Larry Johnson Needs to Practice

by Chris Thorman on Nov 20, 2008 4:08 PM CST in 2008 Campaign Comment 20 comments

This clip, courtesy of C.E. Wendler over at Warpaint Illustrated, is a fantastic example of what missing four games can do to you as a player. You want to yell at the screen and point out that huge gap on the left side of the line. Keep an eye out for plays like this during this weekend's game.

I didn't plan on it but it's been a Larry Johnson day here at AP. We'll mix it up with another post later tonight.

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Good and Bad

OK, LJ should have been following Wade Smith. That’s what you’re supposed to do on a trap play. Basically, you are pulling a guard (or tackle) to be a lead blocker on the far side of the line. The RB is supposed to get in their hip pocket and follow. That has nothing to do with being rusty. A rusty back would miss a naturally occurring hole on the left side of the line. An ignorant back would forget how to run a simple trap.

But did you see Smith’s attempt at a block? Number 55 played it exactly right, he didn’t commit to either the inside or outside and would have been in a good position to make the tackle if LJ had followed his blocker. Smith completely whiffed on the block and looks like he’s trying to play patty-cake with the guy. Our number 87 sealed the outside edge very well and our receiver on the outside blocked off the corner. Had Smith committed to blowing up 55 from the inside-out their would have been a perfect hole to hit.

I give both LJ and Smith Ds on the play; LJ for not knowing how to run a trap and Wade for not knowing how to block.

by Chiefs4Life on Nov 20, 2008 4:34 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Yeah, but

If Brian Waters had controlled his defender LJ would have gotten past the line of scrimmage where Tony Gonzalez and Mark Bradley had their man blocked downfield and it would have been a huge gain. Its not all on LJ and its not all on Smith.

by bgrip12 on Nov 20, 2008 4:38 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Waters blocked his man exactly right. The run should have gone to the left, so Waters put himself between the hole and the defender. LJ ran directly into the wrong part of the line, right to where Waters should have (and did) push his man.

by Chiefs4Life on Nov 20, 2008 5:22 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the analysis Chiefs4Life

I’m digging it.

Arrowhead Pride

by Chris Thorman on Nov 20, 2008 5:24 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

I disagree

with the analysis of Smith’s block. He was in great position to block #55 – if LJ had been running the right way.

However, as can be seen in the video, the linebacker was already reacting to LJ going right, and that’s something that Wade was quite obviously not prepared for, since the play should have gone left.

by Seth_C on Nov 20, 2008 9:23 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

agree

Smith looked pretty agile on his feet.

"But what do I know, I’m like an empty room with a large ECHO"

by Lanier63 on Nov 21, 2008 9:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Completely disagree about Smith

The only reason the block wasn’t there was because Fujita noticed the run going right. Smith would at least gotten a paw on him if LJ had taken the right path. That’s not to say the tackle wouldn’t have been made either way, but the pull was good, the seal was good, LJ just didn’t follow.

by dkugler838 on Nov 21, 2008 8:37 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

just noticed the acknowledged disagreement

i agree with Seth – sorry for redundancy

by dkugler838 on Nov 21, 2008 8:39 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Thanks for the pimpage, Chris. Just want Larry to be the best he can be!

by bfett81 on Nov 20, 2008 5:04 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

By the way, someone pointed out to me that Brian Waters was doing his job – he turned his man. He had no idea Larry was going to run blindly into the right side of the line.

by bfett81 on Nov 20, 2008 5:05 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Precisely

by Chiefs4Life on Nov 20, 2008 5:19 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

There's 1 other factor.

This is almost an entirely different offense from what they were running 5 weeks ago.

by JayrodT on Nov 20, 2008 5:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

It doesn’t matter. If the play calls for the guard to pull, Larry should follow the guard. He’s done that hundreds of times.

by bfett81 on Nov 20, 2008 10:49 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Every defender on screen

As you watch that clip over and over the amazing thing is how if LJ would have followed his block every defensive player on the screen was accounted for. That should have been a huge gain on first down, but LJ was not patient and totally ignored the design of the play.

Earlier in the season there was a play where LJ ran blindly with his head down not even looking for the hole. The blocking was so good that there was a solid three seconds where LJ was just pushing into the back of one of the linemen. Once he noticed he hadn’t been tackled yet he finally looked up and ran for a good gain.

I am starting to think the problem with our run game is more LJ and not so much our blocking. I think he is an over hyped back who was never as good as his production looked.

by tevans96 on Nov 20, 2008 11:51 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Hey!

I am starting to think the problem with our run game is more LJ and not so much our blocking. I think he is an over hyped back who was never as good as his production looked.

You better keep quiet on that until we can trade him away in the off-season, man.

Until such time, simply repeat this: Larry Johnson is a premier back, easily one of the three best in the entirety of the NFL, and it’s simply our inexperienced offensive line and insufficient offensive planning that’s the problem.

by JacinB on Nov 21, 2008 11:10 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs

LJ is no Barry Sanders

that’s the problem…:D

by ali_djoo on Nov 21, 2008 3:18 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

The real problem ...

The real problem with this play is that Larry isn’t, apparently, aware that there is, in fact, field outside of the hash marks.

You gotta get into the LJ mindset, guys: Why run behind your blocker if he’s running out of ~~bounds~~ the hashmarks when you can run it right up the gut where there’s no hole and no seam for no gain … ?

by JacinB on Nov 21, 2008 11:05 AM CST reply actions 0 recs

What about

the fact that almost our entire o-line is BEHIND the line of scrimmage by the time LJ gets the ball?? probably not how it was designed or practiced….

by ChiefinDenver on Nov 21, 2008 1:29 PM CST reply actions 0 recs

Doesn't matter.

They’re sealing it so Larry can run to the left, following Wade Smith, which is how the play is designed. Note that all of the white jerseys have a red jersey between them and the ball carrier if Larry follows Smith to the left.

He doesn’t. He runs right into a defender on the right, rather than following where he’s supposed to follow.

by JacinB on Nov 21, 2008 2:25 PM CST up reply actions 0 recs

Should not be an issue.

LT, LG, left TE, and pulling guard are all on the line, a step behind the line, or on at the second level on a LB. If the backside C and T are behind the line, who cares!! The defenders are blocked at the point of attack! They had a seal there, and a seal there… !

by dragon6172 on Nov 22, 2008 7:42 AM CST up reply actions 0 recs