Analysis: Run Blocking Technique Issue

[xwalker]

I've posted often that the primary issue with the Cowboys running game is the run blocking scheme.

This play is related to scheme but is more of a technique issue required to execute the scheme.

The intention of this type of play is for Zack Martin to initially block the DT and then hand-off the block to La'el which would allow Martin to kick out and block a LB.

You can easily see that La'el block does not give Martin any chance to hand-off the block to La'el.

Because Martin could not block the LB #54, Zeke had to move to another gap.

Frederick is blocking his man to clear the gap behind him which means Frederick is blocking his man into the gap in front of him which is where Zeke tried to run.


In the 2nd video, you'll see the Rams execute a hand-off block in a similar situation.

Closely observe the technique by the Rams RT #79.
- He moves directly to the side off the snap and goes behind the RG to some extent.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

In the second video, it looks like LVE is trying to go around the block.

 

[LatinMind]

You do realize that blocking on these two plays with responsibilities are different right? There is a TE on the outside shoulder of the RT so the Te can match up on the DE which allows the RT to go with the flow at the snap. The DE stays home in the Cowboys run which makes Collins stay with the DE a little longer.

Alot easier to run the play with a TE and slot in the area of the run rather then 5 that the Cowboys had. The problem isnt blocking scheme, the problem is play design. Delayed run out shutgun right wide is doomed from the start.

And ur ignoring the fact that The rams allowed to cowboys to be over aggressive in their rush off the snap and simply ran behind them. As you can see Woods wash himself right out of the play. Where as the Vikings hit the gap and collapsed the run area.

This is a flaw in play design not a breakdown in blocking.

 

[xwalker]

In the second video, it looks like LVE is trying to go around the block.

One of the perks of the Rams blocking scheme was that they often had "traffic" in the way of defenders trying to move side to side (i.e. The 2 OL and the DT they blocked are traffic impeding LVE).

LVE had to go to the front side of the "traffic"; otherwise the RB would cut outside with no defenders nearby to make the tackle. They always funnel RBs back to the inside in these types of situations.

The Rams often used mis-direction plays like Jets Sweeps to the backside as well as you'll notice the QB rolls out backside forcing the backside defenders to at least wait for the hand-off. The Rams used those methods to "hold" the backside LB and backside DE from immediately flowing play-side. That delay allowed them to both execute a double-team on DLinemen and then have one of the double-team blockers kick out on a delayed block to seal the LB to the outside.

 

[Ranched]

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[xwalker]

You do realize that blocking on these two plays with responsibilities are different right? There is a TE on the outside shoulder of the RT so the Te can match up on the DE which allows the RT to go with the flow at the snap. The DE stays home in the Cowboys run which makes Collins stay with the DE a little longer.

Alot easier to run the play with a TE and slot in the area of the run rather then 5 that the Cowboys had. The problem isnt blocking scheme, the problem is play design. Delayed run out shutgun right wide is doomed from the start.

And ur ignoring the fact that The rams allowed to cowboys to be over aggressive in their rush off the snap and simply ran behind them. As you can see Woods wash himself right out of the play. Where as the Vikings hit the gap and collapsed the run area.

This is a flaw in play design not a breakdown in blocking.

La'el immediately moves to the inside. He was not blocking the DE and not waiting for the DE.

I assumed that nobody here was dumb enough to think that I meant the two plays were the same running play.

It is just an example of technique with regards to RT an RG, not the same play.

The Rams had to use a TE to block the DE because the Rams were showing outside zone with a cut back to the inside which takes longer to execute.

The Cowboys by design did not block the DE. The motion by Pollard is designed in part to hold the backside defenders.

La'el moved inside immediately off the snap but moved at the wrong angle.

 

[Creeper]

The Rams RG blocks the tackle and releases him to the RT, but the guard had no one to block because LVE filled where #97 (Gregory?) beat the TE into the backfield and almost made the play. The block that the Rams made that the Cowboys didn't is the LG held up the tackle until the center could take him. Then the left guard literally chased Jaylon Smith out of the play. Its another example of Smith running away from a block. That is a becoming a big problem. Maybe Smith needs to be playing somewhere else other than the middle.

If Williams had held his block a little longer so Frederick could take on the guard, Zeke would have had a huge hole to run through and may have score. He certainly would have had the 1st down.

 

[LatinMind]

La'el immediately moves to the inside. He was not blocking the DE and not waiting for the DE.

I assumed that nobody here was dumb enough to think that I meant the two plays were the same running play.

It is just an example of technique with regards to RT an RG, not the same play.

The Rams had to use a TE to block the DE because the Rams were showing outside zone with a cut back to the inside which takes longer to execute.

The Cowboys by design did not block the DE. The motion by Pollard is designed in part to hold the backside defenders.

La'el moved inside immediately off the snap but moved at the wrong angle.

Right off the snap Collins glances at the DE he stays so Collins moves his eye to 54, when he doesnt engage then he moves to help Martin. You can clearly see this or ur trying to see what u want to.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

One of the perks of the Rams blocking scheme was that they often had "traffic" in the way of defenders trying to move side to side (i.e. The 2 OL and the DT they blocked are traffic impeding LVE).

LVE had to go to the front side of the "traffic"; otherwise the RB would cut outside with no defenders nearby to make the tackle. They always funnel RBs back to the inside in these types of situations.

The Rams often used mis-direction plays like Jets Sweeps to the backside as well as you'll notice the QB rolls out backside forcing the backside defenders to at least wait for the hand-off. The Rams used those methods to "hold" the backside LB and backside DE from immediately flowing play-side. That delay allowed them to both execute a double-team on DLinemen and then have one of the double-team blockers kick out on a delayed block to seal the LB to the outside.

Whose gap did the Rams’ running back hit?

 

[Creeper]

The most disturbing thing in both of these videos is the Rams G knocking Jaylon Smith back 5 yards out of the play. Against the Vikings on a big Vikings run to the goal line, Jaylon seems to back-peddle instead of taking on the guard. When I played in high school I would be running laps until after dark for back-peddling like that. Jaylon cannot be a MLB if he is going to play like that. He needs to fight that block and bang some heads.

 

[Corso]

I've posted often that the primary issue with the Cowboys running game is the run blocking scheme.

This play is related to scheme but is more of a technique issue required to execute the scheme.

The intention of this type of play is for Zack Martin to initially block the DT and then hand-off the block to La'el which would allow Martin to kick out and block a LB.

You can easily see that La'el block does not give Martin any chance to hand-off the block to La'el.

Because Martin could not block the LB #54, Zeke had to move to another gap.

Frederick is blocking his man to clear the gap behind him which means Frederick is blocking his man into the gap in front of him which is where Zeke tried to run.


In the 2nd video, you'll see the Rams execute a hand-off block in a similar situation.

Closely observe the technique by the Rams RT #79.
- He moves directly to the side off the snap and goes behind the RG to some extent.

Agree...
Disagree...

#RespectTheWork

This is the stuff that separates itself from other sites. Not peeps like me. I'm window dressing.
Thank you.

 

[xwalker]

Whose gap did the Rams’ running back hit?

I'm not comparing what the Rams RB did to Zeke because it's a different play, but to answer your question the RG is on the offensive-right (left from the video viewpoint) of the RB's path and the OC is on the offensive-left of the RBs path.

The term Gap is a bit different when discussing zone blocking plays because the gaps move laterally, but the RB is technically between the RG and OC.

 

[xwalker]

The Rams RG blocks the tackle and releases him to the RT, but the guard had no one to block because LVE filled where #97 (Gregory?) beat the TE into the backfield and almost made the play. The block that the Rams made that the Cowboys didn't is the LG held up the tackle until the center could take him. Then the left guard literally chased Jaylon Smith out of the play. Its another example of Smith running away from a block. That is a becoming a big problem. Maybe Smith needs to be playing somewhere else other than the middle.

If Williams had held his block a little longer so Frederick could take on the guard, Zeke would have had a huge hole to run through and may have score. He certainly would have had the 1st down.

This thread was about the Cowboys OLine's run blocking not the Cowboys defense, but...

At the point the OL engaged Jaylon, the RB had just taken a step or two after the hand-off.

Jaylon's top assignment was to fill to the outside of the block because at the point of initial contact with the blocker the RB could go outside or inside.

You have to look at the RB when Jaylon first engages with the blocker, NOT the RBs position after the block.

The backside LB is expected to be in the middle area on this type of cut-back run but LVE had to go around the RT, RG and backside DT.

As I said previously, LVE's only option is to go to the front-side of that RT-RG-DT grouping.