If you follow me then you know I've been really looking forward to this book. Can't guarantee I'll be able to do this for all the concepts in the book but here's a cut-up of one of the Ravens' base run concepts - Counter.
@b_peters12
refers to this one in the book as Counter
🚨 The Ravens Manual is now available!
Here is a quick thread of a couple of my favorite concepts the Ravens run:
The 2023 Baltimore Ravens Complete Offensive Manual
For those who didn’t hear it, when Peyton and Eli did the Ravens-Raiders MNF game, Peyton said Lamar ‘is a pocket passer who also happens to be a great runner.’ I think Peyton knows a little something about playing QB from the pocket.
Predictable attempted jabs at Lamar Jackson being an RB in the comments. I don’t mind if the label persists bc if Lamar is a RB playing QB as well as or better than your QB, then what does that say about your QB? What does that say about your philosophy of what a QB should be?
Michael Irvin on NFL network said until this year Flacco hasn’t had a WR he could trust since Anquan Boldin ... with Steve Smith Sr sitting 1 chair over from him. Smith lit into Irvin & among other things said as a route runner ‘I got a masters degree, you got an associates’ 😂
In Lamar Jackson’s two full seasons as a starting QB, only 4 other QBs have more passing TDs:
Aaron Rodgers: 74 (32 games)
Russell Wilson: 71 (32 games)
Tom Brady: 64 (32 games)
Patrick Mahomes: 64 (29 games)
Lamar Jackson: 62 (30 games)
Check out Peters' technique. Beckham gets a step on him but Peters doesn't panic. Doesn't look back for the ball until he's able to get a hand on Beckham. Then locates & plays the ball.
This may look like your typical TD run until you realize North Dakota State had FOUR fullbacks in the game on this play.
It’s beautiful.
(🎥:
@NDSUfootball
)
This really resonated with me because I have my own history with my parents.
We’re all good now and have been for years but man, now that I’m a parent .. this hit way different.
S/o to
@Realrclark25
&
@thepivot
for being vulnerable like this.
Only got to see the 1st quarter yesterday so i watched the replay this morning. Looking forward to the coaches film on this one but until then here’s a clip dump of plays that caught my eye.
Sneak peak at a thread on the Ravens passing game coming later. This throw is an absolute dime! Throwing his guy open, with anticipation, layering the ball over an underneath defender & in front of a deeper defender. So much good stuff but unfortunately it was dropped.
Love the way Humphrey competes. This is something he's done consistently since he's come into the league. Even when it looks like a completion, he doesn't concede catches. Always looking to get the ball out.
Earl is just a rare dude. Look at where he comes from to get the INT. Was called back because of holding on Jefferson which was totally understandable considering he was injured during the play. Clip was too long to include his entire return.
You gotta love Pat Ricard. When he's at FB, he's just gonna sustain and finish blocks. Not sure where he's taking Rapp at the end of this play but I do know he's going to finish LOL
Can’t say enough about Marcus Williams. Makes a TD saving tackle on that long Henry run where he gets to the 9 yd line. Ravens defense is able to hold the Titans to a FG from there.
Everyone can see he’s limited but he’s still out there making plays. Hope he has a speedy
2 years ago today: Clay Matthews thought he knew what the
#Panthers
were calling. Cam Newton had other ideas.
Clay: It's that wheel route, it's that wheel route
Cam: You been watching film, huh? That's cool, watch this.
Cam: Texas route to CMC for a TD
Love this improvisational play from Lamar & Ingram. Ingram breaks off his route upfield, Lamar reads it, and throws a dart over the defender's head for the completion
Yes, Hollywood is fast but he's also a very skilled WR. Tracks the ball over his shoulder, shows the spatial awareness to know where he is on the field (i.e. how close he was to the back of the endzone), the body control & footwork to establish both feet in bounds (toe drag swag)
Sam Hubbard (94) was so active in this game. Gets the sack here. To this day, still has one of my favorite recruiting stories. Don't know if it's true, but the story goes that Urban Meyer first saw him playing dodgeball in HS gym class & asked, "who is that big freak out there?"
We talk about communication, on defense and offense. Here's an example of non-verbal communication on the OL. Watch Linderbaum tap/push Zeitler's back. Linderbaum takes 92 & Zeitler looks to help Moses with 94. Zeitler still keeps his left arm extended to 'feel' 92 just in case.
I talked about how smart of a player Peters is on a pod I did with
@FilmstudyRavens
when the trade was announced and it shows up on film. He appears to signal to Thomas to get back Edelman's route in the deep middle of the field. Forces Brady to come off that route.
I know I've harped on this play and look, I get it, it was only one play. But check this still shot out. Ball was at the 25 (white line added for emphasis). You can see the ball b/t the C's legs and neither Judon nor Bowser have crossed the 25 yd line. Where's the offsides?
Peters with a beautiful PD on 3rd & 15 in Q2. His eyes are so good. Playing inside leverage from off with vision on the QB but notice the quick peeks he takes at the WR throughout the route. Gets in phase late, feels where the WR is and has his eyes on the QB.
I've talked about how Earl Thomas eliminates throws all year. On this play, he drives to cut Davis' crossing route, then recognizes Tannehill looking to scramble & takes that away with outside leverage. Forces Tannehill to pull up & throw into coverage.
This is a route the Ravens don't ask Jackson to throw often but this one is on the money. 10 yd out on 3rd & 9. No play fake, straight drop back. It's also a throw Jackson admitted himself that he struggled with last year. Good velocity & ball placement here.
Check out Peters' technique on his pick-6. He opens his hips, turns and starts to run as if he's going to sink under the slot fade. Wilson sees this (pump fake) then looks to throw underneath to the hitch but Peters sticks his foot in the ground and drives on the throw.
Oweh on a pass drop. Check out the shoulder he gives Waller on his release. That's how you re-route & disrupt timing. Side note: watch the respect the Raiders show Houston. Gets chipped twice: 1st by the TE then by the RB on a check release.
It may seem like a small thing but that part at the end where he asks BWill to sprint to the numbers with him, and then more guys join in - that’s leadership. Looked like practice was over at that point too. To me that’s a leader setting a tone and a standard.
Ben Cleveland’s snaps at LG vs the WFT. He played 41 snaps; I excluded kneel downs. But that’s still enough that I had to split them into 2 videos. Here’s part 1.
I talk every week about Marcus Peters' football intelligence and it showed up again vs the Texans. This is just one example but you can see him signaling that the WR is going in motion even before Watson gives him the signal to move. Peters did this several times last Sunday.
Love the patience Carr shows on this play. Starts with vision on the QB. At the catch point, as JuJu elevates, Carr works back in phase then waits for the ball to arrive to time his punch. Punches up through JuJu's hands as opposed to chopping down.
If Suggs makes through waivers, unclaimed by 31 other teams, wants to come back to Baltimore and they want them ... that’s it, I’m done. You can’t tell me this season ain’t magical 😂
You can see Ricard is having so much fun playing the game right now. His passion & enthusiasm for the game jump off the screen (get it, LOL) everytime you watch him.
Here's an example of what I try to explain about Mosley. Watch him tell Peanut (48) where the ball is going. Peanut cheats his alignment outside and forces the screen back inside to the pursuit for a 1 yard gain. There's no convetional stat that captures what Mosley did.