Explosive Plays: Week 3, 2024

This week's explosive plays feature both classics and newcomers to the system!

WATSON

The Seam-Rail-Slide (Watson) concept is back in 2024! How this is read as an RPO with enough time to read to get the ball to the correct WR is still vastly beyond me, but I enjoy (and carry in my offense) the Watson concept specifically as a quick game pass if nothing else.

I really like how McDaniel gets to it here, as he often does. He formations the passing strength to the right with a 3 detached eligible presentation. This forces the defense’s preferred cover men to the right. Next, he brings the F to the backfield where he can run his slide route from. The last piece of the puzzle is the Tracks motion by Tyreek Hill. Post-snap, there are going to be 3 eligible threats on the same side as the defense’s run stoppers because the fast Tracks motion isn’t going to allow the defense to switch with the change-of-strength motion. The defense’s cover men are rendered useless, and the run stoppers are forced to play in space.

The split flow of the Slide route forces the OLB to freeze as he would likely be the defense’s unblocked defender at the point of attack, but he leaves the Seam uncovered as a result.

SLICE

I am a huge fan of this motion the Dolphins have dialed up to start this season. It’s essentially same-side Spirit motion without going through a full counter motion to the opposite guard and coming back. These motions are so quick-hitting that it’s hard for a defense to adjust to it once they see it, especially when Spirit motion to the other side is also a possibility, thus the Illusion of Complexity. Defenses can’t overplay anything because there is always, always a counter.

McDaniel dials up Slice, formerly known as Counter Solid, here. I like this fool block by the RT here. It prevents the DE from squeezing down because his block recognition key isn’t a down block. The RT gets out, and the F is right behind him to secure the inside rushing lane. The counter action fools the back-side LB, who takes himself out of the play, allowing the Y to lead on the safety for about an extra 5 yards.

Paid subscribers will have access to the rest of the breakdowns, including a recent addition to the Outside Zone family, an adjustment off of it, a fantastic empty man/zone combination, and another man-beating concept out of a wide stack alignment. We will also be targeting October 15th for the next in-season Q&A! Link to submit questions is below. Finally, the explosive reel is back. Explosive plays are at a premium in the NFL right now, so see how this system schemes them up!

Also don’t forget my film library is open for access.