How the Lions Out-Schemed the Rams on the Biggest Play of the Game

The first 6 possessions of the Rams-Lions Wild Card game went: touchdown, field goal, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown, touchdown. This had the makings of an all-time shootout between quarterbacks Jared Goff and Matthew Stafford, with the score 21-17 after 26 minutes of play.

But there would be no more touchdowns the rest of the way. In fact, the two teams combined for just 9 total points over the final 34 minutes, and Detroit would ultimately pull out a 1-point win, 24-23.

In retrospect, that makes many of those first-half decisions and plays some of the most critical of the game. None perhaps was bigger than Dan Campbell’s decision to go for it on 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line on Detroit’s third drive of the game.

The playcall was one of Ben Johnson’s best of the day, as the personnel, formation, and route combination each gave the Lions a distinct advantage.

Detroit came out with 6 offensive linemen, 2 running backs, and 2 tight ends. This was goalline big personnel across the board. That got the Rams to match up in kind with 4 defensive linemen, 6 linebackers, and a safety. There were no cornerbacks on the field.

The Rams started in an under-center I-formation with all their personnel aligned tight:

Then they shifted to shotgun and a trips-bunch to the right. The bunch was made up of tight end Sam LaPorta, tight end Brock Wright, and fullback Jason Cabinda:

The two most athletic receiving threats on the field were LaPorta and running back David Montgomery, who had shifted to the backfield. The Rams preferred to have linebacker Ernest Jones match up to him if he leaked out of the backfield. That left the one DB on the field (safety John Johnson) and two linebackers to handle the trips bunch: