Playbook - Not Fooled By Play-Action
The play featured below ends in a 13 yard sack by Rob Ninkovich. The 49ers were facing a 2nd and 9 early in the fourth quarter, and The Patriots needed a stop to give their offense a chance to tie the score at 31. The entire defense did well to ignore the play-action fake to Frank Gore, having faith in Spikes and Mayo to stop the run. Likewise, DBs Talib and Arrington deserve praise for their smothering coverage on the outside.
The 49ers show 12 personnel with both TEs to the strong side right, and the Patriots counter with their base D. Chandler Jones and Steve Gregory had been replaced by Pat Chung and Justin Francis, but this is just a base look. Kaepernick motions his wing-man to the inside for a wham block to attack the off-tackle gap.
Interestingly, it is Dont'a Hightower that plays on the strong side, and Ninkovich lining up on the weak side. Still, Hightower engages his block and holds the edge until the play-fake is over. Likewise, Brandon Spikes and Jerod Mayo are in position. Pat Chung is also cheating up to the line over that off-tackle hole. A run here may have gained 2 yards, but overall The Patriots were prepared for it.
On the back end, The Patriots call the perfect coverage. Pat Chung is sitting underneath the post, ready to intercept any pass to the right side. Likewise, McCourty does a nice job of getting over the top of the post to prevent any chance at a deep completion. Nevertheless, the praise has to go to the CBs, who stay hip-to-hip the whole way through. Arrington is left on an island, but he doesn't over-commit on a shifty route from Crabtree. Also, Talib does a nice job of being physical at the line to force an inside release. Overall, perfect coverage.
Still, the play had life due to the legs of Colin Kaepernick, who tries unsuccessfully to put a little inside-out spin move on Ninkovich. Ninkovich does a great job of finishing the play, but the pressure comes initially from the rookie Justin Francis. Francis gets the initial push on the Guard, and this creates a big enough hole for Ninkovich to loop into for the free fun at Kaepernick. Nice play by the rookie, good finish by the veteran.
Interestingly, it is Dont'a Hightower that plays on the strong side, and Ninkovich lining up on the weak side. Still, Hightower engages his block and holds the edge until the play-fake is over. Likewise, Brandon Spikes and Jerod Mayo are in position. Pat Chung is also cheating up to the line over that off-tackle hole. A run here may have gained 2 yards, but overall The Patriots were prepared for it.
On the back end, The Patriots call the perfect coverage. Pat Chung is sitting underneath the post, ready to intercept any pass to the right side. Likewise, McCourty does a nice job of getting over the top of the post to prevent any chance at a deep completion. Nevertheless, the praise has to go to the CBs, who stay hip-to-hip the whole way through. Arrington is left on an island, but he doesn't over-commit on a shifty route from Crabtree. Also, Talib does a nice job of being physical at the line to force an inside release. Overall, perfect coverage.
Still, the play had life due to the legs of Colin Kaepernick, who tries unsuccessfully to put a little inside-out spin move on Ninkovich. Ninkovich does a great job of finishing the play, but the pressure comes initially from the rookie Justin Francis. Francis gets the initial push on the Guard, and this creates a big enough hole for Ninkovich to loop into for the free fun at Kaepernick. Nice play by the rookie, good finish by the veteran.
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