Week 8’s Arizona Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Eagles exciting ending featured a long Cardinals TD putting them in the lead late in the 4th Quarter, 24-20. The Eagles drove down the field and with :01 seconds remaining in the game, Philadelphia needed a Touchdown from the Cardinals 16 yard line. Chip Kelly designed a beautiful play to pull out the victory, but the Cardinals Rashad Johnson pushed out Jordan Matthews before he could get 2 feet down, ending the game. Let’s analyze the play further: the Eagles line up in Trips to the left with Jeremy Maclin as the sole Wide Receiver to the right. As seen below, the Eagles are running a Deep “Scissor” around the goal line with Riley Cooper and Jordan Matthews, hoping to create separation. Riley Cooper essentially runs a Post Route, with Jordan Matthews coming underneath with a Corner route. Tight End Zach Ertz originally runs to the flat, but then carries up the sideline:
The Cardinals had blitzed all game, and were ultra-aggressive on the final play of the game. Arizona played Cover 0, straight man to man with no help, and blitzed 7 defenders:
The Cardinals get immediate pressure with their 7-man blitz, but Eagles QB Nick Foles back pedals quickly enough to let the routes develop:
Chip Kelly designed the perfect play against a Cover 0 defense in this situation: the Deep Crosses cause a lot of traffic for the Cardinals DB’s. Meanwhile, Zach Ertz turns up the field from the flat toward the End Zone:
The Deep Crosses work to perfection: so much traffic is created that Eagles and Cardinals players run into each other in the End Zone, one Cardinals defender is knocked down, and the other cannot stay with his man. Jordan Matthews is able to break free and seems to be wide open for an Eagles TD to win the game. Here is where the Eagles run into a problem, and the awareness of Arizona DB Rashad Johnson is critical. Philly TE Zach Ertz carrying up the field toward the end zone actually hurts the Eagles, because a man to man also brings an Arizona defender. If Zach Ertz stayed in the flat, Jordan Matthews may have been wide open for a TD.
Even so, Rashad Johnson has the awareness to not just stay on his man, but realize the ball is in the air, to locate the ball, to peel off his man, swivel his hips and hit the Eagles WR (Jordan Matthews) before he is able to make the catch with 2 feet in bounds. Below is the video in slow motion, and then standard speed, showing how the Deep Crosses work and how Rashad Johnson peels off and makes the play:
The Eagles were incredibly close to pulling a last play miracle. Chip Kelly called a near perfect play in anticipation of Arizona’s all out blitz and Cover 0. However, even though the Eagles got the cross and route traffic they wanted, Zach Ertz continuing up the field along with Rashad Johnson’s awareness sealed the win for Arizona. Ertz probably should have continued up the field against zone coverage, but in a pure man to man (Cover 0) scenario, he may have been better off staying in the flat and letting the play develop down the field. (Cowboys must be aware of the Cover 0 blitz after last week’s troubles)