Inside the Design, Matt Ryan to Taylor Gabriel (2016)

Author – Bryan Trulen

Atlanta put the proverbial “beat down” on the LA Rams as they traveled out west and made the Coliseum their own from the opening kick-off. Matt Ryan played a lead role once again in leading the high powered Atlanta offensive attack. We go inside the design with analysis on the 64 yard TD pass from Ryan to WR Taylor Gabriel. Gabriel is having a break-out season and has been developing as a legitimate deep threat.

(All visual content courtesy of NFL Game Pass)

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-17-56-pm

Atlanta comes out in 12 personnel on 1st down with “twins” receivers to the field side of the formation.  Outlined in Red is nickel CB Lamarcus Joyner who is a key for Matt Ryan pre snap. Notice how Joyner seems to be in “no mans” land as his eyes are fixated on the ball and he is not committing to coverage.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-18-47-pm

At the snap, Atlanta is now in the opening stage of a Kyle Shannahan configured play action shot play. 1st and 10 puts Atlanta in a favorable protection situation as LA is only rushing four. Outlined in Red we can clearly see how the Ram linebackers are influenced by this run action.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-19-53-pm

As Ryan comes out of the fake Atlanta has three eligible receiving threats running down uninhibited by any secondary pressure. To the naked eye it seems as though the LA secondary is in the process of being “Fooled” by elite offensive play design.  Outlined in Red is TE Austin Hooper matched up against CB Trumaine Johnson.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-20-06-pm

Ryan has a clean pocket to survey from and his eyes are fixated to his right as he manipulates the Ram secondary. Outlined in Red we see Falcon WR Gabriel continuing his vertical stem as his eyes remain disciplined in order to turn the hips of FS Maurice Alexander by way of selling a vertical take-off route.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-20-38-pm

Ryan lets it rip as Gabriel is now running across the field to green grass. Notice how FS Alexander’s body is completely turned and out of position as he now has been fooled by stellar route running on the part of Gabriel.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-20-50-pm

The ball is on its way as the entire Ram defense takes a back seat view of the action.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-21-18-pm

Ryan drops the ball into the bucket with perfect placement and trajectory to a streaking Gabriel.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-21-26-pm

Upon reception, Gabriel has a free path to the end zone as Atlanta puts the finishing touches on a dominant victory in Los Angeles. This play is a perfect example of how using deceptively creative play action shot plays in favorable down and distance situations can lead to explosive plays in the passing game.

Inside the Design, Matt Ryan to Taylor Gabriel.

Author – Bryan Trulen

Atlanta put the proverbial “beat down” on the LA Rams as they traveled out west and made the Coliseum their own from the opening kick-off. Matt Ryan played a lead role once again in leading the high powered Atlanta offensive attack. We go inside the design with analysis on the 64 yard TD pass from Ryan to WR Taylor Gabriel. Gabriel is having a break-out season and has been developing as a legitimate deep threat.

(All visual content courtesy of NFL Game Pass)

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-17-56-pm

Atlanta comes out in 12 personnel on 1st down with “twins” receivers to the field side of the formation.  Outlined in Red is nickel CB Lamarcus Joyner who is a key for Matt Ryan pre snap. Notice how Joyner seems to be in “no mans” land as his eyes are fixated on the ball and he is not committing to coverage.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-18-47-pm

At the snap, Atlanta is now in the opening stage of a Kyle Shannahan configured play action shot play. 1st and 10 puts Atlanta in a favorable protection situation as LA is only rushing four. Outlined in Red we can clearly see how the Ram linebackers are influenced by this run action.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-19-53-pm

As Ryan comes out of the fake Atlanta has three eligible receiving threats running down uninhibited by any secondary pressure. To the naked eye it seems as though the LA secondary is in the process of being “Fooled” by elite offensive play design.  Outlined in Red is TE Austin Hooper matched up against CB Trumaine Johnson.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-20-06-pm

Ryan has a clean pocket to survey from and his eyes are fixated to his right as he manipulates the Ram secondary. Outlined in Red we see Falcon WR Gabriel continuing his vertical stem as his eyes remain disciplined in order to turn the hips of FS Maurice Alexander by way of selling a vertical take-off route.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-20-38-pm

Ryan lets it rip as Gabriel is now running across the field to green grass. Notice how FS Alexander’s body is completely turned and out of position as he now has been fooled by stellar route running on the part of Gabriel.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-20-50-pm

The ball is on its way as the entire Ram defense takes a back seat view of the action.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-21-18-pm

Ryan drops the ball into the bucket with perfect placement and trajectory to a streaking Gabriel.

 

screen-shot-2016-12-13-at-10-21-26-pm

Upon reception, Gabriel has a free path to the end zone as Atlanta puts the finishing touches on a dominant victory in Los Angeles. This play is a perfect example of how using deceptively creative play action shot plays in favorable down and distance situations can lead to explosive plays in the passing game.

Isolation Series, Matt Ryan

Matt Ryan has made throwing the football with anticipation and timing a staple of his game since entering the Pro ranks in 2008. Here we we go to the tape and see Ryan do what he does best… Throw the football with ease, anticipation, touch and with placement on a deep out breaking route.

Golden Tate’s Tool Kit.

Author- Bryan Trulen

Many People are blaming the Vikings defense for the “collapse” on sunday against Detroit. While placing blame on the defense is convenient for fans, it is far from the truth. The Vikings defense did not play bad they  just happened to be playing against one of the most highly skilled and nuanced offenses in football as relates to play-calling, perimeter conceptual design, route running, intelligence, toughness and formation multiplicity. For times sake we are going to look at a defining play from the All-22 vantage point – Matthew Stafford to Golden Tate for the win in OT.  (All visual content courtesy NFL Game Pass)

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-15-11-pm

On 3rd and 8, Minnesota comes out in a single high safety look with 7 interior defenders threatening rush. Detroit deploys (11) personnel with their X WR, Golden Tate in a fairly tight alignment while CB Xavier Rhodes is assigned to him at the top of screen

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-32-54-pm

As we can see, the Vikings have allocated 7 defenders threatening to blitz pre snap. Harrison Smith however has  curl to flat responsibility so Stafford knows he is stunting.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-31-47-pm

As the Ball is snapped, Harrison Smith is now retreating back into coverage at SS and CB Xavier Rhodes (Top of Screen) is not playing man to man but is actually retreating into Cover 3 responsibility.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-32-03-pm

Detroit is able to protect Stafford well as evidenced by their textbook looking offensive line deployment. By now, Xavier Rhodes (Top of Screen) has turned his hips and is sprinting down the field giving Golden Tate his inside. Harrison Smith, due to faking blitz pre snap has been forced to turn and run to cover the flat with his back to the ball because he was out of position pre snap.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-43-43-pm

Golden Tate tilts his route angle to threaten the possibility of running across the field with subtle nuances such as shoulder dip, angled release and eye/head deception. As we can see Harrison Smith and even Rhodes are influenced slightly by Tate’s route stem development.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-43-53-pm

More of the same here as Tate continues to deceive the Viking Secondary of Smith and Rhodes as we see again their positioning becoming compromised within the Cover 3 design. Smith has now fully turned his back and is playing catch up and guess against Tate.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-44-13-pm

Harrison Smith again is out of position as Stafford begins his release of the ball. Rhodes has been pushed vertically by Tate and Smith is clearly fooled as well with his wide leg cuts.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-44-40-pm

Rhodes is STILL retreating into deep third protection as Tate begins his out break. Notice how Tate does not press to the sideline during the build up to his break rather though Tate leaves ample room to the sideline for Stafford to lead him to, which will come in handy later.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-44-55-pm

Smith again is out of position as he has been fooled further by Tate. Remember Harry was playing catch up from the get go due to attempting to show blitz only to retreat back into coverage with his back to the ball.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-34-53-pm

As Tate Catches the ball, Smith is still running full speed go as he has been in a dead, out of control sprint since the snap.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-35-05-pm

Tate stops on a dime While Rhodes attempts to put a shoulder to where he thought Tate would end up after the reception.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-47-12-pm

More of the same from the sideline angle.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-47-25-pm

Harrison Smith in full sprint mode attempting to  throw his out of control body into the ever aware and controlled Golden Tate.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-35-43-pm

Tate delivers a punishing and humiliating stiff-arm to Smith on his way for six points.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-47-38-pm

Smith and Rhodes both end up on the ground.

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-7-40-45-pm

No words for this

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-9-38-30-pm

En route to the end zone

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-9-39-41-pm

screen-shot-2016-11-09-at-9-40-41-pm