How Leonard Floyd’s safety exemplifies his development, potential

Leonard Floyd’s sack in the end zone last Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers punctuated the Bears’ suffocating defensive performance in their 26-6 victory. Perhaps more importantly, though, the play stood out as an example of why Floyd has generated so much optimism about the type of pass rusher he can become in the NFL.

“He so far hasn’t even touched the surface yet of what we might be able to do with him,” defensive coordinator Vic Fangio said Wednesday in a remark about Floyd’s inconsistent availability this season due to various injuries.

Floyd’s cerebral approach to that particular rush in the fourth quarter was an encouraging indicator that he’s aware of matchups and that he’s actively and effectively working his rush plan, his techniques and any adjustments.

Let’s take a closer look at the play, which was on a second-and-5 from the 49ers’ 8-yard line.

In the first picture below, taken from the end zone camera, notice how wide Floyd lined up. The width of linemen’s splits usually are difficult to perceive from the TV broadcast’s sideline camera angle, but this view shows Floyd a good 10 feet outside of 49ers tackle Trent Brown.

Why would Floyd want to position himself farther from the quarterback than absolutely necessary?

To create space to maneuver and, as we’ll see, to give himself options on his path to the quarterback. Floyd’s speed makes it possible.

As he explained, that play was his first pass rush against Brown, and he was determined to use that newness to his advantage.

“I figured my first rush against him, he was expecting speed,” Floyd said. “I was leaning hard in my stance, showing like I was (about to) get up the field.”

As you can see in the picture below, Floyd positioned himself in a way that telegraphed an outside speed rush. His alignment was wide. His outside foot was forward. And, sure enough, Brown kicked out aggressively to combat the outside speed rush.

The next picture shows Floyd’s adjustment. Notice how heavily Brown set with his right foot. He was awkwardly leaned forward at the waist — a technique error that did not have him a good athletic position. This was exactly what Floyd hoped for because he knew Brown wouldn’t be able to counter if Floyd adjusted his path to the inside.

Not only did Floyd set Brown up to the outside with his speed, Brown’s punch also whiffed as Floyd redirected his rush inside. The picture below from the end zone camera angle doesn’t show it clearly, but you can see Brown’s arms extended and Floyd unaffected. Floyd swam through to the inside without slowing down.

“He saw an inside opening and beat the guy with his quickness and athletic ability inside,” Fango said. “He was able to get to the quarterback before the quarterback could react and maybe get outside of him. So it was just a reaction on the field to the set that the offensive tackle made.”

The final picture shows Floyd coming free while Brown was flat-footed. Floyd finished the play by slinging Blaine Gabbert to the ground.

It’s fair to say Floyd should consistently win his matchups against a player such as Brown, a seventh-round pick in 2015. But to see him do it, especially considering how Floyd thought it through and set Brown up, bodes well for him and the Bears.

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