Joe Burrow Trusting the Fundamentals
How the fundamentals of the position get the quarterback through the chaos.
While Joe Burrow and his Cincinnati Bengals haven’t had the start to the season that they’d like, it’s what they are.
As many have said before — you are what your record says you are. The Bengals are 4-5 and third in their division.
However, Joe Burrow is still playing like a top five quarterback in the league, and this past Sunday he reminded all those who had forgotten with his second five touchdown game of the season.
The fundamentals of the position are ever present when you turn on Burrow’s film, and this article will detail three third down examples of Burrow trusting the fundamentals facing a free edge player through the A gap, a zero pressure, and a naked keeper.
Free Edge Player Through the A Gap
One of Joe Burrow’s greatest traits is to navigate a chaotic pocket.
Below, the Raiders run an ET stunt that picks the right guard and allows their best edge player a free run at Burrow. Big problem.
The concept has a hot answer to the left side of the concept in the running back’s flat route, but they aren’t hot here. They’re just dealing with a blown assignment. Burrow’s right escape initially puts him in a tough spot because there’s nothing over there other than the return route that isn’t ready when he initially gets out. The genius in the play is Burrow’s quick decision to push up in the pocket and get back to the left where all his route are.
The fundamentals to pocket movement are to keep your eyes downfield, keep two hands on the ball, and be ready to throw. Burrow exhibits all three and gets perfectly lined up to throw this ball for the touchdown.
Zero Pressure
Cover 0 pressures are tough to beat if you don’t have a plan.
You can see Burrow’s plan in his drop.
The shuffle back, ready-to-throw-at-any-time drop, is the drop needed to defeat zero. See it in action:
The Raiders’ defensive backs’ over-the-top reaction to Chase’s flat route causes the tight end to become wide open, but it’s Burrow’s plan for pressure that gives the play a chance.
The Raiders have eight defenders walked up at the line of scrimmage, and though this look doesn’t always guarantee more than four rushers, the quarterback always needs to be prepared for that possibility. Burrow checks into a play with the zero beater (two verticals) and a route he can get the ball out to quick if the drop (the flat route).
His drop positions himself to deal with the rush which does come here, and then it’s a simple throw.
Naked Keeper
Another pressure avoidance by Mr. Burrow.
Here, the play is a shotgun naked keeper with the tight end coming across the formation into the flat. Pressure again:
And once again, the fundamentals are what gets Burrow through the play. Unlike a naked keeper from under center, the quarterback is better able to see what’s happening because he isn’t turning his back to the defense. The negative, however, is that the quarterback doesn’t get as much depth to be able to deal with an aggressive edge player and the shotgun run action is a lot less convincing than an under center fake.
In other words, the shotgun version of the naked is the harder way to run the play.
No matter for Burrow because he has a plan (recurring theme).
The toughest defensive action on these plays is when the edge player runs right at the quarterback, slightly outside. It can trick the quarterback into thinking he needs to slow down (which only allows the defender to catch him because the defender doesn’t slow down), but the best option is to stop and throw the ball. Sometimes that throw it at the dirt to avoid an interception if the man is covered or sometimes that throw to the open guy. Regardless, the ball has to get out. You won’t find many good reasons to take a sack on any version of a rollout.
Burrow adjusts his path and flips the ball to the tight end avoiding the free runner.
Burrow takes the Bengals to Baltimore to face Lamar Jackson’s electric offense in primetime tonight. Burrow’s first five touchdown game came against the Ravens earlier this season in a 41-38 thriller loss.