Seahawks Put a Wrinkle on the Zone Read

I love the creativity that some NFL coaches have been using with their young Quarterbacks, and the Redskins vs. Seahawks First Round Playoff game this year had no shortage. Let’s take a look at a little wrinkle Seattle put on their Zone Read Play with their young QB, Russell Wilson.

The Seahawks have made some very good NFL Defenses look silly by the way that they play the Zone Read. While many College coaches are well seasoned at defending the play, it is hasn’t been so common in the NFL. But in the first round of the playoffs, the Seahawks were playing RGIII and the Redskins, who have used the play as well. So they made some changes.

In the 2^nd Quarter, the Seahawks ran a couple of successful Zone Reads with the QB Keep. The majority of their play calling was focused on their powerful Running Backs and Play Action Passing, though. They spent much of the 3^rd Quarter under center.

In the 4^th Quarter on a 2^nd and 3 coming out, the Seahawks went back into the shotgun and returned to the Zone Read, but with a little difference. They lined up in a Trips Left formation with the back offset to the left, giving the threat of 4 strong receivers.

The 4 strong threat forced the Linebackers to bump over . To compensate, the Redskins slide the Defensive End to the Trips in to a 4 Technique (or even a 4i Technique).

Normally, the Zone Read would be reading the End Man on the Line of Scrimmage. Since there isn’t one, the read would carry to the Linebacker. But the Seahawks change things up. Instead of zoning the Defensive End with the Left Tackle, the Left Tackle jumps out. Surprisingly, both the Defensive End and the Linebacker jump outside with him.

It looks like #64 and #59 both read the bucket step by the Offensive Tackle as an Outside Zone path, and by the time they’ve picked up the backfield action, it’s too late. Wilson reads both defenders outside. That leaves the other four Offensive Linemen with a hat for a hat – the 3 down linemen and the remaining Middle Linebacker. There’s no one to account for the running back.

By the time the other Linebacker is back into the picture, he’s too late and the opens up for a big gain that helps lead the Seahawks to a First Round Playoff win.

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