Very few people get excited about the check down pass. These mundane little plays usually never make the cut on the highlight film. But for those closest to the game, they are the building blocks to bigger and better things.
Check downs can extend drives. More importantly, check downs beat the alternative of taking a sack or throwing an interception.
There are times when this last option is the only option. This happens when the defense is bound and determined to not get beat deep. As seen in the picture below, on third-and-long in the second quarter, the 49ers’ defense is lined up with one high safety and the other safety is hovering in the middle of the field as a "robber".
When the ball was snapped, the corners will drop into a cover-3 defense. The corners and safety divide the field into thirds to make the offense pay for any throw down field. With the coverage retreating downfield, the defense is vulnerable in the flats.
Instead of risking the turnover, offensive coordinator Mike Shula calls a simple swing pass to running back Christian McCaffrey. You can tell it's a called play, because right tackle Darryl Williams pulls as if it's a run play (picture 2).
In reality, it is a run play with a long handoff and it makes total sense. It's also worth noting that the Panthers didn't even block the play side defensive end on the play. Tight end Greg Olsen headed up field to block, along with wide receiver Devin Funchess. Newton's quick throw negated the rush.
When the Panthers drafted McCaffrey in the first round of the 2017 draft, plays like this had to come to mind. When Newton gets the ball into McCaffrey's hands, he has the ability to turn a simple check down into a special play.
In this case, McCaffrey caught the ball five yards behind the line of scrimmage (Picture 3) and after a burst of speed he cruised out of bounds with a 16 yard gain and the first down. The play helped set up a field goal heading into halftime on the way to an opening day win.
