xs and os Let's Talk About: The Importance Of An Eraser (RICO!!!)

[PeytonMannings Forehead 24,339]

Rico Allen has been something of polarizing topic around these parts for quite some time.  I'll admit there were even times when I felt we could take him or leave him, but when you are running a single high defense, you NEED to have a free safety out there who can cover up the defense's shortcomings and the problem with evaluating a free safety is most of the time, what they do doesn't show up on the stat sheet, and there can be entire games where he'll do his job perfectly, but it'll look to the casual view like he didn't do anything because no action came his way.  

That has long been the quandary of Rico Allen.  He's never been the ballhawk of say Earl Thomas, who is the gold standard, but he's a cerebral player.  @TheFatboi was one of the early ones I can remember who harped on the importance of Rico.  Well we got a chance to see what it looked like last year when he went down.  The secondary was a mess -- even with Kazee back there ballhawking, and it was the little things that were missing.  Last night he was a warrior god.

 

Play#1 - second quarter.  Philly has us backed up, and decides to attack our Cover-3 with an old staple, Seams.  Philly has two underneath routes, and a flat route just in case, but it's the dual seams they are trying to get to.  They're creating a 2 on 1 and the safety can't get to both of them.

 

 

Cover-3 - Trufant and Oliver playing deep thirds, Rico back single high closing the middle of the field.  Hook drops for our two linebacker Campbell and Jones.  And the two curl-flat defenders to either side underneath.  Key thing here on 1st and 10 is we aren't just spot-dropping to landmarks, we're pattern reading the release of the receivers.

 

At the snap, and this is beautiful quarterback play by Wentz.  He's staring to his left trying to move Rico.  Underneath our coverage is doing its thing.  Campbell is reading #2 to #1.  The curl/flat defender to the bottom of the screen is matching that route.  We don't worry about the back leaking to the flat until the ball is thrown.

 

Carson snaps his head around, just as his receiver clears into the seam as Devondre passes his off to Tru and looks to pic up that hook route.

 

Not a great pic, but Tru pics the route up beautifully and Rico comes screaming over.

 

Carson can't lead him up the field because Rico is coming to close that window, so he has to put it on the receiver's back shoulder.  Beautiful football.  Another half a step, and Rico has a pick, but it's a huge play nonetheless.  He's processing information and playing so fast there is no window there.

Edited September 18 by PeytonMannings Forehead

[A Pimp Named Slickback™ 2,930]

Great recognition by Rico on that play.

[PeytonMannings Forehead 24,339]

Play #2 - end of the half.  We're in Cover-3 again.  Eagles are gonna attack up the seams again, this time Carson's gonna try to get to the receiver in the slot to the top of the screen on a little stutter go.  Well it wasn't a real stutter, but he tried to chop is feet to get that curl flat defender to open the gate and let him by.  This is the play Rico sniffed out that Collinsworth was giving him kudos over.

 

 

Once again, Carson tries to move Rico to the left.  Good drops to the bottom of the screen.

 

Now this is where Rico saves the day.  I don't normally like to ding my man Deion, because I love me some Deion, but he almost screwed the pooch here.  That receiver is breaking inside that corner.  But the corner is positioned properly to the outside.  Deion has to get deeper on his drop as that hook defender.  The goal of that hook defender is to get to that 10-12 yard depth to shrink that throwing window between the second and third level and help out the safety.  Here he's too shallow.  And there's nothing there in front of him to threaten him so he should be getting depth.

 

You can see it right here.  Looks like and easy touchdown.  Now imagine what it would look like if Deion was two yards deeper.  Even he knows he's not deep enough because he's on his horse right now trying to get back.  Sometimes you get a little greedy in zone.  Everything is in front of you and you want to make a play, but you have to play your responsibility.

 

Wide open...

 

 

Rico comes over to save the day.

 

Here's another view.  You can see Rico moving with his Wentz's eyes and reacting instantly when his head snaps around.  This is an All-Pro type of play right here and it's points off the board.  These are the type of plays that win you games, but don't always jump off on stat sheets.

[falconut1991 329]

He may not be the fastest saftey, but he is a smart safety.  People have been talking about upgrading him for a few years now, but he seems perfectly fit for this defense from what I've seen lately.  Had a few great plays last night, his best 2, you're showing above.

Edited September 16 by falconut1991

[JDaveG 33,751]

Here's where I was wrong about Rico.  I've always said about him that you can't coach speed.

You also can't coach what he has.  I mean, you can coach it easier than you can speed, but you can either process information on the fly or you can't.  That's why guys with great arms and fast legs wash out of the NFL.  Especially at QB.  How far you can throw it doesn't matter much if you take too long to get it there.

[ratesforless 1,122]

To poor Nelson Aghalor, this might as well been the Zapruder film...

[JD dirtybird21 14,389]

Savage

[athell 23,869]

Preaching to the Rico Choir!  Great posts.

[esmithidoc 399]

Thanks! I always learn a lot when you post.

[vel 28,704]

Yep. Everybody wants an ET. It makes sense. But if ET is the gold standard, Rico is a close silver my friends. He knows what to do and where to be. That hit on Agholor was perfect because he knew what was coming but didn't overplay his hand. He forced Wentz to throw it, but him telling Sheffield to widen and forced Agholor inside of him is the small thing that fans take for granted. Forcing Agholor inside of Sheffield puts that seam squarely in Rico's range. Understanding your limitations and the scheme's limitations and you can be great. 

[youngbloodz 12,613]

Rico knows every player responsibilities in that defense. He can get all of them lined up correctly. 

[falcons007 18,198]

Rico showed up in playoffs in 2016 and 2017. One of the important pieces of D.

[blkbigdog35 8,624]

4 minutes ago, youngbloodz said:

Rico knows every player responsibilities in that defense. He can get all of them lined up correctly. 

I mean it was really cool seeing him communicate to guys where they need to lineup or there responsibility.  I mean he’s definitely proved to be a damm good eraser!!

[blkbigdog35 8,624]

@PeytonMannings ForeheadAlways like these diagrams man.  Definitely appreciate your work!

[Jesus 19,046]

I wonder what Manuel was coaching last year where the defense looked so lost and weak. Yes there were injuries but things didn't look right 

[SexualChocolate 554]

The stat thumpers that pollute this board need to see this, but they're off in another thread complaining that Trufant didn't get 3 inceptions.

[falconidae 21,055]

Falcons got a legit coverage sack yesterday. Most of the so called coverage sacks they've gotten past few years were simply the QB being indecisive and holding the ball or the QB trying for the big play.

Vic's sack was a coverage sack because Wennz didn't have anyone to throw to. I'm assuming that's in large part to Rico lining everybody up.

[ShmevinShmarris 2,638]

On that second play you can see Rico telling Sheffield to play with outside leverage because he has help on anything inside.

[Flyin' In DC 1,939]

Saw this form him all night and I actually loved when Collinsworth actually called out how he diagnosed that last play. We had to play without him last year and you saw how lost at most times, the defense was

[Nino11 1,539]

Underrated player, underrated poster. Good stuff

[PeytonMannings Forehead 24,339]

Just wanted add this little thought, too.  One of the virtues of keeping your package limited and letting players fly around are plays like this.  Yes we run a lot of Cover-3.  Yes, the offense knows where we're gonna be.

But the flip side of that, is we know what beats Cover-3, so we know where you're gonna be too, and when we know that, and where we're weak at, well now we can start going beyond the design of the defense.  Two different series and you see how the Eagles went to the same concept of attacking those seams.

[Mid-Nite-Toker 6,954]

2 hours ago, falconidae said:

Falcons got a legit coverage sack yesterday. Most of the so called coverage sacks they've gotten past few years were simply the QB being indecisive and holding the ball or the QB trying for the big play.

Vic's sack was a coverage sack because Wennz didn't have anyone to throw to. I'm assuming that's in large part to Rico lining everybody up.

I think Grady's sack was as well.

I thought we got an overall solid performance from the secondary and  "General" Rico has a lot to do with it.

[Jpg428gggg 827]

One of my favorite players. Really enjoyed following him when we were on hard knocks. When I get a 2nd jersey, it will be Rico.

People like to hate on Collinsworth but he does his homework and knows his stuff. He is one of the few commentators that I actually learn stuff from.

[birdz4i 9,322]

he might not be the biggest or fastest but his IQ makes up for most of that and he has a huge heart. 

[FalconsIn2012 20,744]

4 hours ago, vel said:

Yep. Everybody wants an ET. It makes sense. But if ET is the gold standard, Rico is a close silver my friends. He knows what to do and where to be. That hit on Agholor was perfect because he knew what was coming but didn't overplay his hand. He forced Wentz to throw it, but him telling Sheffield to widen and forced Agholor inside of him is the small thing that fans take for granted. Forcing Agholor inside of Sheffield puts that seam squarely in Rico's range. Understanding your limitations and the scheme's limitations and you can be great. 

Rico is without question the best value contract (not counting rookie contracts) on the team.  Amongst the best in NFL.

Davison also has claim to that title.  $795,000 is borderline inappropriate