2nd and 10 at DET 23 (1:36 - 2nd) (Shotgun) M.Stafford sacked at DET 15 for -8 yards (H.Smith)
This is an amazingly deceptive playcall that showcases the phenomenal mind games that take place pre-snap. If you’d like to play along at home, see if you can call the right offensive protection and hot routes to counter this Vikings blitz before playing the video.
Prior to the snap, Zimmer’s defense starts with both defensive ends standing in the outside 9-tech spots, threatening another speed rush, with Anthony Barr again standing up in the A-gap and Eric Kendricks stepping in and then out of the other A-gap. Slot cornerback Captain Munnerlyn is showing a cornerback blitz as well from the left,
The Lions do not have the personnel on the field necessary to counter the Vikings’ all-out blitz, so Stafford is forced to predict where the pressure is coming from. To help do this, Stafford hard counts, gauging the reaction from the defense to predict the blitz. Once Stafford hard counts, Anthony Barr moves very slightly into the A-gap—signaling that he will be blitzing up this left A-gap. Stafford feels comfortable diagnosing the play now and points to Anthony Barr, identifying him as the Mike/middle linebacker. This is huge, because the entire pass blocking scheme revolves around who the Mike—here, the center is responsible for blocking the zone to the right of the Mike, the right guard is responsible for the gap right over, the running back is responsible for plugging Barr’s threatened A-gap, and so on.
The problem for Matt Stafford here is that, while a blitz is indeed coming, it’s not coming from Anthony Barr—instead, Barr feints a blitz before drops out into coverage, leaving Theo Riddick to wonder where his pass rusher went. Zimmer relies on Hunter’s speed to deepen the pocket and open up the left B-gap, and while Hunter gets completely beaten by the tackle locking onto Hunter, the edge rush leaves enough space for both Kendricks and Harrison Smith to rush through the widened B-gap. Larry Worford can only block one of them, and Harrison Smith zooms through for a big sack.
Now go back to the pre-snap read. Given Mike Zimmer’s penchant for misdirection, it’s quite possible that Barr’s stutter step forward in reaction to the hard count was intentional—Barr was trying to get Stafford to fear interior pressure, when really all the pressure was coming from a stretched B-gap on the other side of the line. This blitz is a great example both of how A-gap pressure can deceive and create mismatches in the blocking scheme and how 9-tech speed rushes can deepen the pocket and open lanes for B-gap blitzes.
3rd and 5 at DET 25 (8:56 - 3rd) (Shotgun) M.Stafford pass short middle to G.Tate to DET 28 for 3 yards (A.Sendejo)
This play on third-and-five shows a whole other element of the pre-snap adjustment mind game—clock management.
Mike Zimmer finally busts out his signature double-A-gap pressure, with former UCLA teammates and roommates Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks both in a two-point stance in the one-tech A-gaps. The Lions have four wide, trips right, presumably hoping for a quick pass on this third down to move the chains.
At the line, Stafford recognizes the blitz package and changes the play call—Lance Moore and Golden Tate will run crossing routes with Theo Riddick running into the flat, while Calvin Johnson runs out hoping to clear space for one of the three other receivers for a quick hot route on the blitz. This is exactly the sort of quick pass adjustment that counters and takes advantage of the double-A-gap pressure by stretching the field horizontally —since your linebackers are bottled up in the middle of the field, a quick throw to either side of the field neutralizes the defenders who get left in the dust in the center of the field and gives your receiver plenty of space to turn upfield and make a play.
The problem for Stafford is that once the defense sees that Stafford is calling an audible, as the playclock nears zero, Barr and Kendricks back out of the A-gaps. Barr floats to zone coverage in the flat, and Kendricks backs up to cover underneath. Not only does this reaction adjustment confuse offensive line assignments; it also results in the Lions running a play call that, instead of playing to a defense’s weaknesses, now plays to its strengths.
But with three seconds left on the play clock, there’s nothing Stafford can do about it—there’s no time to switch the play back. Stafford is forced to make a quick decision, but no one is really open, as the Lions are dealing with two extra pass defenders they thought they wouldn’t have to deal with. Stafford forces the quick throw right into Sendejo’s zone. Sendejo makes the tackle, ending the drive.
This is a brilliant move by Zimmer, breaking out the double-A-gap pressure, predicting the sort of offensive playcall that can counter it, and then countering the counter-playcall as the play clock reaches zero, forcing the offense to play at a disadvantage.
1st and 10 at DET 20 (6:07 - 3rd) M.Stafford sacked at DET 16 for -4 yards (E.Kendricks)
The Vikings show six defenders at the line—the four linemen, slot cornerback Captain Munnerlyn, and Anthony Barr in the 9-tech threatening again to stretch the gap (this time the C-gap between the tackle and Eric Ebron). The Lions slide pass protection to the left, hoping TE Eric Ebron can contain the edge pressure from the other side. Big mistake.
Barr speed rushes past Ebron’s chip block and pulls replacement pass blocker FB Michael Burton, opening the gap wide enough for both DE Brian Robison and LB Eric Kendricks to break through untouched while Everson Griffen faces a triple-team. Stafford doesn’t even finish his dropback before he’s taken down again. Another perfect example of how confusing pass protection schemes can take linemen out of the play and allow pass rushers to outnumber the blockers even when the personnel says otherwise.
3rd and 11 at DET 19 (4:51 - 3rd) (Shotgun) M.Stafford sacked at DET 11 for -8 yards (sack split by E.Griffen and A.Barr)
This one play is a microcosm of that Vikings’ pass rush performance. It’s the sort of play that got Mike Zimmer his job as head coach in the NFL. An entire drama takes place 100% pre-snap, and the drive is over before the ball even is snapped.
On third-and-long, an obvious passing situation, the Lions come out with two receivers left, one right, with Riddick in the backfield and Eric Ebron forming the strong side. The choice in personnel and formation indicates to Zimmer that these two are there to serve as pass protection to give the receivers enough time to develop their routes.
The Vikings come out again showing Mike Zimmer’s signature double-A-gap pressure from Eric Kendricks and Anthony Barr. On the edge, Danielle Hunter in a two-point stance, indicating another speed rush to stretch the edge. On top of Danielle Hunter, Harrison Smith is threatening a safety blitz up the C-gap. The secondary is in press coverage on the left with a single high safety, and on the right the Vikings’ best corner is in one-on-one high coverage.
This initial playcall signals that the Vikings are threatening to storm the right side of the offensive line with enough speed to stretch the pocket and give room for one of Kendricks, Robison, Hunter or Smith to break through the gaps on the right side of the line. The corners in press coverage will try to jam the receivers to delay the play with the single high safety providing support, and the receiver on the right has to go 11 yards and handle the Vikings’ best cornerback. The Vikings are betting they can get to Stafford before a receiver can get 10 yards up the field and get open.
Stafford recognizes this look, having been hit on it multiple times already, so he diagnoses it: he points to Eric Kendricks on the right A-gap as the Mike. This gives the line the order to shift their zone blocking right to handle blitzes from any of Smith, Hunter and Kendricks as necessary. Center Travis Swanson will block that right A-gap where presumably either Kendricks or Robison will blitz, leaving the right guard and right tackle to handle Danielle Hunter and Harrison Smith’s speed rush on the edge. The left guard will handle the left A gap (and presumably Anthony Barr’s A-gap blitz); the left tackle will handle the left B-gap, and Eric Ebron will handle Everson Griffen with some backup help from Theo Riddick.
The problem with that diagnosis is it’s completely off—Eric Kendricks, Harrison Smith and even Danielle Hunter are dropping into coverage, leaving the entire offensive line sliding right to protect a blitz package that isn’t coming. All five offensive linemen abandon their posts to contain just Brian Robison and Tom Johnson.
This blitz package is actually crashing the other side of the line. Notice how, immediately prior to the snap, Anthony Barr steps out of the A-gap and shifts over to outside the offensive line. This subtle move takes the left guard out of the equation, who is left blocking double-A-gap pressure that never arrives. And in a move that takes the pass protection completely by surprise, cornerback Captain Munnerlyn blitzes from the outside, as the Vikings’ secondary drops back into zone.
Thus you have Captain Munnerlyn, Everson Griffen and Anthony Barr rushing on only Eric Ebron and Theo Riddick (remember, the line shifted right to zone block the blitz shown from Smith and Kendricks), and Munnerlyn, Barr and Griffen go essentially unblocked. Given Griffen and Barr’s initial burst, it takes barely over a single second for Griffen and Barr to sack Stafford and end the drive.
1st and 10 at DET 32 (12:35 - 4th) M.Stafford sacked at DET 23 for -9 yards (E.Kendricks)
There’s a brilliant but subtle cat and mouse game going on here, and the drama all plays out with a few small pre-snap hand motions.
If you’d like the full context for this play, see now-former Lions’ Offensive Coordinator Joe Lombardi break down Mike Zimmer’s signature double-A-gap blitzes here.
The Lions come out with three receivers, one left, two right, and also bring in a sixth offensive linemen—Cornelius Lucas—presumably to help stop the bleeding (literally).
Mike Zimmer is again showing his signature double-A-gap pressure (the exact look Joe Lombardi broke down in the aforementioned video, so he knew exactly what he was up against). CB Captain Munnerlyn and FS Harrison Smith initially show secondary blitzes from both sides. Long before the snap, however, and intentionally giving the offense time to react, Smith drops out into coverage, leaving the extra pressure coming mostly from the offense’s right.
Stafford picks up on all of this (as the Vikings probably intended) and shouts “55! 55!” pointing to #55 Anthony Barr, identifying him as the Mike and directing the offensive line to block right to pick up the corner blitz.
After the snap, Travis Swanson follows his orders and blocks right to pick up the A-gap pressure. This picks up the cornerback blitz effectively. But see what the Vikings’ defensive line does—Linval Joseph runs around to the B-gap, pulling the left guard out of play and stretching the A-gap wide open, and Everson Griffen feints right before dropping into coverage, effectively pulling the left tackle out of play. All Eric Kendricks has to do is run a straight line, and Stafford is sacked in less than two seconds.
But how did Kendricks know that he would go unblocked?
Look again at the replay, and see how just as soon as Stafford yells “55!” and points to Anthony Barr, identifying him as the Mike, Barr taps Kendricks on the shoulder. Barr immediately understood the protection would be shifting right, and, knowing Joseph would be attacking the B-gap, tells Kendricks that the blocking scheme will leave Kendricks’ A-gap wide open for a blitz. It’s a subtle but brilliant mental game, and it’s likely that the playcall gave Anthony Barr to decide who would blitz based on who was identified as the Mike. You don’t often get to see an NFL player’s mental game so clearly in action, but this is a great example.
3rd and 9 at DET 35 (7:56 - 4th) (Shotgun) M.Stafford sacked at DET 23 for -12 yards (T.Johnson)
The Vikings again show double-A-gap pressure with Harrison Smith threatening a safety blitz on the offense’s left and Captain Munnerlyn showing a blitz from the offense’s right. Right before the snap, Smith drops into coverage. The Lions slide right to their strong side, picking up the corner blitz from Captain Munnerlyn and hoping the left guard and left tackle can pick up the A-gap blitz, with Theo Riddick left to stop any weakside pressure.
Of course, the Vikings aren’t actually blitzing up the A-gap, as both Kendricks and Barr drop in coverage (but not before Barr feints a blitz) and Everson Griffen drops into coverage. This leaves LG Laken Tomlinson standing around with no one to block, and LT Riley Reiff and RB Theo Riddick apparently confused that neither Smith nor Griffen are blitzing. Tom Johnson takes advantage of the confusion and just has to keep his balance from Riddick’s shove to pick up the sack and end the drive.
Mike Zimmer is heralded as a blitz guru and defensive genius, largely because of these creative and unpredictable blitz packages. They confuse offensive line assignments, cause the line to shift the wrong way, get the center and quarterback to misdiagnose the mike and the blitz and confuse offenses. They stretch gaps and emphasize mismatches and find ways to make the offense feel outnumbered. They are a serious threat to handle for an offensive coordinator, and they have helped Mike Zimmer turn 2013’s second worst defense into 2014’s 11th best defense and 2015’s 2nd best defense so far.
Mike Zimmer is heralded as a blitz guru and defensive genius, largely because of these creative and unpredictable blitz packages. They prey on the center and quarterback’s offensive line assignments, confusing the linemen, causing the line to shift the wrong way and relying on feinting one attack to draw an audible that falls to the defensive adjustment. They stretch gaps, emphasize mismatches and find ways to make the offense feel outnumbered. They are a serious threat to handle for an offensive coordinator, and they have helped Mike Zimmer turn what was 2013’s worst defense via points allowed into 2014’s 11th best defense and 2015’s 2nd best defense so far.