@NYGxos on the bird app
Ever since the Giants took Barkley at 2 it’s been obvious they want to build around him. Gettleman later hired Judge and Garrett, in part likely because they would be willing to do the same.
Whether we agree or disagree with the premise of building around a running back, this is our starting point.
Giants used lots of heavy personnel (multiple TEs/FB). Although this limits what you can do from a passing perspective, it increases what you can do from a running perspective.
Giants want to run with Barkley, so… so far, so good.
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Giants majored in the gap family of run schemes. Some of the frequently used gap schemes were counter, 1 back power, trap, and pin and pull.
Counter features down blocks to wash the Dline away from the gap and two pullers from the backside. The first puller to the play kicks out the end man and the second pulls through the gap for the linebacker. The Giants mostly ran counter with a guard and a TE, although you can run it with the guard and tackle too (GH/GT variants).
One back power has down blocks from one side of the ball a seal block to the playside and takes a backside player to pull through the gap to the linebacker.
Pin and Pull is a play that has down blocks a 2 blocks (kickout block+puller) that can come from any of the frontside guard, center, backside guard, maybe frontside tackle too depending on the formation.
Long trap features down blocks on the frontside and a kickout block on the edge by the backside guard.
Gap schemes, as its name implies, try to use angles to open up a particular hole for the running back. They often feature down blocks to push a line one way and kickout blocks to push other linemen a different direction. Often times they will pull players for linebackers.
Zone schemes on the other hand, have the linemen blocking in one direction, give the RB an aiming point, and have the RB press the point before reading and reacting to the defensive linemen/backers.
Now when Saquon went down week 2, obviously the Giants whole plan was blown to shit. Creating explosive plays is crucial in football. The idea here is that too many “dink and dunks” lengthen drives making it more likely a chain in the link will fall apart screwing everything up.
I’ll save you the numbers on successful drives with and without explosive plays, know that’s lazy writing, look em up if you want, they’re somewhere in the vast abyss of the internet, but staggering difference.
Being so run-focused and not having #26 to hurdle guys (explosive) the Giants quicky introduced some zone-read stuff to spring open Daniel Jones. Having already installed some zone schemes, a simple modification gave more depth to the concept, and sprung just about every big Daniel Jones run this year.
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Here’s a clip of Daniel Jones working zone read. This is a typical zone read look.
To add depth to this effective zone read play, the Giants also ran a “divide” or “split” zone variant.
Split zone is just zone with a modification where you take a TE/FB from the playside and bring him across the formation to block the backside end.
To turn split zone into a read play (which the Giants did here), the TE/FB would bypass the DE and block the first man up and outside the end.
This simple modification put Jones in a position to continue to do what he did well, in a different way. Easy to install once zone is in, great payoff.
Okay, once you get the essence of zone read we’re gonna step up and analyze only this next play at a deeper level to see some some of the thinking here. Throwing a little more at you.
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Here is another zone read play, the famous trip.
Now this was great play design, that we’ll cutup a bit to point out some good the Giants are doing. Loved how the Giants used a strategic shift here, got into a great formation for the play, then took advantage of DJ and Engram’s specific skillsets.
If the Giants would have lined up in the formation they ran the play from, a “nub set”, meaning no WRs outside of the TE, everything may have worked out fine.
Giants ran this a couple times from nub sets (with good reason), and with Daniel Jones away from the nub side and the running back to it, the defense could have been on high alert for the play.
Additionally, if the Giants lined up in this from the go, the Eagles could have decided for whatever reason to play some type of man coverage and have a for example LB over the TE instead of a cornerback.
By shifting, the Giants accomplished a few things. First, they all but guaranteed tight end would be blocking a cornerback, a favorable matchup. Second they hid their tendency. Third, they shifted into something called FIB which means “Formation Into the Boundary”. Putting your strength (2 TEs) into the boundary (short side of the field) is a great way to get a numbers advantage to that side of the field because many teams, like the Eagles do here, will decide to put more of their guys to the field to defend all the space over there instead of match offensive numbers. Used wisely, this numbers advantage can help the offense.
The final formation here is great because a nub basically guarantees an outside leverage defender to send everything back inside. Blocking is all about angles and matchups. Guaranteeing an outside leverage defender with the formation makes the task easier than lining someone out wide and maybe having to fight to get inside of the defender.
Lastly, this was a task that both Engram and Jones were suited to do. Not every tight end may be able to block a cornerback in space like Engram, he’s a good athlete. Additionally, they were not asking Jones to do a lot, if you pull round first base and run in a straight line as fast as you can (or.. maybe at 99% since he fell).
Nothing revolutionary, but this checks almost all the boxes for a good play.
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Not every QB run is created equal though. Here’s a clip of Lamar Jackson running “bash counter read” for the Ravens.
Bash = Back Away (from the OL)
Counter = The scheme we talked about earlier
Read = DE
Because of this play design, Lamar is tasked with using his quick burst, agility, and vision to read his blockers. What was being asked from DJ and LJ in these clips are two different tasks entirely.
Giants dabbled with some of these runs, but hardly had the same explosive success as Lamar, or as they did with the zone read concept.
Now Jason Garrett does not deserve a medal for running zone read, this is something found at many high schools near you. Even though Blue majored in gap schemes, they had zone stuff in. And by simply layering something they had, they found explosive success. Dope.
(As an aside, because the Giants don’t pull linemen on play action game, relying a little more on zone could give runs and their play actions a more consistent look up front. Marrying the two together should increase the effectiveness of the plays by making the defenses truly respect either threat.)
Now, I’m not really good at defensive/OL stuff so I’m missing many of the ways the Giants are using formations. Gonna stop talking about the details of what’s up front and talk about other stuff. There’s a lot that goes into what is good vs what techniques/fronts, line checks, footwork, striking points, yada yada yada. Moving on.
Let’s talk about why their running plays are bad because they don’t let DJ throw the ball on them.
Heard once that football is not about coming up with new ideas, but more about trying to do old things in new ways.
For awhile, RPOs were seen as a gimmicky trend. Their quick rise into our consciousness came when football passed new rules that allowed linemen to climb upfield on passsing plays. Far from being new, RPOs borrowed its theory from old-school triple option philosophy, and gave it a facelift. T
he Triple-option featured
- a primary run,
- a QB run,
- and a pitch element.
Coaches took this concept, kept the
- primary and
2.) QB runs,
but started for example, replacing the pitch with maybe a
3.) bubble
Same ideas, but played out over more space..
So RPOs developed and slowly crept into the NFL despite the leagues tendency to being resistant to change, but barring any new rule changes, RPOs look like they’re there to stay. It’s a sound new spin on old school football causing stress for more defenders on the field. That being said, it’s a little surprising to me the Giants don’t use them often (again lazy writing arguing without defining the target, if you want the numbers go pull them up).
Here’s an example of an RPO they did run.
As a run play, Giants ran an insert play where you get like a zone frontside, backside locking the guard and tackle and sent the TE to the back.
For the pass option, the Giants got into a stack alignment.
This forced the defense into a pretty standard hi-lo look. Giants just ran a “now” screen by the low WR and let 6’2 200lb Slayton upfront turn it into an Oklahoma drill.
Being a little removed the line but with some room before the sideline, if the block was absolutely dominant, the ballcarrier could have a 2 way go with a lot of space, putting a good amount of stress on the remaining defender.
Here’s a relevant clip from University of Texas’ new HC Steve Sarkisian talking RPOs.
Maybe the Giants were hoping to get off coverage here. Similarly to “too many options” maybe there’s more risk vs press and you lose something by throwing it for a 3yard gain or maybe a loss.
Maybe they liked the look for the run.
Maybe they didn’t like the matchup they got.
Who knows how it’s being taught. Idk why they didn’t throw it, just some thoughts on RPOs attached to one of the fewer times they ran em Week 17.
Just like zone read, that RPO was nothing crazy, but it was an easy addition makes more defenders actually have to do something. I wont waste your time with just easy versions of RPOs as “spacing, numbers, leverage, matchup” “yes/no” plays.
And we’ll skip ones where you read defenders and move on to adding depth to their gap schemes.
In college, the HC of Oklahoma (who was connected to the Cowboy job last year) Lincoln Riley majors in gap schemes as well and has some really cool shit going on that could serve as inspiration. Dude is such a good coach.
Awesome shit right? Giants run a lot of counter, this is a cool way to get defensive eyes going back and forth, get guys with speed quickly on the edge.
This brings us to jet motion, which the Giants used a little bit.
Just like shifting, motioning can be used strategically and not just for eye candy for defenders or hiding formational tendencies.
Everyone talks about maybe pulling man/zone information from motions, but here’s a couple other potential benefits. They can force defense out of blitzes, or into predictable coverage checks to take advantage of. Just like how in the zone read we talked about the formation got Engram “leverage”, or advantageous positioning on the cornerback, you can get good leverage for certain routes. Depending how the defense adjusts, you can gain numbers to a side. The Rams love to use jet motion backside of runs to hold linebackers from folding in on runs. When they use jet to the run side, the motion can bump linebackers outside and open up space for cutbacks. Of course, the jet also presents a threat in of itself.
The Giants did get a little creative with this jet motion here. This “counter readish” play used the jet as a puller block, happened so quick dude hardly had any time to see it coming. Then they brought the kickout around next.
This is the opposite order the blocks usually come, think that’s because the jet might get past the DE before he was able to block him. What you want to call this idc, just making comparisons. This was a little creative.
Now this was pretty interesting, play design. However, with my infinite wisdom, I’m gonna challenge Garrett on 2 pieces.
1st Daniel Jones is running a scheme similar to the one we saw Lamar running earlier despite not having the same skillset. Don’t know if that’s the best utilization of his skills. But maybe it’s worth it to have the threat or the wrinkle in there regardless.
2nd both the puller and kickout were wide receivers, which again might not be the greatest use of their skillsets. Maybe there some reasoning I’m unaware of, but imagine they could have used the second blocker as a tight end. Because there might be a speed component to this, Evan Engram could’ve been the TE for the task. But would love to hear their rationale.
Bottom line is - love the creativity here, giving a different look to something they did often, but have some questions. Gotta make sure you’re dealing with people on the chalkboard, not just Xs and Os.
Another creative gap play, was first drive of the game. This play was a counter to their counter scheme, really cool shit.
Just like on counter, the TE began to pull with the guard like he’s gonna kick out and the center blocked down on the DT.
However, the TE reversed and the Center bypassed the slow DT instead of down blocking him and they became the puller and kickout on the other side.
Counter to Counter.
This article isn’t to argue they have to live in what may be more gimmicky shit, but this a cool example of taking something they do often (counter) and building off it. This isn’t just a freaking hit piece.
Last quick body section, fast examples of cool ideas.
Off its explosive success the split zone read should absolutely be a part of the playbook moving forward,. Let’s layer it quick.
Here’s a clip of Oregon running a fake orbit motion (your standard end around path, like what Shep just did) and using the split block from the other side of the formation as a lead blocker for him on the bubble.
Really cool example, but maybe an easier one to put in the playbook would be something like this split zone bluff play from Michigan.
This play would be a simple layer to something they have in.
Wrapping Up
Football is a truly fascinating sport. In addition to very specialized positions — each and every play starts has a defined start and stop, and plays last a very short amount of time.
Because of these factors, the level of micromanaging and gamesmanship is something not found in most other sports.
We talked about putting guys in a position to succeed. The Giants run game may be sound, but it’s generally stale and could use some extra dynamism.
This was a little all over the place, some of the examples given may have been more funky, but hope you can glimpse into the realm of possibility here.
If blue is gonna build around the run, I hope they continue to evolve.
They can’t do everything, but they can do anything.
The Giants may have shifted a bit, and I see some reasoning for the shifting, this is great, but they didn’t motion much, they didn’t RPO much, they’re leaving a lot on the table.
Part of the appeal the whole RPOs and motions thing is that they don’t add more breadth to the playbook, as much as they add depth that can be carried over between existing concepts. They’re easy. A motion is a motion, an RPO can be just quick game. But they’re effective… motioning with a purpose stress a defense in multiple ways, and that quick game could take what would’ve been a 3 yard run and instead become a 10 yard completion. Generating explosive plays means less needs to go right.
The Giants don’t have to add or learn on more run schemes such as wide zone that’s quickly spreading across the league. But it’s worth noting that part of the reason that coaching tree (Shanahan/McVay/etc) is so highly thought of, is precisely because the depth, the layers, to the runs themselves — and that is before considering about how well it’s all built into the pass game.
Here’s a great clip on essentialism in an offense from a Pete DeWeese clinic on motion (a great OC @ Sprayberry HS in Georgia).
Awesome stuff. Yes I showed you a Lincoln Riley clip that looked cool and worked with his athletes a that Shepherd “counter counter”. Football’s a dope sport, and a chess game with a lot of cool ideas. But don’t want your takeaway from this to be “this dumbass wants the Giants to do all kinds of funky shit”.
The Giants don’t need to do more, but personally think developing motions and RPOs is a easy way to do what they’re doing, better.
Look around, there are so many fucking cool ideas, so many incredible coaches in the sport. Access to these ideas has never been easier, the Giants don’t even need to come up with it themselves. But this offense was dogshit last year and needs more help — please just do something.
