Is the Harvin Fly Sweep Impossible to Defend?

Here's a link to a March 2013 article written by Greg Cosell discussing the Seahawks' additions including Percy Harvin.

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-s...GNhdANibG9nBHB0A3NlY3Rpb25z;_ylv=3#more-44862

The first part of the article talks about Harvin's ability to stress defenses by stretching the field horizontally, forcing the defense to defend the width of the field. He's basically describing the Hawk's fly sweep. Seeing the fly sweep in action it's impact on a defense is pretty clear. As soon as Harvin begins his sprint across the field the linebackers and safeties begin shifting to the fly sweep side of the field, creating running room for Lynch and Turbin in the middle of the field. The stress on the defense is compounded even more because the defense can't tell if Harvin has the ball until he clears the end and turns up field.

The thing is, the best is yet to come. If you look at the tape of the GB game you'll see that the need to defend both Harvin on the fly sweep AND Lynch up the middle is pulling the GB safeties out of the middle of the field, leaving the receiver on the side opposite the fly sweep one-on-one with the corner with no safety help over the top.

Look for Russell Willson to begin faking the hand-off to Lynch and bootlegging to the side opposite the fly sweep. Wilson will have the option of throwing to his receiver or running the ball himself. This could be an excellent opportunity to begin working Paul Richardson into the offense. Put Richardson on the side opposite the fly sweep and let him outrun the corner deep.

With Harvin stretching the defense horizontally and Richardson stretching it vertically the fly sweep could be unstoppable.

Wow....Greg Cosell nails it a year early.

I mean he really nails it.

Chip Kelley will be rolling his offense this year as well.

I look forward to all the PA Read Option and PA Triple Option plays that the Seahawks pull out of their bag of tricks this year. So excited.

Mick063":a4h032fc said:

Wow....Greg Cosell nails it a year early.

I mean he really nails it.

Chip Kelley will be rolling his offense this year as well.

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Yes he does. Pretty much anything Greg Cosell writes is worth reading.

I laughed last year because "experts" said the RO was gone already because of the great defensive coaches

Pistol formation, RO is not a gimmick in that it opens up space keeping traditional running / passing in play

Like I said somewhere online Thursday,
"Our offense is gonna FEAST this year! "

You need a Harvin or a Cobb type to really make it work, LaMichael James I think would also be dynamic in that roll. Someone that can be a threat from the edge the backfield and the sweep.

Buffalo Bill fans seem to think Spiller is capable of it.

I've seen that Bills fans think Spiller and even Watkins could do it, but they are missing one thing, a QB that could help sell the play

With your teams FO, scouts, coaches, and managers I would have to say you are one of the three best run teams in the league. Which In itself is a huge advantage. Maybe even the best....

Your team just excels at absolutely everything. Your offense dominates, your defense dominates, the coaches dominate, and the fans dominate. The Seahawks have the potential to accomplish a lot of things that have never been done, both in the short and long term. It is hard, I hated you guys because my best friend (when I lived in Queensland for 7 years) was from Seattle, and a hawks fan. But watching the team, the energy from the games. The discipline, and the defense makes it a hard team to dislike. Unfortunately a lot of it comes at the cost of my hopes for a Super Bowl win for the cardinals.

The Percy sweep, with Wilson, and Lynch all to be accounted for is just too much. Every time I watched the play the packers were not able to seal the ends (either end) and it's too much for teams to focus on. There is just too much talent on the Seahawks.

Mick063":i35imlmf said:

Wow....Greg Cosell nails it a year early.

I mean he really nails it.

Chip Kelley will be rolling his offense this year as well.

Click to expand...

Not to be an A-hole, but Cosell called it early because Seattle didn't invent the fly sweep with Harvin, it was just as deadly in Minny where he ran it in tandem with AP.

The deadliest combination is with Wilson, as he can run, pass, and is one of the best in the NFL at executing and selling the play action. I've read that article before, but it was an interesting re-read. I especially like what he wrote about our defense at the bottom of the article; funny he totally called that one.

As for Harvin being impossible to defend.....the actual fly sweep isn't, but to defend it would cause the entire defense to unbalance to that side. I think it pus the defense in an untenable situation; the actual play can be stopped, but if Wilson is good at calling the right option out of that play, the formation probably can't be stopped...at least for a loss or minimal yardage.

The last time Harvin was in Minny and played the Niners, the digits lost that game and Harvin dominated. I'm really jazzed up to see Harvin in our offense going up against the Niners this year.

Lord have mercy, it's Percy.

I think if you want to defend it you have to have a dime package backfield or a composition of speed Linebackers as well. You go with a 3 man front and spread the edges and everyone holds their space, this play set up is about misdirection so watching as the options diminish is important. You have to use speed to combat speed and numbers. Your three man front is about holding an edge and collapsing on the Running back once you get that read. Then swarm where the ball goes and hold your deep zone as not to bite on a roll out and allow someone to gain separation.

Thats about the only way I can think of controlling it with a chance of real success.

The thing is you have to have the personal to do it.

MizzouHawkGal":3s2gedbg said:

Buffalo Bill fans seem to think Spiller is capable of it.

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If I had to pick one player to fill Harvin's role, it would be Spiller. I know he isn't a wide receiver, but he could be used very similarly to how Harvin is used. I think Spiller is lightning in a bottle and like Lynch, a player that Buffalo has severely mismanaged. I was very surprised to hear he was on the trading block this summer. I was not surprised at all that Chip Kelley was the guy that expressed the most interest. Sproles probably came cheaper but Spiller in an Eagles uniform is a scary thought. It would be a "Harvin like" presence. Kelley also took a flyer on Kenjon Barner but I see he got waived after an injury. It won't be long until Sproles loses a step and Kelley brings in a guy very similar to Harvin to be used in a very similar way.

Would like to see them try it one way or another , in the redzone.

Not just on their side of the 50 or mid field.

Also is Harvin wearing the correct cleats for his style of running, because his new gear speed-wise does appear to be only trying to get his feet back under him. ie... damnit he slipped again gear.

I grant it is an exciting play that opens a lot of things up.

I also know some defenses will operate under the assumption that if they can blow Percy up a time or two, Seattle will protect their asset by not running it anymore. At least, I know that is how Seattle would defend it from another team.

4 Words of Awesome:

Fly Sweep Flea Flicker

Uffda":2uahrq96 said:

Also is Harvin wearing the correct cleats for his style of running, because his new gear speed-wise does appear to be only trying to get his feet back under him. ie... damnit he slipped again gear.

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I think Percy's actually in a tough situation regarding cleats. The more grip you get on a surface, the more likely you are to suffer a leg/knee injury. With his acceleration and speed, he would need longer cleats than the typical player of his size/weight to take advantage of it, but you also don't want to really increase your injury risk.

I don't think it's IMPOSSIBLE to defend, but you pretty much need to sell out to stop it - put your fastest coverage player on Harvin and as soon as he starts moving, you follow him around the field. But when you start faking it, big things will happen.

I would like to see the fake with Michael instead of Marshawn though, two ridiculously dynamic speedy players - and then the threat that Wilson doesn't hand it off at all? Nightmares.

Has anyone noticed how perfectly RW executes the flysweep? It's a thing of beauty the way he smoothly sticks that ball right into Percy's hands right at the last second.