Screen Plays

[ChicagoViking]

Having watched that play several times, I think Fitzpatrick baited both Cousins and Rudolph by faking a blitz and bouncing out immediately into the passing lane. I don't think Cousins saw him at all; Rudolph was in the way. I do think if Rudolph fired out, he could have blocked him, but Fitzpatrick's fake blitz had Rudolph moving the wrong way. It really looks like Fitzpatrick read the play immediately and just made a great play. The lesson here is that it should be the TE's No. 1 priority to block the DB away from the WR and prevent the pick no matter what direction the DB initially moves. Who cares if he blitzes?

[StumpHunter]

Having watched that play several times, I think Fitzpatrick baited both Cousins and Rudolph by faking a blitz and bouncing out immediately into the passing lane. I don't think Cousins saw him at all; Rudolph was in the way. I do think if Rudolph fired out, he could have blocked him, but Fitzpatrick's fake blitz had Rudolph moving the wrong way. It really looks like Fitzpatrick read the play immediately and just made a great play. The lesson here is that it should be the TE's No. 1 priority to block the DB away from the WR and prevent the pick no matter what direction the DB initially moves. Who cares if he blitzes?

A few things.

Blocking a CB to prevent an int is pass interference. That was never Rudolphs responsibility on that play.

Getting a block on that CB would have been next to impossible for Rudolph even if it weren't illegal based on where he was lined up. If Stefanski called a play where Rudolph was responsible for stopping CBs from jumping the route, why was he lined up so far away from Diggs to make getting in the CBs way so difficult? Doesn't make sense.

Finally, if you are correct, and Rudolph was somehow able to leap magically to the left to get between Fitz and Diggs, what would him doing so tell the defense? That a screen was coming?

It wasn't Rudolph's fault in any way.

[PurpleKoolaid]

The Pic-6 was an example of a CB making a good play, and Cousins making a very average throw. Cousins also had someone right in his face (if you can believe that) as he threw the ball. Fitz guessed right and made a play. Bad play design and execution by the Vikings.

[YikesVikes]

The Pic-6 was an example of a CB making a good play, and Cousins making a very average throw. Cousins also had someone right in his face (if you can believe that) as he threw the ball. Fitz guessed right and made a play. Bad play design and execution by the Vikings.

Sometimes, its just a defender making a great play. Not like this guy was drafted high or anything like that.

[J. Kapp 11]

Wow, did Rudolph ever whiff on his block of Fitzpatrick. I mean, if you're not the designated receiver on the screen, why are you throwing a phantom block and running downfield? Only reason I can think of is that you think the completion is automatic, and you're trying to turn it into a big play.

Fitzpatrick was supposed to be blitzing on the play, read the QB perfectly, and jumped the route instead. I believe Rudolph was supposed to just chip Fitzpatrick, let him go and get out in front of Diggs to block. It honestly didn't matter if he had tried to hold his block, as Fitzpatrick ran away from him to make the interception, and the only way he could have stopped it would have been to illegally hold him. Or teleported to the other side of him. That would have worked too, and I don't think there is a rule against it.

It was either a brilliantly called play, catching Miami in a blitz that probably would have gotten 10-20 yards, or a horribly timed one, catching Miami in a blitz that allowed the CB a shot at the ball. If it was the latter, the QB should have checked out of the play when he saw how Miami was lined up, if it was the former, the QB shouldn't have stared down his receiver before throwing the ball, tipping his hand.

Or maybe the CB just made a great play.

Whatever the reason, Rudolph deserves zero blame and did exactly what he was supposed to on that play.

So let me get this straight. Rudolph did exactly what he was supposed to do, but Cousins didn't? Right.

There's no "stare down" because there's no time for a stare down. It's a one-step drop and an automatic throw. There's nothing to read. On a screen like that, the QB has to trust that the guys making the screen will actually block the people they're supposed to block. Rudolph didn't. He stuck a hand out and let Fitzpatrick run by. Watch the all-22 on that GIF. If he didn't do anything wrong, then what was his assignment? To simply run downfield. Nope. After he lets Fitzpatrick run by, he then starts looking for someone to block. He's on the screen, and he missed, plain and simple.

[ChicagoViking]

Blocking a CB to prevent an int is pass interference. That was never Rudolphs responsibility on that play.

Disagree. I believe you can absolutely block a DB on passes thrown behind the line of scrimmage, and no "illegal pick" or "offensive pass interference" would be called, particularly when blocking within the expanded neutral zone.

And if it wasn't Rudolph's responsibility to block Fitzpatrick, it absolutely should have been. Would be ridiculous to draw up a play and NOT have the closest offensive player (i.e., the tight end) block the only DB who presents a threat.

[StumpHunter]

Fitzpatrick was supposed to be blitzing on the play, read the QB perfectly, and jumped the route instead. I believe Rudolph was supposed to just chip Fitzpatrick, let him go and get out in front of Diggs to block. It honestly didn't matter if he had tried to hold his block, as Fitzpatrick ran away from him to make the interception, and the only way he could have stopped it would have been to illegally hold him. Or teleported to the other side of him. That would have worked too, and I don't think there is a rule against it.

It was either a brilliantly called play, catching Miami in a blitz that probably would have gotten 10-20 yards, or a horribly timed one, catching Miami in a blitz that allowed the CB a shot at the ball. If it was the latter, the QB should have checked out of the play when he saw how Miami was lined up, if it was the former, the QB shouldn't have stared down his receiver before throwing the ball, tipping his hand.

Or maybe the CB just made a great play.

Whatever the reason, Rudolph deserves zero blame and did exactly what he was supposed to on that play.

So let me get this straight. Rudolph did exactly what he was supposed to do, but Cousins didn't? Right.

There's no "stare down" because there's no time for a stare down. It's a one-step drop and an automatic throw. There's nothing to read. On a screen like that, the QB has to trust that the guys making the screen will actually block the people they're supposed to block. Rudolph didn't. He stuck a hand out and let Fitzpatrick run by. Watch the all-22 on that GIF. If he didn't do anything wrong, then what was his assignment? To simply run downfield. Nope. After he lets Fitzpatrick run by, he then starts looking for someone to block. He's on the screen, and he missed, plain and simple.

Watch the play again. Fitzpatrick doesnt run by Rudolph. There are gifs in this very thread showing that very fact.

[VikingLord]

Watching the gif again...

Here's a thought...

Why not have Diggs come to the ball? We can argue about whether Rudolph missed a block. I would say he couldn't have missed it because the DB wasn't really blockable on the play, but if there was a block to be made there it had to be Rudolph. And we can argue about whether Cousins should have thrown it, although looking at it again, if he didn't throw it to Diggs there he wasn't going to throw it at all. He didn't have the time to do anything else as the play design allowed at least one defender to be basically right there sacking him at the moment he threw.

But what if Diggs comes to the ball? If Diggs comes towards the QB as the throw is made, that DB can't just peel off Rudolph and head into the passing lane. He'd have to come through Rudolph, which in turn assures Rudolph gets a piece of him. Plus, this moves Diggs into the relatively safe, open space vacated by the rushing LB and DE on that side of the field. As they vainly attempt to reach Cousins before the ball comes out, the space behind them opens up nicely. There is a decent amount of green there. Sure, if either of the rushers on that side decided to stay home and not barrel up the field, Diggs moving towards the QB is problematic, but on this play, it would have been the antidote to the movement of the DB relative to the passing lane. He would have had to physically go through Rudolph to get into the passing lane.

Maybe this is play design, but I think there is relatively little downside to moving Diggs towards the QB at the snap in this play. If the DE stays home and doesn't concede that space, then Cooks becomes viable as a safety valve. If he doesn't, Diggs will be open and the DB will be neutralized by Rudolph.

I still think the best thing to do in this situation is to recognize the tight man on Diggs and audible to something else. So I still drop this on Cousins for trying to force it, but just bringing Diggs towards Cousins post-snap does a lot to reduce that DB's ability to do anything to stop it.

[StumpHunter]

Watching the gif again...

Here's a thought...

Why not have Diggs come to the ball? We can argue about whether Rudolph missed a block. I would say he couldn't have missed it because the DB wasn't really blockable on the play, but if there was a block to be made there it had to be Rudolph. And we can argue about whether Cousins should have thrown it, although looking at it again, if he didn't throw it to Diggs there he wasn't going to throw it at all. He didn't have the time to do anything else as the play design allowed at least one defender to be basically right there sacking him at the moment he threw.

But what if Diggs comes to the ball? If Diggs comes towards the QB as the throw is made, that DB can't just peel off Rudolph and head into the passing lane. He'd have to come through Rudolph, which in turn assures Rudolph gets a piece of him. Plus, this moves Diggs into the relatively safe, open space vacated by the rushing LB and DE on that side of the field. As they vainly attempt to reach Cousins before the ball comes out, the space behind them opens up nicely. There is a decent amount of green there. Sure, if either of the rushers on that side decided to stay home and not barrel up the field, Diggs moving towards the QB is problematic, but on this play, it would have been the antidote to the movement of the DB relative to the passing lane. He would have had to physically go through Rudolph to get into the passing lane.

Maybe this is play design, but I think there is relatively little downside to moving Diggs towards the QB at the snap in this play. If the DE stays home and doesn't concede that space, then Cooks becomes viable as a safety valve. If he doesn't, Diggs will be open and the DB will be neutralized by Rudolph.

I still think the best thing to do in this situation is to recognize the tight man on Diggs and audible to something else. So I still drop this on Cousins for trying to force it, but just bringing Diggs towards Cousins post-snap does a lot to reduce that DB's ability to do anything to stop it.

Diggs could have stopped the pick more than Rudolph by stepping towards the ball no doubt. Not the design of the play, and it would have been a loss of yards or an incompletion if he did that, but it would have stopped the pick. That would have required him to read the defense better than his QB though...