complexities like making a tackle? When the Saints back gashed that long TD run vs the team we were in basically a 4-6 formation, shooting all the gaps. What we didn't have was guys like Adibi and the S taking good angles and making solid tackles.
I agree, that tackling is an area of big concern. I also agree 46 defensive alignment "should" be one of those "secrets" you don't show too early. But, we obviously needed/need full game speed practice.
looks like ten men on the field for us or am I just counting wrong? I can count 11 Vikings.
Barber is playing way back.
As far as tackling goes, not one Texans laid a hand on AD on that play. The main issue was that Adibi over pursued, and tried to hit the same hole Ryans was filling.
McCain could get around his WR block.....
Next to poor gap assignment by Adibi, Barber overpursuing to the play side also appeared to be a problem.
You play the 46, when you're expecting a run. This was the first play from scrimmage, 1st & 10, They're lined up in the I with 2 WRs on the weak side. Looks like run. When the ball is snapped, the QB turns around and sticks the ball way out there. Looks like run... the Full back, & the tailback make a B-Line to the strong side, and are quickly met with our SAM, Safety, LDE, & 3 tech. There's no where to go. The Full back sees this, and breaks off into the first cutback hole, which is created behind Amobi Okoye.
I'd like to take the time here, to say that Diles did an excellent job pushing the Tighend 2 yards behind the LOS, and turning him into the play. Because of this, the play is turned back inside, there is no chance for the run to bounce to the outside.
Antonio Smith also does a good job of standing up the LT. As Okoye did standing up the LG. They are both on the LOS, not getting pushed back an inch. Antonio Smith was lined up just inside the hash mark & when the fullback broke his route, Antonio was on top of the hash mark. Meaning he was moved to the left. Maybe a little more than a foot. Same thing with Okoye, he may have been moved a foot to the playside. But they both dug in and held their ground.
Sean Cody is playing the nose on this play. At the snap of the ball, he doesn't lay a hand on the center. Which IMHO is unexcusable. He is lined up directly over the Center. The Center has no obstruction to Demeco Ryans, and lays a helmet on him. Cody is caught by the RG, and is moved quite a ways to the left. The guard is pushing him to the left, and he's trying to get around the guard to the left at the same time. The Fullback makes it past him, but there's no way Peterson would have. Adibi is right behind Cody. If there was a gap there, maybe he could have sneaked in behind the Center, and nailed Peterson in the backfield... but there wasn't. He decides to go over the Center/DeMeco block, and follow the fullback.
So, AD cuts back into the second cut back lane, formed to the right of Cody. This lane was created by the RG attacking Cody from the side, and pushing him to the left, and the RT standing up to Mario Williams. Mario was doing a fine job of pushing him into the Pile, but one of the two recievers came back and threw a "crack block" right at Mario's hip, knocking Mario off balance, and by the time he recovered, the play was past him.
After getting through this hole, Peterson heads straight up between the hashmarks. McCain is trying to fight his way to the left side of a pretty good Bobby Wade block. Peterson then breaks off to the right, and there's nothing McCain can do.
When Barber finally shows up into the picture, he is so far to the left of the left hashmarks, I've got to assume he was so far on the play side, that he followed the fullback into the first cutback lane.
IMHO, he should have been able to read the play, and make a line from where he lined up, 13 yards back, on the left hash mark to that second cut back lane, before Peterson got to McCain... but he didn't.
