Sam Bradford started for the Vikings after just two weeks of being in Minnesota. Bradford looked comfortable running the offense and made huge throws all night. Bradford exemplified ideal arm strength, accuracy and toughness all evening long and we go ahead and analyze one of his best throws from the evening.
Adam Gase uses creative Red Zone Design to score through the air. We take a frame by frame look at how it was formulated.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
The ball is on its way as the entire Ram defense takes a back seat view of the action.
Ryan drops the ball into the bucket with perfect placement and trajectory to a streaking Gabriel.
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.
Reece shows why he is one of the best route runners at the RB position.
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Sam Bradford is doing all he can to make plays through the air for Minnesota. A recurring theme is the lack of help provided to him by his offensive teammates. Thursday against Dallas was no different.
Author- Bryan Trulen
Mike Mularkey may be one of the more underrated offensive designers and play callers in the league. Mularkey has a history of success in developing quarterbacks and utilizing his Tight Ends in a highly creative fashion. Lets take a look a look at the Titans 2nd play of the game against the Jaguars as we go inside the design. (All screen shots courtesy of NFL Game Pass)
Tennessee comes out in TE dominated version of “Base” personnel. Their X Receiver is in a Tight Split and the strong side of the formation is condensed “trips” which forces the Jaguars to play an 8 man box with a single high safety.
With the Jaguars only rushing four this is an ideal situation for a drop back pass. Mariota turns and sells play action to Demarco Murray, which does just enough to influence the Jaguar linebacking corps to at least think about a run possibility. 
Mariota quickly gets his head around after selling play action as the Jaguars remain true to their pre snap coverage look playing cover 3 zone. 
As the play develops the Tennessee receiving threats are really pushing vertical down the field in a hurry. This is made possible by the tight alignment which allows the receivers to press the cushion of the defensive backs in true straight line fashion. Mariota has ample time to survey and with Demarco Murray releasing into the flat puts extra stress on the SS who is forced to cover him. 
We can now clearly see the Mularkey play design coming to fruition as Mariota releases the ball into a defined window that was created by stretching the defense both horizontally and vertically. The (X) WR runs a deep 30 yard corner route which essentially opens the window for the “Over” route ran by Delanie Walker underneath at 20 yards. Demarco Murray is the last piece of the puzzle as he continues on his route trajectory to the sideline at 5 yards maximizing even further the window for Mariota to throw the football into.
The pass is complete to Walker for a chunk play on 2nd and long and proved to be the first of many explosive plays in the passing game for Tennessee, many of which came out of “Base” personnel packages.
Author- Bryan Trulen
New York Giants Quarterback Eli Manning has an intuitive feel for timing and touch within the passing game. We take a look at a momentum changing connection with OBJ from the Ravens game. (All Video Frame Content Owned by NFL Game Pass)
New York comes out in 11 personnel deploying 1 RB and 1 TE with Odell Beckham Jr (X WR) stationed at the top of the screen. OBJ uses a tight split alignment which will allow him to use all 53 yards of the field to his favor later on in the play. We are able to clearly see that Baltimore has devoted themselves to playing OBJ in pure man coverage with their Weak Safety ten yards deep from the LOS. Upon Receiving the snap, Eli Manning immediately starts to deceive the Baltimore defense by positioning his body and eyes to his left. 
As Manning reaches the top of his drop we can see that he has now effectively manipulated (WS) Eric Weddle. Weddle is now running down hill and looks convinced that Manning will be throwing the ball to the strong side of the formation. In reality though Eli being the nuanced veteran QB that he is, already knows he is throwing to Beckham and is simply baiting Weddle to open up space down the right side of the field as Beckham is in the midst of running a double move pattern.
Eli has now successfully fooled Weddle and is now in the process of pump faking a 6 yard stop route to Beckham (Top of Screen). Notice how the Baltimore pass rush is non existent due to only rushing four on 1st down.
The six yard stop route the Ravens defense thought Beckham was initially running proved to be an illusion-which has now turned into a full blown stop and go route against man to man coverage. Manning continues to position himself comfortably within a clean pocket as he plants his back foot in anticipation of throwing a deep ball to Beckham. 
Beckham clearly has a step on the cornerback which in pro football means you are open. At this point the ball is already out of Manning’s hand. Crowd anticipation and excitement comes to climax within seconds as everyone in the stadium holds their collective breath awaiting the result of the pass. 
The ball is perfectly placed into the hands of a streaking Beckham and the play results in a game changing Touchdown for New York. Beckham was able to showcase his route creativity, speed, and change of direction on this play which put him in prime position to make a big play.
Chicago was able to spring a long run with stellar execution within their offensive line group vs Indianapolis.
Bruce Arians is considered the best Deep Passing Concept Play Designer in the league. Here we go to the 2015 Film Vault with a Classic BA concept. Arians uses 11 Personel but Keeps the TE staying in to block for Palmer and runs a deep out post concept with an extra wrinkle. John Brown, Starts as if he is running a Deep Over or Deep Crosser but bends the route back to the outside, losing the defender. This double move concept is only made possible with Play Action and Palmer avoiding pressure. At this level of Football, it is paramount for WR’s to make their route look like something else and deceive the Secondary.
Creator- Bryan Trulen
At QB Film Room, we are introducing a new series for our viewers called Isolation. The objective of this undertaking is to scour the tape and “isolate” one play that we best feel exemplify a strength or a weakness of a specific player.
Today we Discuss The duo of Andy Dalton to AJ Green. This throw encapsulates the essence of their on the field chemistry for another and is achieved by and large through elite play design.
Bryan Trulen of QB Film Room analyzes a red zone scoring play for Matt Ryan and Atlanta.
Creator – Bryan Trulen
At QB Film Room, we are introducing a new series for our viewers called Isolation. The objective of this undertaking is to scour the tape and “isolate” one play that we best feel exemplify a strength or a weakness of a specific player.
Today we Discuss Ryan Tannehill.
Creator – Bryan Trulen
At QB Film Room, we are introducing a new series for our viewers called Isolation. The objective of this undertaking is to scour the tape and “isolate” one play that we best feel exemplify a strength or a weakness of a specific player.
Today we Discuss Blaine Gabbert.
Offensive Coordinator Norv Turner is an absolute wizard when it comes to utilizing and taking advantage of the tight end position within the play action passing game. Unpredictability and using players as movable chess pieces on a board that is the football field can create throwing windows that were previously nonexistent. The crude stages of whiteboard introductory design to repping the play all week in practice to calling the play at the right time on game day is considered a culmination of sorts in terms of all of the aforementioned stages coming to fruition in a matter of seconds. We take a look at a prime example of creativity in the play action pass game.
The Vikings come out in 12 Personnel with three pass eligible targets on the left side of the formation. The CB at the top of the screen does not have a WR in his zone which sets the stage for deception. 
Post Snap, Bridgewater extends the ball to sell the run fake which clearly impact the 2nd level of the defense. The Cardinals stay in their Single High safety look with the CB at the top of the screen fixated on the run action due to not having a receiving threat on his side of the field.
As Bridgewater Sets in the pocket the picture is taking shape down the field. To the Cardinals, this looks like a classic vertical stretch concept at this juncture of the play with the TE (MyCole Pruit) getting ready to bend his route to his right, but wait just a second…
As Bridgewater continues to buy time at the top of his drop the TE (Pruit) plants his right foot in the ground and re-directs the trajectory of his pattern, essentially running a double move out break route to further confuse the Arizona secondary. His (TE) objective now becomes to run across the field to the left while gaining depth. 
The ball is released by Bridgewater blending anticipation and touch to ensure completion. As we can clearly see there is a vast area of green grass created to drop the ball into due to crafty and creative play design by Norv Turner. 
Watch the play in its entirety below.
Author- Bryan Trulen
Bronco QB Trevor Siemian has enjoyed some early success for Denver. Through two games he has displayed traits such as ball placement, timing and an overall sense of calm being the triggerman for Kubiak offensive system in the mile high city.
In his first career start against Carolina, Siemian consistently found the open man but was also managed very well by Gary Kubiak. Below is an illustration of one of Siemian’s many pin point throws on the evening.
Denver comes out in 20 personnel with Siemian under center on 1st Down. Carolina is showing their hand defensively by playing man to man with their cornerbacks with two safeties deep in coverage. 
Denver begins the play with a hard play fake to the RB and brings the Fullback through the middle to further sell the run. The two WR’s to Siemian’s left begin their routes down the field. Carolina is blitzing their CB at the top of screen as well. 
Siemian is able to set up comfortably in the pocket off of play action with the blitzing Carolina CB slowed down due to the run fake. On the bottom of the screen, Denver has a classic curl flat combination against what has now turned into Cover 3 Zone. 
Siemian throws the curl route into a clearly defined window for a completion. The combination of excellent route depth by Denver’s WR’s exectuing the curl flat concept to perfection aided by Carolina rotating post snap into Cover 3 Zone due to a blitzing CB made this play work. 
Sam Bradford connects with Kyle Rudolph for a touchdown in the Red Zone. We give you All 22 Coaches Tape Analysis.
During Saturday Evening’s contest between KC and Houston, there was a defining play that essentially turned the momentum over to KC for good. This particular chunk play in the passing game produced a big gain for the Chiefs and propelled them to a defining scoring drive early in the contest.
(All Content is owned by the NFL and is being used ONLY for educational and commentary purposes)
As we can see, the Chiefs come out in heavy (12) Personnel and stack their two receivers. The Texans combat the formation with a classic single high safety look.
The Chiefs deploy Play-Action and release their WR’s on vertical routes. Travis Kelce (Attached to LOS) takes an outside release initially as the Play Action muddies the reaction speed of the Houston LB’s.
As the play develops, Smith comes off Play-Action into a clean pocket, the WR’s seperate themselves horizontally as they take off down the field. TE Travis Kelce uses elite level route running ability and presses the cushion of the CB attempting to cover him. Kelce also uses eye, head and leverage manipulation in terms of deceiving the CB .
Smith Takes an extra beat in the pocket to survey the field/manipulate the secondary with his eyes/shoulders. While this is happening, the WR’s continue to press vertically while Kelce creates ample separation to get open on the deep crossing route.
Finally, the ball is released comfortably by Smith into a decent sized window that was beautifully crafted due to great play design, route releases and Kelce using great burst and deception while getting across the field. The end result was a momentum changing play for KC as they put the proverbial nail in the Texans coffin relatively early in this Wild-Card affair.
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