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This three-play sequence is perhaps the best encapsulation of why Taysom Hill is, decisively, the most important player on this offense.
Play 1: It's just an end around pass, but I had to include it (the end zone angle) for one reason, and it isn't the playcall. Look at what Hill does just before throwing. He tucks the ball as if he's a runner, then switches back to a throwing posture and delivers a dime. This is almost as good as play action or a flea-flicker, the way he sells the run all on his own. Even if it doesn't completely fool every player on the defense, that small attention to detail is why his value goes far beyond his physical skills.
Play 2: Pay attention to the personnel here. The Saints are in 12 (or 21, depending on how you want to define Taysom, as a RB or a TE). They line him up in the F position and run an outside zone bootleg with Hill leaking into the flats opposite of the run action. This is a high red zone snap, and the Browns are playing single high, what appears to be a pattern match cover 3 out of their base 4-3 personnel. Carr hits Taysom in the flats for a short gain.
Play 3: Very next play. Exact same personnel, high red zone, 2nd and 7. Naturally, the Browns stay in their same personnel and same coverage structure--only now Hill is at QB, in shotgun, and Carr is lined up at WR. The Browns are forced to play base defense against this look--a look they can't predict before the huddle breaks b/c Hill has been in for the whole drive and no substitutions were made. Because Hill can throw as well as any QB (and the Browns were reminded of that on the end-around pass just a couple plays ago), they don't have a quick check to go to for this situation and--either due to lack of reaction time or just caution--opt to stay in their same base look and coverage.
The play is a simple zone read. The Browns DE is playing spill/chase and takes Kamara on the give. Normally, you would have a LB gap exchanging with the DE to take the QB, but watch this play from the tight angle. The TE (Moreau) arc releases to block the overhang player--who, instead of maintaining his outside leverage to play the keep by Taysom, chooses to square up on Moreau's release to play any potential route (because Taysom, in this situation, is still a respected as a QB). This means that the only free-hitter on the defense who can account for the keep by Taysom has to come down from the high safety position (it looks like he just abandons his pass responsibility when he recognizes the keep) and make a 1-on-1 tackle on a 240 lb. "running back" (because, oh yea, Taysom could start at that position too).
This is what having Taysom Hill on the field does to a defense (and for an offense). It's one thing if you're playing down-to-down against a dual-threat QB. It's another if you're basing up against your opponent's offense, and then all of the sudden that player who you're accounting for as a TE or FB or RB or WR is now under center. And he weighs 240 lbs and runs a 4.4 and can deliver passes on a dime.
Beautiful sequence of plays.
