A critical completion in a critical moment.
One of the most pivotal plays of the Colts’ Week 11 win over the Jets was a 39 yard pass from Anthony Richardson to Alec Pierce on the game’s final drive. It was the play that got the Colts rolling.
What happened on the play? Let’s take a look.
As always, I must provide the caveat that I am giving you my best guesses based on the information in front of me. I was not in the huddle. Nor did I see how the players involved were coached to handle these situations.
If you are still reading, I presume that even with the disclaimer, you are looking for my educated guesses. So let’s go.
The Jets come out showing a two high safety look, most likely some form of a Cover 2 defense.
The two safeties are likely splitting responsibility for the deep part of the field in half. Jalen Mills is the safety to the near side of the picture. He will be helping over the top on that side of the field. However, in a two deep look, the safety will have a difficult time covering a vertical sideline route. This is especially true since the safeties are aligned just 10 yards from the line of scrimmage.
As you can see, Pierce is running a vertical route. Getting to the sideline from just outside the hashes will take some time. The cornerback, Sauce Gardner, in this case, might need to run down the field with the receiver until he can pass coverage off to the corner.
In this case, however, Sauce releases Pierce early. He seems to have his attention drawn by an underneath route coming into his original zone. However, the route is well-covered. Even if it does result in a completion, however, given the game situation it’s one the Jets can live with. It will be a short gain as the Jets are protecting the lead with just over 2:00 left in the fourth quarter.
Because Sauce releases Pierce, a deep window opens up. Again, I’m not in the huddle. It would seem to me, however, like Sauce should run further down the field with Pierce in this situation to constrict the passing lane until Mills is ready to take over, especially in this situation.
None of this is to excuse Mills on the play. He is late in getting over to cover Pierce.
I think there is a bit of blame to go around here. Gardner released Pierce, and it doesn’t seem like he had a particularly good reason. Sauce ends up in no man’s land. Mills doesn’t get to his coverage spot on time. I also think the alignment from the playcall had an impact. Being just 10 yards deep made the coverage more difficult than it otherwise might have been.
Either way, the Colts ended up with a big gain to get a big drive going.