Playbook - Run D Without Wilfork

I didn't get much chance to breakdown The Colts' game, so I figured I'd throw a few in this week. I chose this play because its a run play on 1st down, but oddly enough Vince Wilfork is not in the game. Instead, The Patriots show a 3-4 look with #97 Ron Brace at NT. #71 Brandon Deaderick and #96 Jermaine Cunningham play 5-technique as 3-4 ends. Belichick may have transitioned away from the 3-4, but every once in a while he will mix it in like it never left.

As you can see, The Colts are in a 2TE/2WR/1RB set with the strong side on the left. Reggie Wayne motions in from out wide to create a heavy stack on the left side of the line. The Colts are trying to run a cut-back play with Ballard where Reggie Wayne comes across the formation to seal the back side of the play. Unfortunately for Bruce Arians' Colts, penetration from the edge by Kyle Arrington blows up the play.

When Arrington sees Wayne motion into the interior, he recognizes that he doesn't really have an assignment in coverage. Rightly, Arrington blitzes from the corner to blow up Ballard in the backfield. Arrington doesn't make the tackle cleanly, and Ballard nearly gets away. However, Brace and Deaderick keep their gaps with discipline, and this allows Jerod Mayo to get upfield and clog the gap. Ballard is brought down by a host of Patriots led by Mayo, Ninkovich, and Brace.

This is a pretty simple play, but its interesting because of the different scheme. I would like to see more of this 3-4 so that we can work Dont'a Hightower into the mix as an edge rusher. Likewise, its always nice to know that we can still stop the run without Big Vince. More to come. Later this week I will take a look at Hightower's most recent sack to see how Belichick makes it work with Hightower.