RG3, Aldrick Robinson abusing zone coverage

A good portion of Robert Griffin III's outing against the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day looked easy, but while drifting in and out of a food coma, I happened to perk up just in time to see a play that looked easier than most: his first touchdown toss to Aldrick Robinson.

They hooked up for a 68-yard score on a play action pass that left Robinson without a defender within five yards of him. That play stood out because it looked extremely familiar to Robinson's 49-yard TD catch from just a week ago against the Philadelphia Eagles which came even easier. 

It turns out, the route concept for both of the plays is essentially the same. The only differences were in personnel, the play fakes in the backfield, and the defensive coverages. 

Both the Cowboys and Eagles were in zone coverages, Dallas in quarters (Cover 4) and Philly in Cover 3. 

So what made them work against both defenses? The threat of the Redskins running game and the solid play fakes that result from it, the speed of Aldrick Robinson which enables him to run "zone beater" routes effectively, and the arm strength of RG3. 

First, let's check out the 68-yarder from Thanksgiving Day. 

The Scenario: 3-0 DAL, 13:56 in 2nd QTR, 1st & 15 at own 32.

Offensive Personnel: Regular (2 WR, 2 RB, 1 TE)

Offensive Formation: Pistol - Full House

Defensive Personnel: Base 3-4 (3 DL, 4 LB, 4 DB)

Defensive Coverage: Quarters (Zone, Cover 4)

Above is the pre-snap alignment with Aldrick Robinson circled at the top of the frame. Robinson is going to be running a deep post route across the field, taking him from the top of the numbers on the offense's right side of the field, all the way to the left hashmark. Leonard Hankerson, the WR at the bottom of the screen is going to run a dig route, as illustrated. 

Here is a look at the alignment from the endzone angle. The player highlighted is safety Danny McCray. McCray is supposed to have inside help on Robinson, but instead, he bites hard on the play fake to Alfred Morris.

Both safeties are circled here. The one to the left is Gerald Sensabaugh, who unlike McCray, isn't peeking in the backfield. He's got his eyes to on Hankerson, who will run an in-breaking route that Sensabaugh helps on. 

Pictured here is the play just a few frames later, as RG3 comes out of the fake. Hankerson has already made his break inside, with Sensabaugh in position to defend. On the right side of the formation, Aldrick Robinson is readying to make his cut across the field. The corner on his outside shoulder, Brandon Carr, is supposed to have inside help. However, as you can see circled there, his help is frozen, leaving the entire deep middle and deep left side of the field open. 

The ball arrives on target without a defender within 10 yards of Robinson. Carr and McCray are both trailing far behind - Carr because he has no chance to follow a speedy Robinson across the entire field when he was playing shaded to the outside with inside help - and McCray because he bit on the play fake, thus failing to provide said inside help.

Now, let's rewind back to Week 11 to the same route concept against the Eagles, with a similar result. 

The Scenario: 7-3 WAS, 11:09 in 2nd QTR, 1st & 10 at PHI 49. 

Offensive Personnel: 3 WR, 2 RB

Defensive Personnel: Base 4-3 (4 DL, 3 LB, 4 DB)

Defensive Coverage: Cover 3

Above is the pre-snap alignment with Robinson circled again. As you could see, the same exact route concept will be run here against a different defense. The Eagles have one high safety (Nate Allen), so Griffin III knows pre-snap there's a good chance it's either man coverage or Cover 3. Against Cover 3, the route concept is designed to make Allen choose between cutting off the dig route, or playing his true responsibility of deep middle to cover Robinson. 

Here is RG3 about to make a play fake to Brandon Banks on a reverse. Robinson is pictured left, about to make his break to the deep middle of the field. 

Above is a shot of the play after RG3 comes out of his fake. The linebacker circled is late to sink under the dig route due to the play action. At the top left is Nate Allen, who is already beat by Robinson in the corner of the screen, but has made the decision to drive on the dig (you can see his hips sunk ready to come back upfield). The top right defender is Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, who would have the deep right side of the field, where Robinson ends up catching the ball, but he too got caught up with the play fake as Banks, the outside receiver he was lined up over, motioned into the backfield on a reverse action. 

Much like against Dallas, Robinson is thrown open by RG3 without a defender anywhere close. 

Robinson has only three touchdowns on the season. The two illustrated here, and another short touchdown Week One against the Saints. What's interesting is that the last two games came after their bye week, and both times they went to this play, it was early in the second quarter. That may just be a coincidence, but football is way too involved to be coincidental. 

So, keep an eye out. Robinson could emerge as more of a deep threat as now, in back-to-back weeks, Shanahan has dialed this play up against divisional opponents, and had success doing so against both Cover 4 and Cover 3.