Monday Film Room: Week 4

In today's edition of Monday Film Room, we will look at three things. First, the Jets had their best offensive game of the season and their offensive line's performance in pass pro was a big reason why. Second, the Browns had another strong performance rushing the football. We'll break down the run blocking of our week four number one ranked offensive line. Finally, the Cardinals vs. Rams were the trenches matchup of the week. The Cardinals are one of the elite pass pro offensive lines in the NFL by the numbers. Meanwhile, the Rams entered week 4 top 10 in sacks, pressures, and blitz %. We'll examine how the Cards o-line held up against the formidable Rams defense. 

The Jets offensive performance vs. the Titans was a surprise because Zach Wilson had been sacked 15 times and pressured 45 times in their first three games. The Jets were 28th in PA% going against a Titans team that was top-10 in pressure generated. This game seemed like it would be a great matchup for the Titans defense, but the Jets played well, and we'll break down how their o-line contributed to the win. 

This first play was an incompletion, but the protection was good. The Titans are going to run a stunt with the left DE and DT as drawn out at the start of the video. Wilson throws the ball about three seconds after the ball is snapped with a clean pocket. The freeze-frame shows the result of Morgan Moses and Greg Van Roten doing a great job of getting it sorted and getting both guys blocked. 

The second play was an interception, but that was only because the WR fell which was highlighted in a replay on the broadcast but is not seen on the video below. However, everything before that was good. The protection was outstanding, especially considering it was a play-action pass. Wilson lets the ball go with nearly four seconds of protection and maybe gets a completion if the WR doesn't fall down. The freeze-frame outlines how there was nobody even close to him. 

In the third play, Wilson completes a pass to Corey Davis for a big gain, and the protection was key. This time, the Titans send a five-man initial blitz with a stunt on the interior with the two players circled at the start of the video. Due to some Jets skill guys staying in to protect there is delayed blitz action, which is highlighted by the freeze-frame. By the time Wilson throws, there are eight Titans past the line of scrimmage coming for Wilson. Though the ball was out before it could matter, the Jets appeared in a great position to handle it if Wilson needed a little more time. 

In play four, Wilson completes a 54-yard bomb to Keelan Cole. Wilson needed a lot of time for this play to develop, and he did a good job of leaving the pocket and extending things on his own. However, he was not forced out due to pressure. The entire Jets o-line did a great job in pass pro on this play, and if a Jet WR opened up earlier, Wilson could have stayed in the pocket and delivered a pass wherever he wanted pressure free. The freeze-frame shows Wilson's pocket right before he began to scramble. 

While the Jets pass-blocking was a lot better as a group in this game, the Jets game plan was also a lot better. There seemed to be a concerted effort to get Wilson easier throws and get the ball out of his hands quickly, which also helped him and the offensive line look better. This next play was one of the biggest plays of the game, a 53-yard TD pass to Davis that gave the Jets a seven-point lead in the 4th. NY runs a PA bootleg play that ends up getting Wilson free outside of the pocket without great pass blocking required by the offensive line. Wilson ends up with seven seconds to pass before throwing the TD. The Jets need to operate with similar game plans moving forward while Wilson is still in the early stages of his development. 

The Browns have struggled in pass pro two weeks in a row, which led to their low scoring about vs. the Vikings. However, they continue to be one of the best run-blocking units in the NFL, as they paved the way for over 180 yards rushing. What is impressive about the Browns is their consistency upfront. There was only one run by the Browns for over 20 yards. The majority of their yardage comes from a potent attack that centers around their execution on the o-line. The first play is a four-yard run. Nothing spectacular, but consistently getting four-yard runs helps move the chains in the NFL. Everyone except J.C. Tretter does a great job on this play. Back-side run blocking is so crucial in the NFL, and that is on display by the efforts of Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin. This is zone blocking at its best. First, Teller gets a great initial blow on the DT and uses his hands to pass him off to Conklin who is on a good track to reach him after the pass-off. If that DT does not get blocked, he could have come down the line to tackle Nick Chubb near the LOS. 

This next play is a counter run to the left with Wyatt Teller leading the way as a puller. He makes a great block on the edge but what really stands out in this play is the playside down-blocking, especially Joel Bitonio. He just gets up to the second level so fast on this play that the LB never has a chance, and he completely walls the backer off. The freeze-frame highlights how Chubb is at the first down marker, and Bitonio has his man completely walled off with no chance to help make a tackle. 

This next play is another zone run to the left, and the results are similar to play one. Everyone except Tretter does a great job, but this time we'll focus on the play side blocks. The play-side tackle's job on an inside zone run is not to do anything special, he just needs to seal his man to help create an alley. But Wirfs does more than that as he kicks his guy out which creates more room for Chubb to work. If you notice, Chubb makes his initial cut-back in the area where the DE should be if he were not getting kicked out. Bitonio makes another great block at the second level to take another LB out of the play, and while Tretter's reach block is not perfect, it's just good enough to create a good cutback lane for Chubb to take advantage of and get positive yardage. The only person that did not do their job was the TE, David Njoku, who is the Browns player laying on the ground in the freeze-frame. The freeze-frame also shows how all five linemen do a good job of getting a hat on a hat. 

I know his name keeps coming up, but Bitonio is the star of another play. This one is a draw that goes for 12 yards. The play design does most of the work as the Vikings defense gets caught playing the pass, and most of their defenders are out of position to stop Chubb from getting a substantial gain. The only defender that could have made a play to stop this run was Eric Kendricks, who is a good player, and Bitonio not only blocks him but drives him about five yards which gives Chubb an opening in which he goes untouched for 10 yards. What makes the Bitonio block so special is that he did it coming from a pass set. That was not an easy block to execute as well as he did. On a normal run play, Bitonio gets to fire out of his stance and has momentum once he gets to the second level to block a LB. In this play, He went backward first, and then after taking two steps forward, one of the better and most athletic LBs in the league is within arm's length, and he has to get hands on him and prevent him from getting to Chubb, which he does successfully. 

The final play from this game is another zone run to the left, yet this time it's outside zone. The only difference is instead of trying to run inside the play-side tackle, outside zone is designed to go outside the play-side tackle. This play cannot work without Wirfs doing a great job. He did a great job, and it worked. He and Bitonio put on a zone blocking clinic in this play as they not only reached their defenders but got them turned inside as well, which helps turn what could have just been a modest gain into a big play. 

The Cardinals vs. Rams game was strength on strength in the trenches, and though the Cardinals won the game easily, the Rams battled up front, and both sides had their share of victories. Ultimately the quick passes, the pace of the Cardinals offense, and affective double-teaming of Donald helped them have success vs. the Rams in their 37-20 victory. 

Speaking of doubling Donald, that's where we'll start. The two plays below feature Donald at DT on each side, once in a one-technique (aligned in A gap shading the C) and once in a three-technique (aligned in B gap shading the G). Both times the Cardinals do a good job of neutralizing him with a double team while also taking care of everyone else one-on-one. 

It's hard to double one player the entire game, and when Donald was not doubled, he took advantage like on this pressure in the play below. He's matched up one-on-one with LG Justin Pugh. We know Donald is quick and has a lethal spin move, but Pugh has poor feet in this play. Pugh's feet come to a complete stop after making contact as Donald makes his move. He could have had a chance to wash Donald down or maybe force him upfield if he kept his feet alive and worked his hands. But, he appeared to just give up after Donald makes the move and ends up seated on the turf as Donald is full speed ahead to the QB. 

In this next play, The Rams have a stunt on the left side with Donald and Leonard Floyd. This is an example of how the Cardinals used scheme and Kyler's quick release to beat the pass rush. From the freeze-frame, it looks like the Cardinals would have been able to block it just fine, but Kyler lets this ball go less than two seconds after receiving the snap, and it's a pinpoint accurate strike for a TD. 

The Cards did better handling the Rams four-man rush than they did with blitz-pickup. The last two plays from this game breakdown Arizona's poor execution in blitz-pickup situations. On both plays, a pass rusher gets to Murray completely untouched. In the first play below, Josh Jones has what appears to be a brain freeze and gets caught in no man's land as Floyd gets to Murray for one of the easiest sacks of the year. Based on the defense's pre-snap alignment some things stand out that show why the sack should have been avoided, or at least not so easy. First, the Rams have a six-man box with no corners threatening to blitz. Second, the Cardinals are keeping the RB in for pass pro on this play. Therefore, if all six Rams box players come, it should be a six-on-six situation. Murray could have also helped this situation by motioning the RB from his left to his right. From C to LT, there are three threats, and from RG to RT, there are three threats. By moving the RB, you create a three-on-three scenario on both sides. Jones Cleary panics because of number 41's bluff and stays inside out of fear that the LG might have to pick up the blitzing LB and he'd have to pick up Donald. He is not a high IQ player because with the RB in, even on the left side, they still have six-on-six, and the RB is in a position to cross Kyler's face if necessary. Also, Rodney Hudson, the C, is working to his right to even up things on that side. This play is all Jones's fault. 

In this next blitz-pickup situation, it's the LB that gets a free path to the QB. If you notice in the pre-snap art, The blitzer is circled multiple times because it is really confusing how a LB lined up with a forward lean toward the LOS at just under two yards off the LOS is not considered a threat to blitz. Alas, he was left alone and forced Murray to throw it away within one second of receiving the snap. From watching the play, the only explanation is that Max Garcia, the RG, anticipated a six-man rush vs. five-man protection. The only problem is, in that situation, offensive lineman should be taught that if you have to let a rusher go free, always protect inside out because the inside rushers have a faster path to the QB. Both of those plays were inexcusable.