Matt Bowen's Week 15 NFL Film Study
Every week, former NFL defensive back Matt Bowen brings you his film study: a breakdown of the league from multiple angles.
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Here are 10 thoughts from a scheme and matchup perspective as we look ahead to the NFL's Week 15 schedule.
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1. Johnny Manziel Makes His First Pro Start
With Manziel making his first NFL start Sunday versus the Bengals, what should we look for out of Kyle Shanahan's offensive game plan?
Based on the limited reps the rookie got back in Week 13 versus the Bills, we know the boot game is going to be at the top of the call sheet, play action (with inside-breaking routes) and two-level reads that give Manziel a clear progression within the scheme.
Here's an example with Manziel throwing the deep "dig" route (square-in) to Josh Gordon off play action versus Cover 4.
The run action forces the linebackers to flow to the play side. That opens up a throwing window for Manziel to target Gordon in front of the safety playing a "quarters" technique.
This is a quick read for the rookie on an inside-breaking route. And while the ball placement needs to improve (ball on the back shoulder here), the scheme creates an opportunity.
I would expect Marvin Lewis' team to show more disguise and roll safeties at the snap to cloud the coverages for Manziel. That's standard stuff versus a young, inexperienced quarterback making his first start. Challenge him.
No one can predict how Manziel will play this Sunday. However, given Brian Hoyer's struggles, this was an easy move to make. Hand the ball to the rookie, let him manage the game plan and lean on his playmaking talent to move the football.
This Browns team needs to score points on offense. And that starts with production at the quarterback position.
2. Eagles "Read Schemes" vs. Cowboys
Looking back at the tape from the Philadelphia Eagles' win over the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving, can Rod Marinelli's defense make the proper adjustments and play with better technique to limit LeSean McCoy in the Eagles' "read" schemes?
Check out the "read sweep" (buck sweep) with quarterback Mark Sanchez using a "mid-line read" (read interior defensive tackle) off the mesh point.
With the defensive tackle hesitating through the mesh point, Sanchez hands the ball to McCoy as the Eagles pull both the play-side guard and the center. That allows the Eagles to account for the linebacker flowing to the football with the tight end hooking the safety walked down in coverage.
Given that the Eagles' "read" schemes (read sweep, zone read, packaged plays) are the lead calls in the game plan, the Cowboys know what to play for. It's all on tape. And they should be more prepared after McCoy ran for 159 yards back in Week 13.
3. Colin Kaepernick vs. Seahawks' Cover 3 Shell
The San Francisco 49ers have multiple issues on offense right now, but that doesn't mean there won't be opportunities for Kaepernick to target the Seattle Seahawks' Cover 3 shell when he has open windows to work with.
Here's a shot from the 49ers' Week 13 loss at home to the Seahawks with two verticals pressing up the field versus three-deep coverage.
Kaepernick locks on to his outside read, but with the cornerback stacking on top of the 9-route, this is going to be a contested throw at the point of attack. However, if we check out the inside-seam route, there is a throwing window with the curl-flat defender sinking outside and the linebacker dropping to the middle hook.
Yes, free safety Earl Thomas can close on the ball, but given Kaepernick's arm strength, he can make this throw with the cornerback removed outside in Cover 3. Find the open window and go make a play.
This Seahawks defense is playing outstanding football at this point of the season. Speed, technique and discipline on the tape. But when they do give Kaepernick an opportunity to move the ball, he has to cash in.
4. A Blueprint to Defending Rob Gronkowski?
I don't believe there is a legit scheme, coverage, technique, etc. that can truly shut down Gronkowski given his skill set and size, but I do like what I saw on the tape from the San Diego Chargers this past Sunday night in specific game situations.
Instead of rolling a safety down in a one-on-one matchup, the Chargers used a linebacker underneath to jam Gronkowski with the safety over the top.
As you can see, the linebacker is in a press-alignment. This allows the Chargers to re-route Gronkowski with the linebacker essentially in a trail position and the safety over the top to drive downhill on any intermediate cut.
The Miami Dolphins can learn from this tape and use a similar technique Sunday. One-on-one versus Gronkowski? Forget about it. Make someone else on the New England Patriots beat you.
5. Steelers' "Counter OF" Scheme
If the Falcons want to slow down Le'Veon Bell (three straight games of 200-plus total yards), it starts with defending the "Counter OF" scheme.
This is the top power scheme in Todd Haley's playbook with the Pittsburgh Steelers blocking down on the edge while pulling both the backside guard (kick out) and H-back (work up through the hole) to create a running lane.
I wrote about Bell on Wednesday because I see the running back as the key to the Steelers making a playoff push over the final three weeks of the season given his patience with the ball, his quick footwork and his acceleration to get through the hole. And his change-of-direction ability is sweet in the open field.
The Atlanta Falcons are giving up almost 123 yards rushing a game (21st in the league). Look for Bell to put some numbers in the box score this Sunday. I like this matchup for Pittsburgh.
6. Pre-Snap Alerts vs. Packers, Jordy Nelson
NFL offenses can read like an open book if you know what to look for based on personnel, formation, alignment and field position. Everything tells you a story from a defensive perspective.
Take the Green Bay Packers on Monday night when Aaron Rodgers threw a ridiculous pass to Nelson for a 60-yard score on the "sting" route (stem to corner, break back to post).
What stands out? The reduced split from Nelson (tight to the core of the formation). He is there for a reason—to get a free release off the ball versus Cover 2 (cornerback has to maintain width, won't chase inside). Plus, with the ball on (or near) the 40-yard line, there should be an automatic alert to the deep shot (40-to-40 is the "shot zone").
This allowed the Packers to create a one-on-one for Nelson versus the deep-half safety after the receiver worked up the field on a straight, vertical release with max protection for Rodgers off the play fake.
Defensive players have to use their pre-snap keys to identify specific concepts based on these alerts. The Packers have shown this exact route before. It's on the tape. But the defense still has to carry that film work over to the field on game day.
7. Mark Ingram, Saints vs. Bears' Defensive Front
After watching the Cowboys run all over the Bears, why wouldn't the Saints lean on Ingram in the zone-based schemes versus a front seven in Chicago that needs to be upgraded?
There will be opportunities for Drew Brees to work the middle of the field with Jimmy Graham when the Bears sit back in Cover 2, but the tape tells me Ingram can find running room against this defense.
Here's DeMarco Murray on an inside zone scheme with the Bears in their standard 4-3 "Over" front.
The nose gets washed down, the "Sam" linebacker hesitates in an open gap he can shoot and the free safety plays 20 yards deep with a slow run-pass key. That allows Murray to hit the hole and create an angle to produce an explosive gain.
The Saints need this one. And they should get it versus a Bears team that has underachieved all season. Run the ball and take control of the game in the second half.
8. Poor Punt Protection…Where Is the Technique?
The past two weeks have produced some really suspect technique in punt protection across the league from assignment busts to soft edges that have allowed rushers to get home.
Check out Brandon Bolden rushing versus Donald Brown in the Patriots-Chargers matchup.
This is lazy technique from Brown, as he doesn't gain enough depth in his drop (kick back like an offensive tackle) and fails to stay square at that point of attack. Because of that, Brown opens his hips and can't generate enough power on the punch to wash Bolden up the field.
That's college stuff with the Patriots running a return scheme. This resulted in free field position for New England, and it also knocked the punter out of the game.
Keep an eye on the protection aspect of the punting game this weekend and focus on the wing position. The up and under can create some stress on the edge, but no one should get beat by a speed rush when he is aligned off the ball at the wing.
9. Chargers' Secondary Run Support vs. Broncos
The Denver Broncos aren't messing around with the run game, as they continued to pound the ball on offense in Week 14 versus the Buffalo Bills with C.J. Anderson and Juwan Thompson.
Bring an extra offensive lineman in the game, win up front and create running lanes off the zone schemes. That’s the plan right now.
If you are looking for something to focus on in the Sunday matchup with the Chargers, keep an eye on the run support from San Diego safeties Eric Weddle and Marcus Gilchrist when they fill downhill.
This is an example of how important that secondary support is with Thompson producing an explosive run versus the Bills.
This is a really poor angle from Bills safety Aaron Williams as he fails to target Thompson's inside shoulder. This allows the running back to make one cut and expose the angle in the open field.
Slow down, play under control and get the ball-carrier on the ground. It doesn't have to look pretty. That's the job of the safety in this situation.
Big week for Weddle and Gilchrist. They have to tackle.
10. Tavon Austin, Rams' Special Teams
The St. Louis Rams are playing good defense under Gregg Williams, and that front four is getting home. But don't forget about Austin and the St. Louis return units when you sit down to watch the Thursday night matchup versus the Arizona Cardinals.
Field position is obviously the first thing we talk about on special teams, but we have to include points when looking at Austin's ability to the get ball to the end zone.
In last week's win over the Washington Redskins, Austin took a punt back for six when the coverage unit failed to keep contain on a counter return.
Anytime you play against an electric returner, you want to maintain lane discipline and force him to work laterally once he fields the punt. However, if you fail to close the edge (or identify a trap block), that ball is getting to the sideline and then up the field.
The Cardinals defense matches up well against Shaun Hill and the Rams offense, but if Bruce Arians' team gives up a play on teams, look out. There is some fast turf for Austin to work with inside the dome.
10 Quick Takeaways from the Week 14 Film
1. You want to see legit deep-ball speed? Go check out Martavis Bryant's 94-yard touchdown versus Bengals cornerback Leon Hall. With the cornerback playing off-man, Bryant ran a straight "go" route down the field. And Hall couldn't recover once the rookie wideout forced him to open and run.
2. Julio Jones went to work on the Packers secondary Monday night (11 receptions, 259 yards). However, it was the inside option routes on third downs that stand out from my perspective. The Packers didn't have an answer here versus Jones' size or strength. Too easy for the Falcons wide receiver to create leverage and win at the break.
3. Colt McCoy's first interception versus the Rams was a classic example of accuracy/ball placement on the inside-seam route. With the Rams showing a single-high safety look, McCoy sailed this ball in the middle of the field. That's an automatic interception when the safety breaks on the throw.
4. The Minnesota Vikings beat the New York Jets in overtime on a basic "tunnel screen" to Jarius Wright. However, with the Jets showing a Cover 0 look, all it takes is one missed tackle and this play is out the gate for 80-plus yards.
5. Boom Herron's two-yard run on fourth down might have been the best effort I saw in Week 14. On a Power O scheme (fullback kick-out, backside-guard pull), the Cleveland Browns penetrated the line of scrimmage and essentially knocked off the "puller."
That forced Herron to bubble and use the spin move to pick up the chains on the game-winning drive. Would Trent Richardson have converted that run? Something to think about. Check it out below…
6. Peyton Manning left a touchdown on the field when Bills cornerback Corey Graham intercepted the deep post to Emmanuel Sanders. With no help over the top (and Sanders creating inside leverage), Manning had a free one. However, the ball was poorly underthrown and hung in the air.
7. There should be some concern in Chicago with the development of "Mike" linebacker Jon Bostic. The second-year pro has the skill set and speed to be a playmaker, but his footwork and reads are still an issue. The Bears need to get better at all three linebacker spots this offseason.
8. On Derek Carr's touchdown pass to Mychal Rivera, did the Oakland Raiders catch the 49ers secondary in a "banjo" technique (in and out coverage)? I can't figure out why the cornerback is sitting outside with a safety playing the vertical release from No. 2. Nice call from the Raiders on the slant/middle screen in the red zone.
9. As much as we talk about the talent on the Cowboys' offensive line, are we forgetting about the Ravens front? Baltimore pushed around a good Miami defensive line as John Harbaugh's team rushed for 183 yards in the win.
10. Looking at Matthew Stafford's touchdown pass to Joseph Fauria, the Bucs were playing Cover 2. However, with the Mike 'backer showing a disguise, he failed to get enough depth versus the seam route. That had to drive Lovie Smith nuts. Can't get beat on the core coverage in the playbook.
Seven-year NFL veteran Matt Bowen is an NFL National Lead Writer for Bleacher Report.
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