones coming on a short in/slant route. Just trying to create space for him, it's designed to him all the way. This isn't too dissimilar from the play the Seahawks lost the SB on.


We come with a slot blitz and play a fire zone behind it. Tartt does a good job of first reading the inside receiver and identifying what ATL is trying to do.


He starts out at the curl route but quickly recognizes the pattern and drives on the ball.


You see him eyeing the target.


The pressure nearly got to Ryan and he had to get rid of the ball.


BOOM!!!