Cat Scratch Reader: All Posts by Crawford Rundlett

The Panthers No-Huddle Offense

2013-06-17T12:00:12Z

The wave of the future. The no-huddle, up-tempo, offense. Possibly returning 11 starters, the Panthers Offense, under the direction of new OC Mike Shula, is looking to employ more no-huddle sequences into the offense.

Last season the Panthers were disinclined towards making use of the no-huddle offense. In only nine games, roughly half of the season, did Carolina utilize the no-huddle, and at times just for a single play. Most of the usage came in predictable, fairly unsurprising instances; in the execution of a two-minute drill, when faced with multiscore deficits, or after an explosive play. In totality, the Panthers ran 32 plays from the no-huddle last season (discounting a spike, Week 7 versus Dallas, and including a Byron Bell false start penalty against Atlanta, Week 14) for a total of 178 yards (5.6 yards per play).

Breaking it down further:

	Number of plays	Number of yards	Yards per play
2 minute drill	15	55	3.7
After gains of 15+	10	58	5.8
In the red zone	5	8	1.6
Passing	17	132	7.8
Rushing	14	51	3.6
Total	32	178	5.6

About half of the no-huddle plays came in two minute drills, the final two minutes of either the second or fourth quarters, 15 plays for 55 yards (3.7 yards per play), although if you remove the two plays from Derek Anderson's series versus the Giants, in the waning moments of the Week 3 thumping, that number drops to 13 plays for 29 yards (2.2 yards per play).

The other noticeable intimation of the no-huddle was a big gain play, which I've categorized at gains of over 15 yards. A sage use of the no-huddle, the Offense would look to strike while the proverbial iron was hot, not allowing a defense to substitute personnel after surrendering a big play.

Even with the truncated field, the Panthers were conspicuously anemic with the no-huddle inside the red zone.

Almost aligning with Cam Newton's 2012 yards per attempt (8.0 YPA), the no-huddle passing game was fairly effective: Newton had a 75% completion percentage from the no-huddle. Perhaps the most surprising number in this dataset was the run-pass ratio, which was right around 50-50, especially in consideration of the two-minute drill numbers. There was a concerted effort to involve the read option into the no-huddle, which had mixed results. If you remove the outlier, a Jonathan Stewart 20 yard gait versus Dallas, the total drops to 13 carries for 31 yards (2.4 YPC).

Perhaps an indictment against the injuries and inexperience of the Panthers O-Line, there were very few spontaneous utilizations of the no-huddle. One such occurrence was Week 7 versus Dallas. From 13:36 to 12:22 of the 4th Quarter the Panthers entered the no-huddle, running four plays which took them from the Carolina 34, to the Cowboys 19. After a 9-yard reception by Steve Smith the Panthers went into the no-huddle, shifting their 11 personnel shotgun formation to a buckeye pistol formation, with WR Brandon Lafell assuming the role of the pitchman. Stuck in a nickel set, and with two safeties deep, Dallas isn't prepared to face the triple option.

The Cowboys only have two defensive linemen in a three-point stance, and two OLB's. With DeMarcus Ware the read player on the backside, the Carolina blockers have a numerical advantage over the Dallas front six.

DeMarcus Ware stays home; Newton gives Stewart the handoff. The RB sees the hole between Jordan Gross engaging a Cowboy LB, and Amini Silatolu on the DL, and hits it.

Stewart picks up 20 yards, taking the Panthers to the Cowboys 46.

The Offense rolls with the same play from first and ten.

Dallas is still in the same fundamental defense as they were to start the series.

Ware stays home again, prompting Newton to give Stewart the ball. Only inches away from Stewart, C Geoff Hangartner is being manhandled by the Dallas NT. RT Gary Williams is struggling with OLB Anthony Spencer.

The Dallas NT tosses Hangartner aside and grapples Stewart, slowing the RB down enough for Spencer and Ware to finish him off after a gain of one yard.

Not breaking stride, the Offense aligns in a 2x1 shotgun formation.

Off of play-action, Louis Murphy will run a skinny post route, and Greg Olsen a drag route. The dropping strong safety will play man coverage on Olsen, while CB Morris Claiborne will drop in zone coverage.

The safety abandons the middle of the field in chase of Olsen, while Claiborne stays outside, which leaves Murphy uncovered across the middle of the field.

Newton finds Murphy who picks up 26 yards before being tackled at the Dallas 19. Through the use of the no-huddle, the Panthers have reached the Cowboys red zone.

Maintaining the momentum, the Offense again turns to a quick pass off of play-action.

The target of this throw is Steve Smith on a slant against Brandon Carr.

Newton locks in on Smith; ILB Dan Connor reads the QB's eyes and jumps Smith's route.

Cam never sees Connor. Luckily the ball falls through his hands and hits the turf.

The last no-huddle play of that drive, Carolina would cap the series with a go-ahead touchdown run from Mike Tolbert. With the help of the no-huddle, the Panthers traveled 47 yards in four plays, in the span of 1:14, putting them into position to take the lead in the fourth quarter.

As Chris Brown of Smart Football notes:

Modern defenses want to match offenses in terms of strength and speed via personnel substitutions. They also want to confuse offenses with movement and disguise. The up-tempo no-huddle stymies those defensive options. The defense doesn't have time to substitute, and it's also forced to show its hand: It can't disguise or shift because the quarterback can snap the ball and take advantage of some obvious, structural weakness.

This was especially apparent as the Offense looked to exploit the middle of the field versus the Dallas zone, also attempting to pound the Cowboys weakened front six with the triple option.

It coincides with Shula and Co.'s simplification of the verbiage of the playbook, that the Offense may be looking to use more no-huddle. Speed kills, or so the mantra goes; the Panthers Offense will only become more dangerous with increased usage of the no-huddle offense.

With the schematic diversity of the offense, provided by players like Mike Tolbert, Greg Olsen, Richie Brockel, and Kealoha Pilares, or Brandon Lafell as we saw above, the Offense will find itself in a position to take advantage of many defensive mismatches. Without personnel substitutions, Carolina can morph from a 22 personnel set to a 31 personnel look, from the triple option to a four verticals concept. It all starts in minicamps and OTA's, but if the Offense can implement more no-huddle into their game, they'll become a more lethal unit.

Carolina's Tyrfing: the Inverted Bone

2013-06-10T12:00:12Z

Admittedly I'm not as familiar with mythological swords as I should be. But thanks to Wikipedia's page on mythological objects, I was able to glean enough knowledge to make an informed decision on the titling of this article.

Based in Norse mythology, Tyrfing was the magical sword of Svafrlami, (the king of Gardariki, and the grandson of Odin) forged by a couple of dwarves. Per Wikipedia:

Then [Svafrlami] forced [the dwarves] to forge a sword with a golden hilt that would never miss a stroke, would never rust and would cut through stone and iron as easily as through clothes.

Of course not every team in the NFL may possess a mythical sword, otherwise they wouldn't be very mythical. One of the lucky few, the Panthers have their own mythical sword: the 31 personnel grouping (3 RB's, 1 TE), inverted bone formation, which, in the past, I've dubbed the inverted T formation.

Last season the Panthers ran nine plays (four passes and five runs) from the inverted bone formation, spread out over six games. Without a doubt Carolina's most prolific formation, the Panthers averaged an astounding 13.33 yards per play from the inverted bone. That includes one incomplete pass Week 15 versus San Diego; a Cam Newton overthrow.

Here is a chronology of the plays called:

	Passes	Runs	Total
ATL (Week 4)	---	7,5	2-12
PHI (Week 12)	---	5	1-5
ATL (Week 14)	16,18	---	2-34
SD (Week 15)	0	---	1-0
OAK (Week 16)	---	16	1-16
NO (Week 17)	31	22	2-53

Only utilized three times in the first thirteen weeks of the season, ex-OC Chudzinski increased the usage of the Panthers 31 personnel set during the last quarter of the 2012 season.

The Plays:

The most germane play in the inverted bone arsenal would be the Panthers rendition of the triple option.

From my piece on the read option:

The linemen will once again utilize a simple zone blocking concept, stepping to the playside and opening a hole for the diveman (the RB standing next to Cam, who will take the inside run). It is the linemen's objective to open a hole for the diveman, usually hitting the playside B-gap.

If [the read player] collapses the mesh, or encroaches on the running lane, the QB will keep the ball and proceed outside. Once outside, the QB will run until a defender picks him up; if applicable, the QB will then pitch the ball to the pitchman.

In the play versus Oakland, the circled defender, #97 is the read player.

One advantage found in the inverted bone, with the backside back, in this play Richie Brockel, kicking out the backside DE, the RT is freed up to double the defensive tackle. The read defender moves inward, prompting Newton to keep the ball.

Newton makes it into the open field and pitches the ball to DeAngelo Williams as the Raiders MLB gets an angle on him.

Williams is run out of bounds after a gain of 16 yards.

By and large, it's not the run game which provides the biggest plays, but rather the passing game.

Another excerpt from the read option article:

Maybe the biggest plus for the zone read option plays is the mental pressure they put on a defense. The danger presented by the read option forces opposing defenses to spend time preparing for it. [...]

When the defense is afraid of the zone read option, they compensate for it, either consciously, or subconsciously, which opens up prime opportunities for play-action passing; something that Coach Chudzinski did not ignore.

31 personnel is a run heavy set, and in the inverted bone, hints towards the triple option. Naturally, defenses compensate.

Here is one of the pass plays, versus Atlanta, Week 14.

This is Carolina's bread and butter pass play from the inverted bone. Conceptually, the routes are deep, designed to play off of the spacing of the defense, giving the receivers, Steve Smith and Greg Olsen, advantageous matchups, and maximizing the big play potential.

When defending against the option, many teams decide to play some sort of man defense against the potential ballcarriers. In this case, the erect DE, John Abraham is responsible for QB Cam Newton, the ROLB is responsible for the diveman, Mike Tolbert, and the Strong Safety takes the pitchman, DeAngelo Williams. That's all well and good when the offense actually runs the triple option, but if they opt to pass the ball, the situation takes an unfortunate turn for the defense.

The offensive line runs inside zone right blocking, while RB's Mike Tolbert and Richie Brockel will double Abraham.

The LB's, and Abraham for that matter, are initially fooled by the play-action fake, and hesitate before dropping into coverage.

The product of the LB's slow drop into coverage, and the SS being relegated to covering the RB, a checkdown, there is an abundance of space in the middle of the field. Not to mention, with only one safety deep, one of the Panthers targets will receive single coverage. It bears repeating: single coverage for one of the Panthers two top receivers.

The FS shifts over to Olsen's deep post route, while Smith, who usually runs a 9 route, adjusts to the coverage and generates great separation on his 7 route, making the catch for a gain of 16 yards.

In the third quarter the Panthers again lined up in the inverted bone formation for another passing play.

This go around has the SS drop into the box. Smith will run a 9 route at an angle to get inside of Asante Samuel's zone coverage, while Olsen will again run the deep post route, taking advantage of the dearth of defenders over the middle of the field.

Cam Newton only has to read the FS, who shifts overtop Smith's 9 route, to turn to Olsen, who has beaten the CB, and make the throw. Olsen makes the grab and is tackled after an 18 yard gain.

Coach Chudzinski calls the same play versus New Orleans, Week 17.

New Orleans takes it to the next level as S Roman Harper creeps all the way to the LOS, leaving Smith alone with CB Patrick Robinson.

With Harper covering the checkdown, Williams, and the FS overtop Olsen, Smith has no trouble beating the NO coverage. Again, there is a lot of open space in the middle of the field.

Newton hits Smith, who is taken down at the Saints 5 yard line, a gain of 31 yards.

Of course there is no guarantee that the Panthers will cash in on every play from the inverted bone moving forward, but I think it's fair to assume that Mike Shula and the Panthers Offensive Coaching Staff will further develop their 31 personnel playbook, expanding from the existing 1-2 passing plays and 1-2 running plays. I would postulate that we see an increase of usage next year. That doesn't mean we'll see 50+ plays from 31 personnel, but it wouldn't be surprising to see regular use of the inverted bone formation next season.

Star Impact: Week 13, Q1, 14:58-11:49

2013-06-05T12:00:15Z

It was as close to a consensus as we'll probably ever see. When the Carolina Panthers selected NT Star Lotulelei with the 14th overall selection in the 2013 NFL Draft, Panthers fandom was united in its elation.

Bereft of a defensive anchor for years, Lotulelei was an easy pick for the Panthers. Arguably one of the most talented first year players, Star figures to make a big splash. But unlike other defensive linemen, nose tackles don't often make their presence felt on stat sheets. Regardless, the nose tackle holds the most important job on the line, play in, play out. In this post we'll look at the first series from the Panthers matchup with the Chiefs, to illustrate the value of a top-shelf NT.

The Panthers defense had a good 2012 campaign behind the pass rush of Greg Hardy and Charles Johnson, finishing tenth in total defense, having surrendered only 333.1 yards per game. Even still, there is much room for improvement for Sean McDermott's squad, as is evident in this series versus the Kansas City Chiefs, Week 13.

Winning the toss, the Chiefs elected to receive the ball, and with 14:58 left in the first quarter, from their own 26 yard line.

The Chiefs open with this 1x0, 22 personnel, I formation, opting to start with this off-tackle run. In response to the run heavy set, Carolina have 9 men in the box.

Right at the snap Sione Fua (circled), who is the 1-tech for much of this series, is beaten in the leverage battle by the Kansas City Center. To make matters worse, the Chiefs LG doesn't even warrant Fua a look, instead he immediately locks in on MLB Luke Kuechly.

Star's biggest impact will be in his ability to command double teams. It's not size and brute strength that merit a double team. As Smartfootball's Chris Brown notes:

Size is actually less important than athleticism and smarts. The line between touchdowns and stops is exceedingly thin, and it's footwork and feel that are the difference.

That's why John Jenkins was chosen in the third round, and Star in the top half of the first.

With Star up front, Kuechly will have much more freedom to track and engage the ballcarrier.

The LG makes it to the second level and neutralizes Kuechly. With the edge secured, Jamaal Charles is able to bounce the run outside. Take note: 2/3 of the Panthers LB corps is engaged with blockers before Charles even crosses the line of scrimmage.

Charles is able to pickup five yards before Josh Norman and Thomas Davis are able to bring him down.

The Chiefs come back with another 22 personnel I-formation look; running a toss to the left.

Shortly after the snap Fua is already beaten by the blocker; the Chiefs RG strikes first, and achieves optimal hand positioning, which jolts Fua practically upright. The Panthers NT is now under the blocker's direction.

The value of quickness cannot be understated. An explosive athlete, Star Lotulelei will stuff a lot of runs by beating or at least tying interior linemen at the snap.

Heady runner that he is, Charles identifies the massive cutback lane. Even should Fua have realized Charles' change of direction, he is in no position to adjust, still fighting off the RG's block.

Accelerating, Charles hits the hole and picks up a gain of ten yards before Kuechly and Nakamura make the tackle.

Switching to a single back, 12 personnel set, the Chiefs move to the passing game, calling a three-verticals concept, in which Dwayne Bowe, matched up against Josh Norman, will break his route for a crossing route. With LB Thomas Davis blitzing, the Panthers must harass the Chiefs QB in order to compensate for the dearth of underneath coverage.

Ten plus yards into his route Bowe reads the Panthers coverage, and breaks his route inwards. Not easily visible here, but Bowe has pulled out of his drive phase, a telltale sign of an imminent cut or change of direction, Norman does not read this at all and is still trailing backwards.

Turning attention to the pocket, Brady Quinn sits relatively unmolested. DE Greg Hardy has beaten the Kansas City LT, but he's too late to alter Quinn's throw. Even if Hardy were closing in on the QB, Quinn would have an immaculate pocket to step into; there is no interior pressure from the Panthers pass rush.

Again Fua has failed to strike first with his hands, is unable to extend his arms, to use his length to keep the KC interior linemen from his body, and consequentially loses the leverage battle, generating no push on the pocket. But the failure of this interior rush doesn't fall completely on Fua; both Dwan Edwards and Thomas Davis were unable to take advantage of the one-on-one matchup's Fua has afforded them.

Quinn completes the pass to the open Bowe for a gain of 16 yards, taking the Chiefs to the cusp of field goal range.

The Chiefs break out 11 personnel in a single back set. Turning back to the ground game, Kansas City goes with another outside run, pulling both their right guard and right tackle.

Fua gets a solid jump on this snap, and reads the direction of play. The Panthers NT does a good job of leaning his shoulder into the center, minimizing the contact surface for the center.

Fua extends his arm into the body of the center and has beaten the block. A more athletic NT would now have the opportunity to disengage from the blocker and cut off Charles' run behind the LOS.

An example of good team defense, the Panthers secure the edge, stopping Charles' momentum, long enough for Fua to catch the RB for a one yard gain.

On this second down and long, the Panthers operate Cover 2; in motion, Kansas City WR Jon Baldwin will run a 9 route.

Once again, there is very little pressure, specifically up the middle, against Quinn.

Fua again is unable to keep the linemen away from his body, nor achieve optimal hand placement or pad level to generate push.

A youthful, yet costly error, Norman doesn't carry Baldwin into Godfrey's coverage overtop; Norman lets Baldwin free, and the second year wide receiver makes the catch.

Godfrey saves a touchdown, and brings Baldwin down at the two yard line for a gain of 34 yards.

The sixth play of this drive, the Chiefs opt for another off-tackle run, this time from a bruising 23 personnel set, with Peyton Hillis subbed in for Charles.

An inside zone concept, Hillis' assignment is to hit the C-gap between Charles Johnson, facing the kickout block from a TE, and Nate Chandler, who, at the moment, is receiving the only double team on the line. Both Fua, and the other DL, who appears to be Dwan Edwards, are neutralized; Edwards is taken out of the play by the center, and Fua, absorbed by the left guard.

Chandler holds the all-important job of holding that double team and controlling the point of attack. It is imperative that he keeps the blockers from reaching the second level. Just after the snap, the RT is already prepared to disengage from Chandler, and is locked in on Kuechly.

Seconds later, all three Panthers interior DL are on the ground, and the Chiefs RT is in the process of driving Kuechly out of the play.

Hillis follows his FB's block and is just able to beat Thomas Davis and Sherrod Martin to the endzone.

And thus, the Chiefs have capitalized on a six play, 74 yard drive.

It's speculation to say that the Panthers, with Star Lotulelei in the breach, would have been able to keep Jamaal Charles & Co. from scoring. On the other hand, we can affirm that the Chiefs would not have enjoyed such an effortless ride to the endzone facing a strong interior presence.

On another note, Sione Fua is not a horrible player. The second year player has improved from his rookie campaign, and demonstrated himself as a decent reserve NT. However, Fua played 252 snaps last season for the Panthers, 24% of all defensive snaps; it's doubtful that he sees such playing time again (contingent on his making the roster, of course).

Certainly, the Panthers will be much more stout against the run next season. I prophesy that we'll see fewer performances coinciding with the Chiefs contest or the Eagles game, and more that align with the Week 14 matchup with Atlanta or the Raiders game.

I too expect Luke Kuechly to take a leap forward in 2013, although I think Star will play a large role in Kuechly's advancement. The rookie possesses a rare combination of quickness and strength that will allow him to be disruptive and control the point of attack, hopefully giving Carolina their 'War Daddy' for years to come.

Even though it isn't always inherently obvious, nose tackles are critical to a defense's constitution.

2013 review: Cam Newton

2013-05-28T12:00:11Z

Unquestionably, quarterback is the most important position in football, and quite possibly, professional sports. Over the span of his two-year career in Charlotte, the Panthers have relied heavily on Cam Newton. So Cam goes, the Offense goes.

By and large, Newton has been phenomenal. Holding numerous records, including the most passing yards of any quarterback in their first two seasons, under the direction of Mike Shula and Rob Chudzinski, Cam led the Panthers to the twelfth ranked offense in 2012 (360.7 yards per game; edging out Aaron Rodgers' Packers, Joe Flacco's Ravens, and Eli Manning's Giants), behind a less than shaky offensive line.

However, Newton certainly had his low points in 2012, including the game versus Seattle, which, aesthetically speaking, was the worst game of his career; if not for a second-half drive, Newton likely finishes with a sub 30% completion percentage.

For the purposes of this review, we'll focus exclusively on Newton. Backup Derek Anderson is established, and showed very well in relief of Newton during the season finale versus New Orleans. Jimmy Clausen, while often maligned by fans, is more than capable as the third string quarterback; it's only a matter of time before he's competing for a job elsewhere. The camaraderie between the three QB's is nice, and isn't worth breaking up for a single roster spot, or to save a million dollars in cap space, at least in my opinion.

An athletic freak, a weapon from the pocket, and in the running game, Cam Newton is one of the most talented quarterbacks in the NFL. But in order to reach the apex of his position, he must master the minutia of quarterbacking. For the most part, Newton is a technically proficient quarterback; he undoubtedly understands the fundamentals of the position, and is able to execute them in-game.

There is no single glaring error to Cam's game, where, "If he fixes this, then he'll be elite." Like a Brady or a Manning, Newton must now employ his mechanics on every single play.

If/When Newton does not utilize proper mechanics, or awareness, on any given play, disaster could strike, as in this case versus Chicago.

The following play is the fourth quarter pick-six versus Chicago; a timing route in which Newton takes a three-step drop and is supposed to hit Steve Smith on a curl route.

Immediately as he takes the snap, Newton has committed his first cardinal sin. On three-step drops a QB should keep his head straightforward, not allowing defenders to get a read on his intentions. By immediately keying on his target, Newton alerts the CB covering Smith that the ball is probably coming his way.

As Newton finishes his drop, he's still staring down Smith.

The Bears DB takes note of Newton's gaze and makes a break on the ball. Of course Smith stumbles, and Jennings is able to make an uncontested play on the ball.

It's unlikely that Jennings is able to make the interception with Smith upright, but the point remains that Newton must not stray from his fundamentals.

This isn't a recurring problem. Here's a counterexample from Week 14 versus Atlanta.

As Cam takes the snap his head is forward and he is staring down the free safety. His intended target on this timing route is Steve Smith on a skinny post from the slot.

Newton finishes his three-step drop before turning to Smith, who is making the break on his route.

Finishing his drop, Newton plants his right foot in the ground, brings the ball back to his launch point and releases the pass to Smith.

Smith makes the catch and picks up a gain of 10 yards.

By no means is Newton is slacking off, or dogging it, but every single play commands absolute focus. Just a single misstep can result in a turnover.

Newton does a pretty good job at reading coverages, but like most young QB's, is susceptible to reading a coverage wrong.

This play occurs on a key third down late in the fourth quarter of the Panthers matchup versus Dallas, Week 7. On this 3rd down and 10, OC Rob Chudzinski has called a snag concept. I'm led to believe Newton's read on this play is high to low, meaning his progression should move from TE Greg Olsen on the flag route, to Louis Murphy on the comeback route.

Pre-snap Newton reads the Cowboys FS, whose positioning suggests that he will cover the top of Olsen's 7 route. However, just seconds before the snap, the FS moves into the box, a sign of his intended man coverage on Olsen.

As he takes the snap, Newton misses the FS's movement, and instead zones in on Murphy. In this instance, the CB covering Murphy reads Newton's eyes, and closes tighter on the WR.

The CB makes a great break on the ball and disrupts the pass, ending the Panthers drive.

Missing a golden opportunity, just as Cam releases the pass, Olsen gets behind the Dallas FS, the Cowboys last line of defense.

The primary receiver on this play, and a foot race away from the endzone, Olsen is visibly upset.

One problem in pocket presence that Newton does experience chronically is his ostensible aversion to stepping up into the pocket, as in this case versus New Orleans, Week 17.

From this 12 personnel set (1 RB 2 TE), I Left formation, the Panthers run a play-action bootleg.

Again, not a recurring problem, but Newton and Williams do not do a great job of selling the fake; the ball does not enter Williams' proverbial bread basket, and Newton is too quick to pull it away.

On all bootlegs, or waggles, the QB should have his head up and watching the defensive end on the playside, so that he can abort the waggle, or stretch it out farther (we'll touch on this again later). In this instance, Newton is not watching the DE.

Consequentially, Newton doesn't become aware of the DE until he has beaten RT Byron Bell, and is seconds away from sacking him. Even still, Newton still has a clean pocket to step into and find a receiver.

On this play, both Greg Olsen and Gary Barnidge are wide open as they make their breaks. Should Newton 'climb the ladder' he could hit either TE for a first down.

Newton instead takes his eyes off of the play, and attempts a spin move on DE Cam Jordan.

Cam is able to evade Jordan, and gain three yards on a scramble, but he missed the better play.

Here is a similar play versus Denver, in which there isn't such a palatable ending.

On this play-action fake, Williams is moving away from Newton before he even reaches the RB.

As he rolls out, Newton is seemingly not aware of Von Miller who is shedding the Ben Hartsock block.

Miller sheds the block, and Cam still has his eyes on a receiver. Had he taken note of Miller, now would be the perfect time to plant his feet and get a throw off.

Finally seeing Miller, Newton stops his momentum.

Newton attempts another spin move, this time just barely escaping the more athletic Miller's grasp.

Newton, with Miller in hot pursuit, rolls back into the pocket, staring down WR Brandon Lafell the entire time. Not pictured here, DB Quinton Carter reads Newton's eyes and is already breaking on the ball before it is thrown.

Carter undercuts the route and makes the interception as Newton is tackled by Miller.

To the utter shock and displeasure of this member of the event staff, Carter scores a touchdown.

On normal drop backs, we don't want Newton to have his eyes down watching pass rushers, but when he is rolling out, completing a waggle, Newton needs to gauge the progress of the playside DE so he can adjust accordingly, if necessary.

Perhaps a sign of his relative inexperience as a QB, Cam doesn't always have the smoothest drops. Footwork is paramount for a QB. If a QB doesn't make a clean cut drop, it becomes much harder to make an accurate throw. For the most part Newton does make good drops, but, especially in the red zone, achieving a smooth drop is critical, with the compressed area of the field, and the tighter passing lanes.

Common in the Panthers red zone offense, Newton fakes a draw after he receives the snap.

Rather than completing a three step drop, Newton makes two quick hops backwards. Without knowing what was going through his head at this moment, Cam needs to know that he has time to complete his drop. On this play the Panthers max protected with Olsen and Mike Tolbert staying in to block.

Practically parallel to the line of scrimmage, Newton whips a pass to Steve Smith, who is breaking on his crossing route.

Consequentially, the pass sails five yards over Smith's head.

Playing back to that central theme again, Cam knows how to make a smooth drop, Cam has made hundreds of smooth drops. It's just a matter of implementing that fundamental skill on every single play applicable.

Fundamentally sound plays aren't always exciting, or memorable, but without them the offense stagnates. Here is one such play.

Back to Week 14 versus Atlanta, the Panthers are facing second-down and ten. From this 12 personnel set Newton's first two reads are TE Greg Olsen and WR Steve Smith. Countering with Cover 3, Atlanta will effectively take away both Olsen and Smith.

Newton takes the snap and completes a perfect three-step drop, staring down the Mike LB and the FS as he completes his hitch-step.

Promptly realizing that his first two targets are covered, Newton finds his auxiliary receiver, Mike Tolbert, planting his feet and hitting his checkdown.

With a free release, Tolbert is able to pickup seven yards before being tackled.

Instead of being stuck in third-down and ten at midfield, the Panthers are now faced with a more than manageable third-down and three, on the fringe of field goal range.

Cam Newton is well on his way to becoming one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. He has the skills, and he has the mechanics, now Newton must implement the fundamentals every down. As the game slows down for him, this will only come easier. The experience Newton has accumulated over the past two seasons has been invaluable. With an improved offensive line, which should lead to a consistent running game, Newton should be ready to make it back to the Pro Bowl, and hopefully lead his team to the playoffs.

Studying the Panthers prospects: RB Kenjon Barner

2013-05-01T12:00:08Z

The sixth round pick of the Panthers, RB Kenjon Barner (5'9" 196 lbs.) was an absolute weapon for the Oregon Ducks during his four years in Eugene. A consensus first team All-American, Barner accrued 3,641 running yards as a Duck, including 1,767 yards on 279 carries (6.3 YPC), and 21 TD's. Demonstrating his versatility, the Moreno Valley, California native returned punts and kicks at Oregon, and also caught 20 receptions for 256 yards and 2 TD's.

Since the shock of drafting a running back has worn off, most fans have warmed up to the idea of having Barner waiting in the proverbial wings while the DeAngelo Williams situation unfolds. Many fans are excited about the electricity Barner brings to Carolina, and how his versatility will translate into the Panthers Offense.

However, Barner was a sixth round pick for a reason; he's not LaMichael James, the 49ers 2011 second round pick, and it would be unfair to juxtapose his career path to James'.

Like many young backs, Barner has a predisposition to bounce runs outside at the first spot of trouble, passing up crowded running lanes for a potentially unobstructed path up the sideline. In college, Barner was able to use his NFL-caliber speed and agility to outrun defenders, however in the NFL, defenders are much smarter and possess commensurate, if not superior athletic abilities. By bouncing runs towards the sidelines, the runner slows his progress, which allows defenders to consolidate on his position, as in this example from Barner's record setting day versus USC.

Here Barner (located under the red triangle) will take the handoff from the Oregon QB, and head through the B-gap, between the RG and the RT.

As Barner hits the wide open hole, his vision shifts to the crashing safety. With the open field ahead of him, Barner has only the safety to beat for a huge gain.

The safety approaching, Barner opts to kick the run outside, rather than taking his chances beating the safety in the open field.

In kicking outside, Barner has placed himself in the vicinity of three Trojan defenders. And while only one of which has a true angle on him, in the NFL the defenders are more agile and quick, capable of cutting down a runner's angle. Although, it's easy to see why Barner and many esteemed college RB's like to kick runs outside: on this play Barner outruns all three USC defenders and scores a TD.

This next play is a less than successful example of kicking a run outside.

Against Oregon State, here Barner takes the handoff on an inside zone read play, which should take him outside the C-gap, off the RT's outside shoulder.

As Barner takes the handoff, the Oregon State defensive linemen get good penetration into the backfield.

The play is blown, as more Beavers make way for Barner. Here Barner needs to make the best out of a bad play, and hit the hole right in front of him, between the two OL. In that scenario, the worst outcome is Barner being tackled for no gain.

Instead, Barner decides to kick it outside, and is met by the OSU DL as he sheds his blocker.

Barner is able to stay upright, but is run out-of-bounds for a loss of two yards.

Kicking runs outside is a poor habit for a running back, however, with proper discipline, and tutelage, many runners are able to overcome this flaw, such as LeSean McCoy and CJ Spiller. Nevertheless, for all those that do surpass this deficiency, there are those like Laurence Maroney who are unable to, and never reach their potential.

Furthermore, Barner has demonstrated good patience and vision during his college career, as in this play during the 2013 Fiesta Bowl versus Kansas State.

I can't say for sure what play the Ducks are running here, so Barner may, or may not, be running a misdirection play, like a belly run. Anyhow, we'll follow the assumption that Barner is operating under his own volition.

As he receives the handoff, Barner takes note of the penetrating NT, only yards in front of him. Running backs are taught to read the helmets of defenders: if blockers are a partition, ideally a RB would like to run towards the opposite side of the defender's helmet. Although, at the higher levels, DL Coaches teach their players to flash their helmets to the opposite side of which they are more easily able to disengage, in order to trick RB's. In a ready example, the NT's helmet is poised to Barner's left; Barner wants to go right.

Additionally, the crashing safety eliminates the playside C-gap.

Barner makes note of the waiting safety, and makes a quick jump cut to change direction.

After identifying the safety, Barner again changes direction, and forges a path through the RT and TE on his way to a 16 yard gain. Even if the call were a some sort of 'belly' play, Barner displays fine vision and quick feet in identifying the crashing safety, and changing direction.

Another criticism in Barner's game is his inability to run through contact, and break tackles. Of course Barner is never going to be a hulking bruiser of a running back, but he at least needs to possess the proper technique to break tackles. Barner, and any running back for that matter, will not be able to out-juke every defender they run into.

As Barner takes the handoff and works outside, he does a fine job of following his blockers, displaying patience.

As Barner turns the edge, the only player between him and the endzone is the incoming DB.

Barner decides to try and run through the defender. A typical sight in Barner's game, the Oregon RB almost turns sideways, and leans his shoulder into the DB, as if he were falling into the DB's arms. When Barner encounters a defender in this situation, he needs to square his shoulder pads to the target, and achieve better pad level than his mark, before running through the defender.

As a result of his poor technique, Barner is tackled by the similarly sized DB.

Barner runs with a fairly high pad level. In and of itself, this is not the end-all-be-all, but in order to become a feature back in the NFL, worthy of 10-15 carries a game, Barner must improve his technique, and develop the skills to run through contact. If he doesn't, he won't amount to anything more than a change of pace back.

This next play serves as a barometer of Barner's speed. Obviously the former Duck possesses more than adequate speed to succeed in the NFL; however, I don't think Barner is quite the burner some make him out to be.

Barner hits the hole, accelerating through the Oregon State front seven, and is soon in the open field, running right through the slow-footed defenders' angles. Within seconds, Barner is behind the defense.

By the time he has reached the forty yard line, Barner has two steps on the trailing DB's. Worthy of notice, two of the DB's have caught up to Barner from the opposite side of the field.

Barner is caught from behind by the Beaver DB's.

Although this is just one play, I don't think that Barner has game changing speed. Perhaps these DB's are much faster than the average NCAA DB, or perhaps Barner was hampered by an injury of sorts, but it doesn't appear that Barner has that extra gear to leave defenders in the wind, a la Chris Johnson. That's not a mark against Barner by any stretch of the imagination, but it is a temperance against some of the hype he has received.

In spite of Barner's ability, he will not see the field if he cannot be relied upon to effectively pass block.

On this play Barner is charged with picking up a pass rusher on his QB's blindside.

Barner is a second late in picking up the blitzing defender, after completing a play-action fake.

Barner does not engage the blitzer, but rather seems to catch the Wildcat defender, absorbing him. This passive attempt at blocking is horrible technique. If the rusher had been a 280 lbs. DE, Barner would have been steamrolled. Like any other blocker, Barner needs to square his body to the defender, achieve proper pad level, and extend his arms inside the pads of the defender.

There are no two ways around it: Barner will not play any significant snaps on Offense if he does not become a capable pass blocker. This Offense cannot afford another liability in pass protection. It's not necessarily a quick fix either; some runners go years before developing into competent pass blockers. And not only is it a matter of learning how to block hulking defensive linemen, but of learning the protection schemes. I think it's a fair assessment that Oregon's protection schemes are elementary compared to those of the Panthers.

There is a possibility that Barner develops into a fine running back for the Panthers. He has decent vision, is a fairly patient runner, and possesses quick feet and change of direction. His experience running different zone read option plays, and his capabilities in the receiving game (watch the Senior Bowl; Barner recorded 7 rec. for 60 yards and 1 TD) help make him a good prospect for the Panthers. However, he needs to overcome the aforementioned failings in order to develop into a mainstay in the NFL.

I think Kenjon Barner was a good pickup for Carolina in the sixth round, but fans shouldn't delude themselves into believing that Barner is 'an X-factor' or a difference-maker on Offense as a rookie.

Potpourri: Domenik Hixon, the NFL Draft, and the deep ball

2013-04-23T12:00:12Z

I'm not sure about you, but I'm feeling pretty tired of all the draft talk. Rather than writing about a prospect, who, by this time next week, will likely be on another team, or focusing on a specific draft concern, I felt like exploring something else, or multiple somethings else. So this article is a medley of topics: the recently acquired WR Domenik Hixon, a brief look at the Panthers deep passing attack in 2012, and, not to leave the draftniks unsatisfied, a couple of prospects to whet your whistle.

Starting with Hixon (6'2" 197 lbs.), formerly of the NY Giants, the 28 year old amassed 567 yards and two touchdowns on 39 receptions, with three starts, in 2012. In what turned about to be a swap, the Panthers signed Hixon after former Panthers WR Louis Murphy signed with the Giants. It seems natural that the proven Hixon would assume Murphy's role as the #3 WR, and perhaps as the deep threat.

Hixon is a fairly all-purpose wide receiver: he can run fine routes, and he can be a factor in the deep, intermediate, and short range passing attacks.

Here is a play from the Giants contest in Philadelphia.

On this play, Hixon (located under the red triangle), will be running a 9 route, or a go route, or a fly route, depending on your preference. Hixon is facing man coverage from Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, with no safety help overtop.

Hixon parries Cromartie's initial attempt at a jam, and runs with fine pad level; his shoulders are over his knees.

Nearly 20 yards downfield, Hixon turns his head to locate the ball. The WR does a great job of maintaining his positioning, not allowing the CB to funnel him towards the sideline. Hixon has given himself a nice buffer between the sideline and himself, so that he has room to adjust to the pass.

Hixon does a great job of tracking the ball in the air, and adjusting to the pass.

Laying out to make the catch, Hixon makes a phenomenal effort, and holds onto the ball as he falls to the ground.

Here is Hixon running a deep out route in the Giants game versus the 49ers.

Just outside of the redzone, Hixon is facing off zone coverage from the San Fran CB. Hixon will make his cut at about the 8 yard line.

Again, Hixon employs solid pad level as he runs his route.

As Hixon makes his cut, he demonstrates good bend in his hips.

Coming out of his break, Hixon does a superb job of shielding the CB away from an incoming pass. QB Eli Manning has already released the ball as Hixon finishes the stem of his route.

Hixon makes the tough catch and touches both feet inbounds with the CB draped on his back.

In this play from the Giants loss to Atlanta, Hixon will be running a skinny post, or 'bang 8'.

The design of this play has Hixon running the skinny post to occupy, or scrape, the coverage of the CB and/or Safety while the TE, Martellus Bennett runs a quick out route to the sideline, hopefully wide open.

Facing man coverage from the Atlanta CB, Hixon fights off the jam by dipping his left shoulder into the press, minimizing the contact surface for the CB, and using what appears to be a swim move to disengage.

As Hixon breaks free from the CB, and makes his break inwards, he has garnered himself two steps of separation from the CB; Manning recognizes this.

Manning fits the pass in, and Hixon makes the catch with ease, picking up a solid chunk of YAC, which puts New York well into field goal range.

Hixon projects well as a third wide receiver. Even if the Panthers should select a first or second round wide receiver, don't look for them to surpass Hixon, and Lafell for that matter.

Unlike Murphy, Hixon does not possess top flight 4.3 speed; he isn't going to be beating CB's on speed alone. However, in my opinion, Hixon is a more reliable receiver that presents another veteren presence in the WR Room. The former UDFA and Super Bowl Champion, Hixon has been there and done that.

Now for the draft...

Two prospects that the Panthers have had in for visits, and at least figure to have on their radar, are DB Sanders Commings (6'0" 216 lbs.) and OT/OG DJ Fluker (6'5" 339 lbs.).

The ex-Bulldog CB, Commings started every game for Georgia over the past two seasons, last year amassing 3 interceptions. Not bereft of intelligence either, Commings was listed as a Dean's List student in 2009. As it stands right now, Commings' stock is anywhere from rounds 2-5. For the sake of expediency, I only have two plays from Georgia's matchup versus Alabama in the SEC Championship game.

Here Commings is in man coverage against Alabama WR Kevin Norwood, who will be running a drag route.

At the snap, Commings allows the TE to pass, and demonstrates great route recognition. Already he has body pointed towards a point to intercede Norwood.

Commings is right on Norwood's tail; the Alabama WR has no separation. Commings has his head in the backfield watching QB AJ McCarron, who is about to release a pass.

Although I've done a horrible job taking this screenshot, Commings tracks the pass perfectly, and extends his right arm to break up the attempt.

Later in the game:

Here Commings is matched up with one of my personal faves, true freshman WR Amari Cooper, in man coverage. Cooper will run a comeback, or 5 route.

Commings jams Cooper at the LOS, funneling him outside; Cooper defeats the press.

Cooper fools Commings by staying in his 'drive phase', with his shoulders pads over his knees, right until he makes the break on his comeback route. Commings makes a last second play at Cooper in an attempt to disrupt the route, but to no avail.

Commings momentum carries him further downfield. Cooper has generated a good four yards of separation.

In all, I think that Commings has the skill set to be a good CB. Physically speaking, he has the size and speed necessary to perform at a high level. As he develops, and as he gains experience, he won't fall for the techniques employed by Cooper, and NFL caliber WR's.

And although I didn't expound upon these traits, I think Commings has the potential to translate into a zone corner, as he has demonstrated exceptional route recognition, a good understanding of coverage schemes, an ability to read the QB, and the talent to make plays on the ball. Commings would be a fantastic pickup in the fourth round, but I'm not sure he'll be around.

The behemoth, former Alabama RT DJ Fluker arrived at Tuscaloosa as the #3 overall high school player in the nation per Rivals. Fluker would go onto make 35 career starts at RT for the Crimson Tide, and would accrue a second team All-America nod during his junior season. Currently Fluker is listed as a potential first round pick.

Again, for the sake of expediency, I've only included two plays. Fluker's ability as a run blocker is already well documented; for this breakdown, I've highlighted some of the holes in his pass blocking.

I've already covered this play in a piece on Jarvis Jones, but it is worth reshowing.

Look at each of the Alabama OL. In comparison to the neutral stances of his linemates, Fluker is demonstratively higher in his stance in order to compensate for his poor foot speed. On first down and ten, a team as potent as Alabama can either run or pass with ease. With his elevated stance, Fluker gives away the play call to the Georgia front seven, or at the bare minimum, Jarvis Jones. Over the course of his career, this has been a chronic problem for Fluker.

Jones, now aware that the play is a pass, is able to empty the proverbial kitchen sink on a speed rush. With a certain violence and desperation, Fluker maneuvers himself in front of Jones, and has his hands up.

The comparatively minute Jones swats aside Fluker's hands and continues his rush. As he turns the corner, Jones does a great job of dipping his shoulder and minimizing the contact surface for Fluker to strike.

Turning the corner, Jones has beaten Fluker. In desperation, Fluker grabs the facemask of Jones and brings the Bulldog pass rusher to the ground; what should have resulted in a potentially drive killing fifteen yard penalty.

This play occurs in the 2012 matchup of Alabama and LSU.

Although the play call is a little more obvious, being third down and eight, Fluker is again much higher in his stance. In this instance Fluker will be matched up with Barkevious Mingo, who also visited with the Panthers.

Mingo has a good first step; Fluker is practically standing up as he executes his kick step.

As Mingo engages Fluker, his pads are lower than the RT's, and he strikes quicker, achieving optimal hand positioning. Height/size isn't the fault behind Fluker's pad level here; Fluker at 6'5" is only one inch taller than Mingo at 6'4".

Despite the roughly 100 lbs. difference in weight, Mingo opts to bull rush Fluker.

The svelte Mingo drives Fluker back into the precipice of the pocket. Note the width between Fluker's legs; the RT is about to do the splits. Mingo disrupts McCarron's throwing lane, helping to cause the Tide QB to throw an inaccurate pass out of bounds.

At the #14 pick, Fluker does not present good value. In the NFL Fluker will be facing much more talented pass rushers, capable of delivering salvoes of pass rushing moves with power and speed. Even if Fluker masters the technique of an offensive tackle, it is doubtful he'll ever become an All-Pro RT. And if pressed into immediate service at RT, against the likes of Jason Pierre-Paul and Aldon Smith (both of whom are on the schedule), it could spell doom for his career.

While yes it is possible that Fluker could make a successful transition to RG, it would be risky to draft a player to play a position he has never played before, and while there could conceivably be better OG's still on the board.

The Deep Ball:

One of the strengths of Carolina's Air Coryell, vertical passing game, has been the homerun hitting effect of the deep ball. Football is truly a game of inches; this tenet is magnified when it comes to the deep ball. Every inch of positioning and fraction of a second is vitally important, and can result in the difference between a game breaking play, and an incompletion.

Here is a successful, albeit imperfect, manifestation of the Panthers deep ball attack in 2012. This play occurring Week 4 at Atlanta.

Here the Panthers are operating out of 12 personnel (1 RB & 2 TE's) 2x1 formation, with TE Greg Olsen split out wide at the bottom of the picture. Atlanta counters with a 3-4 look, but with only one high safety shaded away from Olsen and Gary Barnidge. Cam Newton reads this look, and knows that Olsen will receive a one-on-one matchup with the CB. Olsen will be running a 9 route.

As Olsen runs his route, he does a good job of keeping a nice buffer between himself and the sideline, which, as we discussed above, allows him greater freedom to adjust to the pass. Newton, having recognized this matchup in the all important pre-snap reads of the defense, makes Olsen his first read. As soon as a defender turns his face away from the QB, it is imperative that the QB releases the pass. Generally speaking, Newton does a great job of releasing the ball on time for his receivers, something that some QB's, i.e. Joey Harrington, have/had trouble with.

Newton places the ball perfectly over the shoulder of Olsen, who tracks the pass and catches it on his way to a 36 yard gain.

Now lets take a look at the endzone view which gives us a better look at the pocket.

The pocket collapsing with pressure from the interior and off the edge, Newton generates power by turning his hips, and releases the ball at an appropriate point.

A mechanical flaw that is fairly typical in Cam's game, Newton does not step into his throw, though in this case it is due to the collapsing pocket. Stepping into the throw helps the passer control the trajectory and power of a pass. Most of the power from from this throw comes from pure arm strength, which is one quality (among many) that sets Newton apart from an average, run-of-the-mill, QB.

2013 NFL Draft: Scouting Cornelius Washington

2013-04-09T00:00:05Z

A relatively unsung prospect, Georgia DE/OLB Cornelius Washington (6'4" 265 lbs.) started games in all four of years of his stay in Athens, however had very little production to show for it, accruing just 10 sacks in 51 games played, and only 0.5 sacks during his senior season. Consequentially, Washington was somewhat of an afterthought among draft eligible pass rushers, his stock firmly planted in the later rounds. However, after a good week at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, and a phenomenal performance at the NFL Combine, Washington's stock has risen exponentially.

At Georgia, Washington played in the Bulldog's 3-4 Defense, primarily as a 3-4 DE. Specifically looking at his senior season, Washington was relegated to playing against interior linemen for much of the season, splitting time with younger players, whom the UGA Coaching Staff wanted to see in action. Watching him play, it is evident that Washington is an edge rusher, and not a lane clogging 5-tech, however, for whatever reason, be it younger players the coaches wanted to see, injuries, or the great depth the Georgia Defense possesses, Washington did not receive enough playing time outside. In my opinion, Washington didn't produce at Georgia because he was miscast in the Georgia 3-4; Washington looks like a 6/7 technique, 4-3 DE.

Participating in the Senior Bowl, Washington was aligned as a 4-3 DE under the direction of Jim Schwartz and the Lions Coaching Staff. Washington had a great week of practice culminating in a good performance in the actual game. At the Combine, Washington amassed some incredible numbers; a 4.55 40 yard dash (faster than Barkevious Mingo's 4.58), a 39 inch vertical (higher than Cordarrelle Patterson's 37 inches), 36 reps on the bench press (with 34 inch arms; more than Jesse Williams' 30 reps), and a 10.67 foot broad jump (just farther than Dion Jordan's 10.17 feet). By themselves combine results don't mean very much, but they do force scouts to go back and review a player's tape, and they can be used to reinforce a player's on-field deficiencies/strengths.

It's doesn't seem like Cornelius Washington is very high on the Panthers' radar, however Washington is an explosive pass rusher with a good deal of untapped potential. Depending on how the Panthers Draft Board is constructed, Washington could be an option in the second round.

This play from the 2012 SEC Championship Game demonstrates Washington's explosion.

Here Washington (denoted by the red triangle) is matched up with future first round pick, Alabama LT Cyrus Kouandjio.

Washington has a great first step; he is the first Bulldog DL to cross the line of scrimmage.

A typical sight of Washington's game, the Georgian strikes first with his hands, and with optimal positioning, which jolts Kouandjio backwards.

Washington possesses quick and violent hands --he practically topples Kouandjio over.

Washington works to shed the blocker as Alabama QB AJ McCarron senses the oncoming pressure, steps back and hurriedly attempts a checkdown pass which falls incomplete.

Here is another play from the SEC Championship Game.

Again Washington is lined up across from LT Kouandjio.

With another quick first step Washington gets off of the snap with his pads lower than his opponent's.

Although we don't have a great view of the situation, Washington strikes first with his hands, and makes his way towards the edge, right in the path of RB TJ Yeldon.

Despite heavy protest from Kouandjio, Washington makes his way into the backfield towards Yeldon.

Washington breaks free from Kouandjio and gets a hand on Yeldon; Yeldon escapes from Washington's grasp, but due to Washington's actions, the play was blown up, and Yeldon was eventually tackled for a TFL.

This play occurs in the Georgia Missouri game.

Here Washington is lined up in a two-point stance as an OLB against the Missouri RT.

On this play Washington reads the Missouri snap count perfectly; his entire body is across the LOS before the RT even finishes his kick step. As Washington improves upon his snap count recognition, his explosion will only grow.

Washington turns the edge as the RT turns to meet him; just one second into the play Washington has already beaten the Tiger RT.

In a last ditch move of desperation, the RT dives to cut Washington's legs, so as to slow him down.

Washington does a good job of avoiding the RT, but the Mizzou QB, aware of Washington, gets off a two yard pass attempt just as Washington reaches him. Washington interrupts the QB's route progression, and forces him to settle on a safety valve.

Turning to the 2011 SEC Championship Game, here is Washington matched up with the LSU RT.

Both Washington and Jarvis Jones get off the ball quickly. The RT is visibly reeling.

Washington engages the RT with good pad level, strikes first, and achieves great hand positioning.

The Bulldog DL disengages from the RT but extends his right arm, demonstrating his impressive length, to keep the RT away from his body.

Washington turns the corner and sacks the LSU QB.

Not a slouch in run defense either, here is another play from the Missouri game.

In a 3rd-down and short situation Washington is ready for the run, engages the RT, and makes his way inwards.

Washington is able to shed the blocker, and with his eyes on the runner, takes a path to intercept Missouri QB Franklin.

Washington makes the initial contact on Franklin, and is rewarded with 0.5 of a TFL.

Aside from his lack of production, Washington does have a couple of flaws to his game. Generally speaking, he's fairly raw. He doesn't have very many pass rushing moves in his arsenal, and the ones he does use are infrequently utilized and unpolished. Additionally, when rushing the passer or engaging blockers, Washington leaves too much of his body open to attack, which allow blockers to stall his momentum temporarily or completely. Both of these problems are very coachable and thus correctable.

Here is an example of Washington opening his body up to a strike on a speed rush.

Washington, here the OLB, will face off against the RT.

Again Washington is the first Bulldog across the LOS.

Washington does a great job of striking first with his hands and keeping the RT away.

As Washington rounds the corner, half of his body is exposed for the RT to deliver a punch or reengage with a block. Here the RT doesn't stop Washington completely, but he slows him down just a hair with a punch.

The Missouri QB gets the pass off just as Washington closes in for a possible sack/strip.

In this instance, and all others similar, Washington should dip his hips and lean his shoulder towards the blocker, minimizing the surface area available for the OL to hit. That way, even if the OL is able to land a well aimed punch on his shoulder pad, Washington won't be halted; worst case scenario, his angle to the QB is slightly altered, and his body is actually straightened by the blow as he reaches the passer.

Here is a more severe example as Washington attempts to rush inwards.

The Georgia Defense opts to run a simple pirate stunt on this play. The outside DL (Washington and Jarvis Jones) feign rushes outside before moving inwards, while the interior DL feign rushes inside before moving outwards.

Washington attempts to 'cross the face' of the RT, who engages the half of his body which is exposed, and achieves good hand positioning.

Washington is 'stood up'; stalled as the RG comes free to help keep him stationary.

Conclusion:

Cornelius Washington possesses tangible athleticism and superb explosion as a pass rusher, making him a valuable commodity. With a little tutelage and experience, Washington could develop into a highly productive 4-3 DE. As he develops an arsenal of pass rushing moves, and masters the finer points of the position, Washington will only improve. I'd value him as a second round pick.

As I said above, it doesn't look like the Panthers have any serious interest in Washington, but depending on how the draft falls, he may be a player Carolina considers in the second round.

2013 NFL Draft: Scouting Sheldon Richardson

2013-03-31T12:00:12Z

Even with the re-signing of Dwan Edwards, the Panthers under-tackle depth is precarious. Behind Edwards, Nate Chandler is the only backup. Not that Chandler is a horrible option, but the Panthers could stand to add some depth, in addition to finding a longterm answer at under tackle.

Per most draft analysts, Missouri product Sheldon Richardson (6'4" 294 lbs.) would be a perfect marriage of 'best player available' and 'drafting for need' for Carolina. Not unlike a few of the other defensive tackle prospects, Richardson is very athletic for an interior lineman, capable of playing both against both guards and tackles, and can be frequently found chasing wide receivers and running backs down on screen passes.

Richardson's versatility is intriguing, and in tangent with his superb measurables, should ensure that he is drafted highly in April. Even under the premise of athleticism and explosion, would Richardson be a good fit for the Panthers in the first round?

Channeling my inner-Batman: To the tape!

As a prospect, Richardson is fairly raw. His biggest problem, as with Sharrif Floyd and Sylvester Williams, is his pad level which, unlike the aforementioned tackles, I'm not sure will be as easy to correct. Secondly, Richardson is fairly unskilled as a handfighter, which, when combined with poor pad level, leads to disastrous results.

On this running play versus Kentucky, Richardson (distinguished by the red triangle) is aligned as the three-technique. At this point, Richardson's pads are roughly equal with the Kentucky RG's, however, note that the RG already has his arms extending into Richardson's torso.

The RG places his hands in between Richardson's shoulder pads, and drives him backwards, jolting Richardson.

Within one second, Richardson is under the control of the Kentucky RG. Richardson attempts to disengage himself by turning free, however, the RG's hand placement disallows this escape route.

Completely at the mercy of the RG, Richardson is driven backwards, as the Kentucky RB breaches his gap.

A denouement to his ignominy, Richardson is brought to the ground by the Kentucky RG as the RB follows the block. And we're not talking about Chance Warmack, or another high-profile lineman; Richardson was driven 10 yards backwards from the line of scrimmage (LOS) and thrown to the turf.

The results are not always so pathetic, however, Richardson does have a tendency to end up on the ground. Had Richardson struck first with his hands, and achieved optimal hand placement, he would have been able to shed the block, and had he used proper pad level, the RG would not have been able to drive him backwards. Even had both of those mistakes still occurred, Richardson could have disengaged from the blocker had he clubbed the RG's arm/s, or used any number of countermeasures to free himself from the RG's grip.

In this example versus Alabama, Richardson will be facing off against LT Cyrus Kouandjio.

In a stunt, Richardson, here the 1-technique, will move over to the B-gap, directly in the way of RB TJ Yeldon's trajectory. Kouandjio's job will be to crash down on Richardson and secure the B-gap for Yeldon.

At the snap Richardson moves to plug his gap, however Kouandjio meets him there first, and similarly strikes first with his hands.

Kouandjio keeps Richardson at distance, and holds the block.

As Yeldon approaches, Kouandjio walls Richardson off, securing the hole for the Alabama RB. Richardson is unable to shed the block.

By the time Richardson breaks free from Kouandjio, Yeldon is already three yards downfield.

This play occurs in Missouri's game versus Florida.

A testament to his versatility, every now and again the Tigers had Richardson rushing from a two point stance, as is the case in this double A-gap blitz.

Richardson engages the center and the left guard with poor pad level, and seemingly attempts to execute a swim move. As on this play, Richardson has a propensity to bend too much in his waist, and not enough in his knees at times.

Richardson attempts to extricate himself from the LG and collapse the pocket, however, without leverage, he is unable.

Richardson is stonewalled; with no leverage he can't generate any pressure.

Here is another example of poor leverage from Missouri's game versus Florida.

Richardson is aligned as the 3-technique; on this pass play he will rush towards the edge.

Richardson has a decent first step, however right from the get-go, he comes out of his stance too high in his pad level, and with very little bend in his knees. Though Richardson does a good job of immediately extending his arm for a punch.

Engaged with the Florida LG, Richardson loses the leverage battle.

Pushing outside, the LG opens his face, as if to run Richardson by the pocket, Richardson loses his balance and falls to the ground.

Although rare, when Richardson utilizes good hand placement and decent pad level, he is able to be a factor in run defense.

Here Richardson is operating as the 1-technique versus the Gator center.

Richardson has a fine first step and does a good job of initiating hand combat with the blocker, achieving optimal hand position.

With an eye in the backfield, Richardson notes the handoff, and sheds the blocker.

He doesn't take a great angle to the ball carrier, but Richardson exhibits his agility in chasing down the ballcarrier and helps to make the TFL.

Despite his impressive speed and agility, I don't think Richardson is the elite penetrator that some paint him as. He's quick on his feet, but he doesn't have a great first step. Rarely will you see him beat his man off of the snap and break free into the backfield as in this example versus Alabama.

Here as the 1-technique, Richardson is lined up against C Barrett Jones.

Probably anticipating the snap count, Richardson has a explodes off of the snap.

Richardson dispatches the blocker with a swim move and proceeds into the backfield unabated.

Richardson takes away a possible angle of escape for Alabama RB Eddie Lacy, and is able to help gang tackle Lacy after a short gain (major props to Lacy for breaking a couple of tackles and gaining a yard on what looked to be a disaster).

Many of Richardson's high profile TFL's/Sacks came against blown protection schemes and/or inadequate offensive linemen, such as his sack of Alabama QB AJ McCarron, and big TFL of Florida RB Mike Gillislee.

Richardson's aggressive play and nonstop motor are well documented as well, however they also have the potential to hurt him against savvy blockers, or deceptive blocking schemes.

Deep in Tiger territory, Missouri has held South Carolina to a critical 4th down and 1. Here Richardson is aligned as the 1-technique. On this play South Carolina is going to shift their blocking scheme to the left, while having RB Marcus Lattimore run to the right, hopefully attracting the Missouri front seven away from Lattimore.

At the snap Richardson shoots to his right, eager to disrupt the play, following the flow of the Gamecock blockers.

As Lattimore reaches the LOS, Richardson and some of the other DL/LB's realize their blunder.

Richardson attempts to break free from his blocker and give chase, however Lattimore is already in the secondary.

Fairly raw in pass rushing moves, Richardson's favorite, again like Floyd and Williams, is the swim move, though like Williams he tends to rely on it too often.

In this contest versus Georgia, Richardson is again rushing from a two point stance from the A-gap.

Richardson has a fine first step, although his pad level is not great; had the center gotten his hands in position, he could have delivered a punch to disorient Richardson. Richardson begins the move by swinging his right arm over the back of the Georgia center.

Richardson dispatches the center and moves into the backfield.

Richardson doesn't take a great angle to the ballcarrier and is forced to make an unsuccessful diving attempt at a tackle.

Richardson is largely unrefined in his other pass rushing moves. Back to the Alabama game, here Richardson attempts a spin move.

Richardson is operating as the 1-technique.

Ignoring Gary Danielson's drawing, Richardson begins his rush with fine pad level, except once again he has too much bend in his waist, and not enough in his knees.

Engaged with RG Alex Steen, Richardson begins his spin move. One of the hazards of a spin move, Richardson leaves his back vulnerable to a strike from Steen, which is exactly what occurs.

Richardson is slowed down enough that LG Chance Warmack slides over and, together with Steen, smothers Richardson.

Like his spin move, Richardson also possesses an unrefined rip move.

On this play from Missouri's game versus Tennessee Richardson assumes the role of the 1-technique.

Richardson begins his rush with decent pad level, once again the concoction of too much bend in his waist, and not enough in his knees. Tennessee pulls the LG, leaving center alone with Richardson. With the LG still in the area, the C does not have enough real estate to slide to mirror Richardson.

With the edge in hand, Richardson executes a rip move.

Richardson finishes the move and breaks aways from the center, although not before Tennessee QB Tyler Bray gets off the pass.

Conclusion:

As I said above, Richardson is a fairly raw defensive tackle. He needs to correct his pad level, which I suspect could be a tougher fix than for Sharrif Floyd and Sylvester Williams. I wouldn't categorize Richardson as a 'waist bender', but he definitely exhibits such characteristics. On a similar tangent, Richardson needs training on hand placement and hand combat. Richardson also needs to polish and diversify his pass rushing moves, which should come with seasoning.

At times Richardson is an absolute liability in run support. Aside from the technical aspects of the position, I'm not sure whether or not Richardson possesses the base to be a three down lineman in the NFL; whether or not he can be an anchor against the run on short yardage situations, of which he was atrocious in college, or can be counted on consistently in run support on first down.

With his versatility and athleticism, Richardson could fit in a number of defenses. A creative defensive coordinator would fall in love with Richardson, and with some development, he could wreak havoc in a multiple front defense. But I don't think he's the elite penetrator that Sylvester Williams is, or the mauler Sharrif Floyd is. And for those reasons, as well as those mentioned above, I think the Panthers would be well served to look elsewhere in the first round. I do think Richardson is worthy of a first round pick, but the questions about his development would scare me away in the top half of the first round.