During the 2018 season, the Los Angeles Rams & New England Patriots were two of the most play action-heavy teams in the NFL.  The Rams ranked 1^st with 34.2% of their pass attempts coming off play action and the Patriots ranked 6^th at 28.1%.  With this in mind, let’s take a look at a favorite play action concept of each team and how it could impact the outcome of the game on Super Bowl Sunday.

Leak

Protection-wise, the offensive line fakes as if they are blocking wide zone to the strong side of the formation.  The tight end, which lines up off the ball just off the tackle sifts to the weak side and protects the C-gap.  This turns into a glorified slide protection to the strong side of the formation.

The X receiver runs a takeoff to clear out the weak side of the formation while the Z receiver runs a deep crossing route.  The Rams often run Post/Cross off play action so this gives the defense the illusion that they are running that concept.  The slot receiver lines up just off the tackle and fakes as if he were blocking down on a linebacker to the inside just before “leaking” out to the opposite side of the formation.  The running back leaks out to the flat after the play-fake.  The quarterback peaks the cross then reads the “Leak” route down to the running back in the flat.

As you can see in the above video, the protection gives Jared Goff a clean pocket & the linebackers react to the play fake.  Goff peaks at the deep crosser and the free safety reacts by running to that side of the field.  With the strong safety coming down to cover the running back in the flat, Cooper Kupp gets matched up with a linebacker.  He easily wins the footrace as Goff uncorks a beautiful deep ball that hits Kupp in stride.  The play results in a 70-yard touchdown for the Rams.

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Peel/Dig

Protection-wise, the offensive line fires out aggressively, selling run.  The left tackle locks up on the defensive end, the left guard and center double the nose, the right guard blocks the 3-technique, and the right tackle blocks the defensive end.

The X receiver runs a post to clear out the corner and free safety.  The slot receiver runs a wheel route to complete the “Peel” route combo (Post/Wheel).  The isolated Z receiver runs a dig route at around 15 yards.  The TE motions into the backfield then fakes through the right A-gap as if he is leading up on the will linebacker before leaking out to the flat.  The running back carries out his play fake through the left B-gap then releases into the left flat.  The quarterback fakes the hand-off and then reads Dig to check down.  With the wheel route clearing out the flat defender to the passing strength, the QB should know the check down in the flat to his running back should be there for a solid gain if the dig is covered by the curl/flat defender.

As shown in the video, the pass protection gives Tom Brady a clean pocket and the linebackers hesitate to get into their pass drops because they read run at the snap.  The tight end releasing into the flat occupies the weak curl/flat defender in the Jaguars Cover 4 and the dig route comes wide open.  Brady gets to the top of his drop, hitches one time, and throws a catchable ball to the dig, placing it in a spot that keeps the receiver out of harm’s way as the safety comes down from his deep quarter.  The result of the play is a 19-yard gain and a first down.

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Come Super Bowl Sunday, expect both teams to rely heavily on play action to gain the upper hand early in the game. My prediction is that whichever team can create the most explosive gains in the play action game will come away with the win at the end of the night.

Photo Courtesy: Getty Images/Time