Trick formation - good thing they didn't try this last week

[tims4wins]

Reiss details it here

http://www.espn.com/blog/new-england-patriots/post/_/id/4798757/patriots-offensive-tactic-with-shea-mcclellin-sparks-thoughts-of-ravens-playoff-game

On one play in the first quarter, the Pats replaced Thuney with Shea McClellin, who split wide. Von Miller "covered" him even though he was ineligible.

What made the play legal despite the rule change last year is that McClellin was not an eligible receiver by virtue of his number, so he didn't have to declare himself ineligible (like Vereen did in 2014).

How pissed would Harbaugh have been?

Here is a screen shot

 

[DJnVa]

When you say "good thing they didn't try this last week", don't you really mean "Damn it, why didn't they try this last week?"

 

[bigq]

Love seeing Miller standing there looking lost completely removed from the play. Very cool.

 

[tims4wins]

When you say "good thing they didn't try this last week", don't you really mean "Damn it, why didn't they try this last week?"

Correct.

Also, I think it should have still been a penalty. I thought the new rule said that ineligible players must be lined up tight, i.e., within the normal o-line area.

Edit: actually, it was still legal. That part of the new rule only applies to players who have eligible receiver numbers (1-19, 80-89 I believe).

 

[BrazilianSoxFan]

Do you have a pre-snap screenshot?

 

[tims4wins]

Do you have a pre-snap screenshot?

No, this is from Reiss, but I am pretty sure it was a 4 man line with Shea split wide.

 

[Rook05]

The Pats did this a lot yesterday, but mostly with Develin, splitting him out wide at least a half a dozen times. At first I though it was a wild horses kind of deal to help Brady identify the defense but they left him out there. It seems like they were content trading a fullback for a linebacker to play 10 on 10 with the other guys. Kind of a cool concept of forcing the Broncos to cover your "worst" offense player with someone else, especially with the Broncos sort on linebackers.

 

[BigJimEd]

You notice he is behind Brady so he can receive a lateral.

 

[CoffeeNerdness]

I'm actually surprised Baltimore didn't complain about the hard d-line shifts the Pats used on several occasions. Pittsburgh whined about it last year when the Pats caused a false start on a goal line situation after shifting the defensive line.

http://deadspin.com/ben-roethlisberger-says-the-patriots-defense-bent-the-r-1730032314

 

[Stitch01]

That is hilarious. Was wondering WTF happened when Reiss said McLellan replaced Thuney for a play, now we know.

 

[GregHarris]

Bill Polian will be on this in the off-season to be sure.

 

[Joshv02]

Volin has the pre-snap screen shot.
He is also covered by Mitchell, which (b/c of his number) would make him ineligible [in addition to being undeclared and in the 50-79 range).

 

[BroodsSexton]

Also hilarious that they ran it with Number 58. Trolling?

 

[Toe Nash]

That is hilarious. Was wondering WTF happened when Reiss said McLellan replaced Thuney for a play, now we know.

Yeah, Simms and Nantz mentioned an "unbalanced line" but they are useless so they didn't go back to it. From Reiss's tweet I was thinking he lined up at the guard position and that made no sense.

 

[joe dokes]

Volin has the pre-snap screen shot.
He is also covered by Mitchell, which (b/c of his number) would make him ineligible [in addition to being undeclared and in the 50-79 range).

Half the teams in the league would've screwed it up because the WR right would've have lined up a yard off the line.
Since he didn't report, it would have been an illegal formation if he wasn't covered. Mitchell's position just made McCl a really wide tackle. That's how they smoked Balt with Vereen. *He* was covered, so ineligible. Result is the same. Defense "wasted" a player unnecessarily covering a guy.

Another example of Mitchell getting it.

 

[Pxer]

They do have to account for McClellin because of the lateral potential, correct? McClellin is pretty speedy, too.

 

[BuellMiller]

Walt Anderson must have forgotten to tell Miller not to cover McClellin. Because that's what the refs are supposed to do, right, Vinovich?

 

[joe dokes]

They do have to account for McClellin because of the lateral potential, correct? McClellin is pretty speedy, too.

Good point. I suppose one of Brady's options is to throw the long lateral to him if they get wise and just leave him all alone.