Another week, another three-TD performance from Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love. Ho-hum. Let’s break them down.
Play 1: 3rd & 5, 8:03 remaining in the 1st quarter
Packers are in 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR) at the 5-yard line. They originally start in a split-backfield set, with Tucker Kraft [85] aligned to Jordan Love’s [10] right. He shifts out pre-snap to a bunch on the right, and the defense adjusts.
Love then “Cans” the play, bringing Kraft in as the in-line TE. That gives a clear two-man look over the Christian Watson [9]/Matthew
Golden [0] stack. Kraft then motions under the formation, dragging his man with him across the formation. This looks like Man coverage, but those DBs can still Banjo the coverage (essentially, they would switch coverage responsibilities in the event of a switch release at the line).
At the snap, Watson pushes vertical on a corner route. This builds a wall for Golden: something that Christian Gonzalez [0] has to either go over or under if he wants to follow Golden inside.
Golden angles out, pushing Gonzalez outside, then cuts back inside on an angle route. Gonzalez stays with Watson on the corner route, giving Golden room inside (although there are linebackers inside that Love has to deal with).
Now, about Gonzalez, the LBs inside and the throw. This is something Love has been doing a lot this year as a way to pry open windows between the hashes. He’s got his shoulders and feet pointed to the outside, looking like he’s throwing to the outside. That’s likely why Gonzalez stays on Watson, and it’s also what holds the LBs in place to give Golden space to work with.
Here’s the throw in slow motion. Watch his feet and the direction his helmet is pointing vs. where he ends up going with the ball.
Play 2: 3rd & 7, 10:57 remaining in the 3rd quarter
Packers are up 24-14 early in the 3rd quarter. They come out in 11 personnel, with Jonnu Smith [18] as the TE. They’re in a Bunch Nub formation (three receivers in a bunch to one side, with the TE as the lone receiver on the line opposite).
Where we got a lot of motion on the last play, this is just line-up-and-go. Savion Williams [83] is the point man in the bunch, with Golden on the outside and Watson to the inside.
Golden and Watson are running double-post – a nice concept in this area of the field – while Williams stutter-steps off the line and runs a fade. With Golden and Watson tying up the safety, this gives Williams a one-on-one against Karon Prunty [21], a 5th-round rookie seeing the first extended action of his career. (He had 3 defensive snaps against the Jaguars, but all of his other snaps this season have been on special teams).
Love checks the safeties, then goes back-shoulder to Williams on the fade.
Nice throw and a great catch from Williams.
With the extra point, the Packers take a commanding 31-14 lead.
Play 3: 1st & 10, 4:16 remaining in the 3rd quarter
After forcing their 4th turnover on the day, the Packers immediately go big-game hunting. Starting at the Patriots’ 39-yard line, the Packers come out in 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TE, 2 WR). They’re in a YY Wing formation on the left (both TEs in-line to the same side) and have both WRs in a stack to the right.
They go max protect, keeping both TEs in to block and leaking out a RB as a checkdown option.
From the inside of the stack, Golden pushes vertically, bending slightly inside. This draws the attention of the safety to that side. While he breaks down on Golden, Watson goes streaking right on by. The safety to the other side has originally flattened with the route of Golden, but tries to fall back under Watson late. That’s a losing battle, my friend.
Love chucks this up and over the top, Watson nabs a TD and the Packers take a 41-14 lead.
In the past, we’ve seen Love throw some of these routes a little flatter and across the field, allowing the WR a chance to adjust and run under the ball. With the safety falling under, Love goes over the top with this. Perfect throw.
Albums listened to: Television – Marquee Moon; Pixies – Doolittle; Boys Noize – 7LLVISION; Sennen – New Quiet; Clinic – Wild In The Streets
