The Green Bay Packers’ payoff here isn’t huge, but I always love seeing how a call is set up in real time. We’ve got three plays we’re going to look at real quick, with the first two plays informing the third.
Play 1: 2nd & 9, 8:28 remaining in the 3rd quarter
In their drubbing of the Rams in Australia, the 49ers made liberal use of a specific type of motion in their offense. I’ve heard a lot of names for that type of motion being thrown around – “Banana” being my favorite – but I believe it’s called Dash motion, so that’s what we’ll use until I learn
otherwise.
It’s not too different from what we’ve been seeing in Green Bay (and around the league) for years, but it’s different enough to mention it. The blocker will go in motion before the snap, and it’s kind of a long, looping motion behind the line. Arcing behind the line, instead of more of a straight line. At the snap, he’ll start towards the line and block. It kind of looks like a mix between Orbit motion and a TE motion block. When using this motion, the 49ers had the blocker (Kyle Juszczyk) attack different parts of the line, keeping the Rams defense off balance.
The Packers used this a handful of times against the Vikings, to middling results. It seems pretty clear that it was not originally in their playbook, but they had a package of plays armed with it for this game. I assume we’ll the use expanded in the coming weeks.
When using Dash motion, the Packers basically did one thing: Mark Redman [86] was the Dash blocker (most of the time). He’d go in motion at the snap and kick out the EMOL (End Man On Line), while Jacob Monk [62] would pull from his LG position. The handoff would go to the RB, who would run behind this. They hit a nice run with it early, but, as I said earlier, the results were middling.
As they used it a few more times, a trend emerged: the outside defender from the side Redman was originally aligned on would blitz.
Play 2: 1st & 10, 7:23 remaining in the 3rd quarter
A couple plays after the play we just looked at, the Packers showed the same thing. Redman as the outside TE in YY Wing on the right, going in Dash motion. Redman kicks out the EMOL, Monk pulls and Isaiah Rodgers [2] blitzes.
Play 3: 2nd & 4, 1:24 remaining in the 3rd quarter
On the next drive, the Packers try something a little different. They’re no longer in YY Wing and the Dash motion man is Josh Whyle [81], but they’re using Dash all the same. Instead of closed side of the field, Matthew Golden [0] is lined up wide outside of where Whyle was originally aligned. The Packers are seeing if the Vikings have an automatic boundary blitz called when Dash motion is called. If it is an auto blitz check, the Packers are running Golden on a slant behind it.
Rodgers does a good job of hiding his intentions until the ball is snapped. As soon as it’s snapped, Rodgers makes a beeline for the backfield. Jordan Love [10] takes a glimpse over, sees Rodgers blitzing and fires a quick throw over to Golden. Eric Wilson [55] is buzzing over, but he can’t get to the ball and Golden is able to dip under the tackle to pick up a few more yards.
I love it when a plan comes together.
I even slowed down the throw so you can enjoy it that way if you prefer.
Albums listened to: she’s green – swallowtail; Tom Waits – Rain Dogs
