Film Review: Beau Allen Looks to Replace Danny Shelton's Production at Nose Tackle
With Danny Shelton heading over to Detroit in the offseason with other former Patriots, that leave the nose tackle position empty in New England. The player that is expected to take Shelton's former role is former Tampa Bay Buccaneer Beau Allen. Allen did not receive a lot of playing time in 2019 but it wasn't because of his skills. Allen is formidable against the run and if guards aren't careful, Allen can push right past them with his strength.
Allen isn't much of a pass rusher but he is a good run defender. He is strong at the point of attack and is able to get off of blocks to affect the run game. He won't be the player getting the most shine on defense this year but he can do the dirty work and make life easier for the linebackers.
Pass Rushing
Now, Allen, #91, isn't a good pass rusher but there are times where he's able to beat the man in front of him and apply pressure to the quarterback. Allen is a very strong player and sometimes his strength can be very effective.
For this first play, Allen attacks this guard with a rip move. Allen does a great job engaging with the guard and then transitioning to the rip to win this rep. The guard wasn't expecting Allen to do this, so Allen gets a free win inside and he's able to get close to Matt Ryan before Ryan releases the ball.
Allen has a high motor, he will keep going until the play is blown dead. On this play, he's able to get in-between the center and the right guard and Allen keeps working against the guard to help bring down Russell Wilson. Allen won't win much against the pass but there are times that he can. He won't be asked to do that a lot however; the main reason he was signed is because of his ability against the run.
Run Defense
Allen is a stout run defender, he doesn't show up much on the stat sheet but he impacts a lot of plays. He is hard for offensive lineman to contain and he flashes his strength a lot against the run.
Allen gets doubled on this play but he's able to anchor himself and help bring down the running back. The guard and the center are able to push Allen back but Allen keeps fighting and splits the double team. When Allen is in the game, it is harder for offenses to run the ball up the middle. He's able to anchor himself well and defeat blocks.
Beau Allen is also effective against runs to the outside. Here the 49ers attempt to run a stretch to the left. Allen ruins this play by running right through this block attempt by the center and gets into the lane the running back wants to hit. Because Allen is in the way, the back is forced to cut up field and he gets a minimal gain. A play like this goes unnoticed on the stat sheet and those are the type of plays that Allen specializes in.
Allen goes 1-on-1 with the center on this play, is able hold his own initially and then he's able to push the center back. Allen is a very strong player and in the run game he's able to push offensive lineman back just like in this clip. When Saquon Barkley cuts up field, Allen is able to get off of the block and help bring down Barkley.
Allen is lined up directly over the center, Erik McCoy, on this play and this is how the Patriots would use him most of the time. Allen doesn't give up much ground to McCoy and is able to anchor himself so that McCoy can't move him off of the ball, which will prevent a huge hole from opening for the running back to hit. Allen is able to use McCoy's momentum against him when McCoy tries to block him to the left side of the line. Allen sheds the block and helps bring down the running back for a small gain.
Allen takes on a double team on this play and does a great job. The center blocks him initially and the right guard comes to double him. He splits the blocks and helps stonewall the back. Allen demands attention in the run game and that makes the players around him have an easier time. Allen needing to be doubled at times can give another player a free lane to make a play. He does not need to appear on the stat sheet to have an impact on the game.
Allen does a great job on this play using his arms against the center to beat him. Allen gets his hands in the center's chest and he's able to control the play from that moment on. With his hands in the center's chest, he extends his left arm to keep the center back and uses his right hand to fight off the center's hands so that the center can't recover. Leaning in with one arm makes it so that the center can't reach Allen's chest and move him to open a hole. Allen controls the rep the entire time and once the running back cuts back, Allen is right there to clean up the play.
This play just shows off Allen's strength and what can happen if he isn't double-teamed. Allen engages quickly and gets his hands inside the guard's chest. A big theme is getting hands inside the chest because the player that does that controls the other player and will end up winning the play. Allen is able to do that and pushes the guard a few yards into the backfield. This isn't a crazy play but it shows what can happen if Allen is only blocked by one person.
This is a 1-on-1 situation with a very good center on this play in Alex Mack. This play might not show up on Allen's stat sheet but he created chaos in the backfield. He beats Mack and clogs up the lane that the running back wants to hit. The running back is forced to try and cut this play up and he is tackled immediately. Allen can overpower offensive lineman and clog up running lanes all day.
Allen won't play 100% of the snaps for the Patriots but he doesn't need to. He is a good run defender and will be able to replace the loss of Danny Shelton and he might be able to outperform Shelton on the line. Allen is the perfect fit for the Patriots defense and he will help a defense that struggled against the run at times last season.
