The more we watch, the more we learn.
That’s true of both life and football, with Week 2 of the 2024 NFL regular reason now in the books. A few lessons from the second slate of games? The Carolina Panthers are terrible, the Los Angeles Rams are cursed and the Pittsburgh Steelers might have the league’s most hilarious combination of best defense and worst offense.
But none of those teams are in my Week 2 film study. Instead, we’re going to look at Kansas City Chiefs defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo being diabolical, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold airing it out and Las Vegas Raiders edge rusher Maxx Crosby being a menace.
We start in Kansas City, where Spagnuolo’s mind turned the game.
Spagnuolo dials up his best blitz in the big moment
With 3:27 remaining, the Cincinnati Bengals were on the verge of an upset. Kansas City trailed 25–23 and the Bengals had the ball with a third-and-6 at their own 42-yard line.
On the play, Spagnuolo decided to break out his most creative blitz of the afternoon. With star defensive tackle Chris Jones (No. 95) lined up as an end across from left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. (No. 75), Kansas City created attention to that side. However, with safety Justin Reid (No. 20) over the right guard, Cincinnati’s front had to account for five Chiefs defenders.
In short, the Bengals couldn’t double Jones, as tight end Drew Sample (No. 89) was responsible for sliding over and taking Reid if he blitzed.
Now, the proverbial devil is in the details. George Karlaftis (No. 56) took a wide rush, which allowed Reid a wider gap to blitz through. Reid took the inside shoulder of Sample, while Jones pushed Brown into quarterback Joe Burrow (No. 9).
With the scene set, note Chamarri Conner (No. 27). Kansas City’s do-it-all defensive back, who earlier in the quarter scored his first-career touchdown, had a lane to Burrow.
Finally, look at the coverage in the picture above and below. Pre-snap, the Chiefs appeared to be playing a two-high look. However, on the snap, Conner blitzed from deep, safety Bryan Cook (No. 6) rotated over to double-team Ja’Marr Chase (No. 1) and defensive end Mike Danna (No. 51) bailed to help flood the left side with coverage.
The result was an easy sack for Conner, dropping Burrow for a nine-yard loss. The Chiefs got the ball back and won the game, 26–25, on a Harrison Butker 51-yard field goal as time expired.
This is so well designed and executed.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) September 17, 2024
Spags shows Cover 2, brings multiple DBs through the same gap.
Karlaftis goes wide, Reid goes inside. Both create a lane. Conner breaks down and makes the play. Also, the design forces 1v1 with Jones.
Finally, the coverage rotation. pic.twitter.com/Ht8Qyv0p8v
Sam Darnold loads the deep ball to beat back the Niners
The season was supposed to be over for Minnesota when J.J. McCarthy was lost for the year with a torn meniscus. Maybe that was premature.
On Sunday, against the 49ers, Darnold made one play after the next, throwing for 268 yards and two touchdowns. A big chunk of that came in the second quarter after Minnesota’s defense forced a turnover on downs for San Francisco following a 19-play, 83-yard drive that ended on the Vikings’ 2-yard line.
Facing second-and-9 from the 3-yard line, Minnesota went heavy with 12-personnel (one RB, two TE) with running back Aaron Jones (No. 33) in the backfield. San Francisco countered with a single-high, zone look while playing its base 4–3 defense.
Finally, note Vikings superstar receiver Justin Jefferson (No. 18) in the right slot, with George Odum (No. 30) in initial coverage. Odum had help from safety Ji’Ayir Brown (No. 27), who was expected to double on a deep route.
On the snap, the Niners had myriad problems. The blitz didn’t get home, with Minnesota right tackle Brian O’Neill (No. 75) pushing Nick Bosa (No. 97) around the arc. Inside, All-Pro linebacker Fred Warner (No. 54) blitzed but got stymied by center Garrett Bradbury (No. 56).
In the secondary, Jefferson was pushing vertical, but Brown was late to react. Staring at Darnold, Brown got caught flat-footed and didn’t take away the cross to receiver Jalen Nailor (No. 83) or the go ball to Jefferson. With the protection held up, Darnold had options from a perfect pocket. He went for broke with Jefferson, who had an ocean of room ahead.
Ultimately, Jefferson ran to the midfield logo, Darnold made a picturesque heave and the rest was easy. Ninety-seven yards for the longest play of the year to date.
I didn't have a 97-yard touchdown pass from Sam Arnold on my bingo card from 2024, but it was a thing of beauty.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) September 17, 2024
Perfect protection, great route combination against single-high, and a bomb to the best WR in football.
End result? Touchdown. pic.twitter.com/UTd5j2nH6q
Maxx Crosby is a destroyer of worlds
Tied 23–23 with less than four minutes remaining, it was money time in Baltimore.
The Ravens had received the kickoff and had the ball first-and-10 with 3:47 remaining in regulation. Crosby, already with one sack, had been pushing the pocket relentlessly all afternoon.
On this play, the Raiders had five at the line of scrimmage, feigning blitz. The Ravens came out in a power look with fullback Patrick Ricard (No. 42) initially on the left end of the line before going in motion. Then there’s reserve tight end Charlie Kolar (No. 88), who in three seasons has 12 receptions. With Derrick Henry (No. 22) also in the backfield, this formation screamed run.
On the snap, Lamar Jackson (No. 8) didn’t even play-action to Henry. Instead, he took a short, straight drop. Meanwhile, neither Kolar nor Ricard chipped Crosby (No. 98), who was lined up over right tackle Patrick Mekari (No. 65).
Initially, Crosby charged with two hard steps toward Mekari’s right side before looping inside. Christian Wilkins (No. 94), the Raiders’ big-ticket free-agent signing, drew both Mekari and right guard Daniel Faalele (No. 77) while Crosby stunted. The problem? Faalele had no awareness of Crosby’s whereabouts. By the time he realized the game, it was over.
Considering how much Baltimore’s offensive line has struggled early on with three new starters, it was a stunning decision by Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken not to chip Crosby or utilize play-action. The result was an easy sack for one of the league’s best.
This is a tale of two truths at once.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) September 17, 2024
Maxx Crosby is insane. Dude loops inside, blows past the guard, gets skinny through the crease and blasts Lamar Jackson.
Also, the Ravens ... it's 1st and 10 and no play-action, no help on Crosby despite a TE and FB on that side. Yikes. pic.twitter.com/XirFI5JGTB
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Kansas City Unleashed Its Best Blitz in Game-Winning Defensive Play.
