Oakland Raiders Film Room: Week 2 (HOU)

Credit: NFL Game Rewind

Early in the third quarter Oakland gets a drive going and executes this power wham run out of a heavy 22 (2 RBs, 2 TEs, 1 WR) style personnel against Houston’s 3-4 (3 DL, 4 LBs, 4DBs). They bring in T Menelik Watson and line him up on the right where a tight end would normally go and motion TE Leonhardt in the backfield. At the snap, Raiders center Stefen Wisniewski and right guard Austin Howard intentionally let the Houston nose guard slip by them and immediately look to block second-level defenders. TE Leonhardt flies inside on the wham block and takes the nose guard out of the play as FB Jamize Olawale lays a solid hit on LB Brian Cushing. By the time anyone can get to Darren McFadden flying through the whole, it’s a poor, undersized DB that pays for challenging McFadden’s physicality. Added benefit: McFadden isn’t injured for the season.