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Today we look at some simple yet effective passing concepts the Packers relied on for big plays in 2024.
The Green Bay Packers relied on a simple yet effective passing design in 2024: their deep dig/deep out passing concept. The concept was called only a handful of times, but it created explosive pass plays for the offense in high leverage situations. The play was either run from under center with play action and mirrored receiver formations or was run out of shotgun on third downs and no play action.
I can’t find the install non-play action play art so here is the concept above in play action. The play action concept usually run out of 12 personnel. The deep out is seven step drop timing with the dig route on the backside as the alert.
Since it’s a deep-drop play-action concept, they’ll use chippers on the end to buy time for the routes to develop and for the throw to be made. The receiver stems on the routes are more vertical to open up the flats in case the quarterback needs to check the ball down.
On the two deeper completions on this concept last season, quarterback Jordan Love hit the first read in the progression on both plays on the deep out. In the first clip, the Packers get a 5-man pressure with man coverage cover-1 behind it. This gives receiver Romeo Doubs a 1-on-1 on the outside for the deep out. The corner falls down and Love gets the ball on time to Doubs on the sideline.
In the second clip, the Packers get quarters coverage with a natural bracket on dig route plus the front side quarters safety with eyes on the dig. This leaves Christian Watson 1-on-1 outside with the quarters cornerback. Love threads the needle with a nice throw to Watson’s outside shoulder for a first down.
In straight drop back non-play action scenarios, the play call was an effective tool to utilize on third downs. The tweak to the route concept added a seam bender route over the middle of the field from the slot on the deep out route side of the concept. Here’s a look at the concept in week three against the Tennessee Titans, with Malik Willis at quarterback.
The progression is the 1) deep out, 2) deep over, 3) back side dig, 4) checkdown. The play is made to look like dagger as the route stem of the deep out route widens similar to the dagger route from that reduced split.
Willis works the progression left to right. The Titans look like they’re playing cover-4/quarters. The back side safety poaches the deep over route and the nickel defender sinks under the deep out. On the deep out, you can see Dontayvion Wicks jab step inside like he’s going to run the dagger route before breaking outside.
On Willis’ drop back, he sees the rotation, his eyes come off the out route, hitches to the seam, sees no throw, and hitches...
