Movie Room: Some enjoyable performs from Week 1

I do know we’re all gearing up for the sport tonight towards the Commanders, however there are nonetheless a handful of performs kicking round in my head from the Packers/Lions sport and I needed to ensure they bought a little bit time within the solar; if nothing else, as one thing to refer again to as this offense continues to shift and evolve all through the season.

We’re not spending a ton of time on them. This isn’t an enormous deep dive. We’re simply operating by a handful of issues that caught my eye on offense.

I’ve bought 5 performs, 4 of which occurred within the 1st quarter. Let’s go.

Play 1: third & 10, 13:07 remaining within the 1st quarter

Packers have a deep Smash idea (shallow route with a nook route excessive) on the left and Dontayvion Wicks [13] operating a dig on the bottom. Jayden Reed [11] is operating the shallow route on Smash, they usually have that man doing a ton of operating. The most operating. He does a fast reverse movement pre-snap, then a shallow return route post-snap. Malik Heath [18] is operating the nook route excessive.

Jordan Love [10] works Smash first, doesn’t prefer it, and easily works again to search out Wicks in the midst of the sphere.

A pleasant 16 yard acquire to maintain the chains transferring.

Play 2: third & 6, 11:15 remaining within the 1st quarter

Packers are operating vertical routes on the surface whereas Matthew Golden [0] is operating an in-cutting route from the fitting. At the snap, Love checks the center of the sphere, doesn’t just like the match-ups on the surface and will get able to throw to Golden.

However, as he units to throw, he spots the deep-dropping linebackers beneath. Instead of simply letting it rip, he holds the ball, provides a slight pump to maneuver one of many linebackers to the within, and hits Golden within the second window for a acquire of 11.

Play 3: 1st & 10, 6:52 remaining within the 1st quarter

Oh man right here’s a enjoyable one. Slightly extra enjoyable if it had really been accomplished, however we stay in a fallen world.

I’ve been begging for extra vertical RPOs out of the Packers offense, and we get this in Week 1. Is the inclusion this week a superb signal for the season, or does it failing to attach imply it will likely be shelved? That’s what I’m trying ahead to discovering out.

First issues first: an RPO stands for Run Pass Option. It’s a known as run play with a move idea tag and the QB decides whether or not handy the ball off or throw it. Sometimes that’s a pre-snap choice and typically it’s a post-snap choice. Pre-snap RPOs base their choice on physique depend/leverage earlier than the ball is snapped, whereas post-snap RPOs base their choice on how a selected participant (known as a Conflict Defender) reacts after the ball is snapped.

On this play, the Packers have each a pre-snap and post-snap RPO to the identical facet, paired with a Counter run.

On the fitting facet, Wicks is operating a Bubble route whereas Romeo Doubs [87] releases upfield to dam. If the Packers have extra our bodies to that facet of the sphere than the Lions do – or they just like the angles – Love will throw to Wicks. The alignment of Derrick Barnes [55] guidelines out this throw, as he has a clear lane on Wicks. Also, in the event you don’t depend Reed for the Packers (he’s not a part of the pre-snap RPO), there are two defenders for the 2 receivers. If it’s even numbers, you don’t throw that.

With that dominated out pre-snap, consideration turns to Reed because the #3 receiver on the fitting. He’s uncovered off the road, however the Lions might drop somebody beneath him. Love is studying that facet when the ball is snapped. If the within linebacker falls beneath Reed, Love will hand the ball to Josh Jacobs [8]. If the linebacker stays in place, he’ll stand up and throw to Reed.

The concept is that the protection is at all times mistaken. If the linebacker falls beneath Reed, that’s one much less man to defend towards the run. If he performs the run, there’s nobody to cowl Reed.

The linebacker declares himself as a part of the run match. Love makes the fitting choice to pull-and-throw, however he simply throws behind Reed.

An actual disgrace it doesn’t join, however I hope that is one thing the Packers preserve within the playbook. It’s definitely one I’ll be maintaining a tally of.

Play 4: 2nd & 5, 4:46 remaining within the 1st quarter

This one performs off the split-gun sequence of runs the Packers did a lot with final season. I like to see that it’s nonetheless part of the offense they usually’re nonetheless iterating on it.

This movement right here is one we noticed quite a bit: two RBs within the backfield (on this case, Josh Jacobs on the left and Chris Brooks [30] on the fitting). Jacobs motions behind Love pre-snap, however pulls up as he crosses. When the Packers do that, they’re normally doing an influence run, with Brooks appearing as a FB and Jacobs following him to the left.

But it’s all a ruse. Instead, Brooks releases to the flat. They mix that with a vertical route from Wicks, which clears the facet.

Aidan Hutchinson [97] is taking part in defensive finish to that facet and is midway within the backfield earlier than he realizes that Brooks has snuck proper by him.

Brian Branch [32] recovers and is ready to buzz out to the flat, however he’s trailing Brooks. The throw is a little bit shallow and Brooks is a little bit off-balance because of this, so this solely positive aspects 2 yards.

This is a type of performs the place the top result’s nearly irrelevant. By displaying this, the defensive finish has a little bit extra doubt in his thoughts about crashing so laborious on the run, which places him in a greater place to be blocked. Or perhaps you ship the FB up the sideline on a Rail route and that second defender has a little bit tougher time choosing it up.

Maybe nothing flashy will ever come of this, however introducing a seed of doubt right into a crashing defender could make all of the distinction on this planet on a play that has grow to be one of many Packers core runs.

Play 5: 2nd & 9, 2:14 remaining within the third quarter (80)

Last one, and it’s a run play. How about that?!

Nothing fancy right here by way of the run: it’s a counter run that goes for 10 yards. There’s some good blocking up entrance – with each Jordan Morgan [77] and Darian Kinnard [70] displaying good motion abilities on the pull – however there’s one block I need to carry up right here, and that’s the block of Jayden Reed.

As everyone knows, Reed is a little bit of an undersized receiver (5’11”, 187 lbs). On this play, he’s being requested to dam Marcus Davenport (6’6”, 285 lbs). For these of you counting at house, Reed is giving up 7 inches and 98 kilos on this match-up (if the official group websites are to be believed).

Reed is initially aligned within the slot, however quick-motions in pre-snap. As the ball is snapped, he fires out to tackle Davenport. With Kinnard pulling to the left, it’s Reed’s job to dam Davenport so he can’t pursue down the road.

And buddy, he does his job properly. Initiates contact, will get his fingers up and holds up Davenport simply sufficient.

I additionally love that Reed stays with this by the whistle. Kudos to Jayden Reed for doing his job and doing it properly. If you’re the smaller man in these conditions you need to be a pest, and, in accordance with Davenport’s irritated shove on the finish, I’d say Reed succeeded.

Albums listened to: Sigur Rós – Ágætis byrjun