Breaking down Cole Holcomb’s performance against the Chiefs
Taking a closer look at how linebacker Cole Holcomb played against the Chiefs
One of the bright spots from Washington’s loss to the Chiefs was the performance of linebacker Cole Holcomb. The linebacker position has been heavily criticized so far this season as one of the weakest positions on Washington’s roster. Jon Bostic struggled in coverage and missed tackles while first-round pick Jamin Davis has made little impact in the first few weeks of the season. Holcomb has been the one linebacker holding things together.
In fact, Holcomb has often been the only linebacker on the field, with Washington opting to use a 5-1-5 nickel package with five defensive lineman and five defensive backs. He’s been the only reliable player at linebacker and Washington has been trying to find creative ways to limit other linebackers getting on the field. For much of the season then, Holcomb has just been trying to hold things together. On Sunday against the Chiefs, we saw Holcomb step up and really have a significant impact on the game. Where he stood out most was in coverage.
This was one of Holcomb’s most impressive plays of the day in my opinion. He lines up over star tight end Travis Kelce, who runs a slightly deeper stick route, working to about 10 yards of depth before breaking outside. Holcomb does a good job not biting on the run fake and then attaching his coverage to Kelce. He clearly knew what was likely coming, which would have been the result of lots of film study. Holcomb effectively runs the route for Kelce, meaning he makes the break outside before Kelce does, anticipating exactly where he intended to go.
Quarterback Patrick Mahomes makes a bizarre decision to throw the ball to Kelce anyway, despite Holcomb being in a perfect position. Kelce does extremely well to take an offensive pass interference penalty and save what could have been a huge interception for Holcomb and Washington.
Even without the interception, it was a very well defended play by Holcomb. That wasn’t the only time Holcomb played Kelce’s route well either.
Here, Washington plays a Cover-2 look with two deep safeties and five underneath zone defenders. Holcomb is one of those underneath defenders responsible for a seam-hook zone. The Chiefs isolate Kelce to the left and have him run a hook route. Holcomb initially reads the route well and sinks his coverage underneath the route from Kelce to take it away. Mahomes then shuffles slightly in the pocket and looks for Kelce to work off-script slightly, breaking inside away from Holcomb’s coverage. Holcomb can’t see Kelce behind him, but he follows Mahomes’ eyes and adjusts inside to cut off the throwing window. Mahomes then is forced to check it down in the flat.
Holcomb also had some impressive plays in coverage against some wide receivers down the field.
These two plays are both quite similar in both the route being covered and the assignment Holcomb was tasked with. In both plays, Holcomb sinks back as the middle underneath defender as part of a zone-match coverage. In these types of coverages, a defender doesn’t just drop to a specific spot and watch the quarterback, instead they look to match their coverage to the most appropriate route.
On the first play, the Chiefs have speedster Mecole Hardman running a deep hook over the middle. Holcomb starts the snap looking at the inside receiver, but once he breaks to the flat, Holcomb’s eyes then progress to the second receiver, which is Hardman. Hardman works more vertically. So Holcomb opens his hips to turn and run with him. Holcomb has to try and wall him off from crossing the middle of the field, so takes an inside position to prevent any potential crossing route. Hardman then sits his route down and Holcomb attaches to it. At this point, Mahomes begins to scramble, but Holcomb knows Hardman is still a huge threat, especially off-script, so he sticks to the receiver to ensure Mahomes doesn’t have that outlet to throw to.
On the second play, the Chiefs have Tyreek Hill running what some teams call a Miami route, where he fakes a deep over route before breaking back outside towards the sideline. Holcomb plays it the same as the first play. He initially reads the tight end, who chips and then works to the flat. Holcomb’s eyes then go outside to Hill and he sees that threat, so he opens his hips to turn and run with Hill. Holcomb has to wall off any crossing route, so plays with heavy inside leverage, enabling Hill to generate some separation as he breaks back outside. However, Holcomb is able to make up ground and close on Hill, taking the route away and forcing Mahomes to check it down again.
These were all good plays in coverage where Holcomb was able to match his coverage to the appropriate receivers to take the route away. But his best play in coverage was his pass break up.
On this play, the Chiefs look to run a basic drive concept, but out of an empty formation to spread out the defense. The inside receiver runs a basic cross at a depth of about 10 yards while the slot receiver runs a shallow cross underneath. The point of these two routes is to create a high-low stress for Holcomb. Either he sinks back to negate the deeper route, but gives up the shallow cross for a potentially long catch and run underneath, or he steps up to take away the shallow cross but gives up the deeper crossing route behind him.
Holcomb initially works off the release of the inside receiver, gaining depth as he works vertically. Holcom sees him breaking over the middle, but also spots the slot receiver breaking inside underneath as well. So Holcomb decides to split the difference. He gets enough depth from matching the initial release of the inside receiver that he makes it a tight window to throw behind him, while also keeping himself in a position to drive on the underneath throw. Mahomes decides to back his arm and accuracy, trying to fit the ball to the deeper route behind Holcomb, but Holcomb is able to stretch out his right hand and tip the ball and deflect it off its path, making it fall incomplete.
It was a strong day in coverage for Holcomb, but he played a pretty complete game too. He was just as active and effective against the run.
Here, the Chiefs look to run a trap scheme, which is designed as a change up to typical gap scheme runs. The right tackle and right guard initially look like they’re combining to double team the defensive tackle, but both actually fake the block before working up to the linebackers, while the left guard pulls around to trap the unsuspecting defensive tackle. This can be tough for linebackers to diagnose because the pulling guard is typically a key for them to read and work to the pull side, but suddenly the tackle is in position to make a block on them.
Holcomb, however, reads the play nearly perfectly. He keys the pulling guard and takes one step towards the right side of the line, but then spots the right tackle and right guard leaving the defensive tackle and working up towards him. Holcomb then adjusts his position and gets his eyes on the back. He spots the back cutting inside behind the pulling guard, so Holcomb works inside and makes the tackle to keep the gain to a minimum.
Holcomb also showed a tremendous amount of effort throughout the game. On his forced fumble, Holcomb ran from one side of the field to the other in order to make the play.
On this play, the Chiefs run an end-around with Hardman working from the left side of the field to the right side. Holcomb initially aligns over the left side of the offensive line and even positions himself slightly outside of the tackle box. He spots the offense all working to the other side, but holds his position for a moment to ensure it's not all misdirection. Once he spots the ball being pitched, he takes off running towards the far side of the field. Holcomb makes up a ton of ground and closes on Hardman as he attempts to burst through the line of scrimmage. He makes a form tackle from the side, but hits the ball out as he looks to wrap up, causing the fumble.
It was a very strong performance from Holcomb overall, despite Washington losing the game and conceding 31 points. Combined with Jamin Davis starting to show some signs of progress, Washington probably had it’s best linebacker performance of the season against the Chiefs. Holcomb appears to have taken on a bigger role with play-calling duties now that Bostic is injured and Davis proved he wasn’t quite ready for that much responsibility yet. If the Chiefs game is anything to go by, then Holcomb appears ready for the added responsibility.
Breaking down Cole Holcomb’s performance against the Chiefs
Good to read and see that Holcomb and Davis had solid games. The lack of effort and tackling from the secondary is apparent from the game broadcast, so that group desperately needs to step up.
Very nice analysis, thank you!