A closer look at Week 9, with the benefit of film analysis:
Raiders O vs. Broncos D
Raider fans who are worried about their team’s new franchise quarterback can actually feel optimistic. Carson Palmer was, for the most part, impressive in this game. His three interceptions were all explainable: the first was a case of a superstar cornerback, Champ Bailey, dominating a callow wideout, Denarius Moore, in bump-and-run coverage. On the second interception, Moore tipped the ball over the middle (the throw was a tad high). The third pick was in garbage time in hurry-up mode, with Palmer being hit as he threw. These were not like the Palmer misreads that led to turnovers against the Chiefs two weeks ago. He showed poise, great pocket mobility and good touch. There were minor chemistry issues with the receivers. But keep in mind, Moore is young and still learning. Jacoby Ford (who was excellent in the first half) has missed some time, and T.J. Houshmandzadeh is a newcomer (who supplanted Darrius Heyward-Bey in the rotation but had trouble all afternoon getting separation).
Oakland’s run game was strong in the first half but tailed off after center Samson Satele’s injury reshuffled the interior front line (Stefan Wisniewski had been playing well at left guard but struggled after sliding over to center). This, along with a flood of penalties, compromised the flow of the offense. For the Broncos, a few notes: Von Miller was used as an inside blitzer, which proved to be a highly successful new wrinkle for this defense. The box score says that Elvis Dumervil, with his first 1.5 sacks of the season, came out of his slumber. He didn’t. The half-sack was produced by Miller and the full sack was a classic coverage sack. Dumervil was, however, part of a Broncos front seven that bogged down the run fairly well in the second half.
Broncos O vs. Raiders D
The Raiders will kick themselves after watching this film. Their run defense was outstanding for much of the game but fell apart late. They gave up two big runs to Tim Tebow and two to Willis McGahee on shotgun read options. Oakland’s linebacking group seemed completely unprepared for the read option, which is inexcusable given Denver’s limited passing weapons. It’s surprising that the Raiders did not shadow Tebow the way the Dolphins did. His scrambles were difference-making. Hard to fathom how a defense can be ill-prepared for Tebow’s runs. Daryl Blackstock, starting for injured middle linebacker Rolando McClain, was particularly bad. He was easily manipulated by the offense’s tactical deceits and lacked the speed to get outside or recover from his mistakes. The Broncos’ coaching staff did a great job of building a pro-Tebow game plan – and he responded. Tebow ran well, protected the football and, on three occasions, properly executed a throw that made the Raiders pay for mistakes in man coverage. Whether this sort of plan can work week to week remains to be seen.
Redskins O vs. 49ers D
The respective approaches seemed to suggest that both teams realized that the injury-riddled Redskins did not have enough firepower to outgun a staunch Niners defense. The Redskins did not even attempt to push the ball downfield (though John Beck, who seemed to play a tad hurriedly, did pass up a few open opportunities to do so). They also abandoned their run game after falling behind by two scores (they maybe would have abandoned it anyway considering their O-line could not get movement against nose tackle Isaac Sopoaga & Company). The Niners were equally conservative. They blitzed sparingly and dared the Skins to defeat basic 3-4 defensive zones. A great illustration of Washington’s aerial limitations was the fact that running back Roy Helu set a franchise record with 14 receptions. Helu is far from an accomplished receiving back. Niners inside linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman both stood out, as usual. They’re the first- and second-best 3-4 inside linebackers in the N.F.C. (the hard part is determining who is 1 and who is 1-A.)
49ers O vs. Redskins D
The Niners are still using the same high school-style offense that they were criticized for in our earlier film reviews this season. Yours truly asserted that it was not a sustainable winning formula. Obviously, yours truly has been proved wrong. Sunday’s game at Washington was the epitome of effective ball-control offense. Alex Smith managed the game extremely well. He was not able to push the ball downfield – save for a 30-yard touchdown to fullback Bruce Miller on a wheel route that linebacker Rocky McIntosh incorrectly guessed would be a curl in the flats – in large part because the Niners sent only three receivers on routes and kept extra guys in to pass protect. When the throws weren’t there – and they often weren’t – Smith bought himself a little time and threw the ball away. In San Francisco, this is considered good quarterbacking. The Niners can afford to play this way because they have a great defense and meat-and-potatoes run game. They showcased an array of different run-play alignments and motions out of 22 personnel (two backs, two tight ends). They knew the Redskins would be a tough defense to run against, so they manufactured yards through creative design. Smart coaching, sound execution. That’s the 2011 Niners in a nutshell.
Texans O vs. Browns D
This was one where you watched two series and wondered why you decided to break down this game. The stats book told the story. Houston rushed for an easy 261 yards. Their offensive line had no trouble moving Cleveland’s front four off the ball. Right guard Mike Brisiel looked like an All-Pro in the first half, and center Chris Myers won battle after battle inside. As a defender, if you can’t hold your ground and force Myers to play in a phone booth, you’ll fall victim to his shrewd ability to create angles on lateral movement in the run game. He’s tailor-made for a zone scheme. The Browns should be concerned about their linebacking corps and really concerned about their pass rush. When Jabaal Sheard gets neutralized (as he was all afternoon), there’s absolutely no pressure on the quarterback. Another concern is the first-round rookie defensive tackle Phil Taylor. He has not shown up on film all season despite frequently facing blockers one-on-one.
Browns O vs. Texans D
This game was essentially over as soon as Houston scored its second touchdown. No team is less equipped to play from behind than Cleveland. Their quarterback lacks top-level arm strength, their receivers’ speed is bankrupt and the offensive line’s lack of athleticism at left guard and on the right side becomes problematic when opposing pass rushers tee off. This is what happened Sunday. In the first half, Texans backup defensive linemen Earl Mitchell and Tim Jamison stood out in the way they got off blocks. In the second half, outside linebackers Connor Barwin and Brooks Reed (especially Reed) took over. They’re a fast, energetic duo. No games are easy supposed to be easy in the N.F.L., but this one was.
Titans O vs. Bengals D
(Time did not permit review of Titans D vs. Bengals O)
After a very solid first half, the Titans were taken out of rhythm and frustrated throughout the last 30 minutes. The Bengals’ defensive line, led by Domata Peko as he defeated one-on-one blocking in the middle, stonewalled the Titans’ offensive line and kept Chris Johnson bottled up. Johnson had looked like his old self in the first half, turning the corner outside, juking defenders in the open field and eating up yards with relatively quick acceleration. The Bengals blitzed infrequently, played a lot of traditional coverage and dared the Titans’ receiving targets to beat them. At face value, Tennessee does not have a good downfield pass game. None of the wideouts have the proper combination of speed and route running polish, and Matt Hasselbeck is not a great precision passer beyond the underneath/intermediate levels. They’ve been able to manufacture a few big plays thanks to creative route combinations drawn up by offensive coordinator Chris Palmer, but those can only take you so far. In the end, it’s about having the players. The setting was favorable for Tennessee, as Cincy’s pass rush was quiet until the fourth quarter.
Cowboys O vs. Seahawks D
DeMarco Murray looks like the real deal. He has a subtle suddenness to his game and can quickly drum up forceful downhill momentum when he hits the accelerator. He’s a true north/south runner with some faint hints of east-west mobility. For the second time in three weeks, Murray benefited from excellent blocking. Left guard Montrae Holland stood out on a few pull blocks, and throughout the game, all of the Dallas linemen were able to successfully make contact with Seattle’s second level defenders. Tackles Doug Free and Tyron Smith rendered Seattle’s pass rushers, including Chris Clemons, irrelevant. Seahawks corners Richard Sherman and Brandon Browner did a solid job in press coverage, but Tony Romo made just enough big plays through the air. It was not a great game for Seattle’s safeties.
Seahawks O vs. Cowboys D
It has been the same issue week in and week out with this offense: an inability to mount sustainable drives through the air. The Cowboys, with their incredibly wide-ranging assortment of personnel packages and presnap looks, made Tarvaris Jackson think too much. Jackson likes to see the receiver get open in order to pull the trigger. He doesn’t anticipate throwing windows well. Normally that leads to sacks. But in this one, Seattle’s front five did a good job…so Jackson’s progressions instead led to more incompletions. The one time the Cowboys did blitz and pressure Jackson, he underthrew a blanketed Sidney Rice, resulting in an interception. The Cowboys shouldn’t feel completely content with their performance. Their defensive line did not quite make enough big plays, and their inside linebackers, playing without Sean Lee, looked out of place a few times in coverage and were consistently handled in the run game.
Andy Benoit is an NFL analyst for CBSSports.com and founder of NFLTouchdown.com. He can be reached at andy.benoit@NFLTouchdown.com or @Andy_Benoit.
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