Breaking Down the Pick 6

Tip to BBS, someone was confused.

The route

As we talked about above, Manning took the blame for this INT. But, when you go back and look at the TV tape, Wayne doesn’t run the complete route. In a “Hi-Lo” concept, the “China,” or “Smash,” is a 5-7 yard square in. But, in this case, Wayne runs what essentially plays out like a Hitch Route — and the ball is thrown inside. Yes, Wayne could have converted his route when he saw the pressure and Porter playing in an “off-position,” but Manning is throwing the China route in this case. Hard to blame just one player for the result, but they are not on the same page.