In what may have been a season-saving win, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Dallas Cowboys 31-28 on Sunday. Multiple Green Bay players stepped up to secure the victory. The offensive line helped hold the Dallas defense to only two sacks. Aaron Rodgers returned to form, putting on a much improved performance. Rookie receiver Christian Watson broke out for 107 yards and 3 TDs on 4 receptions. On the defensive side of the ball, perhaps the most impactful player ended up being the one getting his first real defensive snaps in a Packers uniform. Safety Rudy Ford, largely relegated to special teams work up to this point, became one of GB’s starting safeties in nickel packages, while Darnell Savage filled in at slot cornerback. Ford responded with a dynamite performance, recording four solo tackles – including multiple fantastic stops in the run game – and two interceptions.
Ford’s performance against the Cowboys showed off a versatile skillset. He demonstrated the ability to be physical and disciplined in the run game in addition to showing out in coverage. Although it’s still early, it appears that Green Bay may have found a valuable contributor on defense. His two interceptions came at critical points in the game, and both were excellent examples of his playmaking potential. Let’s take a look at how things went down.
The First Interception
Ford’s first pick – only the second of his career – could not have come at a better time. The Packers, down 7-0 in the second quarter, turned the ball over on a strip-sack at their own 10-yard line. A touchdown could’ve swung the momentum of the game completely in Dallas’ favor.
After a short 1st down run and a 2nd down sack, Dallas has 3rd and goal from the GB 11. They motion into 3×2 empty, with WR CeeDee Lamb lined up as the #3 receiver and TE Dalton Schultz aligned next to him in a reduced split. Green Bay is in a coverage called Stuff, which is Fangio’s nickel version of Cover 6. This means that to the passing strength (the 3-receiver side), Green Bay is playing Quarters. On the other side, they are playing Cover 2.
To break this down by individual assignment, this means that Jaire Alexander will be playing the outside 1/4 and Ford has the inside 1/4. Savage is playing the quarter flat zone to the passing strength – if either of Schultz or Lamb break outwards he will take the route. Isaiah McDuffie is walling any verticals from #3 and handling the middle hook zone. On the Cover 2 side, Adrian Amos has the deep 1/2 zone, Rasul Douglas is squatting on the flat, and Quay Walker is walling any vertical routes from #2 weak while maintaining a zone presence against curl routes.
The Cowboys are running verticals with #1 strong and both of the weakside receivers, but Dallas’ main avenue of attack comes from Schultz and Lamb. They are running Post-Dig – also known as the Mills concept – with switch releases. Schultz releases inside to run the Post, and Lamb releases outside to run the Dig. Normally, this is a good call against Quarters. The Post route, in theory, should occupy the 1/4 safety. This would allow the Dig to attack the space in front of the safety and behind the middle hook player.
However, Dallas’ execution and Green Bay’s coverage mess up the concept. Schultz doesn’t get vertical enough on the Post, meaning that he and Lamb are in the same area when the ball is thrown. McDuffie does an excellent job sinking under the Dig and reading the QB, closing off that route entirely. Dak Prescott tries to throw the Post, but Ford reads the throw and cuts in front of Schultz for the pick.
The Second Interception
Ford’s second turnover came on the next Cowboys drive, setting up Green Bay with fantastic field position before the two-minute warning. After two incomplete passes, the Cowboys face a 3rd and 10. Dallas lines up in a 3×1 formation, motioning TE Peyton Hendershot into a reduced split before the snap. Green Bay stays in its nickel personnel. They initially disguise the look, aligning as if they were in Cover 1 Robber. The corners, nickel DB, and LBs start in man-coverage alignments, while Amos appears to be the deep post player and Ford threatens to drop into the low middle of the field as a robber safety.
However, they rotate into Cover 2 (nickel Cover 2 is known as Brooklyn in Fangio terminology) with a safety as the middle-run zone player. Amos takes one of the 1/2 field zones, while Savage rotates from the slot into the other 1/2 field zone. Rudy Ford takes the middle-run zone – similar to Tampa 2, this means he’ll carry vertical routes down the middle of the field. The LBs are playing the curl zones. The corners look to be playing “Smash” technique on the flats. “Smash” places a heavy emphasis on rerouting #1 and preventing a free release. Rasul Douglas gets an especially nice reroute on the boundary WR to his side.
Disguised variations of Cover 2 have been some of Green Bay’s favorite 3rd down coverages so far this season, and this demonstrates how effective that coverage can be. The Cowboys look to be running 989, with the TE and RB chip-releasing on checkdowns. 989 is a classic vertical concept that has the two outside receivers running “9” routes (verticals) while an inside receiver runs a read route. On this snap, Lamb is running that inside route. His job is to read the safeties. If he thinks it’s two-high coverage, he’ll run a bender or post to split the safeties. If he believes it’s single-high, he’ll run a Dig to cross the safety’s face.
It looks like Green Bay’s coverage disguise gets Prescott and Lamb on different pages. Lamb correctly IDs the coverage as two-high and tries to run the bender. However, Prescott seems to expect him to cross Ford’s face. He’s likely fooled into thinking it’s a single-high coverage given how deep Ford stays. Hurried by Jarran Reed’s pass rush, Dak throws it as if he expects Lamb to be in front of Ford. Ford reads the throw perfectly and drives on it to secure his second interception of the day.
Conclusion
Thrust into an expanded role on a national stage, Rudy Ford showed that he belongs. The structure and execution of Green Bay’s coverages certainly played a significant part in Ford’s picks. However, he also demonstrated an ability to read offenses, execute his assignments, and make game-changing plays on the ball. Ford absolutely deserves to continue getting playing time. Frankly, he may deserve an extension beyond this season, given Savage’s struggles and Amos’ expiring contract. Whatever ends up happening, it will be a blast to see what Ford can do for the remainder of the season.
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