• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Phoenix Sports Today

Phoenix Sports News Continuously Updated

  • Cardinals
  • Diamondbacks
  • Coyotes
  • Basketball
    • Mercury
    • Suns
  • Soccer
  • Colleges
    • Arizona State
    • Grand Canyon University
    • Northern Arizona
    • University of Arizona

Anatomy of a McCoy Shovel Pass TD to Ertz

November 25, 2021 by Revenge Of The Birds

Arizona Cardinals v Seattle Seahawks
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images

Background: SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – NOVEMBER 21: D.J. Humphries #74 of the Arizona Cardinals reacts after defeating the Seattle Seahawks 23-13 at Lumen Field on November 21, 2021 in Seattle, Washington.

Take a good, close look at the ball fakes and the blocking scheme on this well executed shovel pass from QB Colt McCoy to TE Zach Ertz which capped off a first possession 7 minute 21 second 82 yard drive that put the Cardinals up 7-0.

Can you dig it @ZERTZ_86 x #RedSea pic.twitter.com/Gp9Cplgbzt

— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) November 21, 2021

  • 2nd and goal from the 2 yard line.
  • Typically with this down and distance and the Cardinals in a goal line formation (12 personnel, 2 TEs to right, 2 WRs to left, 1 RB to left of QB), this is meant to look like a running play.
  • WR Rondale Moore motions to the right, presenting a jet sweep threat.
  • On the snap, after WR Rondale Moore fakes as if he’s been given the ball, (which freezes the MLB) QB Colt McCoy then fakes and sells a read option to RB James Conner, who runs wide to the left, thus taking the edge OLB with him
  • Meanwhile, the key blocks on the play come from LT D.J. Humphries who administers a crushing down block on the DT and RG Max Garcia, who pulls to his left and kicks out the DE.
  • TE Zach Ertz who was lined up as an H-Back behind the outside shoulder of TE Darrell Daniels, sneaks underneath the formation to his left and is undetected by the MLB.
  • QB Colt McCoy deftly delivers the shovel pass on the money to TE Zach Ertz who cuts precisely inside of RG Max Garcia’s block and bolts untouched into the end zone for the TD.
  • This is another classic example of Kliff Kingsbury’s mastery of the “art of deception”.
  • Which just goes to prove that even though “you can’t always get what you want” —- “if you try sometime, you might get what you need.”

Have a safe and joyful Thanksgiving day with your loved ones, Birdgang!

Thanks to everyone here at ROTB.

Much respect and the highest of regards,

Mitch

Filed Under: Cardinals

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • (no title)
  • Arizona adds 3-star Texas offensive lineman Khalil Sanogo to 2026 class
  • Koa Peat earns 4th gold medal, Tommy Lloyd 2nd as Team USA sweeps FIBA U19 World Cup
  • Snake Bytes 7/6
  • 2025 NFC West All-Madden Team Per Position Predication

Categories

Archives

Our Partners

All Sports

  • 247 Sports
  • ArizonaSports.com - 98.7 FM
  • Bleacher Report
  • Heat Waved
  • OurSports Central
  • The Arizona Republic
  • The Sports Fan Journal
  • USA Today

Baseball

  • Arizona Diamondbacks
  • AZ Snake Pit
  • Last Word On Baseball
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Venom Strikes

Basketball

  • Phoenix Suns
  • Amico Hoops
  • Basketball Insiders
  • Bright Side Of The Sun
  • High Post Hoops
  • Hoops Hype
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Last Word On Pro Basketball
  • Pro Basketball Talk
  • Real GM
  • Valley Of The Suns

Football

  • Arizona Cardinals
  • Cardinals Gab
  • Cards Wire
  • Deep Dive
  • Last Word On Pro Football
  • NFL Trade Rumors
  • Our Turf Football
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Football Talk
  • Raising Zona
  • Revenge Of The Birds
  • Words From The Birds

Hockey

  • Elite Prospects
  • Five For Howling
  • Howlin Hockey
  • Last Word On Hockey
  • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Talk
  • The Hockey Writers

Soccer

  • Last Word on Soccer
  • MLS Multiplex

College

  • AZ Desert Swarm
  • Busting Brackets
  • College Football News
  • College Sports Madness
  • Devils In Detail
  • House Of Sparky
  • Last Word On College Basketball - Univ of Arizona
  • Saturday Blitz
  • Zags Blog
  • Zona Zealots

Copyright © 2025 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in