Gary Horton was a college coach and NFL scout for 10 years who now works with ESPN on all of the network’s NFL studio shows. He diagrams and explains exclusively for Post readers two potentially gamebreaking plays in tonight’s Super Bowl XLIII:
HB COUNTER SWEEP
Willie Parker (39) is healthy again, and that’s a key for the Steelers because they weren’t able to run this play effectively with him hurting or with any of their other backs. Parker reminds me of LaDainian Tomlinson in his ability to “press the hole,” which means he goes deep into the hole to lure the defenders inside, which opens up much better blocking angles for his teammates to allow him to bounce outside.
This play looks as if it is designed to run between right guard and right tackle, but there are a lot of subtleties involved. At the snap, Parker takes a counter step to his left in hopes of getting the defenders to take a step or lean that way. (C Justin Hartwig’s block on MLB Gerald Hayes is a difficult one, but if Hayes bites even a little, it creates a better blocking angle.) LG Chris Kemoeatu pulls and blasts into that hole to sell the inside run. Parker looks as if he’s hitting that hole hard, so SS Adrian Wilson (24) makes a beeline for that spot and LDE Antonio Smith and LOLB Chike Okeafor pinch inside. RT Willie Colon and TE Heath Miller (83) hook-block those two, and Parker simply plants in the hole and bounces to the outside.
The genius of this play for the Steelers is that Miller is outstanding at walling off the outside guy, and Hines Ward (86) is absolutely the best blocking wide receiver in football. The only way for the Cardinals to defend this play properly is for LCB Rod Hood (26) is to fight through Ward and turn Parker back inside, which is not likely, or for SS Wilson not to be fooled. But Wilson is so aggressive, it could get him into trouble. The Steelers could set up a big hitter here by actually running Parker through the hole a couple of times before calling the bounce-out.
Hear it from Horton
The key to this game is how the Steelers pressure Warner. They love to blitz James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley and especially Troy Polamalu from the outside. But I don’t think you can get to Warner with an outside pass rush. He’s in the shotgun and has a quick release, which is frustrating to an outside rush. He’s a different guy when the pass rush comes up the gut. Inside linebackers Larry Foote and James Farrior will be key, and Polamalu will have to wreak his havoc on the inside. The Steelers also could fake aggressiveness before the snap, then sit in coverage, but it’s not their identity to sit back. Cardinals, 27-21
GUN SLOT HOT VERTICAL
Kurt Warner is a magician at reading the blitz and is such a heady veteran that he would rather have the Steelers come after him than sit back in coverage because he can read the blitz and make ’em pay.
Pittsburgh SS Troy Polamalu (43) will be all over the field in a lot of different positions and schemes. The Steelers start out in a base Cover 2 look, but because of the freedom they have with Polamalu, they will move FS Ryan Clark (25) back to the deep middle by himself. Here, Polamalu comes across the field and joins ROLB James Harrison (92) for an overload blitz inside and outside Cardinals LT Mike Gandy (69).
If Warner sees the blitz coming, he has WR Larry Fitzgerald (11) in the slot, and knows he has a window where the blitzers vacated. Fitzgerald will run a quick vertical rout, possibly with an outside jab step, turn and look back immediately. The hot read is the vertical, but Fitzgerald also can slant inside. WR Steve Breaston (15) runs a quick out to take his corner out of play. TE Leonard Pope (82) runs at FS Clark to prevent him from sliding Fitzgerald’s way. The linebackers have no chance to prevent the pass completion. This play will be over in a matter of seconds. Either Warner gets the ball out and Fitzgerald in on the loose, or the quarterback gets sacked – so a big play could happen either way.