Breaking down the Pats vs. the Colts' Tampa 2 on the chalkboard and video. Matt Bowen
Throughout May and heading into training camp, the NFP’s Matt Bowen will take you inside the playbooks of the NFL -- basic defenses, the running game, red-zone passing, fire zones, etc. -- to give you a better understanding of what your favorite teams are doing on Sundays.
Click here for the previous edition of “Inside the Playbook.”
Today: Brady and Moss defeat the Tampa 2
We started out this playbook series breaking down the Tampa 2 coverage. A 2-deep, 5-under zone coverage that turns into a 3-deep, 4-under look with the Mike Backer running the middle of the field. Earlier this week, we talked about two specific routes — the 7/Flat and “999” — that are specifically designed to take advantage of this coverage.
Today, let’s look at another route, one that was put on display by the New England Patriots during the ’09 season when they traveled to Indy to take on the Colts — a club that still plays plenty of Tampa 2. First, we’ll break it down on the chalkboard and then move over to the video replay to see how Tom Brady was able to use play action to get the ball down the field to WR Randy Moss.
The Pats are in an Ace personnel look (2 WR, 1 RB, 2 TE) with an extra lineman in for the on-the-line, or “Y” tight end in a “U” wing set. A classic one-back New England personnel package they use in their power running attack. As I’ve written before, the Patriots are a team that likes to use multiple personnel sets throughout the course of a game — often switching between series. The Colts are in your basic 4-3 front and playing Tampa 2 in the back end.
The route we want to examine today is called the “Speedo” or the “Cross-Country Dagger.” It’s a max-protect (8-man protection) with only two receivers going out in the route — Randy Moss and Wes Welker. The “X” receiver (Welker) stems hard inside to gain depth and then carries his route across the field to the opposite numbers — looking for the hole that will be vacated by the SS in the zone. The “Z” receiver (Moss) uses short motion and then runs a basic “9” or Go route straight down the numbers — looking to draw the one-on-one matchup with the safety.
Let’s check out the route on the chalkboard…
The key here is the play action. Like we talked about above, the Pats are in a running set, pull the open side (weak side) guard, and running back Laurence Maroney goes through his normal footwork as if he’s getting the ball. QB Tom Brady completed the fake, and because of the max protection scheme, has plenty of time to throw the ball down the field.
However, why does this turn into an explosive play for the TD against a defense that’s designed to force the QB to throw underneath?
Before we get to the video, let’s talk about Colts’ SS Antoine Bethea. Safeties in this defense are taught to read run/pass by looking at the No. 1 receiver (Moss). He will tell you everything just by his release. But as we’ll see in the replay, Bethea has his eyes in the backfield and takes a step toward the line of scrimmage due to the play action. And if you look in the backfield with Randy Moss aligned on the outside — forget about it.
Let’s check out the video replay and see Speedo route in action…
Some teaching points from the tape…
Pre-snap movement
There’s a simple reason the Pats put Moss into short motion before the snap — to avoid the jam. As we talked about when we broke down the Tampa 2, the corner is taught to jam and re-route the No. 1 WR. But when the wideout goes in motion toward the ball, he cannot chase and get outflanked to the flat. What this does is allow Moss to get a free release off of the line of scrimmage — and gain top speed down the field. A nasty thought for any DB in the NFL.
Safety footwork
No safety in the NFL is going to make a tackle for a loss when he’s aligned in a Cover 2 look. They’re secondary run defenders in this defense, and all it takes at this level is to watch a safety take one false step toward the line of scrimmage — because he’s already beat. Instead, Bethea should have shuffled, read the release of Moss and turned his hips sooner, which would have allowed him to play Moss on his hip — instead of chasing from behind down the field. Then he could have found the ball in the air.
Field Position/Down and Distance
As a defensive player, you have to know where you are on the field and what the sticks say. First and 10 with the ball near or between the 40-yard lines equals one thing — the deep ball. As a Cover 2 defender, expect to see the vertical game and react to the run. This is when the offense will waste a down and try to take a shot down the field. Field position, plus down and distance, is the first thing you should know when you break the huddle.
It has happened to plenty of safeties — including myself. First and 10 between the 40s, ‘Skins-Giants, Kurt Warner to Tim Carter. And I was the fish.
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This is great analysis! Keep up the excellent work Matt! I have always craved this kind of a series, really deepens the game for someone who hasn't played it.
"And I was the fish." Your sense of humor and humbleness are right up there with your passion and knowledge. That's good.
Loved the previous scheme breakdowns in this series, but got to admit that adding the video is the icing on the cake. Great visual for us readers who pretend to know something about football and actually don't.
Moss is a straight beast.
Great work here Matt, I'm loving these inside the playbook features. Great analysis as ever on the NFP!
Looking forward to reading your analysis of the Steelers blitz packages.
Great series you have going here Matt. Paul is correct, the additon of the video makes it perfect.
It seems that there is a play designed to beat a certain defense and a defense designed to beat a certain play. At that point it just comes down to execution and as you see here, Moss makes the great play.
This is fantastic, keep it coming.
Great analysis. Would hate to be Bethea in t is situation. Even if he does read Moss going up the field, does he even stand a chance?
I'm gonna hop on the "great analysis bandwagon" also I love you you admit to having made the same mistake, more critics do the same and admit that they're not perfect. Keep it up, and I'll keep reading 'em!
I have a question. If Bethea is supposed to be over the top on Moss, isn't his primary responsibility to never let Moss get behind him? Why would the safety even bother to react AT ALL to play action? Forgive my ignorance, but does a coach ever say to any player, but especially someone potentially on an island like a safety, you have ONE thing to think about - Randy Moss? I would rather have Moroney bust one for 15 yards than give up a one play TD. Or did Bethea just really blow it?
Great series and written in a way that all football fans can understand. Thanks.
packerpadre look at the downs,it was first down and the patriots are in a run set formation.why wouldn't the safety look in the back field and bit on the play when it 1st down. like matt said
"As a defensive player, you have to know where you are on the field and what the sticks say. First and 10 with the ball near or between the 40-yard lines equals one thing — the deep ball. As a Cover 2 defender, expect to see the vertical game and react to the run. This is when the offense will waste a down and try to take a shot down the field. Field position, plus down and distance, is the first thing you should know when you break the huddle"
bethea blow it.
The NFL passing game is becoming one of a myriad of multi-dimensional attacks - what Bowen keyed on early in the analysis that was soon just another detail, which quite frankly is most interesting to this reader is Welker's role - previously in the 80's & 90's the defenders read & react schemes were built upon the deep sideline protection and the below/flat level of protection - while certain teams flooded zones back then, and the west coast offense that Walsh employed took the passing game to the middle of the field with wideouts - this play is designed really as a hook & sinker - ideally even if the SS takes the flash route as correctly assumed by the DC - then the defensive unit must be in a read position to react to Welkers attacking where the SS is not - with a two option receiver route to cause the defense to be able to correctly diagnose this on the move is really the crucial element to the play - the TD is really the result of the safeties false steps toward the run which is of course counter to how the DC would've asked with down & distance this to be played...that being said a nice breakdown of a play resulting in a TD; however, would love to see the same play on video w/the safety over & protecting against the flash route - and Welker with a MLB and FS out of position trying to chase him to the hole - good luck w/that!!!
Bad to get burnt reading run from someone who really doesn't command the ground game. Credit Moss getting off the line to shake the corner on motion. Bethea was reading a run key for blocking down the edge of a defense, something Moss does not get enough credit for doing. They were supposed to rotate to three cover off motion to the formation from boundary?
The corner must check that man and not let him off the ball easy, the whole cover crew is to blame, not just the aggressive safety.
Don't know why #50 was faking a blitz with nobody rotating behind him he might have got to the hook window well enough to at least reroute Moss a step. Never let people run free through zones, stack on their route and force them to move laterally. Was that their way of cheating a check against a run front? Does not help if team mates let their assignment slide by as well.
BTW, irononically IMO the best defenders of this play were Rodney Harrison & Ty Law - two DB's with great instincts who often would not stick their man coverage and flatten out between zones causing the QB's choice receiver that looked open to be within reach of either of these players range - with the result then being, to knock the ball away, get an INT or flatten a receiver...they really played this type of offense well together and were fun to watch in the backfield vs other teams safeties or DB's that lacked the skill, confidence, instinct & guile to play "chicken" with the NFL QB's...
packerpadre asks: "I have a question. If Bethea is supposed to be over the top on Moss, isn't his primary responsibility to never let Moss get behind him? Why would the safety even bother to react AT ALL to play action? "
Bowen is the expert on this, particularly from an NFL players perspective - this semi-skilled, all instinct, guile w/o ANY speed former SS or "monsterback" for all you really old timers can explain it in two words - HUMAN INSTINCT - when you think you know something you react, so regardless of the down & distance and the intellect telling Bethea one thing, when he saw the formation, when he saw the run block set w/the RB taking a downhill glance and potentially being handed the pill then all that intellect stuff left the field for a moment and caused a wrong step forward in a lean...no recovery option big enough after that from Bethea against Moss - course again for you old timers, the Donkeys Louis Wright, couldn't catch a ball to save his life, but my gosh could he recover and had size - in his prime course as CB not SS would be interesting to see this setup & if Louis would make one of his "karate chop" knockdowns...
Another brilliant article! Im interested to know whether this would have been a read-the-defense, audible, execute sort of thing or something that was game-planned for a 40 to go -1st and 10 situation? I would expect a bit of both but certainly something that Brady was keeping an eye out for
Including a game vid with the blackboard is the most informative thing I have seen on any football blog. Thanks and do it again.
Dear Matt,
Thanks for all of your insights. For NE to be successful against the NY Jets defense, what would be the best offensive game plan to optimize success?? Thanks again.
Sincerely,
RonK
1. Great analysis, Matt. I love these!
2. This play was all about Bethea's brainfart. He was plain not thinking. I'm surprised the play was so close
Well spotted on Bethea being caught looking into the backfield.
That split second cost him the play - he was still right there, but he wasn't over the top and he wasn't going to beat Moss in a jump-ball situation without help.
And the motion did spring Moss free from the jam that would come from the corner in a typical Tampa 2, allowing Moss to really get going downfield.
Little late to the party, but....
Moss runs this type of route from short motion a lot. I actually think he runs a lot of option routes out of this look. Belichick calls him the smartest WR he's ever coached, and this route is one of the reasons.
Randy will read the safety and either take it striaght downfield, or he'll turn it into a Dig route on the fly if there is a hole in the middle of the field.
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May 27, 2010
07:47 AM
Great analysis Matt. Sounds like you have a leg up on Collinsworth when it comes to examining the entire play. I thought it was just a straight streak route.
Would have been nice to get that win.... thanks for nothing Belichick.