Can new franchise quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo solve the San Francisco 49ers’ third-down efficiency problems? In this segment, we break down Garoppolo’s pre-snap adjustments.
This is the second installment in a series analyzing San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s success on third downs. Check out the first piece here.
The following play will test Garoppolo’s ability to read a defense pre-snap, and make the necessary adjustments at the line.
The Patriots have a third-and-four at the Miami Dolphins’ 10-yard line. New England is in 11 personnel, with Garoppolo in the shotgun. The Patriots are in an uneven formation, with tight end Martellus Bennett and wide receivers Danny Amendola and Chris Hogan all lined up to the wide side of the field:
Prior to the snap, Garoppolo motions running back James White to the short side of the field. Miami’s defense doesn’t shift, and linebacker Kiko Alonso doesn’t follow White; instead, free safety Usa Abdul-Quddus heads toward the sideline to match up against White:
Garoppolo knows that the Dolphins are in man coverage, and Alonso is likely blitzing, which will leave the middle of the field open for a potential pass. Garoppolo adjusts his offensive line to block to its right; by allowing the opposite-side linebacker to rush free, and keeping Bennett in to block, Garoppolo will have the time to execute a quick pass over the middle as he moves to his right:
The Dolphins are indeed in Man Free, or “Cover Zero,” with each member of the secondary responsible for the receiver in front of him, and no safety help:
With the blitz coming, Garoppolo will look for Amendola on the quick slant. Amendola is lined up a yard off the line, which will help against a potential press from cornerback Bobby McCain; it also helps that McCain continues to line up with outside leverage, even though he no longer has safety help inside:
As the ball is snapped, the Dolphins rush six — and then seven, when Bennett stays in to block. With four rushers against three lineman on Garoppolo’s blind side, Miami hopes to get to the quarterback before he can release a quick pass:
With his protection shifted to his right, Garoppolo moves right in the pocket as he waits for Amendola to break open inside:
Garoppolo is forced to make an off-balance pass due to defensive end Cameron Wake effectively closing the pocket:
The pass is on-target to Amendola, who catches the ball in the middle of the end zone for a touchdown:
By properly reading the defense, and making the necessary adjustments at the line, Garoppolo was able to turn a difficult situation into a simple pitch-and-catch for a score:
In our next segment, we’ll break down another one of Garoppolo’s third-down pre-snap reads.
The post 49ers film room: QB Jimmy Garoppolo’s third-down pre-snap adjustments appeared first on Locked On 49ers.
About the Author: Chris Wilson
