Costa's Play by Plays

When I started doing these some people liked them and some didn't but they seem to work---

I thought by what the play by plays showed Travis Bright had some potential but was very slow and awkward. I thought Bobby Carpenter was a plus to our coverage units and would be missed in that role, and when I saw Doug Free after three starts I said Free should be starting for Flo.

On to Costa, last year as I looked at the measurables I thought Travis Bright was the fit and to be truthful, it looked like he needed work but he had a few plays were he would just destroy people. Imagine my surprise when the coaching staff raves on about how impressed they are with Costa and cut Bright. Well Mr. Phil Costa, let's see if the team cutting my pet cat last year is worth it.

• Run off left tackle, Costa and Kosier double rookie DT Jeremy Beal, Kosier screws this up, it looks like his first step is back like to pass protect. The double team is not effective.
• Pass into the right flat, Costa's initial punch sends rookie Jeremy Beal back a step, Beal tries to run wide of Costa but is picked up by a guard, Costa turns and pancakes Marcus Thomas who is already engaged with Kosier,
• Shotgun short pass, Costa and Arkin double Marcus Thomas and he is no threat.
• Run up middle behind Arkin (this is the block KD so well illustrates here). Costa turns his man inside and out of the play. Side note: Witten pancakes a guy that gets lost in the pile of people to me.
• Run up middle, Costa, Arkin, and Kosier block the two DT and move a pile two yards. It's a four yard run, decent push by the middle of the line.
• Screen to left, Costa sells a block and slips into a screen pass to Felix, Costa gets six yards downfield and blocks a linebacker, Costa shows really good movement and open field blocking,
• Run between guards, Costa gets to the second level and lunges at the legs of a linebacker, the linebacker was not in on the play, this looked really bad to me. Note: Free pulls Dumervil off pile by his pants and Dumervil turns like he's going to fight and just walks away. Last year Doug Free's guy quit, he literally stopped rushing at one point in the game, Doug's first punch is devastating.
• Shotgun pass, no one to block pops an already engaged DT.
• Shotgun Pass, Costa does a good job with the DT but Free gets beat by Dumervil and Romo steps up and it appears Costa's man gets a hand on the football.
• Kitna under center, drop back pass, Costa handles Ty Warren bull rush and then jerk, Ty Warren is on a different level from what Costa has been up against so far.
• Run Right, Costa gets stood up and run down the line of scrimmage, no push, Ty Warren gets in on tackle at line of scrimmage.
• Shotgun pass, Warren beats Costa into gap on his left shoulder, he might have been expecting help from Arkin, DT gets into backfield but pass is gone quickly.
• Run right, Costa and Lotuli both have almost impossible blocks to make and they both make them. The O-line slide blocks right and has the responsibility of cutting off the man to their right shoulder, Costa shows athleticism to make this block. The fact he can make this block opens up a hole new chapter to the play book.
• Shotgun pass, Costa stones his man, Smith almost gets McGee killed, Miller saves McGee from a real hurting. More in Smiths play by plays.
• 2 min offense, shotgun, Costa has no one to block, he pops the DT engaged already, Gurode usually puts his hand on the tackle and continues to look around, I hope Costa will learn to do this to.
• Shotgun pass, after no one to block for two plays the Broncos send an all out assault up the middle, Costa and the rest of the interior line stone the blitz, pass is intercepted. If Holland and Ogletree do not almost run into each other the middle of the field is wide open, the pass protection would have made for a huge pass play.

The first thing I'd like to point out is the blocking scheme was one on one, hit the guy in front of you, although the one blitz in the two minute period was picked up perfectly. The one that almost got McGee killed was Smith's and McGee's fault, there were more guys than we could block. If I'm hearing the coaching staff right, Costa's real attributes are his smarts. I must admit he is vastly superior to Gurode in his ability to move and block ... that slide block could not have been accomplished by the likes of Gurode, Davis, and Colombo.

Costa had no problems with any of the DT except for Warren, who brought an arsenal of things at him, bull rushes, swim moves, slants and quickness, and shucks. Costa in my opinion receives a draw against Warren but something tells me Warren is a quality player and there may not be any shame in a draw.

Really wish the line was pulling and doing more of the slants and things we are going to see this year. It appears Costa fits right in.