Happy Thanksgiving week, everyone! I know the Packers lost, but today we’re gonna have a little fun. As a gift to all the non-paying subscribers, this post with 8 video breakdowns is going to be completely free. Throughout the season I’m posting at least one of these per week under the paywall, but today? Today we’re all joining in on the fun.
Play 1
We’ll start off with one of my favorite plays from this past weekend: the 3rd down option pitch from Cobb to Dillon. I was grinning like an idiot when it happened and I’m grinning like an idiot now.
Play 2
Against single-high looks, the Packers had been running more Smash Fade than Smash. As teams have shifted to more two-high looks, an old West Coast passing concept - Smash/China - has reemerged. The Packers had a really nice twist on that this past weekend, bringing a 3rd passing level into the mix.
Play 3
To go along with that, here is the TD to Davante Adams off that wicked corner route. Aaron Rodgers mentioned that the double-move wasn’t part of it, so I dug into what this would look like if it was a follow post concept or a Smash concept. (He wins either way, by the way.)
Play 4
As always, there is some hand-wringing anytime there is a deep throw that falls incomplete on 3rd down. That happened on the Packers first drive of the game. I look at the concept on the other side of the field and talk about some of the decision-making that likely went into that throw.
Play 5
Getting to the checkdown can be art sometimes. I looked at the processing/footwork involved in Rodgers going through a full-field read and ending on the checkdown.
Play 6
Looking at a 3rd down completion to Cobb and talking about the nice hot route adjust he did after releasing behind slot pressure.
Play 7
Fox 2 X Y Hook is an old West Coast staple that was seen as a ball control play. Then Spurrier got a hold of it & started slinging to the post to the point where the play is now known as Mills, after the Florida receiver Ernie Mills who ran that post a million times.
We go through that evolution, talk about the Portland/Yankee twist, and walk through 4 plays from this past weekend, ending with the 75 yard TD to MVS.
This one is a little long, but it’s a concept I love and I do go through 4 plays, so maybe you’ll find that fun?
Play 8
Lastly - for now - I ran through a nicely designed blitz from Joe Barry. Don’t let the fact that the play ends in a Vikings touchdown distract you from the fact that it’s a nice pressure.
Maybe some more are on the way tomorrow. Maybe not! Either way, hope you enjoy these.