Tampa Bay Split Zone Misdirection Series - WC Round 20/21 Playoffs

 In their wildcard matchup against the Washington Football Team, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers utilized a series of plays featuring split zone actions, jet motions, and end-arounds to force the Washington defense to shift, generating a number of explosive play opportunities. 

Using motions across the formation pre-snap, Tampa forces Washington's backers to push down and create mismatches or conflicts for the edge defenders. 

Using split-zone actions (down-blocks and slices across from the TE), Tampa muddies and confuses the read for the secondary run-fitters (reading TE) and the backside DE (reading the down-block). This is followed with misdirection plays taking advantage of these muddied reads, attacking the edges of the formation.

Related plays not shown: 4 split zone run calls, 1 split zone play-action, and 1 jet sweep play action. 

DETAILS

1&10, 1st drive of the game.

WR #81 (Antonio Brown) motions across the formation creates a 6 on 7 in the box, in favor of the offense. 

This creates conflict for the slot defender, who has followed the motion and is now fitting the B gap from outside of the box. 

One way teams alleviate this is by having the field DE shift tighter to the tackle and work into the B gap, or squeeze harder behind the down block to try and spill the kickout to the wider run defender.

1st&10, 2nd quarter

There is plenty of backfield action here, which quickly takes advantage of the defense.

HB swing action to the boundary, while the TE and #1 WR in the bunch are pulling around to the wide side of the field. 

The O-line combined with the TE makes it look like split zone, which typically has the ball carrier hitting inside of the tackle box. 

Reading split zone, the 9 defenders closest to the box take initial steps towards the center of the formation. DE #95 steps down hard behind the down block expecting to squeeze or get under any kickouts, and so the TE simply bypasses him and takes his block to the 3rd level unabated. 

With the TE pulling, this creates a 4-on-4 box count to the playside. With the DE being skipped, the offense is gaining an extra blocker. 

Worth noting: this play is ran while Chase Young is not on the field, to the side he typically defends. 

2pt conversion, 2nd quarter

#81 jet motion across the formation causes backers to "pull the chain," leaving a defensive back to fit off of the DE on the edge. 

DE #91 (Chase Young) jumps the B gap, forcing the runner to bounce outside to the free-hitting DB on the edge. 

If the HB keeps his footing, this looks like it may be points on the board with the HB coming downhill fast on a DB in a 1-on-1 needing only 2 yards. 

1st&10, 4th quarter

TE #84 goes on short return motion, followed by a pull giving a split-zone look. He then spins around in the backfield after a very short pull, and works back towards the wide side of the field. 

Similar to the second clip, we can see all 10 players near the box step into the center of the formation, expecting split-zone thanks to the reads being created by the offense (OL down blocking, TE taking slicing action, and QB/HB fake). 

Tampa had not run any two-man pulls this game, so the RG pulling up looks to me just like a way to replace the kick-out of the spinning TE, and seal out the backside pursuit of the disruptive Chase Young (#99). 

The RT, C, and TE do a great job of working to the edge through the middle of the formation.

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 Using frequent split-zone run calls, Tampa set up their misdirection plays to attack the edges of formations. 

Using motions across the formation, Tampa created mismatches or tough fits for the Washington secondary.

Thanks for reading.