Johnny Manziel - First 4 Games of 2015
Long Passes (20+ yards)
The big play is Johnny Manziel’s specialty, and this season he has been successful on the few long throws that he has attempted. This is defintiely a positive part of his game because he has a chance to score on any play.
Situation: 3rd & 19. -46. 11:08 2nd.
Offensive Personnel: 11 Personnel
Opponent: New York Jets
Coverage: Cover 3
3rd and long has often been a running down for the Browns but here Johnny shows he’s a gambler and he goes deep. Once again the Browns run their common 4 vertical play and Manziel recognizes that there is no Safety help over the top. Once he sees his WR get even with the defender, he loads up and is able to hit him in stride for the long TD.
Situation: 2nd & 8. -40. 12:59 1st.
Offensive Personnel: 12 Personnel
Opponent: Tennessee Titans
Coverage: Shallow 2-Man
The first thing you will notice about this play is the play fake gets the Safeties to bite completely. Once Manziel turns around and sees this he knows that he has 1-on-1 coverage with his WR going deep. Manziel does a good job of competely setting himself and stepping into his throw. His WR has to slow down just slightly but the result is still another TD.
Situation: 2nd & 13. -39. 14:26 2nd.
Offensive Personnel: 13 Personnel
Opponent: Tennessee Titans
Coverage: Cover 3
Manziel has had some success going deep so far and on this play he gets greedy. The Browns only run 3 routes on this play with max protection, so it is designed to go deep. His WR gets inside position but Manziel does not see the Safety with over the top help. This throw could have been easily intercepted but luckily it falls incomplete. I would like to see Manziel check down to his RB on this play.
Situation: 3rd & 6. 50. 3:01 4th.
Offensive Personnel: 11 Personnel
Opponent: Tennessee Titans
Coverage: Cover 1
When I think of Johnny Manziel, this is the type of play I think of. The Titans bring pressure off the edge but he has enough awareness to recognize it and then the agility to escape the blitzer. With him out of the pocket, the Safety sucks up to stop him from running. Manziel sees his WR coming across the field and turns his shoulders, sets his feet and hits his WR in stride for the game clinching TD. This is what people expected when Johnny Manziel came to the NFL.
Situation: 2nd & 10. -20. 3:13 2nd.
Offensive Personnel: 11 Personnel
Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
Coverage: Cover 7
Once again Johnny makes a really impressive play rolling to his left and delivering a nice ball. Once the pocket breaks down Manziel does a good job of stepping through the open lane to get clear vision of the field. His RB continues his route until Manziel sees him and then lofts a nice pass over top of the shallow defenders right into the hands of his target for a gain of 26.
Situation: 2nd & 9. -47. 2:00 2nd.
Offensive Personnel: 11 Personnel
Opponent: Cincinnati Bengals
Coverage: Cover 3
The Bengals jump offside on this play and Manziel does a good job of taking advantage of the free play. Once again the pocket breaks down around him and Manziel shows good awareness to climb in the pocket to clear his vision. The Bengals blow their coverage and Manziel is able to hit his TE on a corner route for a big gain of 25.
The popular opinion seems to be that Johnny Manziel does not have what it takes to be a good QB in the NFL, I believe he does have the ability to be very successful in this league. Manziel has improved from game 1 to game 4 this season in his progression, his decision making and his timing. He has been smart with the football and his decisions of where to throw it. He displays big play ability, something the Browns have not had since 2007, with the ability to score on any play at any time. He takes chances on deep passes and has the accuracy and touch to deliver intermediate throws to his WR’s in tight windows. Manziel receives a lot of attention for his off the field issues and for some of the mistakes he has made on the field this season, but the tape doesn’t lie, he has the talent and ability to be a good QB in this league especially once he gets a better team surrounding him. Keep an eye on him throughout the rest of the season and see if you notice his progression, accuracy and decision making.
If you liked our work, please do us a favor and Like us on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.
About The Author
