There is nothing more exciting in football than the deep ball.
We got plenty of them this week, with three that stood out. Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud found Nico Collins with a rainmaker in their 23–20 win over the Buffalo Bills. At SoFi Stadium, Jordan Love and Tucker Kraft teamed up to help the Green Bay Packers handle the Los Angeles Rams. And in Jacksonville, the ageless Joe Flacco turned back Father Time for the Indianapolis Colts.
We start with Stroud and Collins, who proved in the early going to be the game’s most dynamic duo.
C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins hook up to burn the Bills
Leading 7–3 in the first quarter, the Texans decided to take a shot on the opening play of their third drive.
On the play, Stroud was in shotgun with the offense in a condensed formation. Collins (No. 12) was wide right with tight end Dalton Schultz (No. 86) in the tight slot. On the left was Tank Dell (No. 3). Buffalo responded by playing its standard nickel package, with the Bills in a zone look.
On the snap, Schultz came across the formation to chip edge rusher A.J. Epenesa (No. 57). Dell ran a deep dig route, hoping to occupy the rookie safety Cole Bishop (No. 24). Collins ran a post route, bending inside corner Rasul Douglas (No. 31) toward the middle of the field.
This is an easy read for Stroud. If Bishop comes down on Dell’s route, he throws to Collins. If Bishop carries the post, Stroud has to throw over the underneath zone defenders and hit Dell.
Unfortunately for Buffalo, Bishop, being a rookie, got a hard lesson. He started to carry Collins, giving help inside to Douglas. Then, he paused and backpedaled, looking at Stroud. At this point, it was already over. Bishop didn’t take away either route and it was six for Houston.
This is a teaching moment for Cole Bishop, who should have a bright future ahead.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) October 7, 2024
Houston ran a classic route combination to put him in a bind, with the deep cross coming from the left and Collins streaking upfield on the post.
Bishop waited too long, and it's six for Collins pic.twitter.com/jUjQDEokAo
Tucker Kraft goes the distance in Packers’ win over Rams
Trailing 13–10 out of halftime, the Packers needed a play.
After forcing a fumble on the Rams’ first possession after the break, Green Bay took over at its own 30-yard line. On second-and-6 from the 34-yard line, the Packers came out in 11-personnel (RB, TE and three WR). Los Angeles matched with nickel.
On the snap, Love faked a handout to receiver Jayden Reed (No. 11), drawing the defense a few steps to the right. Then, after hitting the top of his drop, Love squared and threw to Kraft (No. 85) who started tight on the right side before running a deep crosser behind Los Angeles’s linebackers, who were in zone coverage.
When Love released the throw, Rams corner Darious Williams (No. 24) was in terrific position. He had eyes on Love with Kraft coming into his area. There was an interception to be had. However, Williams was forced back inside by receiver Dontayvion Wicks (No. 13). From there, Kraft had all kinds of space.
Lastly, credit Wicks. Instead of watching the play, he hustled downfield and got a key block on safety Quentin Lake (No. 37) to turn Kraft’s jaunt from a big play into a 66-yard touchdown.
Come for Tucker Kraft rumbling on this long touchdown catch-and-carry, but stay for Dontayvion Wicks getting a block to finish the play.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) October 7, 2024
Team sport, that football. pic.twitter.com/VfbA7k2W8p
Even in defeat, Joe Flacco shows he still has it
Flacco is 39 years old. He’s on his third team in as many years and fifth in seven seasons. Yet, he’s still playing better than many of the league’s starting quarterbacks.
On Sunday in Jacksonville, Flacco got his first start of the season against the Jaguars and didn’t disappoint, throwing for 359 yards and three touchdowns in a 37–34 defeat.
Trailing 34–27 with 2:40 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Colts faced first-and-10 at their own 35-yard line. Indy lined up in a condensed formation with two tight ends off the right side. Star receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (No. 11) is wide right while Alec Pierce is opposite left (No. 14). Meanwhile, Jacksonville rotated from a two-high look into a single-high, Cover 3 at the snap.
Flacco did a nice job stepping up in the pocket when the Jaguars brought five on a blitz, finding clean space to launch from. Concurrently, Pittman ran a dig route, drawing an inside defender along with that side’s boundary corner. Finally, there’s Pierce, who ran a deep over route behind the second level. Safety Andre Cisco (No. 5) was slow to react, and Flacco let it fly.
Flacco has faults, but he’s long thrown one of the prettiest deep balls in football. This one tied the game.
Joe Flacco with a deep ball in this economy? Of course. It's Joe Flacco.
— Matt Verderame (@MattVerderame) October 7, 2024
Alec Pierce runs the deep over and gets loose for the 65-yard bomb pic.twitter.com/ptwROsezrA
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Three of the Best Deep Throws From NFL Week 5.
