Kasey Klipsch checks in with his weekly column
I watched this game on a bar in Portland, Oregon. When I started watching I was the only one watching this game (the rest were watching KC v Oak). By the time the game was over, everyone was watching and cheering for Vick (except me of course). I can’t blame them. Vick played a great game. My memory says I spent half the game shaking my head in frustration at Vick’s play. I picked a drive that epitomized this frustration.
Play starts at 11:58 in the 1st QTR. The Colts had just scored to make the score 13-7 Philly. The Eagles try a trick kick-off return which McAfee makes the tackle and causes a fumble. The Colts fail to get the ball before it goes out of bounds.
1-10-PHI-32
Vick (2 step drop) Incomplete short right to Celek. Townsend knocks the ball out with a big stick.
Phi Formation: 3 WR (2 right, 1 left)/1 TE right
Ind Formation: Nickle
– Hughes almost makes it to Vick with a bull rush on the RT.
– Moala is doubled by the RG/C (who came over after seeing Muir get handled).
– Muir easily blocked by the LG.
– LT attempts to cut Freeney and fails, HB picks him up.
– Angerer and Brackett drop into coverage. Brackett was on Celek correctly.
2-10-PHI-32
McCoy up the middle for 1 yard tackled by Angerer, Lacey?, Bethea, Muir.
Phi Formation: 2 WR/1TE (left) /1 FB (offset right)
Ind Formation: 4-3 standard (Hagler sneaking up).
– Hughes holds the edge vs RT.
– FB blocks Hagler who plugs the B gap on the right side.
– Muir knocked 1 yard off the LOS by the RG/C. Run comes at him. RG releases and blocks Brackett.
– Moala blocked in the back field by the LG.
– Freeney is doubled by the LT/TE.
– Angerer penetrates through the B gap on the left side and stops the play.
– Lacey/Bethea run to the play after Angerer makes the stop.
3-9-PHI-33
Vick in shotgun scrambles right for 24 yards.
Phi Formation: 3 WR (2 right, 1 left)/1 TE (right)
Ind Formation: Nickle – Brackett on line with hand on the ground. Mathis & Angerer standing on LOS showing fire zone blitz. Angerer drops into coverage, but Townsend comes in on a blitz.
– Dawson blocked way out of the play by RT.
– Townsend gets past the RG, Vick scrambles and jukes him. He is too slow to run Vick down.
– Brackett follows the TE into coverage. He misses Vick. Good move by Vick.
– Mathis is blocked by C/RG until RG disengages for Townsend. Mathis pushes the pocket back causing Vick to scramble and actually is the one who finally runs Vick out of bounds.
– Foster is well blocked by LG.
– Freeney is pushed behind Vick out of the play by the LT.
– Angerer follows HB into route. Slips trying to come back on Vick.
1-10-IND-43
McCoy left for -1 yard (Bethea, Muir).
Phi Formation: 3 WR (2 right, 1 left)/ 1TE (right)
Ind Formation: Nickle
– Mathis run away from, gets past TE too late.
– Moala holds point of attack against RG.
– Muir pushes C 1 yard behind LOS and makes the play.
– Freeney holds the edge causing McCoy to go back inside.
– RT blocks Brackett well out of the play.
– LG blocks Angerer well.
– Bethea reads run perfectly and moves into the gap.
2-11-IND-44
Vick, play action pass, scrambles right for 4 yards.
Phi Formation: 2 WR (left and right)/1 TE (motions from right to left)/1 FB I formation.
Ind Formation: 4-3
– Mathis beats RT/FB on an inside move causing Vick to scramble.
– Moala is doubled by RG/C.
– Muir stunts back and sort of waddles around looking lost.
– Freeney is triple-teamed (LG/LT/TE). Vick scrambles outside of him, he disengages and runs Vick out of bounds.
– All of the LB go back into zone coverage. Hagler follows the HB who is running a route. He is also there to run Vick out.
3-7-IND-40
Vick in shotgun (empty back field), pass short left to Avant for 34 yards (Francisco)
Phi Formation: 5 WR (1 wide right, 2 bunched close right, 1 left)
Ind Formation: Dime
– Mathis stunts inside, blocked well by RG.
– Foster well blocked by RT.
– Dawson doubled by LT/LG
– Freeney inside move blocked by C.
– Brackett blitzes the C trying to tie him up for Freeney. This doesn’t work and Brackett moves back into a shallow zone.
– Townsend loses Avant on a crossing pattern, Lacey and Francisco have bad angles on him.
1-6-IND-6
McCoy right no gain (Hagler)
Phi Formation: 2 WR/ 1 TE (right)/1 FB i formation.
Ind Formation: 4-3 (Francisco in the box)
– Mathis bull rushes the TE 2 yards behind the LOS, stopping the play.
– Foster is blocked by the RG (with C chip)
– Muir sheds the LG and penetrates into the back field (tying up the FB)
– Dawson is run away from.
– Angerer blocked (poorly) by the RT.
– Brackett well blocked by the C.
– Hagler blocked (poorly) by the LG. Gets past him to make the tackle.
2-6-IND-6
Vick in shotgun, pass short left to Jackson. The play was intended to be a WR screen to the left. Jackson tries to run it back around to the right and is caught for -8 yards (Francisco).
Phi Formation: 3 WR (1 Right, 1 Left, 1 motioning from R->L)/1 TE L
Ind Formation: 4-3
– Mathis blocked by RT/HB.
– Muir beats RG and gets penetration too late.
– Foster blocked by the C, sees the screen and disengages.
– LT attempts to cut Dawson but fails. Dawson reads the screen and disengages. Gets juked by Jackson on the way back around (but causes Jackson to go even further backwards).
– LG blocks Bethea.
– TE blocks Angerer, but Angerer pushes him back enough to mess up the play.
– Other WR blocks Lacey.
– Hayden is destroyed by a block by his WR.
– Francisco stays home and is able to finish off the play.
3-14-IND-14
Vick in shotgun, scrambles for 1 yard (Freeney)
Phi Formation: 3 WR (2 left, 1 right)/ 1 TE (right).
Ind Formation: Nickle
– Mathis is chipped by TE, then blocked by HB. RT stays home to block him as well.
– Foster blocked by RG. He collapses the pocket a little.
– C/LG double Dawson. He is able to prevent Vick from stepping up.
– Freeney beats the LT causing Vick to scramble.
– Dawson is juked by Vick, Francisco and Freeney make the tackle.
Drive result: The Eagles kick a field goal.
Analysis:
Of these 9 plays only 3 went for more than 1 yard! Two of the positive plays were good plays by the defense but Vick just made incredible individual effort. Mathis and Muir stood out as the best players on the drive. Townsend and Francisco appeared to be the weakness. I don’t know if we should read too much into the fact that both of the big plays on this drive came from exotic defensive looks. My first impression on the deep pass to Avant was that part of the problem was Brackett being out of position due to his blitz, but I have no way to confirm this.
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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