Zac live presser

[KillerGoose]

(12-13-2021, 08:14 PM)Fan_in_Kettering Wrote: This is a brilliant analysis.  I was in the south end zone for the Steelers game and the wide zone was working amazingly well.  Joe Mixon had 175 yards that day I believe.  The A- and B-gaps are rarely open for Joe Mixon and this has been the case since he was a rookie.  Either Frank Pollack needs to go to directional blocking to open those holes or go back to the wide zone.  

In the wide zone the linemen use synchronicity* where feet, arms, and core all move as one unit.  Every angle into every defender is the same.  It’s a simpler way to block.

Trap blocking and other forms of directional blocking are much more difficult because linemen move in opposing directions.  This also depends on which technique the defensive linemen are in when the ball is snapped.  If the defensive tackle, for example, is lined up in one technique vice three technique then the guard has to directionally block the opposite way.

*Note to Dan Orlovsky: It’s “synchronicity.” “Synchronocity” isn’t a word.

The funny thing is that the Bengals ran wide zone against San Fran - it's a staple play in their run game. They've used it all season. The infamous run play on second down in OT was a wide-zone run. Uzomah was manned up on the 9 tech and Jonah combo blocked to move to the second level but Hopkins and Spain were beat on their combo block and Hopkins didn't make it to the second level. Here is a look at it...



The Bengals ran this exact play against the Steelers and had success with it. Teams obviously aren't going to utilize only one blocking scheme so the amount of calls will ebb and flow, but wide zone is a staple in the run game of Cincinnati and they haven't stopped using it all season, including this Sunday. 

https://imgur.com/a/9QUHKKT - here is a link to a GIF of the play, from an endzone view.