The New Orleans Saints Condensed and Flexible Passing Attack.
The Saints have been outstanding on offense through week 2. They have scored 91 points in 2 games, scoring 47 against the Panthers and 44 against the Cowboys! Klint Kubiak, the son of Gary Kubiak and part of the Shanahan coaching tree has been outstanding with the play calling. He is using various formations and numerous condensed sets to stretch teams vertically and then work the middle of the field. The Wr also have the ability to break their vertical routes in different directions, or stop at times. This gives them great flexibility. These routes combined with a strong rushing attack has made this offense potent.
The beauty of it has been that Klint has been very diverse and gone against the normal 11 personnel world you live in at the NFL level. This has allowed them to be strong in the run game as well as throwing the football effectively in play action. The league average is 62%, yet the Saints have been in it only 22%. This has opened up tremendous amount of dig windows because they have been seeing a bunch of cover 3 this season.The personnel numbers may be confusing because Hill is listed as a tight end but is lined up all over the field. But, here are the groupings and how they use their personnel.
Personnel Groupings
11P 22% 12P 36.4% 21P 27.1% 13P 4.2% 22P 6.8%
This makes them really hard to defend as the league has been more 11 based in their defenses. Do you stop the run or bring the safety down, go cover 3 which may open some things up with middle of the field closed and 1 safety over the top!
Let’s look at some of their passing game designs!
#1 Dig Concepts and adjustments (7 clips below)
They will run several variations of dig with a post but will also give the WR the ability to run a dag route depending on leverage. I’ve also seen the post defender break his route into a comeback!
Here are 2 of the routes discussed and then you can see the clips.
The dig route runner can break it inside or outside opposite the deep post. This puts a tremendous amount of stress on the CB and opens up the middle of the field.
In the bottom example, he attacks leverage and likes the out route. He sets up the CB by attacking leverage then running the out cut.
Pass Protection
They will often run full slide protection with the 2 TE responsible for the edge. This scheme has worked exceptionally well for them in their play action passing attack!
Everyone slides to the right with the 2 TE sealing the edge on the left.
Full slide 2 TE blocking the edge.
Here are 7 clips of the dig and dag concept!
#2 21 Lead Swing
#3
Below is a post cross concept with an OTB by the #2 WR. Carr sees the middle of the field safety jump the cross and hits the deep post concept.
The Defense is in cover 3
The safety jumps the y cross and the CB allows the WR to get on top of him.
video clip
These are some of the plays in the Saints passing attack.
Here are some other clips and routes you may enjoy!
8 passing game clips! 2 screens, a shallow cross and a few others
That’s all for the Saints Offense. Great system and fun to watch!