Analysis from the Arizona Cardinals game coaches film

Originally posted by Bluesbro:
Patton was wide open too. He will earn plenty of reps when the coaches see effort like this.

Because of the pick from Crabtree. He just explained that....lol....

Originally posted by defenderDX:

Originally posted by Bluesbro:
Patton was wide open too. He will earn plenty of reps when the coaches see effort like this.

Because of the pick from Crabtree. He just explained that....lol....

What does the explanation have to do with what Bluesbro said, though? He just mentioned that he was wide open, but the effort part was clearly about Patton running all the way across the field to block for Boldin.

Originally posted by jonnydel:
So, I've finished reviewing the coaches film from the Cardinals game. A lot of things to discuss, so I'll try and keep it succinct.

First, an update on may dad: He's doing much better, improving daily; as a result I have returned home and to work, so, It'll take me a little longer to get all of my analysis and breakdowns uploaded than I was doing.

As far as the game goes:

I think I, like many, was happy we won, celebrated the last second victory, and felt frustrated through quarters 2-4. After reviewing the film, I have to give props to Arizona, they came to play - we did not, and we still won....

Let me preface everything with this: Arizona played like a hot team playing with a hunger for the playoffs. They were obviously going to come out and put everything they had into this game to do all that they could going into the playoffs. Remember, this is a team that had won 7 of its last 8 games and came in with the #1 rushing defense - it showed. I think our guys, didn't have nearly the fire or passion in this game - and we still won....

There was a lot of sloppy play from a lot of different guys throughout the game.

Our Offense played great in the 1st quarter, then played terrible through almost the entire next 3 quarters - which we all know, the question is why?
To answer, we don't have to look much further than the offensive line. AZ's defensive line played like monsters throughout the game. Our offensive line continued to struggle against their ferocious front all game and when we did handle them, they were so active and played with such intensity, some of their guys still made plays. On one play in particular, Calais Campbell was the backside DT and scraped all the way down the line after getting beat to tackle Frank Gore in the hole for a 1 yard gain on what should've been an 8 yard gain - it was a pure hustle play. AZ played like that all game.

Roman tried to spread out their defense to loosen up the middle of the field, but they were so stout in the middle it never happened. Kaepernick got hit early and often. Sometimes we didn't see it on the broadcast, but, CK was hit on a lot of his throws(or had a defender closing fast). I think this got him to hurry a couple progressions and throws in quarter 2 and the beginning of quarter 3. However, CK did continue to show good development in going through his progressions and, when he had time was effective. However, he rarely had decent time in the pocket. Every member of the offensive line got whooped at some point in pass pro.

Sometimes we had guys give up on routes. There was one play in particular where Boldin was the 2nd read on a play, he was supposed to run a slant got 2 steps into the slant and stopped running, CK moved from his 1st read to his 2nd - which should've been Boldin(he looked over the middle for Boldin but Boldin had stopped running) which then CK had to go to his 3rd read for the outlet.

Also, I think many of us were frustrated with the 3rd and shorts that we failed to convert. This, also, was on the O-line. Roman tried different runs throughout the game. He was searching for anything that might work against that defense. He came back to the few plays that had worked, but those ended up getting destroyed the 2nd time they tried them. He tried power plays, dives, traps, zone stretches - they all got blown up by a very active AZ front that came to play.

Each of the 3rd and shorts were different runs that were blown up by different players.

As far as CK's footwork - I know there was mention of that in the previous thread. He had a couple lapses and missteps but it was the exception not the rule. I could pull a couple examples of poor footwork, but, they were not the majority. I think the footwork lapses were more a result of CK getting hit early than a lack of knowing how to do it properly.

From the defensive side of the ball:

I think our goal was to come out of the game healthy(sucks about Rogers though - he's our most consistent corner and does a good job in the slot). We rotated the defensive line more than I have seen us all season. I know it seemed like a lack of pass rush, I think it had more to do with the constant rotation than anything. When we had our big 4(Brooks, McD, Smith, Smith) on the field, for the most part, we got good pressure. However, we only had our true starting front 7 on the field all together for maybe 35% of the plays. We rotated everyone in the front 7 out throughout the game. Most of AZ's big plays came when we had guys rotating out on the rush. Also, I think our guys on D didn't bring their A-game. Bowman had the pick and the forced fumble but he also gave up AZ's biggest run and a big 18 yard pass to a TE the he blew his coverage on. Everyone on defense had a lapse in the game at some point. Sometimes, it was multiple guys at the same time.

I am glad to hear your dad is doing well, I hope the positive progress continues onwards and he has a much healthier, happier 2014.



As far as the part I bolded, I went and looked up the total snaps for each player and the rotation really wasn't much more than normal, it was less than what we see with Tampa Bay and Atlanta, I think it's just that the Cardinals caught this team flat-footed and took advantage of it on both sides of the field.

As far as the snaps go, McDonald and Justin Smith played more snaps than they had in awhile. Justin Smith played more snaps than at anytime since the Carolina game. McDonald played 56 snaps, the most since the Jacksonville game. Dorsey played 36 snaps, which matches the total he had for the previous two games combined. TJE played 22 snaps, up slightly from what he got against Atlanta, basically following the season long trend of giving him more and more snaps as he continues to impress.


In anycase, the rotation was still a huge improvement from last season when you had McDonald and Smith playing all but a handful of the snaps. I do think that Arizona was amped up to beat the 49ers and their OL has improved a lot since they dumped Levi Brown, he was their Rachal and since they got rid of him, its been total addition by subtraction. Their OL appears to have been far better coached than say....last season and the results speak for themselves. They still have weaknesses but as a unit, they are much more solid than given credit for.


49ers will have to focus on generating more pressure in the playoffs, it is going to be essential, they can't let Rodgers slice and dice them up like they did with Matt Ryan and Carson Palmer.

^^ on that particular play, QP was open for a pass more so because of the route combination being run against the coverage. His hustle, though, is what will earn him major brownie points. I feel anyone could have been open for a pass in place of QP since Crabs ran his route well and set the pick.

Originally posted by jonnydel:

Originally posted by kronik:
jonnydel, can u analyze what happened on that play where Snyder gave up a long sack. Why was he in the game?

Snyder was actually in as a 2nd TE, it was a form of a "jumbo" package, he was the "U" back. We were trying to take a shot down the field. It was a play action fake on a 7 step drop depth. We had a "max" protect off the run action to get Crabtree on a double move down the seam but ARI covered it well(you would think with how aggressive they were against the run and and being shown a heavy formation they would bite on the run fake. We had 3 receivers go out, but, 1 was a delayed release after a chip, and the other was Boldin coming all the way across the field on a DIG(deep in) route. Boldin may have been open, but Snyder letting his man through blew up the play.

Does the jumbo formation run ever work anymore? Seems like lately when they use it against a quality opponent, they're able to defense it pretty effectively. (unless Kap passes to a lone WR out of it at the goal line)

Might sound like a stupid question but whenever I watch Coaches film after 10 minutes or so the feed stops and doesnt let me continue watching the rest of the game, then it automatically switches to broadcast mode from that point on in the game.

Can someone tell me how to fix this or how?

Originally posted by thl408:

^^ on that particular play, QP was open for a pass more so because of the route combination being run against the coverage. His hustle, though, is what will earn him major brownie points. I feel anyone could have been open for a pass in place of QP since Crabs ran his route well and set the pick.

I agree 100%. What I was saying, though, is it seems the person I quoted thought that the originally quoted poster was commenting on Patton 's effort to get open, when I feel it was obvious he was talking about his effort on the blocking he provided. Thus, the reason he got open is irrelevant.

I do agree anyone could have gotten open there, but not everyone would have hustled across the field to block for Boldin.

Maybe I'm wrong, though. If so, my bad.

Said it all game....Roman can only do so much, the players need to execute. If the play doesn't work it doesn't automatically mean the call was "stupid"

Originally posted by jreff22:

Said it all game....Roman can only do so much, the players need to execute. If the play doesn't work it doesn't automatically mean the call was "stupid"

There has been a lot of drops and missed blocks on the line, that break our rhythm ...majority of the time that Rhythm break has been McDonald and Vernon

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:

Originally posted by jreff22:
Said it all game....Roman can only do so much, the players need to execute. If the play doesn't work it doesn't automatically mean the call was "stupid"

There has been a lot of drops and missed blocks on the line, that break our rhythm ...majority of the time that Rhythm break has been McDonald and Vernon

I dont disagree. I just think its become too common to blame Roman every time something doesn't work.

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:

Originally posted by jreff22:

Said it all game....Roman can only do so much, the players need to execute. If the play doesn't work it doesn't automatically mean the call was "stupid"

There has been a lot of drops and missed blocks on the line, that break our rhythm ...majority of the time that Rhythm break has been McDonald and Vernon

I dont disagree. I just think its become too common to blame Roman every time something doesn't work.

That's why I want him to stay forever

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:

Originally posted by jreff22:

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:

Originally posted by jreff22:
Said it all game....Roman can only do so much, the players need to execute. If the play doesn't work it doesn't automatically mean the call was "stupid"

There has been a lot of drops and missed blocks on the line, that break our rhythm ...majority of the time that Rhythm break has been McDonald and Vernon

I dont disagree. I just think its become too common to blame Roman every time something doesn't work.

That's why I want him to stay forever

lol

Originally posted by awp8912:
Might sound like a stupid question but whenever I watch Coaches film after 10 minutes or so the feed stops and doesnt let me continue watching the rest of the game, then it automatically switches to broadcast mode from that point on in the game.

Can someone tell me how to fix this or how?

are you pausing and playing a lot? Sometimes it'll do that to me if you pause and play a lot, or rewind a lot. When that happens, I click on the "condensed" tab and then back to "coaches film" and just select the play I was on....

Originally posted by Sourball:

Originally posted by jonnydel:

Originally posted by kronik:
jonnydel, can u analyze what happened on that play where Snyder gave up a long sack. Why was he in the game?

Snyder was actually in as a 2nd TE, it was a form of a "jumbo" package, he was the "U" back. We were trying to take a shot down the field. It was a play action fake on a 7 step drop depth. We had a "max" protect off the run action to get Crabtree on a double move down the seam but ARI covered it well(you would think with how aggressive they were against the run and and being shown a heavy formation they would bite on the run fake. We had 3 receivers go out, but, 1 was a delayed release after a chip, and the other was Boldin coming all the way across the field on a DIG(deep in) route. Boldin may have been open, but Snyder letting his man through blew up the play.

Does the jumbo formation run ever work anymore? Seems like lately when they use it against a quality opponent, they're able to defense it pretty effectively. (unless Kap passes to a lone WR out of it at the goal line)

It does and it doesn't. We've converted quite a few 3rd and shorts but also had a lot blown up. The idea with the jumbo package is that it creates a lot of different options in the run game. When you balance the line, you have mismatches in size. Opponents will often have a Guard lined up as a TE over a DE or LB. In which case you have an easy kick out play and create a "wall" on that side that's almost impossible to get pursuit against. You also have every gap as a potential running lane on 3rd and short. Instead of your "A" and "B" gaps. Where we've been having a harder time is when our guys don't fire out low enough. Opponents have been using a lot of slants and low firing "pile" making type of players against our jumbo package. It's helped VD get a few TD's this year and remains something that the opponent has to prepare for every week.

I think there were several things Roman was doing this week to put more volume on film. The more variation you show on film the harder it is for an opponent to effectively gameplan against you. Every play or situation that a defense has to prepare for the gameplan they have to have several quality reps in practice for that play. They usually only get a couple days to actually install the gameplan and practice it. That means that they if they have 50-75 different scenarios, with their own plays to be ready for it makes life a lot harder on an opposing defense. They can't just come in to the game with 5 plays to beat you. They have to come in with 20-25 different defensive calls plus stunts and slants to practice. This means that they'll have to practice each of those calls against a variety of looks and calls to make sure they are ready. With only a couple hours of padded practice available during the week according to the CBA it becomes quite a task to get your position drills and your starting O and D practice time in with only a couple days.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
I am glad to hear your dad is doing well, I hope the positive progress continues onwards and he has a much healthier, happier 2014.



As far as the part I bolded, I went and looked up the total snaps for each player and the rotation really wasn't much more than normal, it was less than what we see with Tampa Bay and Atlanta, I think it's just that the Cardinals caught this team flat-footed and took advantage of it on both sides of the field.

As far as the snaps go, McDonald and Justin Smith played more snaps than they had in awhile. Justin Smith played more snaps than at anytime since the Carolina game. McDonald played 56 snaps, the most since the Jacksonville game. Dorsey played 36 snaps, which matches the total he had for the previous two games combined. TJE played 22 snaps, up slightly from what he got against Atlanta, basically following the season long trend of giving him more and more snaps as he continues to impress.


In anycase, the rotation was still a huge improvement from last season when you had McDonald and Smith playing all but a handful of the snaps. I do think that Arizona was amped up to beat the 49ers and their OL has improved a lot since they dumped Levi Brown, he was their Rachal and since they got rid of him, its been total addition by subtraction. Their OL appears to have been far better coached than say....last season and the results speak for themselves. They still have weaknesses but as a unit, they are much more solid than given credit for.


49ers will have to focus on generating more pressure in the playoffs, it is going to be essential, they can't let Rodgers slice and dice them up like they did with Matt Ryan and Carson Palmer.

I guess what I noticed was the when and how often they were subbing single players. What I mean is: In a lot of games, later in the game when we've had things handled, we'll sub in some of the younger guys. Also, there have been times where we've given those guys "breathers" but it seemed like most of the game at least on of our front 4 pass rushers(Brooks, McD, Smith and Smith) was off the field. Normally, we'll give our backups a few plays then bring in our starters for 4-5 plays and then sub again. I guess for me it seemed like they were in more throughout the entirety of the game rather than in for spurts at a time. It seemed like there was always at least on backup on the field for the defense.