Protecting Aaron Rodgers (and your own QB)

• By Caleb Hopkins

Does your quarterback not have enough time to throw in the pocket? Are your tackles letting defenders run inside, causing havoc in your backfield? Are you tired of giving up sacks?

The answer to these problems comes in two forms. Of course, better technique from the offensive line is an answer, but so is the running game.

A good running game is a quarterback’s best friend.  That proved to be true in the Packers-Lions Monday Night Football match-up against the Detroit Lions.

The Green Bay Packers’ offense got on track with Aaron Rodgers completing 22 of 27 passes for 255 yards and 4 TD.  Running backs Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon provided an efficient rushing attack.

The Outside Zone

Packers head coach Matt Lafleur came from the Mike Shanahan coaching tree, so as with all of those branches, you can expect a heavy dose of the outside zone and play action.  It serves to keep the defense off balance and provides the quarterback good looks downfield. 

Of course, any offense starts with philosophy, and here’s what the Packers believe in:

It’s easy to see that the outside zone play fits Coach LaFleur’s beliefs on offense.

The beauty of the outside zone play is that it can be run to the tight end or away, from multiple formations, and multiple personnel groups. The play is versatile under center where it creates a great sell for play-action opportunities, and in shotgun where many teams utilize it with read game and RPO.

Here is Coach Stenavich explaining the outside zone weak from 21 personnel. (click on image for video):

For the quarterback, he is disciplined in carrying out his keeper fakes because it opens up his opportunities to takes chunks of yardage in the play-action passing game.

Refining Pass Protection

The other way to keep your quarterback upright is to have a sound protection scheme and excellent technique.

Offensive line coach Adam Stenavich is known for working with the best tackles in the game, such as Joe Staley and David Bakhtiari, and having one of the best pockets for Aaron Rodgers to throw in.

Though it is only a three-man rush, you can see the integrity of the pocket that allows Rodgers the time he needs to get the ball to his receivers.

Coach Stenavich uses drills to teach his tackles to keep their shoulders square, their hands up ready to strike the defender. Meanwhile, the hips are staying active, moving with the defender, and when the defender comes to strike, he steps up and meet them.

The defender is set up in a wide shade and is given the options of the bull, inside, or outside edge rush.

Coach Stenavich knows that a wide pocket is critical in maintaining great quarterback play, saying that, “...bailing the outside kick foot is the #1 reason we lose the width of the pocket.”

(click image for video)

The second drill Coach Stenavich uses to keep a wide pocket is the upkick drill. The tackle has an inside target on the defender to try to get them up the field, through the tackle, or inside. 

A key coaching point Stenavich brought up was to not overset and take the inside target. If the Tackle takes the outside target, the edge rusher has an inside shot at the quarterback.

(click image for video)

Takeaways from Coach Stenavich

The takeaways from Coach Stenavich’s clinic are to have a run game that can be executed from multiple looks and personnel and build play action off of it.  

It’s a preferred way to pass the ball for many of the coaches from Mike Shanahan’s tree including Lafleur, Sean McVay, and Kyle Shanahan.  Though all have distinctly unique looks to their offense, the core principles are very similar.

Secondly, every offense will face a time where they either want to or need to drop back and throw.  The key to success is refining the technique of the offensive line.  It’s something that can and should be worked on year-round.

Take a look at what you are doing and see if you can adapt some of these principles to improve your offense.

Coach Stenavich’s clinic is on sale 50% off until Monday.  The clinic includes a Q&A with some well-known coaches like Bob Wylie, Coastal Carolina’s Bill Durkin, and #LinemanLunch Matt Jones.