Acme Packing Company
I know there are bigger things to focus on, but we’ve (sadly) got an entire offseason to do that. This week, I’ll be doing what I like to do: Breaking down some plays from the game. Because, while the end result was obviously not what we wanted, there was plenty of cool stuff on display.
Today, we’re going to look at the touchdown to Green Bay Packers receiver Romeo Doubs [87] in the low red zone.
We’ll start by talking about Shield. Shield is an RPO pass tag the Packers will use in the low red zone, typically paired with an Inside Zone run. It’s a two-man concept, run from a stack. The point man works as a “shield” for the under man. He’ll push aggressively at the snap, working to create a natural wall, while the under man will cut on a Now slant off the hip.
(Yes, that’s an actual diagram from the Packers 2019 playbook, and yes, it features Aaron Rodgers sitting on the Iron Throne. I assume that’s Nathaniel Hackett’s influence.)
The idea is to have the point man create a wall for the under man, giving him enough space for the QB to find him.
The Packers ran this on 1st & goal with 3:10 remaining in the 2nd quarter as an RPO (Run Pass Option) tag. Jayden Reed [11] is the point man while Doubs is underneath. The Packers were originally in a trips look, but Christian Watson [9] shifts under the formation before the snap to align on the right side.
This looks like a good look to throw Shield against, so Jordan Love [10] fires to Doubs. The Packers are anticipating Nahshon Wright [26] on the outside to be the man covering Doubs and Kyler Gordon [6] covering Reed. At the snap, Gordon sees this developing and drives hard to the inside, beating Doubs to the spot.
Fast forward a few plays. It’s now 4th & goal with 2:00 remaining in the 2nd quarter. The Packers originally align in a bunch on the left, but Reed shifts outside before the snap, leaving the Packers with a stack of Watson as the point man and Doubs underneath.
Reed then goes in motion, aggressively releasing on a shallow crosser at the snap. The Bears bump coverage assignments with that motion, with Tyrique Stevenson [29] picking up Reed across the field.
Watson releases out, while Doubs does a stutter-release underneath, looking like he’s releasing inside. With Watson tying up the inside man, Wright jumps over to pick up Doubs on the Now slant.
Wright jumps inside, and Doubs releases to the flat, finding nothing but green space. Love finds him for a TD.
Nice two-play sequence to secure a TD.
Albums listened to: Missionary Girls – Bleeding Out; American Football – American Football
