A Saints LB analyzes 5 plays in their game against the Rams last season

  • To unlock all of features of Rams On Demand please take a brief moment to register. Registering is not only quick and easy, it also allows you access to additional features such as live chat, private messaging, and a host of other apps exclusive to Rams On Demand.

Prime Time

PT
Moderator
Joined
Feb 9, 2014
Messages
20,922
Name
Peter
https://www.si.com/nfl/2018/05/16/l...film-study-craig-robertson-new-orleans-saints

The Secrets of a Linebacker
Craig Robertson has made it in the NFL thanks to a sharp eye and keen sense of what’s coming next. The Saints linebacker walks us through five plays—telling us how he can figure out what’s coming—from a game against the Rams last fall
By ANDY BENOIT

image

PETER G. AIKEN

Saints linebacker Craig Robertson is one of those players who keeps finding his way onto the field. Undrafted in 2011 out of North Texas, he spent his first NFL season on Cleveland’s practice squad before getting a chance to become a situational backup and special teamer in 2012.

He started three games for the Browns in 2012 and then 61 of his next 73 games, including 27 of 31 since signing with the Saints in ’16. Initially a safety in college, Robertson is a finesse linebacker with speed, though he’d never be confused for Deion Jones or Telvin Smith.

Guys like Robertson must play faster than their athleticism. That demands an aptitude for diagnosing plays. We think of this as reading and reacting, but for a linebacker, much of the game takes place before the snap, at the line of scrimmage. Watching his 2017 game against the Rams, Robertson showed me how he sniffs out plays before the snap.

13:33 FIRST QUARTER, SECOND-AND-6

image

Courtesy NFL Game Pass

Craig Robertson: We knew when Tavon Austin was in the backfield, he had his small book of plays that he ran. The tight end’s stance [Tyler Higbee] gave a lot of those plays away. Right here, his feet are even. On other plays, his feet will be kind of staggered, but not much. It was a slight but telling difference. Our defensive ends would look at his feet and make certain calls off it.

Andy Benoit: So the defensive ends knew that “even feet” meant a split-zone block, where Higbee would work back across the formation and block the opposite edge defender?

Robertson: Yeah. But the Rams would pass from this look, too. [Right defensive end Cam Jordan] knew that Higbee, from this stance, would be chip-blocking him [if it’s a pass]. That’s why Jordan widened his pass rush initially.

The result: Todd Gurley was stopped for a 1-yard gain.

11:38 FIRST QUARTER, SECOND-AND-1

image

Courtesy NFL Game Pass

Robertson: Here WR Cooper Kupp is at No. 3. [This is football-speak for saying Kupp is the third widest-aligned receiver on his side of the field. The widest guy, Austin, is No. 1. The second widest guy, Josh Reynolds, is No. 2.] Being at No. 3 and up on the line of scrimmage, with the two outside guys off the ball, we know Kupp won’t run a route to the flat.

[Visualize it: if Kupp did run to the flat, his route would collide with any route that Austin or Reynolds ran, unless they both also ran flat routes, which would be a nonsensical play design.] So Kupp will run either a Corner route, a Go route or an Over route. [All are routes that go vertical off the snap.]

Of course, with more limited route options from this alignment, the defense must be on higher alert for a run play, especially given it was second-and-1. Indeed, it was a misdirection toss to Todd Gurley.

Robertson: I thought Gurley was going to cut inside. I bounced outside first [correctly], but I peeked back. I needed to just get outside all the way.

The result: A five-yard gain for Gurley.

5:31 FIRST QUARTER, THIRD-AND-1

image

Courtesy NFL Game Pass

Robertson: We knew what this play was. Just by formation, down-and-distance and tendency.

Benoit: How, and at what point, did you know for sure?

Robertson: Simple: right there [points to Gurley]. He’s five yards deep, not the usual seven or eight. I’m thinking Gurley—big, strong guy—he’s going to dive into me inside. So I’m gearing up to make the tackle or get him to bounce it. I turned to Von Bell and said, ‘Make sure you Go!’

The result: Gurley is stuffed for no gain.

4:36 FIRST QUARTER, FIRST-AND-10

image

Courtesy NFL Game Pass

Robertson: The blitz! We changed this blitz. A.J. Klein was supposed to go first, but then they motioned. So I was like, "I’m goin’, I’m goin!" A.J. was blitzing from the passing strength of the formation. But once the guy goes motion, the passing strength changes.

Benoit: How’d you get the timing down so well on this one?

Robertson: Just watching the television copy, listening to the Rams’ cadence on it. And they were at home this game, so you could hear the cadence. And their cadence is their cadence—it’s the same one they’ve been doing since training camp. Once you hear the TV copy, you start to understand what words they use. What code words: colors, animals, cities, states—every team is different. But you listen to it and you get a beat on it.

When I was in Cleveland, every time we played Joe Flacco, he said the same colors, same cadence, everything was the same. So when you got certain colors, especially on first down when you get a lot of run plays [which draw a lot of extra cadence verbiage since teams check in and out of run plays so much], you knew. Plus, on this alignment here, there was a lot of space in the A-gap.

Benoit: Yeah, there’s a little extra width between the center and guard on your side. You see that sometimes between a guard and tackle, you don’t see it often between a guard and a center.

Robertson: Nope. Most times when an O-line gives you that wide split, they’re trying to widen everything out and handle the outside rushers.

Benoit: And just by the structure of where everyone is aligned, it’s you and DT Tyler Davidson 2-on-1 against the guard. From there only Gurley can help.

Robertson: And the hardest block for a running back is when he’s in the dot [directly behind the center—like “dotting the i”] and a blitzer flashes immediately. Because the running back has to go around the quarterback to get to his block, and he must not hit the quarterback.

The result: Robertson gets in for a clean sack.

13:31 SECOND QUARTER, FIRST-AND-10

image

Courtesy NFL Game Pass

Robertson: With Tavon Austin at five yards in the backfield, we’re thinking a trap play. And sure enough, they run trap. So the right guard fakes a block on Tyler Davidson and then gets up to the next level. When you get “trap” as an inside ’backer, you gotta come downhill.

I was thinking it was a pull block coming from the left because [LG Rodger Saffold] was light on his hands in his stance. [A lineman being light on his hands is an indication that he is going to move east and west, as opposed to firing off the ball north and south.] I got lucky that the right tackle [Rob Havenstein] was a little sloppy, that allowed me to get back in there.

The result: Austin gains four yards
 

badnews

Use Your Illusion
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
5,326
Name
Dave
Motherfucker left out the plays his ass got burned.
What was the final score?


Its cool to get the breakdown, but its just standard professional football tape study.
Something about this pissed me off because without context it makes our offense look stupid and easy to beat. Obviously as the leagues #1 offense (despite only 15 weeks of starters) we were doing something right.

What he didn't break down were the false reads he bit on that opened up a passing window for a 1st down...
 

VeteranRamFan

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Camp Reporter
Joined
Oct 28, 2012
Messages
2,112
Name
Dale
Great counter-intelligence for McVay.

Even with these plays recognized, and it is only 5 plays out of how many?, we still beat them.

They make it sound like they knew every single play just by formation and cadence.

Wasn't the case. Good read! Thanks for posting, @Prime Time
 

tempests

Hall of Fame
Joined
May 25, 2013
Messages
2,814
Most people know five plays doesn't define a game or a season.

Defense will win their share of battles. No big deal.
 

Merlin

Enjoying the ride
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
May 8, 2014
Messages
37,036
We knew when Tavon Austin was in the backfield, he had his small book of plays that he ran.

Been saying this. But if it's Cooks or Pharoh, watch out, both can actually run a pattern or catch the ball up a seam.
 

bubbaramfan

Legend
Camp Reporter
Joined
Aug 7, 2013
Messages
6,758
Not every play works. Not all his guesses were correct. Of course defenses diagnose some plays correctly. But then again, they bite of fakes or read plays exactly the way the OC wants and they get burned.

Rams won that game 26-20. 415 total yds, 24 1st downs.

Mr. Robinson shouldn't be too proud of his breakdown of Rams plays.

The final score tells all.

That comment of TA with his "small book of plays" kinda confirms what I've been guessing about TA's ability to understand complex plays and see it to the field.
 

Ram65

Legend
Joined
Apr 30, 2015
Messages
9,597
I enjoyed the read. Would have been nice to have Robertson show a couple of successful plays by the Rams to even things out. The illustrations and narrative shows the Rams and McVay are not infallible on play design and formation. McVay's goal is to set up the offense so that teams can't tell if its a pass or run. Yesterday, I watch the Vikings media/coach video how McVay sets up defenses with fake runs to Gurley and even the fake reverse to Austin with play action passes. I think the Vikings picked up on Rams tendencies a little bit. One thing for sure is McVay will continue to tweek plays and improve the offense. As mentioned what he will do with Cooks should be fun to watch. Look for Cooks' versatility and McVay's creativity to surprise many defenses.
 
Last edited:

jrry32

Rams On Demand Sponsor
Rams On Demand Sponsor
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
29,790
Even if he knew all of our plays, if we execute them properly, there's still not much he can do. Still, it was an interesting articles. I always figured that if you looked hard enough that you can find tells for every team and scheme.
 

Snaz

Pro Bowler
Joined
Jul 21, 2016
Messages
1,190
Name
Shawn
13:33 FIRST QUARTER, SECOND-AND-6
The result: Todd Gurley was stopped for a 1-yard gain.

11:38 FIRST QUARTER, SECOND-AND-1
The result: A five-yard gain for Gurley.

5:31 FIRST QUARTER, THIRD-AND-1
The result: Gurley is stuffed for no gain.

4:36 FIRST QUARTER, FIRST-AND-10
The result: Robertson gets in for a clean sack.

13:31 SECOND QUARTER, FIRST-AND-10
The result: Austin gains four yards

3 Wins for the Titans and 2 Wins for the Rams.
 

Psycho_X

Legend
Joined
Jan 14, 2013
Messages
11,146
I like the article, free tip for a few players on how to clean some tells up. I wish they had an article like this from every opposing LB'er we faced.
 

Jacobarch

Hall of Fame
Joined
Mar 28, 2016
Messages
4,914
Name
Jake
Cool read, I like hearing about the small details that give away plays and scheme to defensive and offensive players. Although every team does this there are those who do it better than others. Would have been nice to see what happened on the plays the Rams beat them on. Seems kind of Bias.
 

Flint

Pro Bowler
Joined
Aug 17, 2017
Messages
1,589
I enjoyed the read. Would have been nice to have Robertson show a couple of successful plays by the Rams to even things out. The illustrations and narrative shows the Rams and McVay are not infallible on play design and formation. McVay's goal is to set up the offense so that teams can't tell if its a pass or run. Yesterday, I watch the Vikings media/coach video how McVay sets up defenses with fake runs to Gurley and even the fake reverse to Austin with play action passes. I think the Vikings picked up on Rams tendencies a little bit. One thing for sure is McVay will continue to tweek plays and improve the offense. As mentioned what he will do with Cooks should be fun to watch. Look for Cooks' versatility and McVay's creativity to surprise many defenses.

I don’t know if it’s the design that is flawed as much as the execution. Higbee was giving away his intentions by his foot placement, Havenstein by his weight distribution. This is one thing that separates good from great, the great ones have fewer tells and can mislead the defense sending false signals. But that’s the game within the game, is this a real tendency or is it a setup.
 

wolfdogg

Hall of Fame
Joined
Jun 19, 2014
Messages
2,965
Name
wolfdogg
Those tells with higbee and Saffold should never happen unless they're using it to set up a big play later on.

I've seen those exact tells explained in old movies for crying out loud.

Mcvay will use this to send fake tells moving forward, if he hasn't already.
 

Ants

Starter
Joined
Feb 8, 2016
Messages
572
Maybe I'm just ignorant, but the first play - Gurley 1 yard gain - where the heck is he on this play?
It's Tavon in the backfield (as is mentioned). :thinking:
 

Faceplant

Still celebrating Superbowl LVI
Rams On Demand Sponsor
2023 ROD Pick'em Champion
Joined
Aug 11, 2010
Messages
9,597
Thanks for the insight. Like others have mentioned, nothing new about this, but it is always cool to hear a player break things down. The one thing I kept thinking..... So you knew what was coming and failed to beat it more often than not. That's pretty much how the game played out.
 

Mojo Ram

Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Feb 3, 2013
Messages
22,896
Name
mojo
My favorite plays are when everyone in the stadium knows where the Rams are going and the defense can't stop it.