Vogel’s Analysis: Inside LA Rams Cooper Kupp’s 55-Yard TD catch

The play call dialed to perfection

It’s hard to mess this play call up, even with unexpected pressure. The play that the Rams went with is one that has been in Madden for almost two decades. It’s known as Deep Attack in the game. I like to call it a cover-two buster.

The concept is running two vertical routes along the sidelines. You know that you have two deep defenders, and they’re reading from the inside of the field going out. What that means: as they drop into coverage reading the play, they are moving toward the sideline and away from the middle of the field.

Safety thresholds exceeded

The safeties are going to vacate the middle of the field because the cornerbacks are playing zone coverage underneath. When they see a receiver running a go route along the sideline, they bolt to cover that. So this is where Cooper Kupp in the slot works his magic. He runs a skinny post route into the middle of the field that the safeties have just vacated and sneaks behind the linebackers who are playing coverage underneath and (usually) don’t have the depth to stop the throw.

Look at the video of the play here. It’s a beauty. Goff delivered a perfect strike, and the Rams went on to seal the deal, winning the game 17-9.

It was the perfect play call that Sean McVay waited for all game to use. He baited the Giants into overcommitting underneath and torched them over the top with one of his most electric playmakers. This is what makes the Rams so difficult to defend. They are going to be a very tough team to stop for the rest of the season.