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  1. #1
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    A closer look at Miles Boykin

    Quote Originally Posted by organizedchaos21 View Post
    Theoretically, you would sign up, select the game you want, open some screen capture program (streamers seem to enjoy OBS Studio (link)), capture the browser window that's playing the video, and record
    Quote Originally Posted by JimZipCode View Post
    I see that OBS Studio is supported on Ubuntu Linux. That's what the desktop in the family room is running.

    Interesting.
    Thought this would be a fun little proof-of-concept. H/T to Org Chaos.

    Miles Boykin had 22 targets in the reg season, and then another 8 targets in the playoff ame. Let's take a look at them, shall we?



    Just as an overall note, this is a very small set of Boykin's overall snaps. Any positive conclusion we draw about him from these plays, we have to remain aware that there's a much larger share of snaps that we're not looking at. If Boykin is running routes on those OTHER plays that are so shitty, they're making the QB throw his hands up in despair and not throw to him -- we're not going to see that here. So temper any excitement.

    On the other hand, we're also not seeing Boykin's kickass blocking here. He was a man as a blocking WR: an important component of the offense.

    This exercise was largely just for me to see if I could do it. Any potential insight is extra.





  2. #2
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    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    #1: Game1 @Miami, Q2 6:56, 3rd-&-5 from the 5
    Lamar complete short middle to Boykin for 5 yards touchdown.


    Nice way to start. This play is mostly Lamar, doing a great job of buying time and not throwing it until he sees Boykin looking back. But credit Boykin for finding the ball and making a nice adjustment. The catch itself was easy, but getting there to make it was a fine play.



    #2: Game2 vsCards, Q3 15:00, 1st-&-10 RAV 25
    Lamar incomplete deep left intended for Boykin


    Does Boykin slow down during this route? Looks like he has won early, around the 30 yard line; and then by around the 45 the corner is back in front of him. Looks like an overthrow from the TV angle, but maybe due to Boykin ceding the route to the defender.



    #3: Game2 vsCards Q3 2:09 2nd-&-7 Cards 22
    Lamar incomplete short middle intended for Boykin


    This looked like a drop from the main view, but seeing this angle changes my mind. Looks to me like Boykin slows as he crosses Lamar's face, maybe trying to keep the window open? And Lamar throws it to where Boykin woulda/shoulda been if he had kept at full speed. Not a drop, but a route-running error.



    #4: Game2 vCards, Q4 11:43, 1st-&-10 RAV 37
    Lamar complete short left to Boykin for 11 yards (tackle by Byron Murphy)


    Work that sideline, big fella.



    #5: Game3 @Chiefs, Q4 2:41, 1st-&-10 KAN 21
    Lamar incomplete deep left intended for Boykin


    Drop. This play is there to be made. Not the easiest catch in the world, but it's there. I'll listen to anyone wanting to tell me that the defender pulls on Boykin, but I got this as a drop.



    #6: Game4 vsBrowns Q2 2:00 2 9 CLE 9
    Lamar complete short middle to Boykin for 9 yards touchdown


    Sweet little TD.

    Two things I notice about this. First, do Lamar's completions to Boykin seem to be late in the down? Here, Lamar gets to the top of his drop, bounces, spaces away from a defender, hitches three times while controlling space vs a second defender, then fires the ball. Remember the opening TD in Miami was a "late" throw too, kind of a scamble-drill type thing. I want to track if that's some kind of trend: Lamar not going to Boykin "early" in the down with an on-schedule throw, but instead finding him late.

    Second -- well let's look at the backside angle for that:


    Maybe sometimes a pass isn't just a pass: sometimes it's a window into a QB's mind. I think that one of Lamar's great strengths as a player is that everything is "motion" to him. There's no such thing as a player standing still on the football field. Everyone is coming from somewhere and going to somewhere. It's like Lamar doesn't see location, he sees the first derivative of location. He never, and I mean NEVER, throws the ball to where the receiver is. He throws to where the receiver is going. Often he throws it to where the receiver OUGHT to be going: he's not the slightest bit shy about making a receiver change direction based on where Lamar sees the leverage is. We've seen Lamar force receivers to adjust to the ball, and the adjustment leads the receiver to open space and yards after the catch. Casual Lamar-watchers might think those throws are inaccurate and the receiver is bailing him out: I don't think that's true. I think Lamar is operating his receivers by remote control, and I find it breathtaking.

    But it sure looks weird on a play like this. Boykin has found a dead spot in the zone and settles into it. But to Lamar there is no such thing as a player standing still on a football field, and his throw pulls Boykin away from the backside defender. I can imagine a worse quarterback delivering a better ball here: an easier catch for the receiver.

    Or it is possible that I am way, WAY overthinking this. If you slow it down, could be that Boykin is still moving as Lamar starts to release, then Boykin starts to settle, then he realizes where the throw is going and lunges to catch back up. In that case, Boykin has made this catch more difficult than it has to be, by inappropriately slowing down AGAIN.



    #7
    Game4 vsBrowns, Q3 14:52, 1st-&-10 RAV 15
    Lamar complete deep left to Boykin for 18 yards (tackle by T.J. Carrie)


    WORK that sideline, big fella!

    This kind of play should be available all day every day next season, with Marquise & Andrews drawing DB attention and the opposing front 7 having to sit on the run threat. Single high safety, the corner concedes a big cushion of 8 or 9 yards, and the short zone defender on that side (#35? #33? a little blurry for me) has to keep his eyes in the backfield for a sec. He has no chance to be a factor underneath, and the corner bails when Boykin threatens him inside. Easy peasey.



    #8: Game4 vs Browns, Q4 2:09, 1st-&-10 RAV 21
    Lamar complete short left to Boykin for 5 yards (tackle by T.J. Carrie)


    Boykin is OFF the line, so the cushion is basically a 10-yd cushion, close to 11. The corner doesn't do anything "wrong": he backpedals a shallow 2 or 3 steps then instantly drives on Boykin's break. But there's nothing he can do. Not that he's a Pro Bowler or anything: TJ Carrie was a 7th-rd pick by the Raiders in 2014. But he's savvy 6-yr veteran, and he has some size for a corner, 6' 200#.

    Note the mirrored route at the top of the screen. Is that Marquise? I think Boykin gets an additonal yard of depth compared to that receiver.





  3. #3
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    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    Marquise missed this next game (v Bengals) and the one after (@ Seattle). These two games represent Boykin's season-high in snaps-played.



    #9: Game6 @Bengals, Q1 6:43, 1st-&-15 CIN 30
    Lamar complete short middle to Boykin for 18 yards (tackle by William Jackson and Dre Kirkpatrick)


    Boykin is at the top of your screen, lined up across from Cincy #22 William Jackson III. Jackson was the Bengals 1st rd pick in 2016, has been their full-time starter the past two seasons. PFF was head over heels in love with him after his 2017 season, and that's no kind of exaggeration whatsoever:
    I guess Jackson is lined up in press-man here, but he doesn't "press". Boykin sets him up with an inside-out move with his first couple steps, and Jackson bites hard on the outside, then has to bail when Boykin takes his back. Jackson has turned a 360 and Boykin has 5 yards of separation by the time he's run 5 or 6 steps, and Lamar is sending the ball. The corner gets back into the play late to get in on the tackle, and bear in mind that he has some size to him at 6' 200#. Boykin ploys into him at around the 14-yard-line, and bulldozes him for another yard or two.

    This one isn't going on William Jackson's sizzle reel. Note to DBs: better get a hand on Boykin or body him up.



    #10: Game6 @Bengals, Q2 10:35, 1st-&-10 RAV 8
    Lamar complete short right to Boykin for 10 yards (tackle by Jessie Bates)


    Boykin lined up tight to the formation on the left side. He gets a free release and runs a crosser. Easy pitch & catch.

    Remember what I suggested above, about Lamar tending to find Boykin "late" in downs? This could be another example. I'm no expert, but Lamar doesn't seem to be in a big hurry to hit Boykin on this play. When Lamar finishes the play fake and turns to scan the field and roll right, Boykin is between the hashes with maybe two steps on the trail defender. Snead has taken the far corner deep, and the single high safety is 12 yds off Boykin. Lamar seems to take another 4-5 steps, and by the time Boykin actually gets the ball he's outside the numbers. Timing looks odd to me.

    Now it is true that in 2019 Lamar was one of the few QBs whose numbers were less efficient WITH play-action than without. Maybe he's not used to it, and it takes him longer to re-acquire than it takes other QBs, I dunno.




    #11: Game6 @Bengals, Q2 0:15, 2nd-&-10 RAV 40
    Lamar incomplete deep left intended for Boykin


    Boykin the outside man in the trips left, gets his legs tangled with the DB and they both fall. This kind of route seems perfect for him.



    #12: Game7 @Seattle, Q1 13:40, 1st-&-10 RAV 31
    Lamar complete short left to Boykin for 5 yards (tackle by Tre Flowers)


    WORK that sideline, big fella! Note the tackling here is a little better than it was vs the Brownies & Bengals.



    #13: Game7 @Seattle, Q1 13:13, 2nd-&-5 RAV 36
    Lamar complete deep right to Boykin for 50 yards (tackle by Tedric Thompson)


    This ball is underthrown, don't you think? A Flacco to Torrey Smith special. If it's a little out in front of Boykin, it's a TD. But maybe we can't complain about Lamar factoring in a little slowing by Boykin.



    Marquise returned for this next game (vs Pats), and Boykin's snaps went back down.



    #14: Game8 vsPats, Q1 6:27, 2nd-&-2 RAV 47
    Lamar incomplete short middle intended for Boykin (defended by Jason McCourty)


    Drop. Take a look at the other view:


    Maybe McCourty is chopping down on his arms as the ball arrives? Too blurry for me to see well. I have it as a drop. Boykin needs to win balls like this, to be fully integrated into the offense.




    #15: Game10 vsHouston, Q1 11:50, 2nd-&-8 Texans 39
    Lamar incomplete deep middle intended for Boykin


    On the TV angle it looks like this ball is too far out in front and only the defender has a shot at it. But on this angle -- does Boykin slow down a little when he stems inside? Maybe specifically around the painted "20" on the field? This could be a route-running fail rather than an inaccurate throw.



    #16: Game10 vsHouston, Q1 10:57, 1st-&-10 Texans 27
    Lamar incomplete deep left intended for Boykin


    Slightly overthrown?


    #17: Game11 @Rams, Q3 2:18, 4th-&-4 RAM 33
    Lamar complete short right to Boykin for 15 yards (tackle by Jalen Ramsey)


    Going to Boykin on 4th down! This is a beautiful football play. It's also true that the score was already 35 to 6, and the Rams were on to Arizona.



    #18: Game11 @Rams, Q4 8:38, 3rd-&-8 RAV 48
    RG3 pass complete deep left to Boykin for 39 yards (tackle by Troy Hill)



    WORK that mothafucken sideline, big man!

    Troy Hill does not get a hand or a body on Boykin coming off the line, and is not a factor. Nothing "late in the down" about this delivery. Griffin takes a 3 step drop out of the Pistol, one hitch, and delivers.


    This game @ Rams represented the end of the productive phase of Boykin's season. From here on out his stats go to hell.
    Last edited by JimZipCode; 10-14-2020 at 11:57 AM.





  4. #4
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    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    The Rams game represented the end of the productive phase of Boykin's season. From here on out his stats go to hell. He was on the injury report for the following game, as Questionable with an ankle vs Niners. He played 25 snaps, but he did not get a target. Same story the following week @Buff, no targets and a season low of only 18 snaps. (But 14 spec-teams snaps!) Then only 19 snaps in the next game, vs Jets, including with this one juicy target:



    #19: Game14 Jets, Q1 2:57, 1st-&-5 NYJ 5
    Lamar complete short right to Boykin for 5 yards touchdown


    This is another find-Boykin-late play. Boykin is split left, defender in his face but doesn't jam him, Boykin runs across. Lamar makes this play with his dazzling pocket management -- only a couple guys in the league can navigate this space between defenders that way. He gets fucking PLASTERED for it, too. I wonder how early Lamar had it in mind to go to Boykin here. I suspect he wasn't planning it until after the edge rusher forced him back inside. But then he REALLY has to wait. And pays the price.

    Lamar throws Boykin open. Check out the end zone angle:


    Everything about this play is amazing. Here's the moment of release:


    The ball is that little smudge next to the big paw of the pass-rusher on our left next to Lamar. To our right, #96 is about to kill Lamar. How the hell Lamar can even SEE Boykin is a mystery. There's no path to Boykin: he's obstructed by Marquise AND the defender trailing Marquise. (And toward at the bottom of the screen, note the zone defender #46 a step behind Boykin.) Traffic has to clear before this pass can find a receiver. Lamar throws it to space that Marquise's defender is leaving. Everything is movement to Lamar: there is no such thing as a player standing still on a football field. Lamar floats a balloon so it flutters right thru the wake turbulence of the defender trailing Marquise --


    -- and Boykin has time to get in front of it. The traffic has cleared. Lamar has just been hit, is taking the fall and big #96 is beginning to raise his hands in the universal "What, I didn't do anything" sign. The meatball Lamar threw was fat enough that #46 thought he had a shot at deflecting it; but no.

    Just an amazing play. To me this TD is 90% Lamar and 10% Boykin. But Boykin did his part. He didn't stop or slow down. He found Lamar's eyes around midfield and stayed with this play all the way to the end. It's sort of like his first TD in Miami: the actual catch was fairly easy, but getting there to make it was a fine play.



    #20: Game15 @Browns, Q4 13:53, 1st-&-10 CLE 12
    Lamar complete short right to Boykin for 8 yards (tackle by Joe Schobert).
    Penalty on Sheldon Richardson: Roughing the Passer 2 yards



    Finding Boykin late in the down again. Boykin lines up split left, and comes off the line as a low crosser. What looks weird to me is that Lamar has Boykin as he crosses the left hash, just coming clear of Thor. Super clean pocket, the defenders are split and 5 or 6 yards off Boykin. But Mr Anticipation doesn't pull the trigger.

    From the other angle:


    We see Boykin come in from the left, and Lamar holds the ball. I like how Boykin stays alive, rolling with Lamar and then reversing field to create the late window. He's got good "scramble" / safety-valve instincts. But the drama seems unnecessary.



    #21: Game16 vSteelers, Q2 10:07, 2nd-&-10 RAV 43
    RG3 pass incomplete deep left intended for Boykin (defended by Steven Nelson)


    Boykin loses on the route, and probably this pass should not have been thrown. He makes an alert recovery to get the Pass Defensed.
    Check out from the end zone:


    I mean, he was stacked EARLY. This route was never competitive. Really nice PD though; he might have some value as an emergency safety.



    #22: Game16 vSteelers, Q3 2:00, 2nd-&-9 RAV 38
    RG3 pass incomplete short middle intended for Boykin

    This pass is behind him, right?


    From the end zone:




    That concludes the reg season. Boykin seemed quite good up thru the Rams game, then was unproductive from the Niners game (when he was Questionable with an ankle) thru the end of the season.
    Last edited by JimZipCode; 07-02-2020 at 05:09 PM.





  5. #5
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    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    So that was the reg season. Boykin seemed quite good up thru the Rams game, then was unproductive from the Niners game (when he was Questionable with an ankle) thru the end of the season.

    He did not have a great playoff game:


    #23: Game17 vsTitans, Q3 12:39, 1st-&-10 RAV 50
    Lamar incomplete deep left intended for Boykin (defended by Adoree' Jackson)


    This ball is tipped by the pass rusher #98 and PD'd by Jackson. I suspect others may have this as a drop, but check out the other angle:


    Big #98 gets his left mitt on it and alters the flight. Jackson plays thru Boykin (legal after the tip) to knock it away, clobbering Boykin's head in the process. Welcome to the playoffs.


    It's only 14 to 6 and we're still in it. Shame we had to wait until the 2nd half to go to Boykin at all.



    #24: Game17 vsTitans, Q3 4:16, 1st-&-10 RAV 25
    Lamar complete short left to Boykin for 4 yards (tackle by Tramaine Brock)


    The score's 28-6 late in the third and we're taking this measly little thing on first down. Maybe they thought there was some YAC to be had, but Boykin stumbles.



    #25: Game17 vsTitans, Q3 3:03, 3rd-&-4 RAV 40
    Lamar complete short middle to Boykin for 13 yards (tackle by Logan Ryan)


    Boykin the point man in trips left, he fights off press then squares in about 10 yards deep and catches it over the middle. This is a nice football play. Probably Boykin's best play of the second "half" of the season (by which I mean since the Rams game).




    #26: Game17 vsTitans, Q3 1:50 3rd-&-5 Titans 31
    Lamar short left intended for Boykin is Intercepted by Kenny Vaccaro at TEN-24 and returned for 3 yards


    This is just a terrible throw, right? Here's the backside look:


    I'm trying to see if Boykin did anything wrong, that might have opened a clearer window for the ball. Did he not push the corner with adequate depth before breaking outside? Looks like there's a safety sitting over top, so I dunno that anything Boykin could have done would have driven off the corner



    #27: Game17 vsTitans, Q4 12:42, 2nd-&-10 Titans 42
    Lamar complete short left to Boykin for 9 yards (tackle by Tramaine Brock)


    Work that sideline, big fella.



    #28: Game17 vsTitans, Q4 11:04, Two Point Attempt from Titans 2
    Lamar incomplete intended for Boykin conversion fails


    Tipped, Boykin has a chance at the carom but no.



    #29: Game17 Titans, Q4 1:58, 1st-&-10 Titans 37
    Lamar incomplete deep middle intended for Boykin


    Fucking Keystone Kops routine. Boykin is split left and I guess he & Marquise are meshing deep. Instead they take each other out like the Bad News Bears. Embarrassing to look at. I don't know which of Boykin & Marquise's fault this is: neither one exactly covered himself in glory here. My wild-assed-guess is that Marquise is in the wrong. His idea seems to be to run the exact same route as Seth Roberts, but a couple steps behind and take out Boykin along the way.

    Perfect microcosm of the Ravens offense on the day.



    #30: Game17 vsTitans, Q4 0:55, 4th&11 Titans 21
    Lamar incomplete short right intended for Boykin


    And Boykin's season ends with a drop. From the back side:


    Nother wrong with the route, or the ball. It just slips away.
    Last edited by JimZipCode; 06-19-2020 at 03:02 AM.





  6. #6
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    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    For my money, Boykin's season divides quite neatly into two halves:

    • Up thru game 11 @Rams, Boykin caught 11 of 18 targets (61%) for 185 yds (10.3 yards-per).
    Low usage, but that yards-per-target figure is sexy. It's Amari Cooper & Kenny Golladay territory.

    • For game 12 vs the Niners Boykin was Questionable with an ankle, and from that point on (incl playoffs) he caught 5 of 11 (45%) for 39 yds (3.5 yards-per).
    That YPT figure is UGLY. It is Chris Moore territory -- in fact it is worse than Moore's number on the season.

    I know nothing more about it than you do. Injury worse than reported? Or it shook his confidence? Plain ol' Rookie Wall? Without any information, I would guess a little bit of all three.

    The player from the first 11 games looks useful as hell. There's plenty of "flashes" here of an exciting WR. Get that guy playing a little faster and with a little more confidence, he'll be a HUGE asset. Obviously the player from the last 6 games is not the one we want. But I don't see any reason to be especially worried about it. Lots of players have hit the Rookie Wall before, and WR is a difficult position to learn anyway.



    Comments welcomed! This is my very first attempt at something like this.





  7. #7

    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    Not impressed by his route running. Work harder, Boykin





  8. #8

    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    'A closer look at Miles Boykin thread started by JimZipCode? I'm shocked.





  9. #9
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    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    Quote Originally Posted by Add to this user's rep
    You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to JimZipCode again.
    Nice work.

    Will reply in piecemeal.
    "Those corners...and those safeties are going to be one-on-one... and we got to make them pay for it," Harbs

    "I think he’d be[Lamar] the greatest player in the history of the game,” Young said





  10. #10
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    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    Interesting stuff JZC. Thanks for putting it all together.
    "Chin up, chest out."





  11. #11

    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    Quote Originally Posted by Culex View Post
    Not impressed by his route running. Work harder, Boykin
    He REALLY needs work on that. He's always going to be a bit limited as hes such a long strider with limited suddeness, but a lot of those routes were being run for him by defenders...that tells me that he's tipping off his routes. Gotta find a way to make contested catches better if he's going to struggle with separation. Hopefully, we'll see the improvement because we need him.
    Although Walsh's system of offense can compensate for lack of talent; however, defense is a different story. According to Walsh, talent on defense was essential and could not be compensated for. What did Walsh do in 1981? He acquired physical and talented players on defense.





  12. #12
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    Re: A closer look at Miles Boykin

    #1: Game1 @Miami, Q2 6:56, 3rd-&-5 from the 5
    Lamar complete short middle to Boykin for 5 yards touchdown.

    Nice way to start. This play is mostly Lamar, doing a great job of buying time and not throwing it until he sees Boykin looking back. But credit Boykin for finding the ball and making a nice adjustment. The catch itself was easy, but getting there to make it was a fine play.
    Route: Slant-corner {w/ second reaction adjustment to anticipated ball location}
    Win/Separation: Yes (x3 actually- initial slant move, corner and adjustment)
    Ball Location: Backshoulder; on target
    Catch: Yes
    Play Result/Design: Pass Protection breakdown. The pass unit-(Roman)-Lamar, OL, RB and WR didn’t communicate well enough to pick up the blitz. As a result Lamar has a free rusher from the (R) in his face immediately.


    **Ideally you want to audible to a blitz call that either get everyone blocked up OR has the receivers make ‘hot’ adjustments. Boykin runs just a Slant as opposed to a Slant-Corner and Lamar takes a short set and throws hot to Boykin on the Slant for a TD.



    Great second reaction play from Boykin and Lamar.
    Boykin gets open on the initial Slant-corner route, but Lamar is being pressured* and can’t sprint out to get the angle/leverage to throw the corner route at the pylon.
    Boykin makes a great adjustment to break off the corner route and adjust toward Lamar’s throw.
    "Those corners...and those safeties are going to be one-on-one... and we got to make them pay for it," Harbs

    "I think he’d be[Lamar] the greatest player in the history of the game,” Young said





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