Devonta Freeman rushed for 209 yards on 44 carries (4.8 ypc) and six touchdowns leading up the Falcons’ Week 5 match-up versus the Washington Redskins. According to DVOA Rankings, the Redskins’ defense was ranked 7th against the run going into the match. This presented Freeman and the Falcons’ offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan, former Redskins offensive coordinator, with their toughest test all season after defeating the other three NFC East teams.
Stats
Freeman - 27 rushes for 153 rushing yards, 1 rushing TD, 5.7 ypc, 7 receptions for 44 receiving yards
The Redskins have seven in the box playing Cover 2. It was first down and 10 for the Falcons on their own 40 yard line. The Falcons motion tight end #80 Levine Toilolo across the formation pre-snap, and then run a two-back outside zone to the right.
I highlighted the King-combination block between the tight end and the right tackle on outside linebacker #91 Ryan Kerrigan. After the snap, the offensive line starts zone blocking to the right with fullback #42 Patrick DiMarco lead blocking for Freeman. Freeman sees linebacker #56 Perry Riley to the outside of his tight end and cuts up the open hole between the right tackle and the right guard.
Freeman does the most impressive move on the play. He presses the hole behind center #68 Mike Person faking like he is going to cut inside toward Redskins’ outside linebacker #93 Trent Murphy. This sets up an outside cut using his planted inside foot (circled in green) as the springboard.
This patience and fake cut inside is the reason why the play went for 16 yards instead of 4-5 yards. Highlighted in red is free safety #38 Dashon Goldson who has the gap responsibility towards the outside of linebacker #52 Keenan Robinson. Goldson plays the run way too far inside losing contain on the edge which allows Freeman to escape for a big gain.
Later in the 3rd quarter, the Falcons are on their own 9 yard line on 1st and 10. The Falcons have “12”-personnel in the game featuring two tight ends and Freeman as the singleback. The play call is a one-back outside zone to the left. After the snap, Freeman bounces outside the left edge of the formation as Redskins’ outside linebacker #93 Trent Murphy bullrushes his man into the backfield. Since linebacker #52 Keenan Robinson blitzed there is no second level defender for the Redskins as free safety #38 Dashon Goldson engages with his blocker in an attempt to set the edge against left guard #67 Andy Levitre. Next cornerback #41 Will Blackmon takes the outside shoulder of his blocker tight end #81 Tony Moeaki allowing Freeman to cut inside for another large gain on the ground.
Pay particularly close attention to linebacker #52 Keenan Robinson on this play. He blitzes through the weakside A-gap, rushes around the entire formation, and tackles Freeman from behind.
At the end of the 3rd quarter, the Falcons received the ball back after a quick three-and-out by the Redskins stymied offense.
A few plays into the drive and it’s 4th quarter with 14:07 left in the game. The Falcons have 1st down and 10 on their 45 yard line with “11”-personnel in the game (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR). The play call is an inside zone to the weakside of the formation (left).
This play features a weakside jack-combination block between center #62 James Stone and left guard #67 Andy Levitre on Washington’s nose tackle #98 Terrance Knighton. Levitre releases from his dual-blocking responsibility and downfield blocks linebacker #56 Perry Riley out of the play allowing Freeman to cut inside for an 11 yard gain. Another excellent run call by Kyle Shanahan.
The Falcons are down 12-16 with 51 seconds in the game. A quick pass to Freeman on a slant-route almost ensures a Falcons’ touchdown, but it gets overturned after review. Not being deterred, Matt Ryan completes a quick pass over the middle of the field to keep the drive alive on fourth down.
The Falcons are in shotgun slot left far and run a draw with Freeman as running back. Matt Ryan snaps the ball, delays for a second, and hands it off to him. Freeman rushes forward aiming for the designed gap between the left guard and the center. Seeing linebacker #56 Perry Riley closing in on the gap ready for the tackle Freeman cuts outside.
Redskins’ inside linebacker #52 Keenan Robinson bursts outside and dives for the elusive running back slipping off of him for the score. What a terrible tackle by Robinson. He does not turn his entire body and hips into the ballcarrier to drive and bring him down.
Freeman’s only real blemish, outside of not being able to hold onto the touchdown pass by Matt Ryan in the 4th quarter, was this fumble in the redzone near the goal line. Fortunately for Falcons’ fans wide receiver #11 Julio Jones was able to recover it for the touchdown.
In 21 games since starting his career in the NFL, Freeman has only fumbled the ball twice. Once against the Buccaneers in Week 3 during the 2014 season where it was lost, and this fumble that defensive tackle #92 Chris Baker made an excellent strip. If you are a Falcons’ fan I would not be too concerned about Freeman’s ball security going foward. Outside of these runs, Freeman was featured as a check down receiver for Matt Ryan against the Redskins’ pass rush that was constantly in the backfield putting pressure on the quarterback all game.
Freeman is now tied in second in the NFL behind running back Matt Forte of the Chicago Bears. The Falcons face the New Orleans Saints on Thursday Night Football who even though have the worst passing defense in the league actually have a respectable run defense according to Football Outsiders at 12th overall.
Follow Samuel Gold on Twitter: @SamuelRGold.
