Two weeks, two different quarterbacks on the signal-caller spectrum. After squaring off with Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in Week 7, the Chicago Bears now face rookie quarterback Sam Darnold and the New York Jets. Darnold’s NFL career got off to a rather dubious beginning, as he threw a pick-six on his first career passing attempt. In the wake of that throw, however, Darnold led the Jets to a win in their season opener over another NFC North team, the Detroit Lions. Here is a look at his game last week against the Minnesota Vikings, with an eye toward how offensive coordinator Jeremy Bates is using him in the Jets’ offense.

Play-Action and Personnel

Bates is a branch off the Jon Gruden/Mike Shanahan coaching tree and a disciple of a traditionally West Coast offensive system. However, over the start of this season and certainly into last week this offense began to take on some different flavors. Against the Vikings, the Jets turned to multiple TE offensive personnel groups, pairing those with play-action looks to try and give Darnold some easier throwing lanes. As we will also see, some of these route concepts were more “half-field” reads, designed to simplify the decision-making process for the rookie QB.

Late in the first quarter the Jets trailed Minnesota by seven. Facing a first-and-10 on the Minnesota 37-yard line they aligned with Darnold (#14) under center and used '12' offensive personnel, aligning in a 2x2 formation with a tight end in each wing. Given this package, the Vikings kept their base defense on the field. The Jets employed a crossing route concept here working off of play-action:

They show a split-zone running play with one of the tight ends cross-blocking across the formation, from right to left. The two wide receivers run deep crossing routes, while the running back leaks out to the right flat after carrying out the fake. The rub that is created on the crossing routes creates space for Robby Anderson (#11), and even though the throw from Darnold is high, the pass is completed for a big gain:

Later on the same drive, the Jets turned to a '13' offensive personnel package, again pairing a multiple-TE look with play-action for a big play in the passing game. The Jets line up with Darnold in the shotgun and use a Double-Y wing to the left. New York shows a run/pass option design, with Darnold meeting the running back at the mesh point, but this is a straight play-action passing play:

The route concept is fairly simple. From left to right one tight end runs a corner route while the other wing TE runs a shallow crosser. Chris Herndon (#89) runs a quick post over the middle, while Anderson runs a post route from the outside. As you will see, the mesh action in the backfield draws the two inside linebackers downhill just a step or two, but with Herndon starting the play with inside leverage against safety Harrison Smith (#22), those few steps are enough to create a throwing lane for Darnold to find Herndon for the touchdown:

The personnel, alignment and design create opportunity for success.

Early in the second quarter the Jets again paired '13' offensive personnel with a play-action passing play. Only this time they looked to hit on a deep shot down the field:

The route design is very similar to the previous play, with a double post route (or Dino concept) on the right side of the formation with a backside corner route from a tight end. But with the football in Jets’ territory, this is more of a vertical route concept on this play. Darnold might have a chance to hit his tight end over the middle of the field, but instead forces a deeper throw to Anderson that is more of a 50/50 throw.

Half-Field Reads

Another common thread to these three plays, in addition to the play-action elements and multiple tight end personnel groups, is the simplified read structure in place. The first play, the crossing concept, gave Darnold one specific area of the field to read: The rub. The other two plays were more “half-field” reads, asking Darnold to just scan one half of the field and make his decision. This simplified read process has been an element of Bates’ offense so far, and it was in effect early and often on Sunday. Here are some more examples.

Early in the fourth quarter the Jets are in the red zone. In contrast to the previous examples, the Jets now empty the backfield and put Darnold in the shotgun, lining up with three receivers on the left and two receivers to the right. The Vikings show single-high coverage in the secondary, but the cornerbacks align in off coverage. Bates again simplifies the thought process for his quarterback, using a mirrored Smash concept:

As discussed previously mirrored route concepts make the thought process for the QB easier by pairing down decisions the quarterback has to make. The route structure is the same to each side of the field, so the QB is tasked with determining the coverage and then reading just one half of the field, based on the coverage keys. Or, if the defense is in a standard coverage concept where all things are equal (as opposed to some sort of combination coverage or pattern match) he can simply take his “best look” side, whether that is matchup based or short side/wide side of the field.

Here, Darnold looks to the left side of the field, and throws the corner route for a near-touchdown:

Mirrored route concepts give the offense a potential full-field read, but work to simplify the decision process by reducing the play to a half-field read for the quarterback after the snap.

Bates has also displayed the ability to set up a defense for a play later in the game after showing some thing earlier in the contest, even with these half-field looks. On their opening possession the Jets have a '12' offensive personnel package but align Herndon in the backfield next to Darnold, who is in the shotgun. Two receivers are split to the left in an inverted slot. This is the route concept the Jets dial up as called by Bates:

The receivers run a curl/post combination while the running back releases to the flat. Darnold throws to the running back under duress and places the ball fairly well, but the RB is stopped short of the sticks and the Jets are forced to punt:

Again, this is a half-field read for the quarterback. On the backside the two tight ends are tasked with pass protection.

Later in the game the Jets again use '12' offensive personnel, only this time Herndon is in an inverted wing on the right. The route concept is the same as the previous play, with a slight twist:

The receivers run the curl/post concept, but the running back runs a wheel route. Trenton Cannon (#40) releases to the flat before breaking vertically, and he is open along the sideline and Darnold hits him for a big gain:

So even when simplifying the offense, Bates can still set defenses up with play designs as he does on these two snaps.

Two Mistakes

Darnold threw three interceptions against the Vikings, and though one of them was a good throw bobbled by his target into the hands of a defender, the other two were mistakes on his part that are worth discussing. The first was an example of Darnold trying to do too much with a throw, an issue that plagued him during his time at USC.

Midway through the third quarter the Jets have the football trailing by 10. Having just given up a touchdown, they look to put together a scoring drive of their own and begin the drive facing first-and-10 on their own 33-yard line. They align with Darnold under center and three receivers to the right, in a tight TE bunch look. The Jets run a triangle concept to the left, while the single receiver on the backside runs a corner route:

Darnold attempts a pretty risky throw here under pressure. The Vikings are in a Tampa 2 coverage, and Darnold tries to throw the backside corner route, but the cornerback does a very good job staying underneath the route, which enables him to tip the football at the catch point:

The ball is deflected into the arms of Harrison Smith for the interception, which he returns down deep into Jets’ territory.

This is a very risky throw and an example of Darnold perhaps relying on his arm too much. It is a ten-point game in the third quarter, and it is first down. There is no reason to try and get a huge play here when you have some easier throws on the other side of the field.

The other interception that can be attributed to Darnold came on a play in the fourth quarter when he made the right read on a half-field concept but simply missed the throw:

The Jets run a Dagger concept here, with an inside seam route clearing out space for the dig route coming from the outside and breaking underneath it. Darnold tries to find Andre Roberts (#19) on the dig route, but the throw is simply off target and intercepted. The QB needs to be a bit more patient here and let the dig route come closer to the hashmark, as that is the landmark for this route concept. But by throwing it too quickly in the play he makes it a tougher throw. Waiting for a split-second brings Roberts into a bigger throwing lane, and makes it an easier throw.

Like all rookie QBs, Darnold has struggled at times this year. But Darnold's offensive coordinator is doing some good things from a schematic standpoint to give him simplified decisions and easier throws. In addition, Bates has shown the ability to set a defense up for a bigger play later in the game. These are all things to watch Sunday when the Bears host Darnold's Jets.