Category Archives: Play Design

Connect 4: The NFL’s 4×1 Quads Renaissance

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Four strong passing concepts are nothing new in the NFL–the Chiefs have been using them for several years. But 4×1 (Quads) sets have taken the NFL by storm in 2021, with over half the league using these sets to create defensive displacement and matchup problems. There are several advantages for lining up or motioning to Quads. Four strong concepts force defenses to commit enough players to the overloaded side. Meanwhile, motion to 4×1 sets can create confusion and force defenses to communicate quickly. They also create one on one matchups on the backside. Finally, because most defenses use a lighter box, the offense often has a numbers advantage in the QB run game. Let’s take an X’s & O’s look at how offenses have used Quads:

Below, the Panthers line up in a trips set with their best Wide Receiver, D.J. Moore, on the backside before they motion the back out to 4×1 against a 2-high safety look. QB Sam Darnold reads Linebacker Micah Parsons (#11); if Parsons stays in the box, he’ll throw the swing screen. If Parsons vacates the box, Darnold has a numbers advantage for the QB draw:

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2019 Divisional Round X’s & O’s Review

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The divisional round of the 2019 NFL playoffs featured some creative play design worth taking a look at. In particular, I was impressed by Matt LaFleur and Green Bay. On 3rd and 7 on Green Bay’s first drive of the game, Green Bay lines up with Trips to the field, and Jimmy Graham isolated in a tight (nasty) split to the boundary. Graham is running a go route up the numbers. The inside WR in the trips, Allen Lazard, is running across the field at a shallow depth. At the bottom of the screen, Davante Adams and Geronimo Allison begin running a slant-flat combo. One purpose of slant-flat is to create a rub or pick that is difficult to navigate for man coverage. Here, the Packers run a variation where the WRs fake their slant and flat, Adams breaks deep, and Allison breaks back across the field:

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Chiefs Film Review: 2 back formation with Tyreek Hill

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The Chiefs have been the most dynamic offense in the NFL, in part because of Andy Reid’s creativity and play calling. The Chiefs have scored huge touchdowns in the past two weeks from a formation that is both interesting to study and particularly difficult to defend: From 12 personnel, Kareem Hunt (#27) and Tyreek Hill (#10) in the backfield, tight end Travis Kelce (#87) in a condensed split with wide receiver Sammy Watkins (#14) inside of him, and tight end Demetrius Harris (#84) wide left. In the following examples, Hill is on the right and Hunt to the left.

In week 8, the Chiefs faked an outside toss to Tyreek Hilll with a shovel pass to Hunt underneath. Kelce and Watkins arc blocked to sell the outside pitch, and the line blocked like power with a pulling guard:

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2018 Week 8: X’s & O’s Review

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Week 8 of the 2018 NFL season is in the books, and teams continue to score at a historic rate. I broke down two plays that caught my eye: MVP candidate Todd Gurley’s 30 yard reception TD along with the Texans’ Will Fuller’s 73 yard touchdown.
With 7:39 in the 3rd quarter down 10-8, the Rams line up in 11 personnel on 1st & 10 from the Green Bay 30. From Empty, the Rams have three receivers bunched right and Brandin Cooks and Todd Gurley split left. After Jared Goff appears to make a check at the line, the Rams essentially run a one man route; Todd Gurley is running a drag underneath, with all three bunch receivers breaking in to block off Packers defenders. The Packers are in Cover 1:

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Super Bowl 52 X’s & O’s Review

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Super Bowl 52 was the most prolific offensive game in NFL history with 1,151 total yards and countless records broken. Eagles head coach Doug Pederson and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels were spectacular; both designed creative schemes and were able to repeatedly create favorable matchups for their respective offenses. Let’s take a look at how the offenses were able to score at will:

Eagles

The Eagles used running back motion, the wheel route, and the mesh concept repeatedly to take advantage of the Patriots decision to predominantly play man to man coverage. The Patriots were weak against pass catching running backs all year, particularly wheel routes. In the AFC Championship, Jacksonville missed their opportunity multiple times to hit an open running back against a linebacker or peeling defensive end; but the Eagles cashed in.

2nd Quarter, 1:46, 3rd & 3 on Phi 37 (Phi 15 NE 12)

Late in the first half, the Eagles make a huge play using both the mesh concept and the wheel route. Defensively, the Patriots are in Cover 1:

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2017 Divisional Round Review

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The 2017 NFL Divisional Round ended with one of the craziest finishes in recent memory, and had plenty of X’s & O’s to breakdown. Let’s review a bit from each of the four games this weekend:

Eagles v. Falcons

The play call on Atlanta’s do or die 4th and Goal from Philly’s 2-yard line is understandably what everyone is talking about. After motioning Tight End (#80) Levine Toilolo across the formation, the Falcons ran sprint right with two short outs:

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KC’s Jet Shovel Power Read Combo: Week 2 X’s & O’s Review

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Let’s take a further look at the X’s & O’s of a concept that caught my eye from Week 2: the Kansas City Chiefs shovel pass touchdown, which also features jet motion and power read concepts.

Shovel, Jet, Power Read, and More

Andy Reid utilized his fastest players in (#10) Tyreek Hill and (#13) DeAnthony Thomas as decoys to beautifully set up (#87) Travis Kelce for a touchdown. On 2nd & 5 from the 15 with six minutes remaining in the game, the Chiefs aligned Thomas in the backfield and sent Hill in motion. The Eagles came out in a 4-3 alignment with one high safety:


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Zeke Elliot’s 60-yd Split Zone TD with a Special Influence

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Ezekiel Elliot all but sealed a Cowboys victory with a 60 yard touchdown run to put Dallas up 28-0 in a Week 5 matchup against the Bengals. The play was a traditional under center split zone scheme, but included one wrinkle that made all the difference, Jason Witten’s flat route:

Zeke 60

The Cowboys offensive line executed textbook combination blocks in the split zone scheme, with left tackle (#77) Tyron Smith blocking out, left guard (#65) Ronald Leary and center (#72) Travis Frederick combining to block the defensive tackle up to the left outside linebacker, and right guard (#70) Zack Martin combo blocking with right tackle (#68) Doug Free to take care of 3-technique (#97) Geno Atkins and middle linebacker (#58) Rey Maualuga. Tight End (#87) Geoff Swaim blocks across the formation to pick up “EMLOS”, or the end man on the line of scrimmage, (#96) Carlos Dunlap.

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Analyzing the Unique Panthers Running Game

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The Panthers made it to Super Bowl 50 with one of the most dangerous running attacks in the NFL, having racked up at least 100 yards rushing in 29 straight games. Offensive Coordinator Mike Shula has utilized the strengths of Cam Newton to create a versatile and unique running attack that is very difficult to prepare for because of its mixed flow and deception. This article breaks down 6 key concepts from the Panthers running game that Denver will have to prepare for:

  • QB Buck Sweep (RPO)
  • Counter OF
  • QB G/T Counter Read or “Flash”
  • Jet Sweep Split Zone
  • Inverted/Power Veer
  • Triple Option

QB Buck Sweep (RPO)

Carolina is not the only NFL team that runs Buck Sweep, but Cam Newton allows the Panthers to run QB Buck Sweep, opening up other possibilities for the offense. Like the traditional version, the Panthers Buck Sweep involves 2 pulling lineman leading the way for Cam to run around the edge:

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Shovel Option and its Many Variations

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Shovel pass is a common play used around the goal line in the NFL. This article provides in depth analysis of the concept, starting with no QB run threat, along with several other variations of the Shovel Option Concept.

Shovel option is a combination of Power blocking along with option principles. Traditionally, as seen here, the backside Guard pulls through the hole up to the second level. The Center and playside Guard down block. The playside Tackle leaves #96 Outside Linebacker Mike Neal and also goes up to the second level. Mike Neal is the “read” man. If Neal widens with QB Carson Palmer’s half roll, Palmer will flip the shovel pass underneath to a scraping Larry Fitzgerald.

Shovel

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