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AFM Magazine

AFM Magazine


The Laboratory in the Sky

by: Chris Mattura
Veteran NFL Assistant Coach
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Most people think all the decisions in the National Football League are made from the sideline. Nothing could be further from the truth. I never worked on the sideline in the NFL. All my experience was in the coaches’ booth. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. The learning experience each game was priceless.

I worked in the NFL coaches’ booth both offensively and defensively. The thinking process in the box is constant. You need to be zoned in on all cylinders for the entire game. The game you see on the field is a direct result of the analysis happening upstairs. From alerting the coordinators if a TV timeout is coming, to identifying an injury, the pace of activity “in the sky” never slows.

Every coaches’ booth has a representative who is shooting the still photos of each play for the booth staff. They are shots of the entire field of play that are captured once the ball is snapped. Each team has a defensive coach who is charting the fronts and blitzes/dogs while another coach charts the coverages. At the end of every series, the stills are stapled together and the coordinator reviews them. I worked in many different capacities. I identified coverages verbally while also charting them.

One offensive coordinator I worked for asked me to breakdown the pictures by offensive formations for first and second down to try to establish a defensive tendency by offensive personnel grouping and/or formation. In the NFL, third down is a different world. Those pictures have a meaning of their own. They are dissected vigorously. Most defensive coordinators have a third down philosophy, but the various distances the offense needs to make a first down makes it difficult to have a standard third-down defense. If you are in the right protection, you have a fighting chance.

The key offensively is to gain four or more yards on first down and put yourself in a position to be successful on third down by not becoming predictable on second down. One coordinator who I learned a lot from was very aware of his run/pass ratio on first down in the slot formation. After each change of possession, he would always want his run/pass ratio itemized.
While coaching on defense, I assisted with the identification of offensive personnel groupings while also charting our calls. In addition, I suggested run-game adjustments. Where was the ball going and what were the theoretical or physical problems? One defensive coordinator who gave me my first shot coaching in the NFL was focused in on his chart. We worked together in the booth and communicated well. If he dialed up a call that held the opponent to three yards or less I circled it with a felt tip marker in our team color. If the opponent earned more than three yards, I circled it in red. The coordinator continually dialed up the color calls and studied the stills of the red calls. It may sound too easy, but that’s what he believed in.

In one game, he made the same call six times in a row on second down. We were successful on the first five. I told him to get off of that call - that the offense was going to hit the big one on us. After all, their coaches were getting paid, too. He called it again the sixth time and it resulted in one of our corners picking the ball off and taking it to the house. Rather than embarrass me, he said, “Keep talking to me.” He then said, “What would you do next if you were running their offense?” I said, “Get ready for the no-huddle.” Even though the time and score did not dictate no-huddle, we had stuffed everything else they threw at us. The no-huddle showed up on the next series but we were ready and continued with our attack mode.
The “laboratory in the sky” is a place where you need to be much more than one play ahead. You’d better be a full series ahead. Adjustments in the NFL need to take place after every series if things are not going well. If you consistently wait until halftime you are putting your job in jeopardy. Coaches at every level need to experience the
laboratory in the sky. Try it, and I’m sure you’ll like it and learn an entirely different aspect of coaching.






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