Packers have easier solutions than the Vikings because of their stick/flat passing principles./cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25205707/usa_today_22204193.jpg?w=640&ssl=1)
As the Green Bay Packers got ready to take on the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17, head coach Matt LaFleur had one very clear objective in mind: get the ball out of quarterback Jordan Love’s hands as soon as possible in order to counter the Vikings’ pass rush and pressure schemes. Though Love did make a few downfield passes as well, it worked, as the Packers prevailed 33–10.
According to Sports Info Solutions, the Vikings were blitzing a league-high 46% of the time going into week 17. They dominated Love on 59% of his passing snaps on Sunday night. Love completed 24 of 33 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns while grabbing no sacks. According to NextGenStats, he had a time to throw of 2.69 and a season average of 2.78.
Getting rid of the ball with forceful, fast throws,
Traditional stick/flat is paired with either a spacing concept on the backside or a slant/flat combination on the backside. In the ever-evolving world of NFL offenses, LaFleur has attached other zone or man coverage concepts with it to give the quarterback a variety of answers.
The stick/flat itself is a combination of a quick out route in the four- to six-yard range with a flat route underneath it as the first read. The quarterback reads flat to stick, reading the leverage of the flat defender.
Against the Vikings, it gave simple answers to Love as he diagnosed the coverages and blitz packages, allowing him to key specific players.
The defense is sending a 5-man pressure here with six zone droppers behind it in a 3-under/3-deep fire zone that plays out a lot like a Tampa-2/cover-2 shell instead of a single high safety shell.
The blitz comes off the right edge, indicating to Love that his read is the flat route to the right. This is a good concept against a 5-man pressure because it puts stress on the flat defender, who can’t get out to cover the flat route quick enough. Love pitches it out to Tyler Kraft who gives the defender a nasty stiff arm on his way to a 12-yard gain.
Versus a 3-deep 5-man pressure, Love read the flat defender again, who sat on the stick route. With the cornerback playing deep third coverage responsibility and sitting with a six-yard cushion off the receivers, the flat route was the easy option.
Against a 6-man pressure, the read for the stick/flat becomes even more defined. The trips side receivers are in a stack with the inline tight end, triggering the corner to play off coverage so they don’t get picked. The corner stays off after the motion and post snap so Love immediately throws the flat route again.
One way LaFleur likes to pair stick/flat is with a backside dagger option. This unique design gives Love answers for both man coverage and zone coverage concepts and was featured heavily in the win over the Chargers in Week 11.
The Packers are in an empty 3×2 formation with the condensed two-receiver side to the left. The front side of the concept is a stick/flat from the two-receiver side. The backside of the concept is running the two-man dagger concept with an intermediate crosser and a dagger/intermediate dig route behind it.
The defense is in drop-8 quarters coverage.