Charting A Drive: Defensive Domination

Kasey Klipsch ([email protected]) checks in with his weekly look at a drive.

The Houston Texans gained 89 yards in the first half of the game Monday night. The drive chart for the first half is littered with drives ending in Punts, On Downs, and even has a pick six. Any of these drives would have been good drives to chart to figure out what the Colts were doing so well. Instead, I’ll chart the Texans most successful first half drive. The crowd at the Luke was fired up after Hayden’s pick six and Gary Kubiak was showing signs of terror. Houston definitely needed to move the ball in order to prevent this game from becoming a route.

1-10-HST-34 Foster off left tackle for 33 yards. Tackle by Angerer.

Hou Formation: 2 WR (close left, 1 wide right motions to backfield right)/2 TE (1 LOS right)/ 1FB (offset left)

Colts Formation: 4-3 (Francisco and Tryon in the box, Hayden comes into the box with TE)

Play: Foster runs through a gaping hole between Freeney & Moala. Session can’t clear through the mess to get to his assignment. Tryon misses an open field tackle that springs Foster. The announcers call out Tryon but it looks to me like Session taking the wrong angle is the reason this run succeeded.

– LT lets Freeney into the back field and then pushes him well out of the play.

– Moala gets penetration but the C keeps him away from the hole.

– LG blocks Brackett who reads the play correctly.

– RT blocks Foster and he is run away from. He hustled down field to try and tackle Foster only to get juked.

– RG is assigned to Angerer but doesn’t need to block him as Angerer follows the TE into coverage (as does Hayden).

– WR on right side cut blocks Mathis.

– Francisco over-commits and can’t shed the block by the left side WR.

– Session avoids the FB (who is trying to block him) but misreads the angle and is run past.

1-10-IND-33 Ward right for no gain. Tackle by Brackett & Francisco

Hou Formation: 2 WR (1 wide left, 1 wide right) / 1 TE (right) / 1 FB right

Colts Formation: 4-3 standard.

Play: Toss right to Ward with zone blocking intending to go outside the RT. Hughes blows up the play to the outside. Moala with good penetration prevents Ward from bouncing inside. A swarm of Colts are there to make the tackle.

– Freeney is run away from.- The LG releases Moala too soon assuming that the LT and C have him. He splits them for great penetration.

– Foster holds the LOS against the RG.

– Hughes penetrates (with a bull rush) against a double team by the RT and TE!

– Angerer is blocked by the FB.

– Francisco is also there to prevent a cut back run.

2-10-IND-33 Pass short left to Jacoby Jones for 5 yards. Tackle by Tryon.

Hou Formation: 2 WR (wide right & left) / 2 TE

Colts Formation: 4-3 Session showing blitz at the LOS.

Play: 3 step drop quick pass to Jacoby Jones.

– Session is blocked by the LT.

– Freeney makes an inside move and is blocked by the LG.

– Moala is blocked by the C.

– Foster is blocked by the RG.

– Hughes gets around the RT but it too far out to get to Schaub.

– Tryon in good coverage.

3-5-Ind-28 Sack for -7 yards. Sack by Session

Hou Formation: 4 WR (3 right, 1 left), Shotgun with HB to left.

Colts Formation: Nickle

Play: Session has a crazy fast blitz up the middle leveling Schaub as he moves up to avoid Freeney & Mathis who are flying towards him.

– Freeney speed rushes around the LT.

– Dawson gets no penetration against LG.

– Foster blocked by C. The RG blocks no one and the HB releases too soon.

– Mathis speed rushes around the RT.

– Session delay blitzes beautifully!

Result of the drive is a field goal.

Impressions:

The first play of the drive was eerily reminiscent of the first game of the season. Players out of position and missing tackles getting run over by a power rushing formation. Instead of causing a full blown breakdown the defense tightened up marvelously. The rest of the plays on this drive add up to negative yardage, the Texans would have been better off kicking the field goal right after the run! The reason I picked this series to chart was the second play of the drive. When I was watching it I picked out Hughes big time play and couldn’t believe the broadcast booth didn’t mention it. Session had both the worst play of the drive and the best. Angerer was basically a non-entity due to the scheme and play calling. At this point the only major question I would ask is why is Dawson still on our Nickle package? He gets no penetration and I’m not convinced he adds any more speed then Moala. I certainly think we have some PS players that should get a shot over him.

About The Author:

Kasey Klipsch ([email protected]) has no football experience above the grade school level. He grew up in Indianapolis rooting for the Colts and is a season ticket holder. He comments around the Colts blogosphere as kasey_junk. He also writes a weekly picks column for The Fantasy Ninjas (www.thefantasyninjas.com) under the nickname “The Real KC”.

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Charting A Drive: Defensive Domination

Alan Draper

Alan Draper

Alan Draper