Vikings. Ben runs modified Martz scheme. He treats Gibbs as a slot back, Martz tried it with trung candidate. The constant pre snap motions, the pull or zone runs designed to give any back side defender a bad angle and selling out on the front. The big difference is he runs more than Martz and doesn't have so many 7 step drops. Check out the greatest show on turf. The route schemes, run schemes it's pretty much identical. he just runs more and uses Gibbs kind of like how he did with Aziz Hakim at times.
We'll see how resilient the Lions are on those 2nd downs. I think the Lions on offense this season more than ever have embraced that they are a running team. So if they put the Vikings on an early pass script, there will be more pressure on Darnold to handle more passing downs.
@@thematrix29His playbook thrives off of the rush. The only way anything works here is with a good OL, or else, the entire identity of this team would be completely different.
@@Karmy.And the Jags game. That was one of the best offensive performances I've ever seen. Right now the Lions could end up with two thousand yard rushers _and_ two thousand yard receivers this year.
The thing I think that makes this more effective is that the receivers are eager to block, and runners and lineman are eager to receive. St Brown has even asked for them to call runs because he wants to hit someone. When you have players eagerly wanting to take on other roles, that means two things: everyone is having fun, and everyone is fully engaged and believes in what the team is trying to accomplish. That's a winning combo. I hope this team wins a Super Bowl. They're working hard and having fun.
Exactly this! I rewatched the entire video focusing only on WRs blocking and it's just beautiful to watch. Also, makes it even harder to read for the secondary. If St Brown comes at you at full speed, is it because he wants to slam you or is it because he will just run past you and make you look silly, as he usually does? Every little detail matters in making this offense so flexible.
WRs who are willing to block are huge. People used to say Keyshawn Johnson was a typical WR diva but I never bought it because he was willing to block his ass off in the run game.
Ben Johnson doesnt want to leave Detroit. That's why he said I want 10-15million a year to be a head coach. He and his family is happy there. I dont blame him, I would want to move my kids around the country for a job that he could easily lose if he isnt goven the years to build his team. He has great job security.
Speaking of job security maybe he's looking for a situation that will give him a chance coaching a team long term. Not like what happened to Robert Saleh who took the job to coach the defense, get talented guys on defense but not having the talents on offense to give him a chance to close out games consistently. Or the two coaches that Rob Tepper churned out in recent years because he's a dogshit team owner.
100% and who knows how much Detroit is paying him. Campbell had to sell his house because his addresses got leaked and the $4M home he lived in was beautiful. I would doubt Ben AG and much of the staff is getting paid well. And what people don’t know is Michigan housing is not too expensive so the salary goes a little further.
The Commanders would have been a great fit for Ben Johnson this past off season to accomplish this. They have a star studded QB who would thrive in doing these trick plays probably. Plus Ben would’ve had a very mobile QB to implement new things. As a lions fan I don’t want him to leave, I hope we can keep him forever but I don’t see that as being realistic unless he somehow becomes our head coach
@@t4d0WIf he really wants job security im thinking he wants to go to a team with an already established oline. I could see him going to the Eagles next season. That would be a perfect fit for him and i feel like it would be hard for him to fail with the oline and weapons they have on offense.
Yup. BJ is a great OC. However, not many offenses work without competent oline. What Sewell achieves is another level. The pulling to the left side is ridiculous. I think Campbell wanted laporta to improve his blocking before spoiling him with air targets. I don’t think u can run this system with a star X receiver. Like what the rams do, u need a big body. Tim Patrick is ideal for this, I thought peoples jones would have filled that better but he didn’t work out.
Between Holmes acute eye for talent and Ben's schemes, all you need is Coach Dan's motivational gusto to bring One P ride to fruition. But oh, those 4th down tries.
Great video. Not a huge football fan but I love the Lions. High end videos like this allow me to see what they are actually doing. Thanks for the details ❤
The NFC North is absolutely insane this year. As a Packer fan I'm happy for the Lions though. They deserve it, this Lions team is just plain fun to watch.
Something I’m noticing about Jahmyr Gibbs this season is that he honestly looks like the fastest running back to the hole in the NFL. I’m not saying he’s faster than Saquon Barkley or King Henry but they seems to have a backfield to hole gear and then an open field gear. I swear Gibbs hits full speed and still has the ability to make his read step before he hits the line scrimmage when lining up 8 yards deep. He looks cartoonishly fast
Gibbs reminds me of Mercury Morris, who made multiple moves this way and that before committing to a gap. His death earlier this year (2024) was something of a shock, since he was just five years older than me.
As a lifelong hockey player and fan I haven't really understood what the hell I'm looking at in a football game though I've always enjoyed watching. This is very informative and I appreciate breakdowns like this.
Can you do a video like this one on Vance Joseph and the Broncos defense? After the game vs the Dolphins last year Denver’s defense has consistently been one of, if not the best defense in the league. Whether it’s a heavy blitzing plan, or rush 4 style Vance Joseph continues to get the best out of many players no one’s even heard about. I mean seriously…no name rushers, back up linebackers, backup or undrafted cornerbacks, backup safeties… really impressive.
Not really as impressive as you make it out to be. Vance Joseph simply likes to blitz man more than the other blitz heads who would rather work with 2 high safeties. He's also the only guy running Wade Phillips attacking 5-2 fronts in 2024. What makes it work is because he has the talents on secondary can play man (PS2, Riley Moss, McMillan at nickel) and tackle well. Also a bonus when the complimentary guys like Nik Bonito, Cooper, JF Myers and Zach Allen can all work playing in this attack style defense. Just one of those situations where the scheme is inconsistent without a secondary group of 'No Fly Zone 2024'.
@@roryp6104 I just elaborated on what TF wrote in his reply: "Although scheme wise it doesn't seem too complex, just a lotta great players playing well". Joseph was doing similar things last season and got worked the weekly variance by generating scores off turnovers. Because he has a secondary group with PS2, Riley Moss and McMillan. There is no way the idea of blitzing off man works as consistently for Joseph if he didn't have those guys who are amazing playing man coverage.
Make no mistake. It is not just Ben Johnson. Coach Campbell was the play caller when Anthony Lynn was let go and the offense began clicking instantly. And the entire coaching staff is full of ex great players that collaborate on the offense. Just listen when these coaches are doing their weekly press.
I don't think that's to be underestimated. Johnson is the playcaller, but a lot of these concepts were clicking after Dan took over calling duties for a while. That said, Ben is taking it to the logical ends.
Which is why I find it weird that folks think the offense philosophically may be set back if Ben Johnson leaves. But don't realize that the foundation of that offensive design comes from Campbell. The real drawback would certainly be the talent Johnson has for sequencing stuff and how he adapts against defenses.
@@t4d0WBen is probably more elite as a pure play caller and play designer. But I have full confidence Campbell himself is also elite at anything offense and will keep this team humming
@@coltrxne2154 My confidence in Campbell is finding the 'right' guy who will execute his vision and put up results. He seems to do the same for the rest of his staff. He canned Lynn in 2021 and became the play caller himself the rest of the season. More than likely he'll find through his staff/connections someone unproven but talented who can continue finding ways to evolve the Lions offense.
Great video. I am a…….fair weather fan. I enjoy watching the Lions (the last couple of years) but I’ve never considered the technical part of the game, especially the lineman. This video is an eye opener for me. I’ll be paying more attention to the guys in the trenches from now on. Thanks
That is a Maryland I. The fullhouse is a T formation under center. With that said, its cool how they use the air raid splits to pre-slide, and run what is essentially classic single wing stuff on the edges.
I’ve never been so excited for the football season. We knew the Lions had something last year, but seeing how much they’ve evolved within a few months is just amazing. I really hope the get to the Superbowl and win.
Outstanding analysis. The Lions have that special mixture that all great teams in any sport possess. Brilliant, innovative coaching, a talent-rich and self-disciplined roster and a robust organizational culture. Only the elite teams operate at the highest potentials the game offers. The Lions are one of these elite. These Lions seem built to last and evolve as they progress. It sure has been fun so far. Again, your analysis clearly explains what makes the Lions such a joy to watch.
Tim Patrick has been a very big addition this year. He was out of football for two years he totally understands what the system needs from him. At 6-5 210 he is almost like a TE/WR in this blocking assignments.
He's just there to be a deep 50/50 ball winner in pass downs for the most part. They don't have that with their current rotation of receivers who excel at catching in the middle or in the short game. Which is why they have been trying to cycle through guys like DJ Chark or even Jameson Williams in hopes they get that complimentary deep pass catching threat.
You can't run the ball the way the Lions do without culture. This is literally an example of an organization that has perfectly put all the pieces together.
Detroit has a pretty good offensive line though. Those guys are beasts. And getting your receivers to commit to blocking is sometimes a huge challenge.
Quite the impressive combination of talent and sophistication. Really enjoyed this. Who saw this coming 2 years ago, when the Lions started out 1-6 in year 2 of the rebuild? Rebuild? More like hairpin turn and accelerate.
Its more like the most encouraging process to the Lions rebuild attempt since they lucked out getting Suh and Stafford in the early 2010s. I wasn't so high on it until I started seeing the pieces they were working it. O-line talent was there with Decker/Ragnow in the mid 2010s and Sewell solidified that O-line wall for the next decade (Sewell probably going to be a generational run blocking tackle). Which was going to enhance whichever RB and skillset they had. Ben Johnson (and Campbell) approached this offense with Goff to run it similar to McVay's 2018 offense. But added in new wrinkles like playing shotgun, having a checkdown slot merchant in St. Brown (later Laporta) along with further diversifying the run/pass game with Gibbs.
Ben Johnson is definitely a big part of what the Lions are doing. But having the right personnel and a HC that can manage all of those personalities while getting the most out of them is just as big. We know Dan Campbell is capable of this, it remains to be seen whether Ben can have similar success.
One reason Johnson stayed is to get more data points on how he wanted to run a team. Last year, he became way more comfortable in his offense. Now, I think he is working out how he would want his DC to adapt to this style. He is basically breaking defenses apart to see what he wants. When he does choose a team he'll be ready.
I think he's also waiting for a solid opportunity to open up. He's probably seen what happened to Frank Reich and Robert Saleh dealing with shitty owners who expect good results despite having a not so deep roster. So he doesn't want to end up in those similar bad situations with lackluster talents on offense. Especially with no long term young QB and bad O-line.
"They're willing to block because they get touches." And THIS is why the Lions can do so many trick plays and crazy concepts. Because nobody ever takes a break on any one play. Nobody is ALLOWED to, because the offensive concepts being used here are so incredibly complex that if any one piece is even a split second off, the play dies. On the flip side, BECAUSE everybody is involved, everybody can play at 90-95% all the time, and only really go to 100% when it's really needed. That gives the offense a better physical balance, too.
This is looking like a Ben Johnson and sun god highlight tape. I had no idea that he was one of the best in the game at blocking. I was just watching some old Hines Ward tape because I wanted to see some wide receiver blocking highlights I thought of him. Psycho 86. the sun God is a damn good blocker.
I’m fairly new to this channel though I’ve watched about 15 video. Do you have one video that explains why college can get away with trick plays and circus like playa vs NFL, which is more about execution?
Talent/Speed of the game There are 1/2 NFL players on most college teams, which leaves you with a lot of players you can attack and exploit. The guys who make the pros are athletic and read the game much faster - it's far more difficult to attack those sorta players
@@ThinkingFootball thanks I’m aware of that, but that does not really explain all options. Flea flickers used to work in NFL. Basically there’s a method to the madness - an analytical view of why bunch formations in NFL works etc. I think you’ve captured the essence in this video which is condense and then exploit. But Chip Kelly and Lane Kiffin were quite innovative in the NFL and college. Anyway you get my broader point. Would love to see a video of this.
@@vigilante7 of all trick plays we see in the NFL, the Flea flicker is probably the second most common! We made a whole video about it here - maybe this will help - ruclips.net/video/QMVY4JjW9Oc/видео.html
Receivers know: "No block, no rock." These receivers take pleasure in blowing guys up. Just shows you the total team concept the Lions have going here. All these guys buy in. It's like 11 guys playing as one. Truly a study in chemistry.
Hope lions win the SB this year. Goff put so much sweat equity in the team and the lions have stayed with their offense and Goff. They can be explosive. Goff is crazy accurate recently, less int’s, back shoulder throws, you name it. They have the talent and they get better weekly. Greta video! 👍
Having the best Oline in football helps. My team the Seahawks Oline couldnt block these plays Almost every time Kenneth Walker gets the ball he has to beat one or two men in our backfield Ben Johnson is great but so is their line
I know having a head coaching job is the pinnacle, and Ben deserves the opportunity and every dollar that comes with it. However, the Lions need to do everything they can to keep him by giving him every single demand he has to stay put. I couldn't imagine the Lions without him.
I can. Johnson's real talent is his tactical acumen for adjusting with his play calling along with his creativity to use the athletes on offense. But even if Johnson left, its not like this offense with the prime O-line talent is going to run less. This is Dan Campbell's end game vision of what he wants this offense to be which is to win in the trenches just move the defense around. And he's willing to cut ties with his staff that won't get results believing in his vision. Just ask Anthony Lynn who didn't last a season as the OC under Campbell back in 2021.
Agreed. Good case of adapting your system to the players you have and utilizing their strengths. Goff is very, very good in terms of processing the field, getting the ball where it needs to go to exploit what the defense is giving him, and can deliver a long ball with touch. Not great under pressure nor too mobile. So they built the line to buy him an extra second and plenty of weapons to work with on the cheap (for now). The Lions know what they're doing.
For the motion plays that set up a blocking scheme; how may teams have a top 5-10 WR that's willing to block the mike up the gut on a run play? Team culture plays a part here.
I know he has turned down Head Coaching offers in recent seasons, but I dream of having this guy replace Sirianni in Philadelphia. Our offense would be insane with him calling the plays. Jalen would remain the weak link, but I think half his problems are terrible coaching and lack of meaningful direction he can trust. A good coach might fix that. If not, we'll have to move on when the contract allows in a couple of years.
Jalen may be a weak link but a good/great offensive play caller can focus on the other stronger links and take advantage of the situation. AJ Brown and DeVonte Smith in most situations are great iso ball winners. O-line has the athletes to bully on inside/duo. But it would also help for Saquon to get to the outside more besides being strong at running inside. Which is why I feel Saquon may be important for the Eagles and their January football aspirations. Because Jalen may not be the runner he was from 2022. So Howie signed a very talented RB to still get more out of the Eagles run game and O-line talent.
@@t4d0W I still have doubts that this team will have much January football. The defense is atrocious. I hope the offense looks more like Kellen Moore's offense with everyone healthy. It had started looking a lot like Sirianni's offense of late -- everything out of shotgun, uncreative routes, and no pre-snap motion. I'm not sure the injuries alone were sufficient reason to abandon our entire scheme. I can't help but think Nick was getting overly involved again. Saquon has been great. He's the reason we aren't 0-4. The OL is still elite, as evidenced by their ratings in both run- and pass-blocking. They play a terrible Cleveland team tomorrow in Philly and coming off a bye. If they can't look crisp for the first time since the Super Bowl LVII loss, I don't see much hope for them. Cleveland is abysmal against the run, and Philly has the best RB in the NFL this year. Let's see if they don't come out throwing the ball, instead of imposing their will with the run, having Hurts throwing picks and handicapping the offense. I hope they finally get themselves right, starting this week; but it's been over a year. I don't think you can clear the funk without canning Sirianni. I'd like to see how Moore does as interim-HC. It's hard to wow anyone as an interim coach. If he doesn't, they can try to woo Johnson.
Jalen could do well with Johnson I think as Ben (and Campbell) are good at building offenses around the strength of their players. Jalen is mobile, built like a brick ****house, can be a great passer, and good at analyzing situations to a point. The Eagles aren't without weapons either. What they need is to scheme 'em up, retool the O-line a touch, and let Jalen cook. Jesus, Johnson to Philly is going to happen, isn't it.
@@thestormofwar I sure hope so. He's turned down other jobs, but Philly is a great opportunity. They are a great organization and have an insanely loaded offense.
You lost one of (if not the greatest), centers ever, I think it just taking some time to learn how to adapt to it. I think Philly will be up and running good by January, should be them and Washington challenging for the division.
This is such a good video because it demonstrates so effectively to people that all the BS narratives about "character" or "leadership" are such garbage. What wins games is material strategy. Using the abilities of the people on the team to create tactics that gain yards. It's not a fairy tale. It's about applied knowledge and training.
This is such a good video because it demonstrates exactly how important "character" and "leadership" is. You can scheme all you want, but you will not be able to run the plays the Lions are running without receivers fully committing to the run and blocking like they mean it.
@donbur1553 I'm saying that because Sirianni can't be ruined, because he didn't have any value in the first place from his position as an OC, he didn't call plays, didnt provide schematic variance.
I've been a Lions fan all my life even when I called them the Lie-downs. They're so much fun to watch now! This team is doing whatever they want to do and getting it done. It's nice to sit down on Sunday to watch them and not feel any anxiety about how they're gonna screw it up or the refs screwing us.
Now, Ben Johnson wasn’t doing this in Philadelphia, but he’s flourishing in Detroit. So, now I’m wondering: was it really him that was the problem? Or was it actually Sirianni?…
Watching this after their game against the Texans (and Goff's 5 interceptions) I hear this at the end "And providing they don't beat themselves with turnovers..." - Or maybe even turnovers don't matter for this team 😀
Who do you want to see a breakdown on next?
www.patreon.com/thinkigfootball - to support the channel and watch our Amon Ra college Scouting Report
Vikings. Ben runs modified Martz scheme. He treats Gibbs as a slot back, Martz tried it with trung candidate. The constant pre snap motions, the pull or zone runs designed to give any back side defender a bad angle and selling out on the front. The big difference is he runs more than Martz and doesn't have so many 7 step drops. Check out the greatest show on turf. The route schemes, run schemes it's pretty much identical. he just runs more and uses Gibbs kind of like how he did with Aziz Hakim at times.
When I saw the highlights of ARSB when the Lions picked him in the 4th round, it was clear they got a steal. I was like: *"wow!"*
Love how often you see Lions receivers committing to good run blocks. Team effort!
that shit is inspiring bro no cap
Ben johnson vs Brian flores next week will be so fun
You have no idea how hyped I am for that game
We'll see how resilient the Lions are on those 2nd downs. I think the Lions on offense this season more than ever have embraced that they are a running team. So if they put the Vikings on an early pass script, there will be more pressure on Darnold to handle more passing downs.
@@thematrix29His playbook thrives off of the rush. The only way anything works here is with a good OL, or else, the entire identity of this team would be completely different.
Agreed! Ben is already 2-0 against Flores :)
See Amon Ras unsolicited comments. Ben is setting up plays for weeks in advance. I’m so exited for that game and the next one
after watching that cowboys game, this one’s gonna need a sequel
and now with the Titans game
@@Karmy.And the Jags game. That was one of the best offensive performances I've ever seen. Right now the Lions could end up with two thousand yard rushers _and_ two thousand yard receivers this year.
@@BiggieTrismegistusand against the titans 😂 this team is steam rolling
The thing I think that makes this more effective is that the receivers are eager to block, and runners and lineman are eager to receive. St Brown has even asked for them to call runs because he wants to hit someone. When you have players eagerly wanting to take on other roles, that means two things: everyone is having fun, and everyone is fully engaged and believes in what the team is trying to accomplish. That's a winning combo. I hope this team wins a Super Bowl. They're working hard and having fun.
Exactly this! I rewatched the entire video focusing only on WRs blocking and it's just beautiful to watch. Also, makes it even harder to read for the secondary. If St Brown comes at you at full speed, is it because he wants to slam you or is it because he will just run past you and make you look silly, as he usually does? Every little detail matters in making this offense so flexible.
WRs who are willing to block are huge. People used to say Keyshawn Johnson was a typical WR diva but I never bought it because he was willing to block his ass off in the run game.
"Offense is a joy to watch." As a Cardinals fan I have to strongly disagree, it was painful watching them just squeeze the life out of us.
Gotta give y'all credit though your guys' defense also held strong in the second half, kept the game competitive to the end 💪
@@RikusentaiOfficial Agreed. Straight up, that game gave me a heart attack.
Facts I’m a cowboys fan and I didn’t even want to click on this mf
😂 yall fought though. Thats what will count
@@michaelsomone-rn1tvyall though...nyall uh, didn't fight. But hey I believe in Aubrey
Ben Johnson doesnt want to leave Detroit. That's why he said I want 10-15million a year to be a head coach. He and his family is happy there. I dont blame him, I would want to move my kids around the country for a job that he could easily lose if he isnt goven the years to build his team. He has great job security.
Speaking of job security maybe he's looking for a situation that will give him a chance coaching a team long term. Not like what happened to Robert Saleh who took the job to coach the defense, get talented guys on defense but not having the talents on offense to give him a chance to close out games consistently. Or the two coaches that Rob Tepper churned out in recent years because he's a dogshit team owner.
100% and who knows how much Detroit is paying him.
Campbell had to sell his house because his addresses got leaked and the $4M home he lived in was beautiful. I would doubt Ben AG and much of the staff is getting paid well. And what people don’t know is Michigan housing is not too expensive so the salary goes a little further.
I hope you are right. As much as I am impressed by Dan Campbell, Ben Johnson and Brad Holmes are indispensable parts of the equation.
The Commanders would have been a great fit for Ben Johnson this past off season to accomplish this. They have a star studded QB who would thrive in doing these trick plays probably. Plus Ben would’ve had a very mobile QB to implement new things.
As a lions fan I don’t want him to leave, I hope we can keep him forever but I don’t see that as being realistic unless he somehow becomes our head coach
@@t4d0WIf he really wants job security im thinking he wants to go to a team with an already established oline. I could see him going to the Eagles next season. That would be a perfect fit for him and i feel like it would be hard for him to fail with the oline and weapons they have on offense.
Watching all these clips and all I can focus on is how good Sewell is. Detroit was blessed with this dude man.
Yup. BJ is a great OC. However, not many offenses work without competent oline. What Sewell achieves is another level. The pulling to the left side is ridiculous. I think Campbell wanted laporta to improve his blocking before spoiling him with air targets.
I don’t think u can run this system with a star X receiver. Like what the rams do, u need a big body. Tim Patrick is ideal for this, I thought peoples jones would have filled that better but he didn’t work out.
Between Holmes acute eye for talent and Ben's schemes, all you need is Coach Dan's motivational gusto to bring One P ride to fruition. But oh, those 4th down tries.
Great video. Not a huge football fan but I love the Lions. High end videos like this allow me to see what they are actually doing. Thanks for the details ❤
The NFC North is absolutely insane this year. As a Packer fan I'm happy for the Lions though. They deserve it, this Lions team is just plain fun to watch.
Agree!
Something I’m noticing about Jahmyr Gibbs this season is that he honestly looks like the fastest running back to the hole in the NFL. I’m not saying he’s faster than Saquon Barkley or King Henry but they seems to have a backfield to hole gear and then an open field gear. I swear Gibbs hits full speed and still has the ability to make his read step before he hits the line scrimmage when lining up 8 yards deep. He looks cartoonishly fast
Gibbs reminds me of Mercury Morris, who made multiple moves this way and that before committing to a gap. His death earlier this year (2024) was something of a shock, since he was just five years older than me.
Hes def faster than barkley and henry. Doesnt look close
Wait til you find out jah ran a faster 40 than both of the players you just named…
And if you put Gibbs up against Jamo, even Gibbs looks slow. I LOVE how much depth we have in our team this year.
I can't tell you how many times this year I've been amazed at just how quickly Gibbs is 5 yards past the line of scrimmage.
We need more Downfield Laterals
We really do. I hope I ive to see it lol
I'll never forget the Boise state Oklahoma one. When it's drawn up good it's so money.
As a lifelong hockey player and fan I haven't really understood what the hell I'm looking at in a football game though I've always enjoyed watching. This is very informative and I appreciate breakdowns like this.
Phenomenal analysis sir. Thanks for the video!
Ben Johnson has been a genius this year with the offensive schemes
Your voice is so soothing. I could watch these videos on that alone
🥹 I don’t want Ben Johnson to ever leave. My heart couldn’t take it if he ever leaves Detroit
I think he’s leaving after he wins then loses the SB. So about 20 years.
I'm surprised he didn't get hired away last year. He's ready for a hc job.
Quick heads up for later. Amon-Ra is normally referred to as "Saint" in lions land.
Or Sun God
Can you do a video like this one on Vance Joseph and the Broncos defense? After the game vs the Dolphins last year Denver’s defense has consistently been one of, if not the best defense in the league. Whether it’s a heavy blitzing plan, or rush 4 style Vance Joseph continues to get the best out of many players no one’s even heard about. I mean seriously…no name rushers, back up linebackers, backup or undrafted cornerbacks, backup safeties… really impressive.
Definitely a video topic coming!
Although scheme wise it doesn't seem too complex, just a lotta great players playing well
Not really as impressive as you make it out to be. Vance Joseph simply likes to blitz man more than the other blitz heads who would rather work with 2 high safeties. He's also the only guy running Wade Phillips attacking 5-2 fronts in 2024. What makes it work is because he has the talents on secondary can play man (PS2, Riley Moss, McMillan at nickel) and tackle well. Also a bonus when the complimentary guys like Nik Bonito, Cooper, JF Myers and Zach Allen can all work playing in this attack style defense. Just one of those situations where the scheme is inconsistent without a secondary group of 'No Fly Zone 2024'.
@@t4d0W so your reasoning for why it’s not an impressive job by Vance Joseph is because the defense is good?
@@roryp6104 I just elaborated on what TF wrote in his reply: "Although scheme wise it doesn't seem too complex, just a lotta great players playing well". Joseph was doing similar things last season and got worked the weekly variance by generating scores off turnovers. Because he has a secondary group with PS2, Riley Moss and McMillan. There is no way the idea of blitzing off man works as consistently for Joseph if he didn't have those guys who are amazing playing man coverage.
Make no mistake. It is not just Ben Johnson. Coach Campbell was the play caller when Anthony Lynn was let go and the offense began clicking instantly. And the entire coaching staff is full of ex great players that collaborate on the offense. Just listen when these coaches are doing their weekly press.
I don't think that's to be underestimated. Johnson is the playcaller, but a lot of these concepts were clicking after Dan took over calling duties for a while. That said, Ben is taking it to the logical ends.
Which is why I find it weird that folks think the offense philosophically may be set back if Ben Johnson leaves. But don't realize that the foundation of that offensive design comes from Campbell. The real drawback would certainly be the talent Johnson has for sequencing stuff and how he adapts against defenses.
@@t4d0WBen is probably more elite as a pure play caller and play designer. But I have full confidence Campbell himself is also elite at anything offense and will keep this team humming
@@coltrxne2154 My confidence in Campbell is finding the 'right' guy who will execute his vision and put up results. He seems to do the same for the rest of his staff. He canned Lynn in 2021 and became the play caller himself the rest of the season. More than likely he'll find through his staff/connections someone unproven but talented who can continue finding ways to evolve the Lions offense.
Maybe a video looking at what makes Pat Mahomes so special (especially when the play 'breaks down')
Subscribed, you do awesome work!
Phenomenal breakdown, seriously that is some outstanding analysis. Thank you and great job!
Great video. I am a…….fair weather fan. I enjoy watching the Lions (the last couple of years) but I’ve never considered the technical part of the game, especially the lineman. This video is an eye opener for me. I’ll be paying more attention to the guys in the trenches from now on. Thanks
This is a badass channel. Nice work.
That is a Maryland I. The fullhouse is a T formation under center. With that said, its cool how they use the air raid splits to pre-slide, and run what is essentially classic single wing stuff on the edges.
I’ve never been so excited for the football season. We knew the Lions had something last year, but seeing how much they’ve evolved within a few months is just amazing. I really hope the get to the Superbowl and win.
Outstanding analysis. The Lions have that special mixture that all great teams in any sport possess. Brilliant, innovative coaching, a talent-rich and self-disciplined roster and a robust organizational culture. Only the elite teams operate at the highest potentials the game offers. The Lions are one of these elite. These Lions seem built to last and evolve as they progress. It sure has been fun so far. Again, your analysis clearly explains what makes the Lions such a joy to watch.
Tim Patrick has been a very big addition this year. He was out of football for two years he totally understands what the system needs from him. At 6-5 210 he is almost like a TE/WR in this blocking assignments.
He's just there to be a deep 50/50 ball winner in pass downs for the most part. They don't have that with their current rotation of receivers who excel at catching in the middle or in the short game. Which is why they have been trying to cycle through guys like DJ Chark or even Jameson Williams in hopes they get that complimentary deep pass catching threat.
This aged well lol.
You can't run the ball the way the Lions do without culture. This is literally an example of an organization that has perfectly put all the pieces together.
In all my years on this earth that had never been said about the Lions
Great video. Fantastic breakdown! Subscribed.
This Detroit offense is just putting on a clinic this year. Unreal.
Detroit has a pretty good offensive line though. Those guys are beasts.
And getting your receivers to commit to blocking is sometimes a huge challenge.
U can’t run this system with a star X. U need big journey men receivers that r just happy to win and make millions of dollars blocking
@@chevy4x466 sometimes those primadonnas aren't worth the hassle.
Johnson says "no block, no rock". And I think with the amount of options available the receivers believe him.
12:28 it was already a TD at that point. So beautiful to watch
Quite the impressive combination of talent and sophistication. Really enjoyed this. Who saw this coming 2 years ago, when the Lions started out 1-6 in year 2 of the rebuild? Rebuild? More like hairpin turn and accelerate.
Its more like the most encouraging process to the Lions rebuild attempt since they lucked out getting Suh and Stafford in the early 2010s. I wasn't so high on it until I started seeing the pieces they were working it. O-line talent was there with Decker/Ragnow in the mid 2010s and Sewell solidified that O-line wall for the next decade (Sewell probably going to be a generational run blocking tackle). Which was going to enhance whichever RB and skillset they had. Ben Johnson (and Campbell) approached this offense with Goff to run it similar to McVay's 2018 offense. But added in new wrinkles like playing shotgun, having a checkdown slot merchant in St. Brown (later Laporta) along with further diversifying the run/pass game with Gibbs.
Ben Johnson is definitely a big part of what the Lions are doing. But having the right personnel and a HC that can manage all of those personalities while getting the most out of them is just as big. We know Dan Campbell is capable of this, it remains to be seen whether Ben can have similar success.
“Hey honey, new thinking football just dropped”
"Already watching dear"
Well put! Do one with kc on how they outsmart!
One reason Johnson stayed is to get more data points on how he wanted to run a team. Last year, he became way more comfortable in his offense. Now, I think he is working out how he would want his DC to adapt to this style. He is basically breaking defenses apart to see what he wants. When he does choose a team he'll be ready.
I think he's also waiting for a solid opportunity to open up. He's probably seen what happened to Frank Reich and Robert Saleh dealing with shitty owners who expect good results despite having a not so deep roster. So he doesn't want to end up in those similar bad situations with lackluster talents on offense. Especially with no long term young QB and bad O-line.
I think Johnson stays another year. He’d be insane to leave Detroit to take a position like the Jets or Jags or Browns.
"They're willing to block because they get touches." And THIS is why the Lions can do so many trick plays and crazy concepts. Because nobody ever takes a break on any one play. Nobody is ALLOWED to, because the offensive concepts being used here are so incredibly complex that if any one piece is even a split second off, the play dies. On the flip side, BECAUSE everybody is involved, everybody can play at 90-95% all the time, and only really go to 100% when it's really needed. That gives the offense a better physical balance, too.
It really does feel like we got 2 super solid head coaches in Detroit
I just hope Shelia pay Ben whatever he wants to stay in Detroit.
This is looking like a Ben Johnson and sun god highlight tape. I had no idea that he was one of the best in the game at blocking. I was just watching some old Hines Ward tape because I wanted to see some wide receiver blocking highlights I thought of him. Psycho 86. the sun God is a damn good blocker.
I’m fairly new to this channel though I’ve watched about 15 video.
Do you have one video that explains why college can get away with trick plays and circus like playa vs NFL, which is more about execution?
Talent/Speed of the game
There are 1/2 NFL players on most college teams, which leaves you with a lot of players you can attack and exploit.
The guys who make the pros are athletic and read the game much faster - it's far more difficult to attack those sorta players
@@ThinkingFootball thanks I’m aware of that, but that does not really explain all options. Flea flickers used to work in NFL.
Basically there’s a method to the madness - an analytical view of why bunch formations in NFL works etc.
I think you’ve captured the essence in this video which is condense and then exploit. But Chip Kelly and Lane Kiffin were quite innovative in the NFL and college.
Anyway you get my broader point. Would love to see a video of this.
players arent as good
@@vigilante7 Solid fundamentals across the board always ruin gimmicks, in any sport, in any competitive environment. Think critically.
@@vigilante7 of all trick plays we see in the NFL, the Flea flicker is probably the second most common!
We made a whole video about it here - maybe this will help - ruclips.net/video/QMVY4JjW9Oc/видео.html
Receivers know: "No block, no rock." These receivers take pleasure in blowing guys up. Just shows you the total team concept the Lions have going here. All these guys buy in. It's like 11 guys playing as one. Truly a study in chemistry.
Ben is a mad freakin' genius!
this guy will be the next great HC, wherever he goes I go
Brian Johnson is a very smart offensive coordinator!!
Hope lions win the SB this year. Goff put so much sweat equity in the team and the lions have stayed with their offense and Goff. They can be explosive. Goff is crazy accurate recently, less int’s, back shoulder throws, you name it. They have the talent and they get better weekly. Greta video! 👍
fascinating analysis. thank you.
Hope ben stays with us a few years, let's build a dynasty! I freaking love this team
So happy for the Lions and Goff. Goff was sent there to waste his career away, but he made out better than Stafford. The coach is perfect for the city
TE Leak against the Rams was diabolical
Ben J is a demon in the headset
Having Ben, Matt, and Kevin all running crazy offenses in the NFC north is crazy fun to see.
Best coached division in football
Football KNOWLEDGE right there, folks! Go Lions!
Having the best Oline in football helps. My team the Seahawks Oline couldnt block these plays
Almost every time Kenneth Walker gets the ball he has to beat one or two men in our backfield
Ben Johnson is great but so is their line
Came for the lesson stayed for how many Amon Ra nicknames we was going to get 😂😂😂😂
Tim Patrick has been huge this season, he's playing selflessly blocking for Sonic and Knuckles
He is a big dude, like a te
I know having a head coaching job is the pinnacle, and Ben deserves the opportunity and every dollar that comes with it. However, the Lions need to do everything they can to keep him by giving him every single demand he has to stay put. I couldn't imagine the Lions without him.
I can. Johnson's real talent is his tactical acumen for adjusting with his play calling along with his creativity to use the athletes on offense. But even if Johnson left, its not like this offense with the prime O-line talent is going to run less. This is Dan Campbell's end game vision of what he wants this offense to be which is to win in the trenches just move the defense around. And he's willing to cut ties with his staff that won't get results believing in his vision. Just ask Anthony Lynn who didn't last a season as the OC under Campbell back in 2021.
@t4d0W That's true. I suppose there's nothing to really worry about with our current roster.
Lions running game is unbelievable. They very rarely get negative yards on run plays.
Rule 1 of brilliant coaching: Have amazing OL blockers
Reminds me of the triple spin single wing offense.
Everyone on the team is a weapon. Go Lions
Well done!
Next head coach of the bears
He's making Goff look good. Man knows what he's doing.
Agreed. Good case of adapting your system to the players you have and utilizing their strengths. Goff is very, very good in terms of processing the field, getting the ball where it needs to go to exploit what the defense is giving him, and can deliver a long ball with touch. Not great under pressure nor too mobile. So they built the line to buy him an extra second and plenty of weapons to work with on the cheap (for now).
The Lions know what they're doing.
For the motion plays that set up a blocking scheme; how may teams have a top 5-10 WR that's willing to block the mike up the gut on a run play? Team culture plays a part here.
Yeah this is happening again today. Clowning on the Cowboys.
Is this really the Detroit Lions now? Amazing.
I wonder if he can fix the Pittsburgh offense
Nobody is THAT good, unfortunately.
@@Max-oj8jl 🥺🫠
Never gonna find out
NO BLOCK, NO ROCK. Dan Campbell has made it clear to the skilled position guys, if you don't block for your teammates, he's not calling your number.
I remember when Anthony Lynn was calling plays for Detroit. It was very strange.
I cried lol
Drake Maye under Ben Johnson will be generational
7:33 this play just looks good right off the snap
I know he has turned down Head Coaching offers in recent seasons, but I dream of having this guy replace Sirianni in Philadelphia. Our offense would be insane with him calling the plays.
Jalen would remain the weak link, but I think half his problems are terrible coaching and lack of meaningful direction he can trust. A good coach might fix that. If not, we'll have to move on when the contract allows in a couple of years.
Jalen may be a weak link but a good/great offensive play caller can focus on the other stronger links and take advantage of the situation. AJ Brown and DeVonte Smith in most situations are great iso ball winners. O-line has the athletes to bully on inside/duo. But it would also help for Saquon to get to the outside more besides being strong at running inside. Which is why I feel Saquon may be important for the Eagles and their January football aspirations. Because Jalen may not be the runner he was from 2022. So Howie signed a very talented RB to still get more out of the Eagles run game and O-line talent.
@@t4d0W I still have doubts that this team will have much January football. The defense is atrocious. I hope the offense looks more like Kellen Moore's offense with everyone healthy. It had started looking a lot like Sirianni's offense of late -- everything out of shotgun, uncreative routes, and no pre-snap motion. I'm not sure the injuries alone were sufficient reason to abandon our entire scheme. I can't help but think Nick was getting overly involved again.
Saquon has been great. He's the reason we aren't 0-4. The OL is still elite, as evidenced by their ratings in both run- and pass-blocking.
They play a terrible Cleveland team tomorrow in Philly and coming off a bye. If they can't look crisp for the first time since the Super Bowl LVII loss, I don't see much hope for them.
Cleveland is abysmal against the run, and Philly has the best RB in the NFL this year. Let's see if they don't come out throwing the ball, instead of imposing their will with the run, having Hurts throwing picks and handicapping the offense.
I hope they finally get themselves right, starting this week; but it's been over a year. I don't think you can clear the funk without canning Sirianni. I'd like to see how Moore does as interim-HC. It's hard to wow anyone as an interim coach. If he doesn't, they can try to woo Johnson.
Jalen could do well with Johnson I think as Ben (and Campbell) are good at building offenses around the strength of their players. Jalen is mobile, built like a brick ****house, can be a great passer, and good at analyzing situations to a point. The Eagles aren't without weapons either. What they need is to scheme 'em up, retool the O-line a touch, and let Jalen cook.
Jesus, Johnson to Philly is going to happen, isn't it.
@@thestormofwar I sure hope so. He's turned down other jobs, but Philly is a great opportunity. They are a great organization and have an insanely loaded offense.
You lost one of (if not the greatest), centers ever, I think it just taking some time to learn how to adapt to it. I think Philly will be up and running good by January, should be them and Washington challenging for the division.
A lot of these plays would’ve made more sense had the down and distance been shown. Time and quarter are just as important
It has A LOT to do with that beastly O Line.
Next Jets head coach. He wants Jordan Travis as his do it all toy running his O with Breece Hall and Garret Wilson at his disposal.
Congrats to the lions, they have been losers since the 1950`s. Also they don't call him goof anymore
Barry White talking football.
Well done
This is such a good video because it demonstrates so effectively to people that all the BS narratives about "character" or "leadership" are such garbage. What wins games is material strategy. Using the abilities of the people on the team to create tactics that gain yards. It's not a fairy tale. It's about applied knowledge and training.
This is such a good video because it demonstrates exactly how important "character" and "leadership" is. You can scheme all you want, but you will not be able to run the plays the Lions are running without receivers fully committing to the run and blocking like they mean it.
they ran that lateral to sewell today against they cowboys lol
Too be fair, overwhelm the "Cardinals" and "Hawks" is doing a bit of heavy lifting in this.
Ben Johnson need to be the head coach at dallas
Eagles gotta pay this dude 20 mil to be there next HC.
Why to ruin him also
@@donbur1553What did Nick Sirianni do as an OC?
@cameronholmes7424 OC & HC are two different positions what are u talking about
No, you stay away!
@donbur1553 I'm saying that because Sirianni can't be ruined, because he didn't have any value in the first place from his position as an OC, he didn't call plays, didnt provide schematic variance.
I've been a Lions fan all my life even when I called them the Lie-downs. They're so much fun to watch now! This team is doing whatever they want to do and getting it done. It's nice to sit down on Sunday to watch them and not feel any anxiety about how they're gonna screw it up or the refs screwing us.
Ben, spread the offense. Use your backs more on the outside. Gibbs has blazing speed, fusing use it
Ben Johnson is incredible. The lions need to keep him around n for awhile. Get it done ford's. It won't be cheap but it is necessary
Amazing how much of his offense resembles Kyle Shanahan but they never paired or overlapped time together
Now, Ben Johnson wasn’t doing this in Philadelphia, but he’s flourishing in Detroit. So, now I’m wondering: was it really him that was the problem? Or was it actually Sirianni?…
Watching this after their game against the Texans (and Goff's 5 interceptions) I hear this at the end "And providing they don't beat themselves with turnovers..." - Or maybe even turnovers don't matter for this team 😀
Dawg every time you say Ra it hurts. Saint is his contraction.
He got 4 names - tell him to pick one
Not my fellow colts fans and i getting attacked in the first minute😂
Jags next head coach possibly
he murdered my hawks on primetime 💔
Please come to the Saints Ben Johnson 😭
No please stay in Detroit
Let go buffalo its going to be a good one🎉
Seattle was missing their entire front four