Coaches Film Analysis: 2018 Season

I had to do a doubletake on that play when I saw Mullens freeze #55.

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
@post 518: I keep thinking he should've gone to #13 early, the more I watched that

There wasn't anyone within 10yards of #13 when Mullens looked down between the seems

Conceptually, James' route is designed just to be a clearing route to occupy the safety. Garcon's Dig is the primary. I agree there was a window to James, but I don't blame Mullens for targeting Garcon.

@post #522


"It was later revealed by Kittle the morning after the game on SiriusXM NFL's The Blitz that once in the huddle, the offense only got half the play call before the headset in Mullens helmet cut off due to the 15 second rule at which all communications with the player and coach are cut off. Mullens ended up just winging it and calling whatever he thought would be the next sequence in the play. The result was that Goodwin ended up in the same area as Kittle when the pass was thrown but due to Mullens looking off the defender, he created a window just small enough to fit a pass in."

From front page breakdown by Richard Madrid

I have to highlight this play because Malcom Smith did a good thing. Maybe he's been doing good things, I don't know, but here I think he saves a big play. Teams are coming up with creative ways to bust this Cover3 using the same concepts we've been seeing. Here is another version of Switch concept that looks to attack the sideline deep 1/3.
This is on OAK's first drive 2nd & 13.
We've seen Switch verticals a lot this season against the 49ers. It preys on the sideline deep 1/3 defender that is in man coverage - in this case Spoon who is locked in man coverage on the yellow #1. Orange are the four underneaths zones.
KWilliams is the boundary side curl/flat, he has edge contain and cannot get outflanked.


OAK uses jet sweep action. This puts KWilliams on alert. If that orange #1 gets the handoff, KWilliams has contain, he must honor the jet sweep. Playaction sucks up Warner and MSmith.


Spoon is locked on the yellow #1. KWilliams has to play the jet sweep. The boundary red #2 WR now has room to attack the sideline deep 1/3. MSmith is completely sucked up to the line of scrimmage. He's the guy directly in front of Carr, about 6 yard away.


Ward is 'stuck' in the middle of the field because Spoon is relying on Ward for inside help on any Post routes. Ward is not able to help on the Corner route from the TE (red #2). If Carr has time, a throw to the yellow star and that TE is running. Smith sees an opening to rush Carr and takes it.


Carr is rushed and takes the easier short throw. I'm not sure if MSmith is blitzing or not but I don't think so. He saves a possible big play. While this play didn't work for an explosive, it's another creative way to bust Cover3.

Here's an example of how a disguised coverage and a good old 4 man pass rush can get things done defensively.
OAK motions a WR across the formation and KWilliams follows the WR. This gives Carr a man coverage presnap read.


Slant-Flat + Smash vs Cover 2 Man coverage?


Ball snaps and 49ers reveal Cover6 (Quarters to the field side, Cover2 to the boundary).


Carr wanted to hit the Corner route, which works versus a Cover2 look, but Dakota Watson beats the LT handily and gets the sack. When was the last time a 49er edge player got a quality sack like this?


The LT is a guard that had to move over due to the starting LT being injured early in the game.

Originally posted by thl408:
This was Mullen's deepest pass play of the day in terms of air yards (no RAC) and it also looks to work the middle of the field. Against a Cover2 look, this route combo looks to vertically stretch the Hook/Curl defender (red).
Dagger vs Cover 2 zone
Dagger is a three route combo (seam + Dig + Drag), but there is no drag route here. Instead of using a drag route to bait the hook/curl (red) defender forward, the 49ers use hard playaction instead.


Playaction gets red creeping towards the line of scrimmage.


RJames (13) threatens the field side safety to occupy him. Red is unable to recover and gain enough depth to block the passing lane to Garcon's Dig.


+25

could've hit James, no?

Originally posted by defenderDX:
could've hit James, no?

Yeah I think so. The safeties really widened so the seam up the middle was there for James.

Originally posted by thl408:
Here's an example of how a disguised coverage and a good old 4 man pass rush can get things done defensively.
OAK motions a WR across the formation and KWilliams follows the WR. This gives Carr a man coverage presnap read.


Slant-Flat + Smash vs Cover 2 Man coverage?


Ball snaps and 49ers reveal Cover6 (Quarters to the field side, Cover2 to the boundary).


Carr wanted to hit the Corner route, which works versus a Cover2 look, but Dakota Watson beats the LT handily and gets the sack. When was the last time a 49er edge player got a quality sack like this?


The LT is a guard that had to move over due to the starting LT being injured early in the game.

one more question,

who the f**k is Dakota Watson?

Originally posted by thl408:

Yeah

Thl, great work as usual, the Malcolm Smith play above post #526, shouldn't Spoon leave his seam guy to Ward and bail to his deep 1/3?

I mean it's great that Smith made a play, but it looks like another blown coverage to me.

Originally posted by 49erBigMac:
Thl, great work as usual, the Malcolm Smith play above post #526, shouldn't Spoon leave his seam guy to Ward and bail to his deep 1/3?

I mean it's great that Smith made a play, but it looks like another blown coverage to me.

Yeah I think there needs to be some sort of on the fly communication that has to take place to defend these type of Switch Vertical concepts. What you suggested is one way to defend it (Spoon pass off the former #1, cover the new #1). This has happened too many times for them to not have an answer for it.
Also, I don't know why Spoon is manned up on that WR when it isn't a 3x1 formation. Usually we see this type of coverage when it's 3x1 so they ask that lone CB to man up on the 1 WR side.

Originally posted by defenderDX:
could've hit James, no?

James was open early for sure but it looks like Mullens was reading Garcon right off the PA and finding the open spot to throw it to him. By the time his eyes move to the middle of the field James is already running into the two safeties.

I don't know for sure but it looks like one of those "Shanahan Specials" where one receiver basically runs a pick 20 yards down field by occupying the safeties while another comes underneath for the catch. Though here James thinks the pass is coming to him causing him to turn around for a split sec before realizing Garcon is coming underneath, a rookie miscue. Shanny rarely puts two receivers in the same area both expecting a catch, one is always clearing the way for the other underneath route.

Are you guys no longer doing the individual game film threads?
Makes it so much easier rather than searching for which page the newest game starts at.
Just wondering! Appreciate all the work you guys do this is by far my favorite thread every week!

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
@post #522

"It was later revealed by Kittle the morning after the game on SiriusXM NFL's The Blitz that once in the huddle, the offense only got half the play call before the headset in Mullens helmet cut off due to the 15 second rule at which all communications with the player and coach are cut off. Mullens ended up just winging it and calling whatever he thought would be the next sequence in the play. The result was that Goodwin ended up in the same area as Kittle when the pass was thrown but due to Mullens looking off the defender, he created a window just small enough to fit a pass in."

From front page breakdown by Richard Madrid

I swear I've seen the 49ers do this where two WRs end up in the short middle of field. I thought it was designed because it puts a middle defender in a horizontal stretch. What Goodwin did with his slant, and Mullens with the look off, helped get the ball to Kittle. I wonder what Goodwin was supposed to do.

Originally posted by Sf1649ers80:

Are you guys no longer doing the individual game film threads?
Makes it so much easier rather than searching for which page the newest game starts at.
Just wondering! Appreciate all the work you guys do this is by far my favorite thread every week!

It is a lot of work and I think the posters who were mainly doing it have got somewhat demotivated. Which is a great shame. Huge thanks to THL for his work here. Great stuff.

Originally posted by thl408:

Originally posted by qnnhan7:

@post #522

"It was later revealed by Kittle the morning after the game on SiriusXM NFL's The Blitz that once in the huddle, the offense only got half the play call before the headset in Mullens helmet cut off due to the 15 second rule at which all communications with the player and coach are cut off. Mullens ended up just winging it and calling whatever he thought would be the next sequence in the play. The result was that Goodwin ended up in the same area as Kittle when the pass was thrown but due to Mullens looking off the defender, he created a window just small enough to fit a pass in."

From front page breakdown by Richard Madrid

I swear I've seen the 49ers do this where two WRs end up in the short middle of field. I thought it was designed because it puts a middle defender in a horizontal stretch. What Goodwin did with his slant, and Mullens with the look off, helped get the ball to Kittle. I wonder what Goodwin was supposed to do.

I don't discount the possibility that even though Mullens 'filled in' the rest of the play call, he might've actually gotten it right. He should know the plays Shanny installed for that week's opponent.