Tag: Brian Baldinger

WATCH: Brian Baldinger breaks down Broncos’ improvements on offense

Brian Baldinger takes a quick look at some of the Broncos’ weapons on offense.

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In the above video, NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger breaks down the Broncos’ offensive outlook going into the 2020 season.

“I think all these pieces can come together — we’ll see how quickly it can in a quarantined NFL right now — but there’s a lot of pieces in place for this Broncos offense to take a step up this season.”

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How to run the perfect routes with Cowboys WR Amari Cooper

In a recent Film Session with NFL Films, Cowboys receiver Amari Cooper revealed why he’s one of the NFL’s best route-runners.

One of the best features of the NFL’s Game Pass site, beyond the ability to watch and analyze game tape from the overhead and end zone angles, is the “Game Pass Film Session” series, now in its second season, and hosted by former NFL players and current NFL analysts Brian Baldinger and Kurt Warner. The series, shot at NFL Films headquarters in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, gives viewers an intricate and intimate look at how the NFL’s best players do what they do.

Since the Raiders selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2015 draft out of Alabama, Amari Cooper has been one of the NFL’s best and most complete route-runners. With both the Raiders and Cowboys, who traded for him in October, 2018, Cooper has helped his quarterbacks in ways a lot of receivers just can’t with his route awareness, technical perfection, and understanding of the passing game.

Cooper recently sat down with Warner and Baldinger to discuss the science of his work, and it’s fascinating to discover just how much a technically proficient receiver can complete an offense. In Cooper’s case, there are times when he’s able to go above and beyond his offensive coordinators to create explosive plays. This touchdown against the Eagles in December, 2019 is a prefect example — Cooper was tired of Scott Linehan calling stop route after stop route and exhorted Dak Prescott to do something different.

“It’s interesting because I actually had another stop route on that play and they were, if you were watching, really sitting on those stop routes,” Cooper said of Philadelphia’s defense. “And I was like, this is ridiculous. So when I broke the huddle I was kind of mad and I was like, Dak, come on. And he was just like, just run it bro. And I guess he thought about it again and he kind of signaled a go route and I was elated when he did that. And I took off, caught the ball, and scored.”

With Warner and Baldinger, Cooper went even deeper into the particulars that make him great.

Releasing off the line of scrimmage

In this touchdown against the Giants in Week 1 of the 2019 season, Cooper talked about how he was able to torch rookie cornerback Deandre Baker on an end zone fade throw from Prescott.

“So, this play? It’s a rookie out there,” Cooper explained. “The first game of the season. And I knew I had him, because he jumped before the play. And I’m like, ‘This guy’s kind of scared. The key to winning that route is — you see that I switched my feet at the line of scrimmage, because I want to give him that hard jab inside so he can jump inside. I want to show the quarterback that I’m open as early as possible, so he won’t come off me. So, I give him that hard jab inside, and that’s all for Dak, so he can see that separation.

“I like being really patient when I have go balls [routes]. I like to run under him [the defender]. Like, if I was to run a speed release right there, I would probably get past him, but the ball wouldn’t be dropping in that bucket yet. That’s why I chose that release.”

As Warner pointed out, Cooper got right up on Baker’s toes with the initial skip release to avoid any separation that would allow Baker to catch up to him once Cooper made his move outside.

Speed release on the slant

When you’re facing one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL — and Buffalo’s Tre’Davious White is certainly one of them — you have to combine the physical and the mental to beat your opponent. One aspect of this is changing up your approach based on the qualities of the cornerback you’re dealing with, as Cooper did here in Week 12 of the 2019 season. It’s a simple slant on tape, but it’s not so simple in Cooper’s head. White is a technician who could likely match up with any jabs and fakes Cooper tried from the line of scrimmage, so the strategy here was to use a speed release — the receiver’s equivalent of the bull rush.

“This is all because I was playing against Tre’Davious,” Cooper said. “Usually, on a slant, I would try to give him a jab inside, release outside, and then go. But he plays over the top [to guard against the deep vertical threat], so I just ran off, because I knew he would protect the go ball. So, I ran him off, crossed his face, used my strength, and caught the ball.”

Thinking three steps ahead

When asked by Warner what his greatest strength as a player is, Cooper said that it’s his ability to think three steps ahead of the guy he’s facing.

“My game as a receiver is to try to make my route look like a different route than I’m actually running.”

On the first offensive play of Dallas’ Week 3 game against the Dolphins, Cooper hit cornerback Xavien Howard with what looked like a “Deep 2” at first — a deep over route. Then, the route turns into a “Sail 7” — a sail route to the outside. You can see how it takes Howard, an above-average defender, right out of the play.

“I’m just trying to really make it feel like it’s a Deep 2 — I want him to feel a Deep 2. It’s all about creativity in your route-running. It’s all about really selling it. When you’re running a double move, or even a route that’s not a double move, you always want to make it look like it’s another route. So, when I’m running this fake Deep 2 to Sail 7, I’m looking at Dak like I’m about to catch the Deep 2. Now, he really feels like it’s a Deep 2.”

Cooper scored two touchdowns in that 31-6 win, and this was one of them — another example of how he’s able to sell defensive backs on one route, while giving them the okay-doke on the way to yet another big play. Here, he beats Howard once again on a little pivot for a five-yard first-quarter touchdown.

As Baldinger posited, Howard is trying to take Cooper’s inside release away, and Cooper still gets inside. Patience is the key here.

“It’s really like a slant/out,” Cooper said. “I’m really trying to make it look like a slant as much as possible, and he played it phenomenally. That’s the best you can play it. I tried to jab him outside a little bit to make it seem like one of those quick slants, went inside for a couple of steps, he kind of grabbed me a little bit — playing me with his hands, like what a good cornerback would do — and I just fought through it. I won this route at the top — just fighting through it.”

Warner pointed out another subtlety of this route combination — Cooper had to stay aligned to the line of scrimmage when he went inside, or he wouldn’t have been able to take Howard back outside. Then, Cooper’s vertical push back outside put Howard at a geometric disadvantage.

As Cooper then said, the consistency of the timing of these routes plays a major factor in a quarterback’s confidence.

“I’m trying to be open as soon as possible, because I don’t want Dak to come off me. If he gets a look that he’s not used to, or he hasn’t seen in practice as far as the relationship between me and the DB, he’s not going to feel comfortable with it. He’s going to go to the next read.”

Cooper said that when he first went to Dallas, his coaches didn’t have that route in the playbook. He had to show how it would work in practice.

“My first week there, we always do red zone one-on-ones. And I ran it, and I killed the guy [the defensive back in practice]. We put it in against Tennessee my very first game, and I scored on it.”

“So, it’s about showing the guys that it actually works. And once you show them that it works, you can go to them and say, hey, this is what I think will work.”

That probably had a bit to do with Prescott’s confidence in overruling Linehan against the Eagles. When Amari Cooper comes to you with a concept, you should listen to what he has to say.

Responding to disguised coverages

One very interesting thing that came up in this film session happened during Cooper’s touchdown against the Redskins in Week 2 of the 2019 season. Here, the Cowboys utilized pre-snap motion with receiver Randall Cobb, and based on the defensive back’s movement with him, Cooper thought Washington was playing man coverage. That’s generally what happens, and why smarter offensive coaches use motion to help their quarterbacks and receivers discern coverage before the snap. However, Washington had some trickeration in mind.

“I’ve been seeing a lot of that lately — a guy would follow a guy in motion, but it wouldn’t be man; it would be zone. So, yeah — I’m looking at Cobb, and I’m looking at the guy following him [cornerback Jimmy Moreland], and I’m thinking it’s going to be man, but it’s not.”

The theoretical problem with misdiagnosing coverage is that more often than not, receivers are told to alter their routes based on the coverage. As Cooper detailed, this was indeed the case for him as the outside man in this motion to a bunch formation.

“If I’m running that sit route versus man, I have to run it off him [the cornerback]. I have to win it if he’s pressed. But if it’s zone, I’m just reading it. I’m just trying to find an open spot. I kinda see him out my peripheral coming down, and I’m just hoping the ball beats him there. Luckily, it did.”

It’s been said that luck is the residue of design, and that’s often the case with the most technically proficient and mentally prepared NFL players. Amari Cooper has the physical gifts to be one of the NFL’s best receivers, but that’s not why he is exactly that. As this film session showed, there’s so much more that goes into the preparation for every position in football than you may think.

Game Pass is currently free through July 31, 2020, and I highly recommend that any football fan who doesn’t watch it now checks it out.

WATCH: Brian Baldinger still bugged by Bills on 3rd & 18 vs. Texans

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger on Bills defense on third-and-18 vs. Houston Texans.

NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger took his time getting to one play from the Buffalo Bills in the playoffs.

Just this week on Monday, 10 days after the Bills’ Wild-Card loss to the Texans, 22-19, in overtime, the former player was still unhappy with the mistake made by Buffalo on third-and-long.

In overtime the Bills were poised to get off the field a few times, none more haunting than third-and-18. On that play with 6:56 remaining, Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson dumped a pass off the running back Duke Johnson. He somehow got the first down 18 yards down the field. Five plays later, the Texans won.

How did it happen? Most point to the Bills’ secondary and middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. Their prevent defense was way too far down the field and Buffalo paid the price.

That’s how Baldinger saw it as well, and a week and a half later, he was even still bummed out by it.

Here’s his breakdown on the play from this week:

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WATCH: Brian Baldinger says Bills defense is mistake-proof

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger on the Buffalo Bills defense vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.

NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger watched the Buffalo Bills defense against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 15. He came away with one question.

What was Duck Hodges supposed to do?

Baldinger broke down the tape of the game and came away impressed with the Bills once again. He described Tre’Davious White’s coverage as one that a credit card couldn’t slip through.

On the play at-hand, Baldinger levels with the Steelers quarterback.

“(Hodges) comes off the sideline after this incompletion and says ‘what do I do coach? What do I do,'” Baldinger said. “There was no option.”

The analyst added an overall harassment of the Bills defense, too.

“They don’t make mistakes and oh, boy the way, they tackle really well,” he said.

Here’s his full breakdown of Buffalo’s defense from Week 15:

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‘Baldy’s Breakdowns’ highlights all four of Drew Brees’ record-breaking TD’s

NFL analyst Brian Baldinger dug into “Monday Night Football” tape to find how New Orleans Saints QB Drew Brees broke Peyton Manning’s record

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New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees made NFL history on “Monday Night Football,” lobbing four touchdown passes against the Indianapolis Colts defense to win 34-7. That effort put him ahead of both New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and retired passer Peyton Manning, who left the game with an NFL-record 539 career passing touchdowns.

Now, Brees has raised the bar up to 541. And who better to dig into the tape and explain how the Saints did it than NFL analyst Brian Baldinger?

Baldinger featured Brees and his teammates during a “Baldy’s Breakdowns” segment on Twitter, in which he uses game tape from the coach’s angle to highlight big plays and underrated moments.

“The New Orleans Saints passing game is different than almost every other team,” Baldinger said while reviewing Brees’ first touchdown pass. “Now in part because of Drew Brees. It’s a timing and spacing passing game. Maybe I’m thinking too much about this, but watch the spacing of all three receivers as Drew Brees gets ready to throw this ball.”

Baldinger noted how well-rehearsed the Saints’ receiving corps have become, picking out where all three of Brees’ options on his opening touchdown pass were in relation to each other at the time of the throw.

He continued, “Now when he throws this, they all just hit the goal line together. And if you look at Josh Hill, Michael Thomas, and Tre’Quan Smith, they’re exactly equidistant apart. It’s math, right? But lets’s spread the seven defenders out as much as we can, and we’ll open the windows as wide as we can.”

Baldinger then circled back in a second video to review that first score from a different perspective, before stringing together each of the subsequent touchdown passes, including the record-breaker.

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Baldy Breakdown: Giants are ‘maddening to watch’

In his latest breakdown, Brian Baldinger admits that the New York Giants are poorly coached and “maddening to watch.”

Retired offensive lineman and current NFL Network analyst, Brian Baldinger, has done a tremendous job of breaking down film of the New York Giants (and other teams) all season. However, when it comes to Big Blue, one problem has remainded consistent throughout the season: confusion.

The Giants never seem to know if they are coming or going, and both their offensive and defensive players seem confused — some openly — about the scheme, playbook and their assignments, while others seem to just look on helplessly.

You’d think they would be able to get a handle on that by Week 14 of the season, but that has not been the case at all. And in his latest breakdown, Baldy lets loose and calls the Giants “maddening.”

Check out the futility and try not to be embarrassed:

What more even needs to be said? The Eagles were so thin at wide receiver they were about to send backup quarterback Josh McCown into the game to fill a role, and yet the Giants still somehow allowed the only opposing weapon to run the field to run freely and beat them.

Baldinger is right — that is absolutely, undeniably, unequivocally maddening. And it’s why jobs are going to be lost.

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WATCH: Brian Baldinger says Tremaine Edmunds had play of year vs. Ravens

Video breakdown of Tremaine Edmunds vs. Baltimore Ravens.

The Bills defense had a strong day against the Baltimore Ravens despite a 24-17 loss to the top-seed in the AFC in Week 14.

That effort was led by the quarterback of Buffalo’s quarterback on their defense, middle linebacker Tremaine Edmunds. The second-year pro had eight total tackles, two for loss and an interception.

That play in particular caught the attention of NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger. The former player called Edmunds’ interception “one of the best, most incredible plays that I’ve seen in the NFL this year, just an unreal play.”

Check out Baldinger’s full breakdown right here:

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Baldy Breakdown: Giants’ run blocking a dumpster fire

Brian Baldinger breaks down the New York Giants’ inept offensive line and the team’s horrendous run blocking miscues.

There are many theories as to why New York Giants running back Saquon Barkley has looked like a shell of his former self since returning early from a high ankle sprain. Most seem to center around his health, which is something Barkley vehemently denies being behind his struggles.

Some of the blame can be put on Barkley himself. There’s no denying that his decision-making seems to have regressed from a season ago and it’s even something he’s admitted to being a problem.

But what about the guys up front? What about the Giants’ revamped offensive line and the blocking tight ends?

Well, they’re not playing well, either. In fact, they were having some issues in Week 13 that you see Junior Varsity teams correct by Game 3.

This is a little bit of everything — poor coaching, poor execution, poor communication, poor decision-making. You name it and the Giants were guilty of it on their very first offensive series against the Green Bay Packers.

And no, this is not some weird anomaly. These are consistent problems the Giants have faced all season and it’s one of the reasons we’ve had such a difficult time evaluating the offensive linemen individually. So much is going wrong that it’s difficult to pinpoint who messed up (or who else messed up). It’s that dysfunctional.

Honestly, more than anything else, these sort of issues are just baffling and a testament to why the Giants are 2-10 and the laughingstock of the league.

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WATCH: Brian Baldinger calls Bills’ Tre White ‘elite cornerback’

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger calls Buffalo Bills CB Tre’Davious White an “elite” cornerback in the NFL.

Former player and current NFL Network analyst Brian Baldinger loves the full-team effort he sees from the Bills defense each week.

But if he had to pick one star amongst the team, it’s cornerback Tre’Davious White.

In one of his weekly “Baldy Breakdown” segments on his Twitter feed, Baldinger kept a close eye on White. The praise included Baldinger calling White “elite” after watching him face Broncos wideout Courtland Sutton in Week 12.

“I mean, it’s time to just recognize Tre’Davious White… he’s one of the five best corners in all of football,” Baldinger said.

Here’s Baldinger’s full breakdown of White’s game against the Broncos:

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Brian Baldinger breaks down the Falcons’ resurgent pass rush

The Atlanta Falcons had just seven sacks through the first eight games of 2019, but something clicked during the bye week and the team has completely flipped the script.

The Atlanta Falcons had just seven sacks through the first eight games of 2019, but something clicked during the bye week and the team has completely flipped the script.

In the Falcons’ Week 10 upset win over the Saints, their defense brought down Drew Brees six times. Last Sunday against the Panthers, Atlanta tacked on five more sacks, which led to its second straight win.

Some credit should go to the coaching staff for making changes. After a frustrating first half of the season, the Falcons’ defense is communicating better, winning their one-on-one matchups and finishing plays.

NFL Network’s Brian Baldinger went into the film room and broke down some footage of Atlanta’s front-four in Week 11. Watch his latest video highlighting how dominant the group was against the Panthers below:

The Falcons will return home to Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Week 12 to play the Buccaneers in their third straight NFC South game. Atlanta is currently favored by 4.5 points over Tampa Bay on Sunday.

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