Arizona Cardinals coaches film analysis (week 17)

It does seem that starting with the SD game, Kap was given the green light to run instead of toughing it out in the "pocket" to find a target. He gashed ARI for a couple big runs. SF stuck with the run and it paid off in the second half with Gore getting two chunk gains of 20+. Kap made a handful of nice throws and although that's not much of a consolation prize, it shows he continued to work hard and tried his best to rebound from an otherwise lackluster season. Like the team, he didn't fold up his tent and pack it in.

ARI is second to last in rushing offense, yet they were able to fool the 49ers with playaction a few times. One of which was the flea flicker for a TD. With a lot of subs playing on defense, there isn't much to garner from this game that can be applied to next year. Tank had his moments with a sack and a well diagnosed screen. DJohnson got caught peeking into the backfield for a TD, but otherwise did okay at LCB. He seems to give too large a cushion (post snap) and was not driving toward the ball well when it was thrown his way. MFloyd's speed and size may have to do a lot with this. The passes were off target so it didn't matter. The three INTs by Lindley were poorly thrown balls more so than good defensive plays.

I really hope this isn't the last 49er Fangio/Donatell game I get to watch. Watching his coverages unfold is a thing of beauty and I enjoyed every defensive snap. I am very excited at being able to watch a new offense next season. We don't know what to expect at this point, and that's what makes it exciting. I'll just touch on the big plays and highlight some plays from players we may have seen for the last time in red and gold (teardrop).

Take a week off thl. Since JH is gone, there is no need to review his/Roman's film.

Originally posted by Joecool:
Take a week off thl. Since JH is gone, there is no need to review his/Roman's film.

Speak for yourself! I want to see the film.

On ARI's first drive of the game, they were able to get the run game going with runs of 3, 5, 6, 6. Using this, they reached into their bag of tricks to score a TD.

AR: Flea flicker
SF: Bethea's side is playing Quarters. I can't tell what Dahl is doing because the coverage never really unfolds. DJohnson will read #1. Bethea will read #2.


The RB is tossing the ball back to Lindley as DJohnson bites hard on the run fake. Bethea is reading #2 who stays in to block. It's okay that Bethea bites on the run fake, he's just reading his key (#2). It is not okay for DJohnson to bite because he should be reading #1. Dahl should not be coming up this aggressively to support the run although I don't know what his assignment is if he reads run so it's hard to fault Dahl.


Pitch and catch.

I want to see what was going on for that big play to Patton, whenever you get a chance. I noticed they moved the pocket, but I want to see if it was just a coverage bust or what was going on conceptually. That was a great throw by kap, almost like the crabs play vs NO.

ARI plays a lot of man coverage. This is different than what most teams do facing the 49ers. Some posters have mentioned why the 49ers don't use more bunch formations to get WRs open. The reason is because bunching WRs, and running rub routes, more commonly used for busting man coverage.

49ers: To Kap's left is a trail concept as Boldin trails behind Lloyd. This causes the CBs, who are in man coverage, to back up and give space. To Kap's right is a rub route where VD will provide a pick for Crabs.
ARI: Fake a high pressure blitz, while dropping the NT into coverage and sending the slot CB (lined up over VD). It then becomes a very odd coverage with no safety help and three LBs clogging the middle of the field.


Kap pumps to his left. The CBs on that side of the field will get confused on their pattern matching.


Both CBs follow Lloyd as Boldin runs free towards the middle of the field. Kap steps up in the pocket and because he's such a threat to run, the three defenders in the middle of the field (orange) freeze in their tracks. This gives Boldin lots of room and a nice throwing lane for Kap. To Kap's right, VD has just picked off the CB on Crabs - rub route.


Kap is mid windup. If Kap was not such a threat to run, the three defenders in the middle of the field would have sagged to gain depth and a throwing lane to Boldin may not have been available.

Originally posted by Joecool:
Take a week off thl. Since JH is gone, there is no need to review his/Roman's film.

hell no. these are the best threads posted in NT. will be a LONG time before we see anything more like it

Here are a couple plays from the 49ers' second FG drive of the first half.

2Q 3rd & 8

49ers: Basic clear by Lloyd for Crabs to work his Out route from the slot.
ARI: cover 1 (5 man pressure). The slot CB lined up over Crabs will come on a blitz.


49ers pick up the blitz. With the safety taking Crabs and giving a cushion, Crabs has space to work his route and spins the safety around. Kap is mid windup.


+20 yards




Was this the last big hook up for the KapTree connection? Maybe? Maybe not? Hopefully? Would have been nice if they hooked up on a fade route in the end zone just to show they can get it right.

Originally posted by thl408:


Was this the last big hook up for the KapTree connection? Maybe? Maybe not? Hopefully? Would have been nice if they hooked up on a fade route in the end zone just to show they can get it right.

Ahhh this makes me sad. These were the kinds of plays Crabtree was excelling at WITH Kaepernick at QB in 2012 and when he came back last year. He was good at these possession plays even with Smith at QB.

Good riddance of Harbaugh/Roman. Best coaches at figuring something out that works, then doing the complete opposite

On the very next play, Kap hooks up with Patton for a huge gain.

2Q 1st & 10
49ers: Flood right as they roll Kap to the right.
ARI: cover3 (I think).


Kap completes his playaction and starts to roll right. ADavis casually lets his pass rusher go by. This causes Kap to halt his rollout. VD is covered. The curl/flat defender is stuck on Miller. The throwing lane to Boldin may be blocked due to the playside hook/curl defender. (Kap looked to Boldin but didn't pull the trigger.)


Kap pulls up and looks backside to Patton. Normally, a WR will run to the side that QB is rolling out towards. With Kap's strong arm, Patton will roll the opposite direction to gain separation. This will surprise any CB.


Kap is mid windup targeting Patton. The CB on Patton is not expecting a target and continues to flow to the side of the field that most of the players are on.


Patton bobbles the pass, but hangs on. +35 yards

With the 49ers leading 13-10, ARI would drive down the field to score a TD in the last minute of the first half. Nick Moody (#54) has been thrust into the starting lineup due to Borland's injury. The third LB to man that position this season. After looking overwhelmed the past couple weeks, he has settled a bit. Playing ILB for the 49ers carries huge responsibility in pass coverage and this play shows how failing to get into proper position can hang the CB out to dry.

2Q 2nd & 10
49ers: cover2 man


As the CBs take their man and the play develops, the 49ers ILBs are asked to sag a bit to help take away any underneath throws. This is why DJohnson is playing over the top even though he has safety help. DJohnson is relying on Moody to take away the throwing lane to any inside breaking routes. Moody has not gained enough depth to take away the passing lane and stays shallow waiting for his man coverage assignment (the RB) to release into his route.


Notice Wilhoite on the other side of the field and the depth he has. He is tasked with covering the TE, but will not come up close to the TE, preferring to stay back and help with coverage downfield - giving help to the CB on his side of the field. The 49er ILBs are taught to do this, then attack downhill on any short dumpoff. With guys like Willis and Bow, open field tackling is such a strength that they will give up the short dumpoff in exchange for covering any inside breaking routes from the WRs. Had Moody been in the orange square, there is much smaller throwing lane to the WR being covered by DJohnson. Lindley is mid windup targeting the WR covered by DJohnson.


+13 yards

On the very next play, ARI scores to take a 17-13 lead going into the half.

49ers: cover1 (5 man pressure)
#15 is the WR Floyd. He will do a double move - slant and go.


Floyd starts his slant as DJohnson is peeking into the backfield. ARI uses the fact that the 49er CBs like to watch the play unfold against them. To DJohnson, this looks like a slant-flat combination (slant by Floyd, flat by the TE).


Floyd heads up field and DJohnson is toast.

Originally posted by thl408:
It does seem that starting with the SD game, Kap was given the green light to run instead of toughing it out in the "pocket" to find a target. He gashed ARI for a couple big runs. SF stuck with the run and it paid off in the second half with Gore getting two chunk gains of 20 . Kap made a handful of nice throws and although that's not much of a consolation prize, it shows he continued to work hard and tried his best to rebound from an otherwise lackluster season. Like the team, he didn't fold up his tent and pack it in.

ARI is second to last in rushing offense, yet they were able to fool the 49ers with playaction a few times. One of which was the flea flicker for a TD. With a lot of subs playing on defense, there isn't much to garner from this game that can be applied to next year. Tank had his moments with a sack and a well diagnosed screen. DJohnson got caught peeking into the backfield for a TD, but otherwise did okay at LCB. He seems to give too large a cushion (post snap) and was not driving toward the ball well when it was thrown his way. MFloyd's speed and size may have to do a lot with this. The passes were off target so it didn't matter. The three INTs by Lindley were poorly thrown balls more so than good defensive plays.

I really hope this isn't the last 49er Fangio/Donatell game I get to watch. Watching his coverages unfold is a thing of beauty and I enjoyed every defensive snap. I am very excited at being able to watch a new offense next season. We don't know what to expect at this point, and that's what makes it exciting. I'll just touch on the big plays and highlight some plays from players we may have seen for the last time in red and gold (teardrop).

my hope is Fangio is named HC and Donatell is named DC. I am not sure that Fangio would stay if not named head coach and I thought that I heard that Donatell 's contract is up and we all know he wants to be a DC...somewhere

Originally posted by thl408:




Was this the last big hook up for the KapTree connection? Maybe? Maybe not? Hopefully? Would have been nice if they hooked up on a fade route in the end zone just to show they can get it right.

Kap is so 'stiff' in his drop back.

Originally posted by thl408:
On the very next play, Kap hooks up with Patton for a huge gain.

2Q 1st & 10
49ers: Flood right as they roll Kap to the right.
ARI: cover3 (I think).


Kap completes his playaction and starts to roll right. ADavis casually lets his pass rusher go by. This causes Kap to halt his rollout. VD is covered. The curl/flat defender is stuck on Miller. The throwing lane to Boldin may be blocked due to the playside hook/curl defender. (Kap looked to Boldin but didn't pull the trigger.)


Kap pulls up and looks backside to Patton. Normally, a WR will run to the side that QB is rolling out towards. With Kap's strong arm, Patton will roll the opposite direction to gain separation. This will surprise any CB.


Kap is mid windup targeting Patton. The CB on Patton is not expecting a target and continues to flow to the side of the field that most of the players are on.


Patton bobbles the pass, but hangs on. +35 yards

This year, many of Kaep's best throws have come when we roll him out. He seems to see the field better... not unlike Russell Wilson. One can only hope the next coaching staff takes advantage of that. Bevell anyone?!?