Norv Turner’s variation of the Air Coryell offense features a lot of vertical routes down the field. In theory, the successful power run game should open up play action passes deep down the field. The Panthers offense under Rob Chudzinski in 2011 and 2012 was based on Turner’s Air Coryell playbook. When Chudzinski left in 2013, Mike Shula took over, and for the next five years he slowly expanded the concepts in Chudzinski’s playbook (which, remember, was based on Turner’s). When asked by the Charlotte media about the adjustment the players would have to make to Turner’s “new” offense, Turner had this to say:

This is a really interesting quote from Turner. He mentions how the main offensive concepts have mostly remained the same all these years. His comment about wanting to build on some of the successful concepts the Panthers already run is also very interesting.

One of the most famous Air Coryell pass concepts is the ‘989’, which features a go route from the X (the 9 route), a post route from the Y (the 8 route) and another go route from the Z (the 9 route). It’s an ISO (isolation) route concept that requires the receivers to individually win their routes against man or zone coverage. The Panthers ran this exact play a few times last season, and had some success:

The diagram above is from Norv Turner’s 1996 playbook when he was with the Washington Redskins. The game has evolved over the past twenty years, and now features more spread concepts with different underneath routes, but the three main routes in this concept (the 9, 8, and 9) have remained the same.

On this play against the New England Patriots, the Panthers are in an offset-I formation out of 12 personnel (1 RB, 2 TE, 2 WR). Ed Dickson is the inline tight end and Chris Manhertz is the offset fullback. The Panthers are facing a first and ten on their first offensive drive of the game, and Mike Shula dials up the 989 pass play to try and get the Panthers deep into Patriots territory.

The Patriots are running Cover 3, which is a 3 deep and 4 underneath zone coverage featuring a single high safety deep. Newton is going to read the free safety.

Kelvin Benjamin and Devin Funchess are blanketed on the outside, but Dickson is able to find the soft spot behind the linebacker and in front of the safety.

Newton does a great job fitting the ball into a tight window and the Panthers pick up 25 yards on the play.

I mentioned earlier how Mike Shula took some of the Air Coryell concepts from Turner’s (and then Chudzinski’s) original offense and then further expanded them. This next play is a great example of that. It’s still the 989 concept, but notice how Shula creatively drew up the play with extra pre-snap motions and spread alignments.

The Panthers are facing a first and ten at their own 36 yard line in the third quarter. The Panthers are in 11 personnel (1 RB, 1 TE, 3 WR) but go empty backfield by motioning Christian McCaffrey to wide receiver. Notice how the defense simply widens their alignment when McCaffrey motions to receiver – this means the defense is in zone coverage. If they were in man coverage, a linebacker or safety would follow McCaffrey across the formation.

The Panthers once again run the 989 concept. However, this time McCaffrey is running the 9 route on the outside. Ed Dickson runs the 8 route, while slot receiver Russell Shepard runs a shallow crossing route underneath. On the weak-side of the formation, slot receiver Kelvin Benjamin runs the 9 route, while Funchess runs a “now” route. The Patriots are once again in Cover 3, and McCaffrey is well covered by the cornerback. Kelvin Benjamin is actually open for a potential touchdown, but Newton is still working on his progression on the strong side, where Ed Dickson is once again able to get some separation against the safety.

Newton once again fits the ball into a tight window and the Panthers gain 24 yards on the play.

I’m curious to see how the Panthers will perform on offense next season. Norv Turner’s philosophy is to frequently throw the ball downfield, which naturally puts a lot of stress on the offensive line to hold up for a long time in protection, and on the receivers to win individual routes deep downfield. The Panthers offense with their current personnel isn’t well-equipped for this style of play, so I’m interested to see what the Panthers will do this offseason in free agency and in the draft.

All GIFs and images courtesy of NFL.com

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