Scottemojo
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- Joined
- Apr 30, 2009
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1st quarter
13:34 A standout play by Bruce Irvin, he has Rush on Clemens, sees it is play action, jumps inside and knocks Stacy down for gain of 3. Great recognition.
11:40. STL goes single deep, 8 on line, 2 press. Russ audibles to run. STL counters by having two linebackers drop off the line 3 yards. McQ blocks down, as he should, Sweezy pulls left and whiffs on Quinn, loss of 3.
8:53. Sack, -10. This a headscratcher, the O-line itnitially picks up the blitz, but on 3rd and 5 the Rams put 6 on the line, send 5, with the MLB dropping into the two man route Kearse and Baldwin are running intended to free up Baldwin. It's covered, but if Wilson anticipates where Kearse is going it's a huge gain. Instead, Wilson eats it. The headscratcing part is that on 3rd and 5 there is one route to the sticks, the rest are all long and slow to develop, Lynch has to pick up a blitzer, and McQ is solo on Quinn. I have a hard time putting this sack on the O-line, yeah McQ eventually gets beat, but he initially does stop Quinn and force him to inside help.
7:27 -3 yards, Browner blows up Austin. Browner knows this is going to Austin pre snap, he beats the block and gets there about the same time as the ball. He knows Earl has his guy. I have been watching Austin all year, the Ram fans have touted him as like Percy. He isn't. Harvin likes contact. Austin fears it. Dude is soft, a theme that would replay in the game.
4:37. I formation, and STL counters with press outside and 8 to stop the supposed run. Russ has time for one read, gets flushed, and doesn't see Rice coming open as he throws it away. Miller was pushed into Russell's lap by Long, another bad matchup.
4:03 A well set up bubble screen that will go down as a 2 yard pass because Miller whiffs blocking a DB.
:19 First play following the Irvin interception. Seattle lines up 3 W 1TE right and Lynch in the pistol. Pressure is nearly immediate, if Russ had time for one read I would be surprised. As he goes down, the middle of the field is vacant, and not a single receiver has yet to turn to even glance at Russ. A 4 man go facing that pass rush is a head scratcher. Bowie gets just owned.
2nd QTR
13:02 An interesting play, a read option look for 3 to Turbin. STL shows in this play that when Russ doesn't keep it, a guy sticks with him, a LB. On read options they have one player dedicated to Russ, a fact that would show up at the goal line later, but should have been clear after this play.
12:27 Another play where STL reveals game plan, SEA goes empty, STL sends 5. Another blocking execution and communication error, Bowie and Sweezy double Langford and Long is untouched to Russell's face. Inexcusable from an empty look. Russ throws it away, and takes a lick.
8:18 First play following Sherman interception. For those wondering why not more plays from the I formation, once again STL has 8 up front to counter. And the safety leaks up, giving them 9 to stop the run. gain of 0.
7:46 I formation again, but a QB keeper the whole way. STL has no QB spy on this play, and the misdirection gains 17.
7:06 THe pass interference that puts Seattle on the 1. McQ whiffs and the nasty QB hit is on him. Not so sure it was late, but for sure it was helmet to helmet.
7:03 5 Wide, motion to pistol. I like that idea, but Russ bones the read and doesn't see a safety assigned to him on the keeper.
6:24 Bevell noticed that a QB keeper from the I worked (according to Pete this is a QB option play too) and calls it again. The rams learned, and Russell has a spy. This is the play Rice is injured for the season trying to block for Russell.
2:15 Russell says he never gets panicky. I beg to differ. 3rd and 3 should be an easy play, but not this one. Russ is blind right because he is looking left, but I think Russ knows he has Bowie out there on an island(Bowie actually sustains his block this time) and rushes the throw. Russ has a wide open receiver in the right flat, but never looks that way. Can't say I blame Russ for rushing this incomplete pass to a well covered Miller. Punt.
:48 A perfect Wilson opportunity. near mid field, less than a minute.
STL brings 6, pressure is so quick that Russ has to fire the slant pass instantly as McQ whiffs on Quinn. He delivers high on a quick slant.
Russ gets crushed.
:43 STL blitzes 5, and stunts Quinn inside, where this time Unger whiffs. Sack, Russ crushed again.
:21 A rare no blitz for STL, and it does not matter as McQ gets smoked again. How do we run a 6 man protection and McQ is alone on Quinn? Here is how: Turbin squares for his inside pass rush lane, sees no one, and goes out in a route. Probably as assigned. How mcQ was not given blindside help with Quinn on 3rd and long IDK. Russ has time for one read, pressure, sack.
3rd QTR
13:43 3rd and 2. This down and distance should be pretty sack proof, right? Pistol look with 3 wide and miller to the right. Long is aligned very wide right, and Miller whiffs, barely touching his shoulder. Russ sees the inevitable, and pillbugs. Sack.
12:53 I mention this play because Irvin looks very comfortable in a short zone drop and reacts immediately to the pass, smashing Kendricks after a 5 yard pass.
12:10 I mention this play because Chancellor press covers Cook, disrupts the timing, and it is incomplete. Look for some of this in the future, perhaps in the New Orleans game
11:57 Of all Bevell's calls on the night, this is the one that rankles me the most. I formation from the Sea 8, Seattle slides protection right and leaves the fullback to block Long. In a well designed play by the Rams, the spy assigned to Russell attacks as soon as he sees the PA. He attacks through the gap created by the protection slide. Both Rob and Lynch have to block Long, which neither does. Russ turns out of the play action and finds a linebacker in his grill. he tries to sidestep and ends up in Long's arm. Russ has the brains to get half his body out of the endzone to avoid the safety.
Why does this play piss me off? This is far from the first time STL has sent a blitzer who is cued to attack the second Russ turns his back on play action. It should be abundantly clear by now that play action is not doing shit to freeze the Rams attack, and most certainly not a play for the shadow of your endzone. Because both Lynch and Rob block, it was a 3 man route, and Russ is dead meat by the time one reciever has even a half step on a DB. Why play action when we have already effectively abandoned the run? SEA runs the next two plays to set up a better punt.
After the punt, Fisher changes tactics. STL runs or scrambles on the next 7 plays, and SEA looks very tired.
Now, for 2 plays where Bevell did the right thing
4:01 Incomplete deep left to Kearse, could have been PI. ruled uncatchable. Should have been at the least illegal contact downfield, they picked up the PI flag. bullshit, Kearse was mauled. What's good about this play? I formation, like the goal line sack play, but this time they slide protection, and instead of Lynch and Robinson blocking one guy, one takes the DE and one takes the Wilson assigned LB who will blitz when Russ turns his back. He actually has time to make a read. Hooray!
3:56 Single back formation, Wilson rolls right vs zone. deep pass left, great catch by Tate, wave bye bye. STL ran a delayed blitz, Wilson trusted that first read, homerun swing finally connects.
Following that, on the ensuing STL drive, the roughness call on Browner was some bullshit.
4th QTR
12:12. Oh so close. Russell rolls right and it looks clean for him, but a guy in short coverage delay blitzes Russ, and Russ throws it away. Just as Wilson unloads it, Tate double moves his DB and is WFO deep on the right sideline.
12:05 Kearse drop. press cover, good move by Kearse, who may have gotten short arms because the deep safety was coming. If Kearse makes that catch, he is one move from a score.
8:28 Short WR screen to Baldwin for 12 yards. A great play call, STL is showing blitz over Unger.
7:53 Another execution error. Pistol look, it's pretty clear STL has two guys eyeballing Wilson left side. on the zone block left, Bowie and Miller double Long, then simultaneously disengage from Long to go to the 2nd level and hit the same DB, leaving Long to hit Lynch for a loss of 1. I am pretty sure this is on Bowie.
6:32 Bowie get beat by Long again, Wilson has about two seconds. Sack.
5:42 Irvin has right edge contain/RB coverage, and lets the tackle get on him. Gain of 8 for STL.
5:10 Great run play by STL, they create a cutback lane with movement, and this time it is Clemons who loses contain and Chancellor who gets out of position, 18 yard run.
4:33 Take notes Bevell, this is how play action really works. STL fakes the handoff after two successful runs, and has easy pitch and catch to Givens in the zone behind the linebackers who sucked up to stop the run.
2:31 This play looks like a missed assignment by either Irvin or Wagner, let's assume probably Irvin. He lines up over the TE Kendricks in what looks like press, then hands him off to ...nobody. Wagner pretty clearly thought Irvin had Kendricks. Easy 21 yards. Irvin recovers enough to make the tackle on the much slower Kendricks.
1:23 After running left for 5 the play before by getting Long onto Irvin, this time they pull a guard around Long to take out Wright while the tight end moves Clemons. Huge gap, and Seattle is within a Mebane ankle grab of losing this game on this play.
The remaining plays you probably know well, we owe a big tip of the cap to Earl, Thomas, and Farwell.
Things I learned. though there were some headscratching play calls and Seattle was getting their ass kicked by two defensive ends, most of the worst plays featured some awful execution. STL for the most part avoided Carpenter, and his lack of footspeed left him unable to help the tackles. Plays would end with Carpenter in his pass pro spot and no one around him. I get the feeling Bevell kept expecting STL to change things up, but they almost never stopped being aggressive by sending 5 and 6 every play.
I got the feeling STL was playing some sort of extra blitz package just for Russell when he tried to move the pocket by rolling or bootlegging. STL would bring 8 into the box, but some of them had zone coverage on a tight end or back. If the back or TE set up to help pass pro or chip, it was an automatic go for those guys to blitz Russell. Also, on most plays there were guys reacting exclusively to Russell, and the second he turned his back for play action it was an automatic blitz call.
13:34 A standout play by Bruce Irvin, he has Rush on Clemens, sees it is play action, jumps inside and knocks Stacy down for gain of 3. Great recognition.
11:40. STL goes single deep, 8 on line, 2 press. Russ audibles to run. STL counters by having two linebackers drop off the line 3 yards. McQ blocks down, as he should, Sweezy pulls left and whiffs on Quinn, loss of 3.
8:53. Sack, -10. This a headscratcher, the O-line itnitially picks up the blitz, but on 3rd and 5 the Rams put 6 on the line, send 5, with the MLB dropping into the two man route Kearse and Baldwin are running intended to free up Baldwin. It's covered, but if Wilson anticipates where Kearse is going it's a huge gain. Instead, Wilson eats it. The headscratcing part is that on 3rd and 5 there is one route to the sticks, the rest are all long and slow to develop, Lynch has to pick up a blitzer, and McQ is solo on Quinn. I have a hard time putting this sack on the O-line, yeah McQ eventually gets beat, but he initially does stop Quinn and force him to inside help.
7:27 -3 yards, Browner blows up Austin. Browner knows this is going to Austin pre snap, he beats the block and gets there about the same time as the ball. He knows Earl has his guy. I have been watching Austin all year, the Ram fans have touted him as like Percy. He isn't. Harvin likes contact. Austin fears it. Dude is soft, a theme that would replay in the game.
4:37. I formation, and STL counters with press outside and 8 to stop the supposed run. Russ has time for one read, gets flushed, and doesn't see Rice coming open as he throws it away. Miller was pushed into Russell's lap by Long, another bad matchup.
4:03 A well set up bubble screen that will go down as a 2 yard pass because Miller whiffs blocking a DB.
:19 First play following the Irvin interception. Seattle lines up 3 W 1TE right and Lynch in the pistol. Pressure is nearly immediate, if Russ had time for one read I would be surprised. As he goes down, the middle of the field is vacant, and not a single receiver has yet to turn to even glance at Russ. A 4 man go facing that pass rush is a head scratcher. Bowie gets just owned.
2nd QTR
13:02 An interesting play, a read option look for 3 to Turbin. STL shows in this play that when Russ doesn't keep it, a guy sticks with him, a LB. On read options they have one player dedicated to Russ, a fact that would show up at the goal line later, but should have been clear after this play.
12:27 Another play where STL reveals game plan, SEA goes empty, STL sends 5. Another blocking execution and communication error, Bowie and Sweezy double Langford and Long is untouched to Russell's face. Inexcusable from an empty look. Russ throws it away, and takes a lick.
8:18 First play following Sherman interception. For those wondering why not more plays from the I formation, once again STL has 8 up front to counter. And the safety leaks up, giving them 9 to stop the run. gain of 0.
7:46 I formation again, but a QB keeper the whole way. STL has no QB spy on this play, and the misdirection gains 17.
7:06 THe pass interference that puts Seattle on the 1. McQ whiffs and the nasty QB hit is on him. Not so sure it was late, but for sure it was helmet to helmet.
7:03 5 Wide, motion to pistol. I like that idea, but Russ bones the read and doesn't see a safety assigned to him on the keeper.
6:24 Bevell noticed that a QB keeper from the I worked (according to Pete this is a QB option play too) and calls it again. The rams learned, and Russell has a spy. This is the play Rice is injured for the season trying to block for Russell.
2:15 Russell says he never gets panicky. I beg to differ. 3rd and 3 should be an easy play, but not this one. Russ is blind right because he is looking left, but I think Russ knows he has Bowie out there on an island(Bowie actually sustains his block this time) and rushes the throw. Russ has a wide open receiver in the right flat, but never looks that way. Can't say I blame Russ for rushing this incomplete pass to a well covered Miller. Punt.
:48 A perfect Wilson opportunity. near mid field, less than a minute.
STL brings 6, pressure is so quick that Russ has to fire the slant pass instantly as McQ whiffs on Quinn. He delivers high on a quick slant.
Russ gets crushed.
:43 STL blitzes 5, and stunts Quinn inside, where this time Unger whiffs. Sack, Russ crushed again.
:21 A rare no blitz for STL, and it does not matter as McQ gets smoked again. How do we run a 6 man protection and McQ is alone on Quinn? Here is how: Turbin squares for his inside pass rush lane, sees no one, and goes out in a route. Probably as assigned. How mcQ was not given blindside help with Quinn on 3rd and long IDK. Russ has time for one read, pressure, sack.
3rd QTR
13:43 3rd and 2. This down and distance should be pretty sack proof, right? Pistol look with 3 wide and miller to the right. Long is aligned very wide right, and Miller whiffs, barely touching his shoulder. Russ sees the inevitable, and pillbugs. Sack.
12:53 I mention this play because Irvin looks very comfortable in a short zone drop and reacts immediately to the pass, smashing Kendricks after a 5 yard pass.
12:10 I mention this play because Chancellor press covers Cook, disrupts the timing, and it is incomplete. Look for some of this in the future, perhaps in the New Orleans game
11:57 Of all Bevell's calls on the night, this is the one that rankles me the most. I formation from the Sea 8, Seattle slides protection right and leaves the fullback to block Long. In a well designed play by the Rams, the spy assigned to Russell attacks as soon as he sees the PA. He attacks through the gap created by the protection slide. Both Rob and Lynch have to block Long, which neither does. Russ turns out of the play action and finds a linebacker in his grill. he tries to sidestep and ends up in Long's arm. Russ has the brains to get half his body out of the endzone to avoid the safety.
Why does this play piss me off? This is far from the first time STL has sent a blitzer who is cued to attack the second Russ turns his back on play action. It should be abundantly clear by now that play action is not doing shit to freeze the Rams attack, and most certainly not a play for the shadow of your endzone. Because both Lynch and Rob block, it was a 3 man route, and Russ is dead meat by the time one reciever has even a half step on a DB. Why play action when we have already effectively abandoned the run? SEA runs the next two plays to set up a better punt.
After the punt, Fisher changes tactics. STL runs or scrambles on the next 7 plays, and SEA looks very tired.
Now, for 2 plays where Bevell did the right thing
4:01 Incomplete deep left to Kearse, could have been PI. ruled uncatchable. Should have been at the least illegal contact downfield, they picked up the PI flag. bullshit, Kearse was mauled. What's good about this play? I formation, like the goal line sack play, but this time they slide protection, and instead of Lynch and Robinson blocking one guy, one takes the DE and one takes the Wilson assigned LB who will blitz when Russ turns his back. He actually has time to make a read. Hooray!
3:56 Single back formation, Wilson rolls right vs zone. deep pass left, great catch by Tate, wave bye bye. STL ran a delayed blitz, Wilson trusted that first read, homerun swing finally connects.
Following that, on the ensuing STL drive, the roughness call on Browner was some bullshit.
4th QTR
12:12. Oh so close. Russell rolls right and it looks clean for him, but a guy in short coverage delay blitzes Russ, and Russ throws it away. Just as Wilson unloads it, Tate double moves his DB and is WFO deep on the right sideline.
12:05 Kearse drop. press cover, good move by Kearse, who may have gotten short arms because the deep safety was coming. If Kearse makes that catch, he is one move from a score.
8:28 Short WR screen to Baldwin for 12 yards. A great play call, STL is showing blitz over Unger.
7:53 Another execution error. Pistol look, it's pretty clear STL has two guys eyeballing Wilson left side. on the zone block left, Bowie and Miller double Long, then simultaneously disengage from Long to go to the 2nd level and hit the same DB, leaving Long to hit Lynch for a loss of 1. I am pretty sure this is on Bowie.
6:32 Bowie get beat by Long again, Wilson has about two seconds. Sack.
5:42 Irvin has right edge contain/RB coverage, and lets the tackle get on him. Gain of 8 for STL.
5:10 Great run play by STL, they create a cutback lane with movement, and this time it is Clemons who loses contain and Chancellor who gets out of position, 18 yard run.
4:33 Take notes Bevell, this is how play action really works. STL fakes the handoff after two successful runs, and has easy pitch and catch to Givens in the zone behind the linebackers who sucked up to stop the run.
2:31 This play looks like a missed assignment by either Irvin or Wagner, let's assume probably Irvin. He lines up over the TE Kendricks in what looks like press, then hands him off to ...nobody. Wagner pretty clearly thought Irvin had Kendricks. Easy 21 yards. Irvin recovers enough to make the tackle on the much slower Kendricks.
1:23 After running left for 5 the play before by getting Long onto Irvin, this time they pull a guard around Long to take out Wright while the tight end moves Clemons. Huge gap, and Seattle is within a Mebane ankle grab of losing this game on this play.
The remaining plays you probably know well, we owe a big tip of the cap to Earl, Thomas, and Farwell.
Things I learned. though there were some headscratching play calls and Seattle was getting their ass kicked by two defensive ends, most of the worst plays featured some awful execution. STL for the most part avoided Carpenter, and his lack of footspeed left him unable to help the tackles. Plays would end with Carpenter in his pass pro spot and no one around him. I get the feeling Bevell kept expecting STL to change things up, but they almost never stopped being aggressive by sending 5 and 6 every play.
I got the feeling STL was playing some sort of extra blitz package just for Russell when he tried to move the pocket by rolling or bootlegging. STL would bring 8 into the box, but some of them had zone coverage on a tight end or back. If the back or TE set up to help pass pro or chip, it was an automatic go for those guys to blitz Russell. Also, on most plays there were guys reacting exclusively to Russell, and the second he turned his back for play action it was an automatic blitz call.
