Good afternoon.

I have three coaches’ film video clips to share with you, since we actually got some interesting quotes from coordinators Mike Groh and Jim Schwartz this week. Maybe they were more inclined to go into detail after blowing the doors off a horrific New York Jets team.

First topic, pass protection from running backs Miles Sanders and Jordan Howard:

Q. I was going to ask you about the running backs. It didn’t seem like either Miles Sanders or Jordan Howard came into the season with the reputation of being a good pass protector, but have you been impressed with what they have done in that role this season? (Bo Wulf)

MIKE GROH: Yeah, I would say go back and watch that tape from Sunday. Miles put the corner right on his back on one of them. I got a question about Miles in protection a few weeks ago. I would say he’s on it and he’s up to the challenge. I know he’ll be challenged again throughout the course of the season, whether it’s this week or the remaining weeks.

And Jordan has done the same thing. He had one in Green Bay where he stepped up in the hole and flat headed the backer that was rushing right there. We have a lot of confidence in those guys not only knowing their protections and being targeted right, but stepping up and keeping the pocket firm.

I didn’t notice the Sanders play during the game, so I went through the all-22 film and this has to be what Groh is talking about (the second angle is nasty):

Interesting play there, because the Jets actually set the left edge, then drop the defensive end into zone. The fourth rusher is the blitzing cornerback on Carson Wentz’s blindside. Sanders does a nice job of squaring up and laying the hit, then Jason Peters slides over to help grind the poor guy into the dirt.

Second topic, stretching the field without DeSean Jackson:

Without DeSean, how can you get the down-field passing game going a little bit more?(Dave Zangaro)

MIKE GROH: I think we got behind the defense twice the other day. We had illegal contact on both plays, which really kind of negated those opportunities. We will continue to try to look for those, and when we get them, hopefully we hit them.

We felt really good about those two plays. Unfortunately, we know how it played out.

We got a good look at the play that the Eagles challenged for defensive pass interference, but lost. Here’s the wide-angle view of the second deep toss, which was also intended for Nelson Agholor:

The Jets are sitting in single-high safety on this play. It’s a nice route concept from the Eagles, as they run Mack Hollins from the slot (I think that’s him) to clear out the weak hook and get Nelson Agholor 1v1 down the sideline.

It’s a nice double-move from Nelly, which flat-foots the cornerback, who decides to just bump him and take the penalty flag instead of getting torched.

Third topic, giving credit where it’s due:

Q. Blitzes were mentioned before. You just got CB Orlando Scandrick back, but you had him over the summer. Is that something he’s kind of natural at off the slot that you knew he could handle because of all his time as a veteran player? (John McMullen)

JIM SCHWARTZ: He is a savvy guy; smart football player; he’s been around. It was more scheme than just trying to accentuate what he’s good at because he did a good job in coverage in that game also, and I thought tackled pretty well for us also.

But sometimes it goes into a matchup that you like that you want to try to put your guys in; sometimes it just has to do with protections and scheme and things like that. Sometimes it’s just the way it works out. Sometimes you might have a blitz that’s called for a certain side and you don’t know that that player is actually going to be the one that will be taking the blitz.

So it’s a combination of all three, but to be able to get a sack, a strip, and score a touchdown, get the recovery and score a touchdown, is a big play no matter when it is. I would like to point out on that play, the coverage did an outstanding job on that. He wanted to go deep on that play and [CB] Rasul [Douglas] was in great position. Then he wanted to take the shallow cross and it was a zone blitz, and [DE] Vinny [Curry] was in great position. Then he wanted to go to Le’Veon Bell late, and we had a couple guys cover that. He really had nowhere to go with the ball, and that gave our guys time because they picked up the blitz.

The guys did a good job of staying after it and being tenacious, but the blitz was picked up. It was more the coverage that caused that play. Good to see us get back in the end zone a couple times with him and Snake [LB Nathan Gerry].

Detailed answer there. I love it.

Here’s the view of the play that shows you the coverage Schwartz is talking about:

This is similar to the defense the Jets showed in the first clip. The only difference is that while the Eagles still drop the defensive end into coverage (Curry), they actually bring a linebacker into the play for a five man rush.

But Schwartz is right, Douglas does a nice job of denying that deep ball, and when Luke Falk checks to the crossing route, Curry is sitting on top of that. Any outlet to Le’Veon Bell would have probably been squashed by Zach Brown:

This has been your Wednesday afternoon all-22 film story.

Thank you for reading.