Oakland Raiders Film Room: Week 16 (Bills)

Mobbin’ Deep

12 of Derek Carr’s 34 pass attempts were thrown farther than 10 yards. Of those 12, seven were thrown further than 20 yards in the air. Carr was looking deep. The results were mixed, considering he only completed 4 of those passes, but when they completed they were huge. Two plays of 50 yards kept the Oakland fans on their feet when they saw Carr wind up for the deep throw.

In this late first quarter 3rd down play Oakland uses 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WRs) in a compressed doubles formation with QB Derek Carr in shotgun. Buffalo comes out with their nickel defense (3 DLs, 3 LBs, 5 DBs) in Cover 3 cloud coverage (Deep field split into 3 zones between 2 safeties and 1 corner, 4 zones of underneath coverage). Despite Carr looking directly at WR Kenbrell Thompkins from the moment he receives the snap, Buffalo’s safety Da’Norris Searcy breaks outside to help cover WR Andre Holmes, leaving Thompkins one on one with nearly the entire field to work with. Thompkins executes a killer double move achieves clear separation in the deep middle of the field. Carr’s throw is GORGEOUS. The result is a first down inside the 5 yard line for Oakland.

4th Quarter. 3rd & 22. Carr throws a 50 yard bomb to Andre Holmes. Oakland uses 11 personnel again and runs verticals against Buffalo’s Cover 4 contain defense (rush 3, 4 deep zones, 4 underneath zones). Carr climbs the the pocket and slips out and to the right. The protection is actually fairly solid but Carr’s scrambling makes Buffalo CB Corey Graham hesitate for a second. Holmes blows by him in that split second. Carr can’t quite get his full arm behind the throw but it works out as Graham has to turn away from the ball to play catch-up and Holmes is given the opportunity to go up for the catch by himself. Great play by Holmes for the catch.