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Hello Flip - Novel Design in Crow's TD Run

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  • I finished the O-line grading late last night, and the tallies (you ain't gonna believe this week's co-valedictorian) and note review this AM. Before I get into that write up I wanted to share the first, major, Flip, play moment that I have noticed. And I'm going to try using some stills to illustrate it.

    Series 2's Play 8; 1st & 10 on the TN 11.

    At the snap M.Johnson starts to lead what looks to be a routine, middle-left, zone run. Line action supports this look. Only the FB's head gives a clue of something other. The tailback, Crow, delaying a beat is typical of middle-zone runs.

    post-2853-0-47798200-1443192291_thumb.jpg

    A few frames later the line looks to be in trouble... no gaps are developing and they've not accounted for #91. Johnson is very tight to JM and not only is his head turn to the right more pronounced, but he is now setting to cut hard to his right. Also note that Crow has moved outside the hash marks and looks to be setting to cut to the right.

    post-2853-0-80244600-1443192333_thumb.jpg

    A few more frames pass and Johnson has turned to take on #91. The bulk of the line looks jammed up, but Greco has sealed in the end of the line. And Schwartz is positioned to seal in the LB. Hawk is sprinting to the sideline making the DB honor a bootleg possibility.

    post-2853-0-30377800-1443192348_thumb.jpg

    The money shot... JM is carrying out his bootleg action. Crow is cutting off Johnson's, easy-to-read, left-shoulder block. Mitch has sealed in the LB (was there ever a doubt?). Crow's path is clear and remains open until around the 2... where as you'll remember he splits 2 DBs with power and stretches for the TD.

    post-2853-0-80168300-1443193527_thumb.jpg

    Just like Flip drew it up... something it only took me three viewings to realize and two more to fully appreciate.

  • Sweet.

  • Interesting play call. Counter not out of a one back but with a lead. Chip the play side DE, either he overcommits to the initial stretch, runs with the bootleg or does exactly what happened - get blown up by Johnson.

    When watching live I simply thought it was a busted blocking assignment and a great cut by Crow. I'm happy to see that by design, it's something more.

  • who's the FB? He made that play. If that OLB'er gets off that block just a little and disrupts Crow....play might still gain yds but it wouldn't have been a TD

  • Malcolm Johnson. Also somewhere on here someone said he's ranked dead last in all FBs?

  • who's the FB? He made that play. If that OLB'er gets off that block just a little and disrupts Crow....play might still gain yds but it wouldn't have been a TD

    @clevfan4life said:

    who's the FB? He made that play. If that OLB'er gets off that block just a little and disrupts Crow....play might still gain yds but it wouldn't have been a TD.

    That would be Malcolm Johnson... And yes, hinges significantly on him getting a block. Even if stoned to a draw, the play likely fails. We ran the play again in our last drive, two plays before TD #2 to Benji. Johnson went low that time for a cut block, but the LB went over him and made the tackle after a gain of 2 yds.

    @tiamat63 said:

    Interesting play call. Counter not out of a one back but with a lead. Chip the play side DE, either he overcommits to the initial stretch, runs with the bootleg or does exactly what happened - get blown up by Johnson.

    When watching live I simply thought it was a busted blocking assignment and a great cut by Crow. I'm happy to see that by design, it's something more.

    Same here... both live and even after the first two replays during grading... then I noticed that Greco and Schwartz were trying to make seal blocks exactly the opposite of what a play to the left-side would call for... and everything fell into place.

    Shanny ran a counter out of the I where both backs initially jab stepped to he opposite side, but never one where the handoff was actually made away from the intended side. I can't remember seeing the action in this play before, but then I may have and thought it was a broken play.

  • I was kinda looking for some info on how our FB was doing this year. Hadn't heard much.

  • Excellent post Tour. Last but not least, the crow was able to finish!

  • Well done Tour. I'd like to see a similar breakdown of the first TD where JM and Benji read the D and both acted according to plan.

    This article talks about the play and the read.

    http://espn.go.com/blog/cleveland-browns/post/_/id/15719/joe-thomas-john-defilippo-give-concrete-examples-of-johnny-manziels-growth

  • I was kinda looking for some info on how our FB was doing this year. Hadn't heard much.

    Thank you, all... say it with pictures...

    @ibleedbrown said:

    I was kinda looking for some info on how our FB was doing this year. Hadn't heard much.

    Malcolm did not do much Week 1. The above play was easily his best of week 2, but there are more notes on him in the Week 2 grades... hot off the presses.

    @texasag1969 said:

    I'd like to see a similar breakdown of the first TD where JM and Benji read the D and both acted according to plan.

    Funny you should ask... 😉 Just so happens that I did take a few screenshots of that play.