SB XLVIII : Blown plays

[bpc]

I'm going back and watching the film from SBXLVIII. Not pretty and it's enough to make you throw up. We left so many plays on the field. All levels are responsible but I'm going to highlight some just in the 1st half on offense with pictures and continue on as I have time. It will be a process but i'll update as I go. Please excuse my poor handwriting.

I love Manning but he missed so many wide open players this game. Dude got hit a few times, immediately got nervous and tight, and started locking on to his first read and throwing it, almost zero progressions. We went into the half down 0-22, but we really should have had 14-17 pts on offense if we don't screw up so many plays.

1st play: 2nd and 7 on our 38. This is the play that Manning hit DT on the crosser and he got tattoed. Set the tone for the game and we only got 2 yds out of it. We really should have had a 1st down instead. Offense is lined up in bunch, Decker motions to the right of the formation, with the TE to his inside. The defense is lined up in nickel cover 2, but it's really a nickel cover 1 robber disguised. Basic stuff that Seattle has done all year. Earl Thomas is lined up over the top of Julius 10 yds off the ball and playing the deep center. After motion Decker gets a great release off the LOS, runs a skinny post and stutter steps Sherman, turning him around and putting him in terrible position as he gets the inside with the FS bailing. KJ Wright, #50 turns and is trailing Julius Thomas running the crosser opposite of DT (running right to left, left to right) and Decker is simply wide ass open. Manning doesn't see him because he's locked on so tight waiting for DT breaking free underneath. Chancellor is just squatting in the robber position, waiting for the route in the middle part of the field. Manning throws it, DT gets blasted, 2 yr game. Message sent.

[Agamemnon]

All of them?

And yes Manning sucked big dick all night long. If anyone was wondering what Kyle Orton would look like in a Super Bowl it would look something like that.

[bpc]

This was a route that we've seen Atlanta run last year for a TD on Sherman. Jarious Wright from Minnesota ran it, wide open, TD. You can get Sherman turned around because he has tight hips when required to turn and run. He's great at running on streaks/fades and playing deep balls because of his length and straight line speed. You can get him all day on double moves, skinny posts, outs and comebacks. I'm surprised at how little we tested him on this.

[Agamemnon]

Tell me if my suspicion is true. Did Manning ever even look Decker's way or did he just write him off all game because Sherman was on him?

[bpc]

Hard to tell if he was actually avoiding him, or just shell-shocked from taking a lick or two early. Once he got hit, he was locking on like crazy and showed little faith he thought the tackles were going to keep him upright. It was a killer on offense.

[bpc]

Next drive, 1st and 10. Denver comes out in 4 wide, Seattle combats with Nickel cover 2 zone. Manning completes the pass for five yards to Welker on a short dig route in the middle of the zone but gets him lit up by Chancellor. He locked onto the center of the field, never bothering to look outside at Decker who was playing in the slot and running an out route which could have been turned up field for a gain of 9 or 10 yards after both corners locked on to DT running a curl route. We've seen Manning and Decker hook up on this same pass countless times including late last week vs. the Patriots for the 1st down. We ended up throwing a pick on 3rd down later this drive but this could have been an easy 1st down, or 2nd and 1.

[whoeey]

First play would have resulted in pick. Same as second. If you are telling me the safety or the lb can't cover that ground.............. lmao at you

[Agamemnon]

Dude you are getting me all riled up with these photos. He also had Julius Thomas one on one with Sherman. I'd take that all day long. OJ is the same speed and 40 pounds heavier.

[Agamemnon]

First play would have resulted in pick. Same as second. If you are telling me the safety or the lb can't cover that ground.............. lmao at you

If Manning can't fit the ball in those windows he no longer has an arm that belongs in the NFL.

[bpc]

3rd and 7 on the Broncos 23. Denver comes out in Shotgun tight, 4 wide. Seattle is in Nickel cover 1. Chancellor is the single high, they move Thomas over the top of the tight WR & corner back. This SCREAMS blitz so Manning should know ASAP that this is a blitz formation and it's going to be coming fast. They are running crossers again with the underneath WR's, Welker and Julius Thomas. DT & Decker are running the coverage off. Manning targets Julius who is going high on the crosser. Pass rush closing in, Manning steps into this throw and floats it right into Chancellor's hands. JT was wide open for a first. Welker running low on the crosser could have been tackled right at the LOS. He was open too. Another attempt to convert a 3rd down and now the Seahawks have it at 1st and 10 at our 36. Poor poor throw by Manning. This was the opening of the floodgates. The defense had been on the field basically the whole 1st quarter. They had stopped Seattle to two FG's the previous drives, 0-8 lead. This drive Seattle put in the endzone for a 0-15 advantage early in the 2nd qtr.

[bpc]

2nd & 4, following drive, Denver down 0-15. Broncos need to get a drive going as momentum is slipping away. They start running a bunch of underneath stuff, bubble screens. Making the DB's have to creep up. They throw one to DT & get Decker & Welker blocking Wright and Maxwell. They dominate Wright and kick him out, all Welker has to do is put his body in-between Maxwell and Decker and there is a HUGE seam straight to the sideline and down the field. Thomas might have tackled him after 10 yards with his angle but DT could have ran through it, we've seen him do that a lot over the past 3 years. Maxwell shakes Welker, he misses the tackle and and DT gets stopped for 3 yds. This was a sign of things to come because our WR's didn't block for **** on running plays for the most part.

(For give the squiggly seam, it should be straight through Welker & Decker's butt cheaks up the field to the sideline.)

[bpc]

3rd and 1 on our 39, same exact play to the opposite side. Denver gets the exact defense they just saw, it's wide open, WR's just need to get inside leverage and let DT make the last guy miss or break the tackle and it's 6. Now Decker misses the block. Gain of 1 and a first down, could have been a lot more.

[bpc]

This one's painful to watch because Manning normally hammers defenses that play like this. Seattle brings a zone blitz with an LB on the A gap, DE dropping against 3 wide. DT looks solo'd up with the single high FS protecting deep center. Manning takes his shot down field into double coverage and sadly, if this is a better pass, DT has a chance to make the play and get down the 15-20 yd line. As it is, once he saw the FS crashing towards DT, with the DE in zone coverage, lost, he should have looked towards Julius who was coming left to right on a in pattern. Could have been a 20-25 yd play on the right sideline that would have put us in FG range for sure.

[bpc]

Here's a nice play that went to Welker for 16 yds. I highlight it because Denver went max protection on a 3 wide set leaving JT/Ball into block. Manning had a long time to throw and Welker got open. Not really sure why Gase never did this more with Manning feeling the heat and our tackles struggling like crazy when Seattle went to blatant pass rushing sets.

[Ol#7]

bpc, I was noticing the same thing. I saw Welker run wide open and Manning never even look at him. I think thats why I kept thinking we were about to mount a comeback, because there were plays to be made all day. Honestly, drawing Seattle in the SB should have meant an easy road to the Lombardi. Thats a defense we should have taken advantage of all day. Bad personell groupings, bad play calling and terrible execution.