Tag: RPO

The Xs and Os: What is (and what is not) a run-pass option?

There’s a lot of confusion about what is, and what is not, an RPO. Professor Greg Cosell is here to explain it all.

The run-pass option has become a predominant force in a lot of NFL offenses over the last decade. Per Sports Info Solutions, there were 916 RPO dropbacks that resulted in passes in 2022. In 2019, which is as far back as we can go with reliable metrics, there were 709. In 2019, there were 1,439 running plays based on RPOs. In 2022, there were 2,674.

The point is, teams are using RPOs more often these days. The problem is, we’re not always sure what an RPO is, and what an RPO isn’t. Even Al Michaels, who for my money is the best sports broadcaster ever, can get confused.

Confusing defenses is the point. Confusing announcers and analysts, maybe not so much. And “reliable metrics” turns out to be the point.

So, in this week’s edition of “The Xs and Os with Greg Cosell and Doug Farrar,” Greg (of NFL Films and ESPN’s NFL Matchup) and Doug (of Touchdown Wire) get into what an RPO is, and what an RPO isn’t.

Consider it a public service.

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Seven schematic trends that define the modern NFL

From five-man fronts, to stunts, to safety switches, press coverage, and pre-snap motion, here are seven trends that define the modern NFL.

The NFL represents a constant battle of schemes and concepts between offenses and defenses. The third receiver predicated the 4-3 defense in the 1950s. The AFL’s vertical multi-receiver sets caused the creation of the 53 defense in the 1960s. The West Coast offense forced the advancement of the zone blitz in the 1980s. The 49 defense killed the old two-back pro set.

Throughout pro football history, there have always been those base, tentpole schemes that defined the game, because they worked so well… at least, until somebody came along with the perfect answers to erase them.

In today’s NFL, here are seven concepts that teams, coaches, and players are adhering themselves to more and more — because they work, until they are checkmated by another scheme.

(All advanced metrics courtesy of Pro Football Focus and Sports Info Solutions unless otherwise indicated). 

Top 5 landing spots for RB Jahmyr Gibbs in 2023 NFL draft

Best fits for Jahmyr Gibbs style in the NFL

Despite spending only one season in Tuscaloosa, Jahmyr Gibbs solidified himself as one of the most well-rounded running backs in the history of the Alabama Crimson Tide football program. Gibbs was not only the Tide’s leading rusher on the ground in 2022, but he also led the offense in receptions.

In recent years, the NFL game has transitioned to more RPO style and getting the ball out of the quarterback’s hands quickly. The premise is to get athletes the ball in space and let them do their work, which is exactly what Gibbs does.

He is a great safety valve for a quarterback under pressure because of his great hands and shiftiness in the open field. His ability to pick up the Alabama offensive scheme in only one year tells teams everything they need to know about his football knowledge as well.

It is pretty rare that running backs are selected in the first round of the NFL draft anymore, but Gibbs has been repeatedly projected in mock drafts as a first-round running back. Here are the top-five locations for Gibbs to land in the draft.

WATCH: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes at work in practice on Thursday

Reporters got a chance to see #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes doing some run-game and RPO drills during practice on Thursday.

Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes is practicing for the second consecutive day on Thursday following his high ankle sprain suffered in the AFC divisional round.

Mahomes spoke to media members on Thursday afternoon, explaining that he felt the first practice went better than he expected. Now, he’s out on the practice field getting some more work in ahead of the AFC Championship Game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

In the brief portion of practice open to media members, NFL Network’s James Palmer caught a glimpse of Mahomes doing some run drills and RPO drills.

Check it out:

By the looks of it, Mahomes is looking pretty spry despite the high ankle sprain. Mahomes cautioned, however, that there’s not much that the social media doctors can glean from a video.

“Yeah, I mean no one knows unless they actually get to put their hands on it and see it,” Mahomes said of his ankle injury on Thursday. “All I can do is prepare my body the best way possible. I mean, I’ve seen the videos and everything like that of me walking. I don’t know what you can really get from me walking. But I think people will see on Sunday where I’m at and I think I’ll see on Sunday where I am at. I’m just going to prepare my body the best way during the week to be in the best position possible.”

Take it as an encouraging sign or with a grain of salt, but know that Mahomes is doing everything possible to get himself prepared for Sunday.

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Kirk Cousins wants to tap into running the ball more himself

Vikings QB Kirk Cousins wants to run the ball more himself. What would it look like and what do they have in place to make it happen?

Kirk Cousins isn’t a quarterback known for running the ball himself but it is something that he is capable of doing.

Every so often, Cousins will scramble and run for a few yards and it will be a reminder that he has the ability to take advantage of a defense that isn’t expecting it. In fact, he did so on the final drive this past week against the Bears.

When he spoke to the media on Wednesday, he talked directly about wanting to use his legs more, something that could help open up the offense a little more.

The Vikings have started using some RPOs in their offense. RPO stands for run-pass option and is a play that gives the quarterback multiple options on a singular play.

The usual read is a linebacker. Depending on what he does at the snap, you either hand the ball off at the mesh point (putting the ball in the running back’s stomach) or you throw the ball. The usual route is a glance route (cross between a slant and a post) and it can be a lethal way to move the ball down the field.

They have done a couple of different RPOs this season. One of the concepts they have run has been in a split-zone concept.

They ended up running off of this but if Tyrann Mathieu ends up crashing hard to take out the run, K.J. Osborn is wide open for the score.

This past Sunday against the Bears, they ran an RPO with a glance route, which is the usual RPO concept that you see run.

The key here is the farside linebacker. He stays relatively flat-footed which allows Irv Smith Jr. to get behind him easily. The play nets the Vikings 16 yards and a first down.

How does Cousins factor into this? When you run RPOs, one option that you have is to run the ball. That would come from the edge defender crashing the line to stop the running back. If that happens, Cousins can take advantage in the running game with gashes of 10+ yards. Having that element also makes things easier for you in the running game with Cook and Mattison along with the passing game off of the RPO action.

How much will Cousins run? That remains to be seen, but the fact that Cousins wants to run more is a sign that it could very well be in the pipeline.

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