Years ago while watching a college football game ESPN analyst Rod Gilmore said something that has stuck with me for years.
“If you go zero blitz and you don’t get home, the band is going to play.”
Dan Quinn and the Dallas Cowboys felt that pain in the third quarter of tonight’s season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. With the Buccaneers facing a 3rd-and-6 in the red zone, Quinn calls for a Cover-0 blitz, looking to get pressure on Tom Brady in the pocket.
The veteran quarterback has the answer, and as you might expect, it involved looking for one of his favorite targets, tight end Rob Gronkowski:
The 100th TD connection between @TomBrady & @RobGronkowski! 💯
📺: #DALvsTB on NBC
📱: https://t.co/0VSAGKOx0q pic.twitter.com/pyZ7HhTk1P— NFL (@NFL) September 10, 2021
As you can see, Gronkowski initially blocks on this play, and runs a delayed route off the line of scrimmage. The man he blocks? Pass rusher Demarcus Lawrence, who in this Cover-0 blitz scheme is responsible for covering Gronkowski should he release downfield.
By turning inside, Gronkowski lets a defender have a free shot at Brady. But he also is able to establish inside leverage on Lawrence by blocking to the outside first, which sets up his release to the middle of the field and puts him in position to separate from the defender. Gronkowski is trusting that Brady will create enough time with his feet, which he does to create space for the throw:
Cover 0. Lawrence v Gronk on the late release inside the 10. Brady + 87 = chemistry. pic.twitter.com/kmL9tkgkuH
— John Ellis (@1PantherPlace) September 10, 2021
Brady also knows pre-snap that with the two defenders lurking over the tight end, one will likely blitz, and the other will be forced to cover Gronkowski. With that player being Lawrence, starting with outside leverage before the snap, the tight end already has a leverage advantage back to the inside.
And that’s before Gronkowski increases the advantage by blocking to the outside before releasing.
Former quarterback Tim Jenkins was one of many who appreciated the design, and the execution, from the Buccaneers:
What a special call there.
What do we even call that? Y-Delay?
Cover 0, QB drops to infinity letting the Y show protection and then release vertical.
Can't wait to see that one on tape.
— Tim Jenkins (@TJenkinsElite) September 10, 2021
A great design, brilliant execution, and the band began to play.
