Reach Block in Pictures

xwalker

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DLinemen can shift before the snap and OLinemen can't.
- The OC can change the blocking assignments but they can't do it every time a DL shifts.
- When DLinemen shift and the Center does not change the blocking assignments, some designed blocks can't be made.

If you thought the LG failed on this play, then you didn't have the full picture.

image 1: DL aligned over LG.

image 2: DL shifts to aligned on left shoulder of OC after TE motioned to the right side.

image 3: The run is to the right. LG can't reach block a DL that has 3/4" of a gap advantage.
- Notice that the scheme had a "backup plan" built in with the TE coming inside to block.
- Unfortunately the TE went to the next gap outside and didn't block the immediate threat.




 

Dre11

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players win and lose games. you can find mistakes on every failed play.
 

Corso

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DLinemen can shift before the snap and OLinemen can't.
- The OC can change the blocking assignments but they can't do it every time a DL shifts.
- When DLinemen shift and the Center does not change the blocking assignments, some designed blocks can't be made.

If you thought the LG failed on this play, then you didn't have the full picture.

image 1: DL aligned over LG.

image 2: DL shifts to aligned on left shoulder of OC after TE motioned to the right side.

image 3: The run is to the right. LG can't reach block a DL that has 3/4" of a gap advantage.
- Notice that the scheme had a "backup plan" built in with the TE coming inside to block.
- Unfortunately the TE went to the next gap outside and didn't block the immediate threat.




You have taught me so much over the years with your instructive posts.
I watch the game differently now and a large part of that is from the way you show the game at a deeper level for us.

I just want to thank you.
 

Haimerej

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The defensive line adjustment is to be expected due to the motion switching the strong side of the line. Football 101.
 

xwalker

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You have taught me so much over the years with your instructive posts.
I watch the game differently now and a large part of that is from the way you show the game at a deeper level for us.

I just want to thank you.
Thanks for that.

That is really my top goal. Just to provide information.

If figure that I've spent the time studying the games and I might as well share the info.
 

xwalker

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The defensive line adjustment is to be expected due to the motion switching the strong side of the line. Football 101.
That is why they had a built in mechanism to deal with it (The TE coming inside to block).
- Unfortunately the TE went to the next gap outside which was pointless because that player was not going to make the play regardless if he was unblocked.
 

TwoCentPlain

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@xwalker Is this the play where Grady Jarrett stopped Zeke in the backfield? If that is the play, what stuck out to me is that the whole defense seemed to know it was a run right to Zeke before the ball was snapped. Falcons knew what was coming and were tipped off by something.
 

Haimerej

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That is why they had a built in mechanism to deal with it (The TE coming inside to block).
- Unfortunately the TE went to the next gap outside which was pointless because that player was not going to make the play regardless if he was unblocked.

Not getting to see the play in action, this is mostly speculation- it appears they may be running a zone blocking scheme with the TE coming back to seal either the backside LB or DE. I say that mainly because it appears the OL is running parallel to the LoS as opposed to downhill. If that's the case, it could be argued Looney should have helped out the LG with the 1 tech instead of Martin on the 3.

Edit- also, not sure what you're referring to with the TE dealing with the defensive alignment. It's typical with a 1 and 3 technique to have the 3 on the offensive strongside, so it should be expected for the motion to cause the shift.
 

xwalker

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Not getting to see the play in action, this is mostly speculation- it appears they may be running a zone blocking scheme with the TE coming back to seal either the backside LB or DE. I say that mainly because it appears the OL is running parallel to the LoS as opposed to downhill. If that's the case, it could be argued Looney should have helped out the LG with the 1 tech instead of Martin on the 3.

Edit- also, not sure what you're referring to with the TE dealing with the defensive alignment. It's typical with a 1 and 3 technique to have the 3 on the offensive strongside, so it should be expected for the motion to cause the shift.

It was an outside zone but with cut back to the inside as the 1st option.

They want to hold the LB with the threat of the outside run.

If Looney blocks back then it's more of an inside zone type blocking which the LB would key on to attack forward and not wait on the outside run.

Regardless, Zeke was a tiny bit late recognizing the action. He could have cut back inside behind CW's block or he could have stayed outside.

The primary point is that just because fans see a failed block, it is not always because that blocker failed.
 

Sydla

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players win and lose games. you can find mistakes on every failed play.

Awwwwwww, Dre still struggling to process the reality that his favorite head coach is now an assistant in NYC.
 

Corso

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It was an outside zone but with cut back to the inside as the 1st option.

They want to hold the LB with the threat of the outside run.

If Looney blocks back then it's more of an inside zone type blocking which the LB would key on to attack forward and not wait on the outside run.

Regardless, Zeke was a tiny bit late recognizing the action. He could have cut back inside behind CW's block or he could have stayed outside.

The primary point is that just because fans see a failed block, it is not always because that blocker failed.
I bet the position meetings during the week are so wonderfully detailed.
You! You gotta do this to set up this guy for Him to come across this area. If it's this then that, if not, that's where He comes in as the safety valve unless the play is broken. That's when you guys do this.
And You! ... You... I need you to chip anyone rushing free. It'll probably come from the left side from the protection gaps.
 

Corso

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Awwwwwww, Dre still struggling to process the reality that his favorite head coach is now an assistant in NYC.
About to go back to a position coach.
 

xwalker

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@xwalker Is this the play where Grady Jarrett stopped Zeke in the backfield? If that is the play, what stuck out to me is that the whole defense seemed to know it was a run right to Zeke before the ball was snapped. Falcons knew what was coming and were tipped off by something.
Yes.

It is OK to have these on occasion if they take advantage of the defense later by showing the same thing but doing something different.

For example, the Rams running game is based on getting defenses to start cheating in one direction because they think they recognize a play. The Rams will then come back with a play that looks the same but is designed to take advantage of the defense cheating over.
 

xwalker

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I bet the position meetings during the week are so wonderfully detailed.
You! You gotta do this to set up this guy for Him to come across this area. If it's this then that, if not, that's where He comes in as the safety valve unless the play is broken. That's when you guys do this.
And You! ... You... I need you to chip anyone rushing free. It'll probably come from the left side from the protection gaps.
Run blocking has become very complex.
 

Haimerej

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It was an outside zone but with cut back to the inside as the 1st option.

They want to hold the LB with the threat of the outside run.

If Looney blocks back then it's more of an inside zone type blocking which the LB would key on to attack forward and not wait on the outside run.

Regardless, Zeke was a tiny bit late recognizing the action. He could have cut back inside behind CW's block or he could have stayed outside.

The primary point is that just because fans see a failed block, it is not always because that blocker failed.

I read again what I said and could have been clearer regarding Looney. I didn't mean he would block back the other way (that's not how zone blocking works), but something as little as getting his left arm on the 1 tech could have caused enough hesitation for Williams to get that reach block.

However- if it is a zone blocking scheme then Williams was responsible for the reach block from the get go. The defensive switch would be anticipated due to the motion so I don't think this was a failure to adjust blocking assignments.
 

xwalker

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I read again what I said and could have been clearer regarding Looney. I didn't mean he would block back the other way (that's not how zone blocking works), but something as little as getting his left arm on the 1 tech could have caused enough hesitation for Williams to get that reach block.

However- if it is a zone blocking scheme then Williams was responsible for the reach block from the get go. The defensive switch would be anticipated due to the motion so I don't think this was a failure to adjust blocking assignments.

The inside zone does have some OLinemen block back.

Most people think that the outside zone (which always has the cut-back to the inside option) is the only type of zone blocking.

Yes, the Rams are great at the blocking that you're describing where the OL with leverage initially blocks the DL while the backside OL works his way around to the play-side for the reach block. The key is that they do it such that the initial blocker quickly frees up to make another block, usually on a LB.

As I said before, they don't have to adjust the blocking when the DL shifts because they already have the TE coming back as a clean-up blocker.
- The TE just didn't block the correct defender.

We saw it when Bill Callahan was the OL coach where it was obvious that they designed run plays in a way that they might not get the perfect blocking angles but that would not necessarily kill the play.

Once Callahan departed we saw less and less of the clever type run blocking and more run block that was guaranteed to fail if all blockers didn't get a perfect angle.
- They kept things together with Callahan's assistant become the OL coach until they had to use 2 new starters that had not been coached by Callahan.
- Last season with Columbo as the OL coach, the zone run blocking had many fails.
- Columbo had only played in a man blocking scheme.
 

Haimerej

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As I said before, they don't have to adjust the blocking when the DL shifts because they already have the TE coming back as a clean-up blocker.
- The TE just didn't block the correct defender.

So you think his assignment was to block the 1 tech? That doesn't seem right and if it is, that's a horrible design.
 

xwalker

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So you think his assignment was to block the 1 tech? That doesn't seem right and if it is, that's a horrible design.
The TE is a backside clean up blocker. Clean up meaning find the immediate threat and block him.

I would prefer the Rams type blocking with Looney making the initial block but if that had been the design then the TE is probably not going to be coming back across.

They need to review the play and decide how to handle it in the future.

It's never going to be a perfect design. No play design can account for all defensive pre-snap movement and they can't change the blocking assignment every time the DL shifts.

Regardless most OL are not going to be able to make the block that CW attempted to make which was my initial point.
 
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