Adam Ward
Establish the Fun on a breakout tight end in Arizona, the Niners playmaker, and the improved play of Jordan Love
Welcome back to Establish the Fun, where football is fun and we’re establishing that harder than the Atlanta Falcons on any given Sunday afternoon. We’re back with another three-pack of fun nuggets and tidbits for you to take into your viewing this weekend. With the NFL season coming down to the wire, there are some really cool trends popping up and more players beginning to establish themselves as winners at this level. There are more teams peaking at the right time, rounding into form or younger teams growing up right before the final playoff push.
So, let’s have some fun and start with a young pass catcher out west beginning to make a name for himself.
The McBride of the McBall
In life there are some things that get better with the return of a main or star character. Jet is a lot better with Spike Spiegel. Sokka and Toph are a lot more well rounded characters when juxtaposed with Aang. Trafalgar Law is maximized by pairing his persona and demeanor with Monkey D. Luffy.
It’s the same with football as well. Very good to elite players who return from injury or suspension often raise the play of everyone else on the offensive or defensive side of the ball, and we’re seeing that with the Arizona Cardinals. Since Kyler Murray has come back, there’s been one noticeable thing: tight end Trey McBride has become a top target. Since Murray came back into the lineup in Week 10, McBride has seen a massive uptick in targets and production. He’s tenth in the NFL in targets since Murray came back, fourth in receptions and fourth in Yards after the Catch. Among all tight ends with ten targets since Week 10, McBride is third in Yards per Route Run, tenth in First Down Rate and tenth in Points Earned per route run. He’s not only become Murray’s safety blanket, but a true impact player at all three levels of the field.
What stands out about McBride is how physical and good of a runner he is after the catch. Since Week 10, McBride is second in the NFL among tight ends in screen routes run, but is first in yards on those screens by over 30 yards. McBride can hit the acceleration easily despite not being a true burner at the position, but he almost always makes the first guy miss through sheer strength and power. Against the Texans, the Cardinals used him on a screen and I was really impressed with how he looked on those passes. Just easy offense.
The Cardinals love to use McBride on bubble screens to get him isolated against a corner. They did it against the Falcons in Murray’s first game back, and it was extremely successful. Look at McBride rumble, very elk-ish. Having this kind of player in the short to intermediate area can help to tie together the Cardinals offense, giving them an easy target when the run game isn’t working.
Not only does his YAC ability stand out in the screen and RPO game, but it stands out making plays through contact downfield and turning short gains into massive catch and run opportunities. Murray and the Cardinasl trust him over the middle of the field (first in Routes Run, Targets and Catches over the MOF), and once he gets the ball in his hands, he’s seeking contact, not looking to avoid it.
The Cardinals run a hi-lo concept here, with Arizona in 12 personnel. The curl route by the second tight end takes the intermediate linebacker away, leaving McBride open over the middle of the field. Once McBride gets the ball, he’s bouncing off defenders and turning plays into first downs.
On top of that, McBride is clearly trusted as a downfield target for Murray, and for good reason. The Cardinals’ TE is good at using his body not only to create space before the catch, but to make catches outside of his frame. It’s even more impressive when you look at his athletic profile, he doesn’t have the longest arms or is the biggest tight end. His body control is great for the position and a lifesaver for Murray.
I absolutely love this throw and catch by the Cardinals in Pittsburgh last week. Murray trusts McBride so much to go up and make this catch. McBride runs an over route, and is able to get the middle defender in the trail position, but the defender is in such a spot where if Murray tries to throw it out in front of him, he could make a play on the ball. So, Kyler puts this ball on the top shelf, and look at the extension McBride makes to haul in this ball. This is a huge, high quality catch, but not out of the norm for McBride since Murray returned.
This catch against the Falcons is a super high quality play, and shows off McBride’s ball tracking skills. Incredible throw, catch and celebration. No notes.
The Cardinals have a bye this week, but keep an eye out for McBride in future weeks.
How the 49ers Deebo’d the Eagles
Last week the 49ers and Eagles squared off in a battle of the NFL’s best. A heated rivalry stemming from the NFC Championship game, this was set to be a high caliber, tightly contested clash of titans.
Instead, we got this:
The 49ers throttled the Eagles 42-19, and the offense was what really stood out. With everyone healthy the offense was a buzzsaw, and rather than getting into arguments about Brock Purdy (/glances at Twitter) I’m opting to focus on WR Deebo Samuel and how his influence and gravity open up everything on offense for the Niners. When San Francisco went on their three game skid and Samuel was hurt, the Niners lacked an easy offensive option. Now, with Samuel back, the offense has so much more variety and dynamic options. Against the Eagles, they used Samuel as both a decoy and a way to attack Philly’s biggest weakness: the linebackers.
San Francisco specifically used a return orbit motion, sending Samuel across the formation, but then pulling him back to the side he started on, but this time behind the QB. This affects the second level defenders because the Niners can hand the ball off to Samuel out of this motion, or throw the ball, pulling those defenders out of the middle of the field. Playing LB in the NFL is hard, but Kyle Shanahan and the 49ers make it a hell on Earth. Deebo goes on the return orbit motion here, and watch how hard the linebackers trigger down on the action, leaving George Kittle open over the middle of the field and a 33 yard gain. That backside linebacker is completely lost.
On one of the Niners six touchdowns, San Francisco uses Samuel on this same orbit return motion as seen above. Watch how Blankenship keeps his eyes too far inside on the Deebo action, pulling him out of the area for WR Brandon Aiyuk to slip behind and score for the Niners.
When teams decide to insulate their middle of the field against San Francisco, Shanahan has built concepts on top of concepts to give his offense multiple options. This is a simple nine yard gain, but it with the way it’s designed, it has multiple concepts built into it. This turns into San Francisco’s 4 strong look, and when opposing defenses have multiple people in the MOF, you can have Deebo on this orbit return motion with a blocker in front and turn a checkdown into a nine yard gain.
Where the Niners really missed Deebo is in this area: the screen game and creating after contact. Deebo is such a special, unique player who has absurd contact balance that extends every play. In the games without Deebo, the Niners’ receivers only had 57 yards after contact. Since coming back in week 10, Samuel has 126 yards after contact. No other player has over 100. How many receivers do you see not only breaking a tackle from a middle linebacker, but turning it into a touchdown?
The Niners take on Seattle this weekend with the chance to put the NFC West truly on lockdown. With everyone healthy, covering the 49ers is a choose your own adventure book, and if you choose the Deebo route, you might get your bike stolen.
Can you feel the Love tonight?
Since Week 9, the Packers are finding out that all you really need is some Love in your life. In his first year as a starter, QB Jordan Love had been through his ups and downs, but when given time to grow and develop, Love has blossomed into something awesome for the Packers. Per Ben Baldwin’s site, Love is sixth in success rate since Week 9, fifth in Points Earned per play and the Packers are 4-1 since that point. What’s been so cool about watching Love this year for the Packers is how coach Matt LaFleur has designed an offense that takes advantage of Love’s tools and aggression throwing the ball downfield. In the Packers’ upset win over Kansas City, Love had everything going, and it was so fun to watch.
In this timespan, the Packers are fifth in play action dropbacks, and while play action isn’t just some catch-all mender for any offensive issues, it’s helping Love and the Packers simplify the reads and make his timing a lot better. Against the Packers it was on full display, and LaFleur designed the offense to take advantage of all his skills. On this play action pass, the Packers have Dontayvion Wicks running a deep over and Christian Watson crossing paths with him. It’s a downfield, aggressive throw, but the Chiefs nearly have it covered to the max. However, look at the timing Love throws this ball with. Justin Reid is closing on this ball well and it should be covered, but with the pace Love throws this pass with, he can’t make a play on the ball.
I really like this play action concept because it builds off a run design the Packers used earlier. Reid flies down due to the toss action, and Love zips one in to Tucker Kraft. Really good scheming by LaFleur, who has been in his bag all season.
Now that we’ve got that out the way…let’s get to the light show. Jordan Love is a very aggressive passer, who wants to throw passes deep downfield and into tight windows. Now that the inaccuracies and timing issues have been ironed out, the highs are reminding you that he was a first round pick. I love this throw against Cover 2, where the Packers run Kraft on a flat route and WR Romeo Doubs on a deep corner. Love can barely step into this throw due to pressure, but the arm talent he possesses lets him zip this ball downfield to Doubs for a big play. Really high level arm talent.
This touchdown to Christian Watson really made me get out of my seat. For someone who struggled with touch and accuracy during the Packers’ slump, this is a primo throw. The Chiefs are in Cover 0, with the deep safety carrying Jayden Reed across the field. Watson is one on one, and Love put this ball on the top shelf in a beautiful way. Love doesn’t even step into the throw, but puts this one right in the corner pocket. Wow.
Currently, the Packers are in the playoffs, which is way ahead of schedule for the youngest team in the NFL. They play the New York Giants on Monday Night Football, so if you want some more fireworks get some Love in your life.
I’m sure the Packers don’t regret it.
