Jordan Reed's unexpectedly busy day

By now you have heard the buzz about how rookie Jordan Reed stole the bulk of Fred Davis' playing time against the Packers.

After the jump I have play breakdowns of every one of the snaps he played (or at least all of them where I could identify him during a quick skim through NFL Game Rewinds "Condensed" feature; I'm sure I missed one or two). But if you're not one to go into all the details here are my takeaways:

- I did not get to see much run blocking out of him, because falling behind 31-0 just doesn't create a whole lot of run blocking opportunities. Unfortunately that is what I am most curious to see about him, because if he can block competently then he is even better positioned to take Fred Davis' job next year if not earlier.

- He was expected to be the tight end who mostly motioned and split out wide while Fred Davis lined up at the more traditional TE spot, like a less murdery Aaron Hernandez (allegedly!). But on Sunday he spent much of his time in a three point stance on the line of scrimmage, and I never saw both he and Davis on the field at the same time. The conclusion: he and Davis are not fulfilling different roles, he was absolutely replacing Davis.

- He seems to be a very aggressive route runner, really selling an outside route before cutting inside and so forth.

- He was always near the bottom of Griffin's route progressions, so there were a number of occasions he got open but Griffin had already thrown to one of his first reads. So while he showed potential don't go picking him up in your fantasy league just yet, it's not like the Redskins are going out of their way to force the ball to him.

- Check out his blitz pickup at 11:41 in the third quarter.

And now on to the play breakdowns:

The play by play is cut and pasted from the NFL's official Game Book, then my commentary is added under each. Screenshots are from NFL Game Rewind's All-22 film. If you have access to Rewind or have the game DVR'd feel free to fire it up as I didn't screenshot everything.

FIRST QUARTER

3-4-WAS 40 (6:17) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete deep middle to J.Morgan [B.Jones].

Reed is on the line of scrimmage in a tight trips bunch and runs a drag route to draw the underneath coverage away from Morgan’s post route.

1-10-WAS 20 (2:27) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short left to P.Garcon to GB 36 for 44 yards (S.Shields).

Lined up as the in-line TE on the right, runs a short diversionary route on the backside of a WR screen.

SECOND QUARTER

3-6-WAS 42 (10:20) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete right to P.Garcon (N.Perry).

Motions across the backfield to the right then runs another drag. He finds himself in a lot of space because all the LBs are blitzing, but for the same reason Griffin doesn’t have a passing lane in his direction. That doesn’t stop him from waving his hand for the ball, of course.

2-16-GB 40 (3:46) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short middle to J.Reed to GB 29 for 11 yards (B.Jones).

In-line TE to the left. The ILB manned up on him hesitates at Reed’s stutter to the outside, thus giving away leverage when it turns into a crossing route:

Between that extra cushion and some speed he is able to catch the ball three yards over the LOS and turn it upfield for 8 more:

3-5-GB 29 (3:08) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete short left to P.Garcon.

In-line TE to the right, he and Santana (left slot) both work the middle of the field to try to open up a slant to Pierre Garcon.

THIRD QUARTER

3-2-WAS 45 (13:36) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete short left to S.Moss (S.Shields).

In-line TE to the right. Pretty sure he forgets the play call as it appears as if he tries to block the ILB before the pass is thrown:

2-10-WAS 46 (11:41) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass deep middle to P.Garcon to GB 36 for 18 yards (S.Shields).

He starts off on the line of scrimmage, then motions to his left, then reverses to settle in at H-back on the right side. Despite his positioning on the right side of the formation, he is immediately aware of Claw Matthew’s blitz:

… and makes a key block to keep Griffin standing long enough for an 18 yard completion:

1-10-GB 36 (11:03) A.Morris left end to GB 32 for 4 yards (N.Perry).

In-line TE to the right for an outside zone to the left. He is quick enough to get inside the LOLB (Clay Matthews) and slow him sufficiently that he can’t get in on the play.

3-6-GB 32 (10:17) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete short left to P.Garcon.

The LOS man in a tight trips bunch to the right. He works inside the SS and tries a curl route, but never really gains any separation.

2-3-GB 23 (5:42) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short left to P.Garcon to GB 10 for 13 yards (B.Jones) [C.Matthews].

In-line TE to the right. This is the same play as at 3:08 in the second quarter in which he and Santana both work to the middle while Garcon is target on a slant on the left side.

(4:18) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short left to P.Garcon ran ob at GB 1 for 5 yards.

Washington challenged the runner broke the plane ruling, and the play was REVERSED.

(Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short left to P.Garcon for 6 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

In line TE to the right. Attacks the corner of the end zone and gets some separation, but Griffin’s first read is to Santana on the opposite side of the field.

FOURTH QUARTER

3-11-WAS 31 (15:00) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass deep right to P.Garcon to GB 44 for 25 yards (S.Shields).

Motions across the backfield to take up a rear position in a trips bunch. Due to a blitz and a slant route from Santana, Reed finds himself wide open in the flat but Griffin has a better option open further down field.

1-10-GB 44 (14:16) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete deep left to P.Garcon.

Motions to be the inner-most guys in trips left, then attacks the seam to draw a safety away from Garcon’s go route on the outside.

2-10-GB 44  (14:11) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short middle to A.Robinson to GB 31 for 13 yards (D.House). FUMBLES (D.House), RECOVERED by GB-B.Jones at GB 31. B.Jones to GB 39 for 8 yards (A.Morris).The Replay Assistant challenged the runner was down by contact ruling, and the play was REVERSED.

In-line TE to the right. Runs hard to try to sell a deep route before hooking at 6 yards – so hard in fact that he collides with the (un-fooled) LB and drives him back a couple yards.

1-10-GB 31 (13:37) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass deep middle to J.Morgan to GB 10 for 21 yards (M.Jennings, S.Shields).

LOS man in a tight trips bunch to the right, runs a curl against the ILB.

1-10-GB 10 (12:55) (Shotgun) R.Griffin right guard to GB 14 for -4 yards (M.Daniels).

Flexed to the left, then motions to be split wide right. The busted play makes it irrelevant, but it appears he was attacking the end zone with a post route.

2-14-GB 14 (12:17) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short middle to P.Garcon to GB 9 for 5 yards (D.Jones). GB-D.Jones was injured during the play.

Motions to flex left and attacks the center of the end zone. The ILB streaks back Tampa 2-style but goes way to deep into the end zone and Reed finds a huge void, but by that time Griffin’s read progression has already taken him to Garcon:

4-3-GB 3 (11:08) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short middle to J.Reed for 3 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

Motions to be the outside receiver of trips right. He runs a slant to the goal line and finds himself in traffic:

…but recognizes that Griffin has pulled the ball back down after his three step drop, widens his route deeper into the end zone after the defense has forgotten about him, and makes a very nice adjustment to catch a pass thrown well behind him:

Touchdown for the new guy.

1-10-GB 45 (9:14) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete short middle to J.Morgan (S.Shields).

In-line TE to the right, he runs a corner route and sells the go hard enough that he does get some leverage one the safety when he cuts outside.

2-10-GB 45 (9:08) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short left to S.Moss pushed ob at GB 26 for 19 yards (T.Williams).

In-line to the right. His fake to the outside completely fools the safety and he is able to get open in the seam:

1-10-GB 26 (8:36) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short middle to S.Moss to GB 13 for 13 yards (J.McMillian).

Motions to be the inner man of a trips right. Runs a post to find a void in the seam and, if Griffin’s read progression had been different, would have been open for a first down.

1-10-GB 13 (8:03) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short right to J.Reed to GB 9 for 4 yards (J.McMillian).

Flexed right. Runs an out route. The safety recovers from his (by now customary) hard fake to the inside so he doesn’t have much separation. Also Griffin sails the ball while throwing off his back foot. Reed make a very nice leaping catch over the SS:

2-6-GB 9 (7:42) (No Huddle, Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete short right to A.Robinson.

In-line TE to the left, runs a quick out.

3-6-GB 9 (7:40) (Shotgun) R.Griffin pass incomplete short right to S.Moss.

Washington challenged the incomplete pass ruling, and the play was REVERSED.

(Shotgun) R.Griffin pass short right to S.Moss for 9 yards, TOUCHDOWN.

In-line TE to the left. Sells the hook hard and the LB bites:

… allowing him to get open in the end zone:

TWO-POINT CONVERSION ATTEMPT. R.Griffin pass to J.Reed is incomplete. ATTEMPT FAILS.

Motions to wide right. He doesn’t sell the outside stem as successfully as he has done the rest of the game, so the catch is contested and goes off his hands: