Acme Packing Company
After scoring a TD to take a 7-3 lead on their opening drive, the Green Bay Packers’ defense held the Minnesota Vikings to a punt. And what a punt it was: Ryan Wright hit a beautiful coffin corner punt that shot sideways out of bounds at the 2-yard line. That set the Packers up in the shadow of the goal posts to start their next drive.
The Packers picked up a 1st down on their first 3 plays of the drive, but now found themselves facing 3rd & 10 on their own 19.
They come out in 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR), in a Nub look (“Nub” is when all 3 WRs are split to one side and the TE is in-line on the other side of the field). The Vikings are all rotations and moving bodies before the snap. They’ve got 7 men at the line with the 4 on the back end moving all over the place.
The Packers are running curls at the sticks with all 3 receivers. It’s not a call I typically love, but, against this defense & their alignment, it makes a lot of sense. If the Vikings are dropping guys off the line, they’ll typically fan out into zones. Combine that with the off coverage on the boundary to that side, and it’s a solid bet that you’ll have an option to throw to. It also wouldn’t shock me if one of those two outside receivers has an option to go vertical if the defender crashes.
Before the ball is snapped, the defender over Dontayvion Wicks [13] – the #3 receiver to that side – moves towards the line, showing blitz. At that moment, it looks like Wicks will be the cleanest option.
At the snap, the Vikings initially bring all 6, but Blake Cashman [51] and Dallas Turner [15] drop out into zone after a couple of hard steps up to the line. That gives the illusion of 7 rushers, but only 5 are actually sent. It’s a well-drawn & executed blitz, and it fools the Packers’ protection, allowing two free rushers through the same gap.
With pressure in his face, Jordan Love [10] throws a fadeaway to Wicks, over the dropping Cashman.
It’s a great read and throw from Love in the face of free runners, and a nice catch by Wicks to go up and grab this ball for a 14-yard gain on 3rd & 10.
The Packers would punt 3 plays later, but it was a beauty, with Daniel Whelan uncorking a 63-yarder. An 11-yard return gave the Vikings the ball on their own 24 to start their next drive.
Albums listened to: Twin Shadow – Cadet; Djo – The Crux
