Low Red Zone Winners

Winning in the low red zone isn’t just about putting a bunch of big bodies on the field and pushing the defense back to get a yard or two. In today’s NFL, it’s about succeeding with scheme and creating space.

In recent years, Ben Johnson has been as good as anyone in this department.

This first example was a 4th-and-goal from the 2-yard line during the Lions’ 2023 Wild Card Playoff win over the Rams. Here, 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: