In A Bind: Kansas City Head Coach Andy Reid is a master at putting defensive players in a no-win situation.

FORMATION:

      The Chiefs are lined up in 12 personnel - one running back and two tight ends. To make this harder to decipher, they put the two receivers spread opposite the two tight ends. This created what I like to call a "nub" side. Formations like this, force defensive coordinators to make a choice - play the nub side for the run or stay in a balanced defensive set that accounts for the 2 by 2 passing set.
As you can see in this case, Panthers Defensive Coordinator Sean McDermott, who ironically worked for Reid in Philadelphia, moved his corners to the two receiver side to provide the best match ups.  In addition he lined up of his safeties over the number two receiver to protect against any deep threat.
                That left weak side linebacker Jason Williams (54) and safety Robert Lester (38) to the nub side to protect against a run to the boundary and also cover any pass combination involving the two tight ends that I will designate (H) and (U).

It is also worth noting that the tight end on the ball (H) was detached and the other tight end (U) lined up inside but off the ball.  This will comes into play when the Chiefs put him in motion.

MOTION:

Before the snap, the Chiefs used a simple motion to probe the Panthers coverage.  The tight end off the line (U) motioned across the formation and back.

At that point, the quarterback knew he was facing zone coverage since the Panthers defenders did not adjust to the motion. Now it was game on.

Just before the snap the (U) completed his yo-yo and at the snap burst towards the side line before wheeling up field on a vertical route.

It's that split second of indecision for the defense that's so critical to the success of the play. Who covers this apparent threat to the flat?  This is the main reason I prefer speed motion over shifts that allow the defense a chance to sort out coverage and make adjustments.

Normally, in this situation the outside linebacker would have responsibility for the flat or curl/flat.  The safety would then have responsibility for the deep half of the field. The magic of the motion is that it forces the defenders to choose between threat and responsibility.

If they make the wrong decision and even move a couple steps out of position that's all the offense needs to capitalize.

BIND:

In this case, the safety took several steps toward the (U) who was now running uncovered. The (H) delayed slightly before running his vertical into the safety's "ghost" (voided area). When the safety realized he was out of position it was too late. The chiefs quarterback delivered a strike and the (H) was on his way to the end zone.

Coach Craft