Remember when....... (Read option related)

Remember when we were running the read option to perfection and putting up back to back to back scores like this in 2012:

December 9 Arizona Cardinals W 58–0
December 16 at Buffalo Bills W 50–17
December 23 San Francisco 49ers W 42–13

Well the last drive in OT against the Broncos 2 weeks ago had me thinking. Why in the world don't we run that offense all of the time? Having threats of Marshawn and Percy are fantastic however when you add the threat of Russell possibly keeping the ball and taking off with it, it just makes a world of difference. It seems that whenever we need to absolutely score on a drive (like OT last game) we break out that offense and take it to the other team. Why can't we run that offense all the time? It worked great in 2012 so why not now especially since our run blocking greatly surpasses our pass protection. Plus by establishing a consistent running attack you open the field up to the every so often down the field passing game.

BTW if the answer as to why we do not run this offense is to protect our QB from taking a hit, he is already in a lot of trouble running away after the pass protection breaks down.

My opinion is that it's a type of offense that can't be run constantly. It is effective if RW sees something in the D and audibles into it, but we don't need to run it all the time. Colleges can get away with it due to simplified schemes, not so much in the NFL. Also, see RGKnee as to why it shouldn't be done.

OkieHawk":9ncj8y9b said:

My opinion is that it's a type of offense that can't be run constantly. It is effective if RW sees something in the D and audibles into it, but we don't need to run it all the time. Colleges can get away with it due to simplified schemes, not so much in the NFL. Also, see RGKnee as to why it shouldn't be done.

Click to expand...

Yeah when we started running it the defenses hadn't seen it yet. Now that they have film from us and the other copy cats they scheme for it. They usually spy with a LB on the edge. But if RW sees something he does check down to it with success.

read option is still a threat, RW just doesn't keep it as much. The fake sweeps to Harvin and then the hand off to ML is a read option for RW to keep. They even added another wrinkle of the option to pass too on the TD to Lockette against GB. they have quadruple threats now on any play, Harvin/ML/RW and pass

He has kept it a handful of times so far too. When this O really gets going with the new toys, (OL will improve) Defensive players heads will be spinning. I think they are just scratching the surface.

You don't run it all the time because you don't want to get your QB killed. You also don't run it all the time for the same reason you don't do the same three weight lifting sets every time you hit the gym. If a team shuts you down and that's all you're good at, you're hosed. Also don't underestimate what a good blocker golden Tate was on the outside and down field. Blasting one side of the field with blocks is part of what makes it work.

Wilson has ran the ball more than his fair share in his 2+ NFL Seasons. And I can count on one hand how hard shots he's taken. The dude is smart. He will concede an extra 5 yards to avoid contact. Something RG3 will never learn and ultimately end his career abruptly.

Steve2222":1keke5gm said:

Wilson has ran the ball more than his fair share in his 2+ NFL Seasons. And I can count on one hand how hard shots he's taken. The dude is smart. He will concede an extra 5 yards to avoid contact. Something RG3 will never learn and ultimately end his career abruptly.

Click to expand...

This I agree with and should be the reason why we run the read option more. We plowed through Denver's D on that last drive. How about running it until it doesn't work anymore? I have yet to see a D stop our O when we run the read option.

Russell runs for first downs more often from drop back passes than just about anything. Even then, while on the run, he will opt to toss over the head of a defender if he finds a receiver. As a result, his pump fake always buys just enough hesitation to give him an opening if he decides to run. In a sense, this is the true option play that Russell has mastered.

Many quarterbacks can throw well moving laterally. Russell also excels at throwing while moving toward the line of scrimmage. Ponder the dynamic accuracy adjustment required there. With respect to throwing the ball after crossing the line of scrimmage (a penalty), Russell seems to always know where he is with relation to the line of scrimmage as well the first down marker. This is testimony to his terrific situational awareness.

We don't run it for the same reasons everybody else stopped running it. Despite what Cartire says, QB's were taking way too many shots. Once the NFL decided the QB is fair game even if he doesn't have the ball, it became time to think of another plan.

If the read-option was ALL we ran, then opposing teams would only have that one thing to prepare for, and it would become a lot less effective. As it is, when used as a wrinkle and a change-up, opposing teams now have MORE to prepare for because the offense does so many other things really well.

It's ALL about being UNPREDICTABLE.
The season is LONG and each opposing team has their own unique STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES.
I believe the plan is to keep every team guessing and then, using opponent's weaknesses against them at the most convenient and opportune times.

I agree that there have been times where the play could have been utilized, but what I see (imagine) the coaching staff doing is trying their best not to show their hand, FULLY aware that the most opportune time to use it will appear 'organically' for huge gains and then get shut down once a team starts keying in, which would in turn open up the deep ball threat or allow our Beast with the pet racoon to brutilze the clavicles of 'cheating' OLB's & DE's anticipating a RW keeper.

hgwellz12":xwm5qow5 said:

It's ALL about being UNPREDICTABLE.
The season is LONG and each opposing team has their own unique STRENGTHS & WEAKNESSES.
I believe the plan is to keep every team guessing and then, using opponent's weaknesses against them at the most convenient and opportune times.

I agree that there have been times where the play could have been utilized, but what I see (imagine) the coaching staff doing is trying their best not to show their hand, FULLY aware that the most opportune time to use it will appear 'organically' for huge gains and then get shut down once a team starts keying in, which would in turn open up the deep ball threat or allow our Beast with the pet racoon to brutilze the clavicles of 'cheating' OLB's & DE's anticipating a RW keeper.

Click to expand...

Exactly. That is what the read option is all about, being UNPREDICTABLE. Who do you cover and who is the ball going to? Do you need a spy on Russell? All I'm saying is that when we were running this offense to the max week in and out we were putting up HUGE numbers, better than ever before. Now we have a great weapon in Harvin and seem MORE predictable than when we were running this spread option prior to his arrival (particularly 2012). We have almost completely gone away from it and only break it out when we need to score (see OT vs Broncos). It doesn't square with my thinking. Shouldn't we always be trying to score points using the most proven way for us unless it's a blowout?

I think that a turning point might have been when the NFL clarified that when you run the RO that defenses can treat the QB as a ball carrier whether he has the ball or not. It opens up the possibilities for legal cheap shots at your franchise player. As I recall Jim Harbaugh was the first coach to test this by having Russell drilled after a hand off.

you have to try new things even if they fail or you'll never get better.

It's working quite well again. Shocker.

OkieHawk":32tmy51n said:

My opinion is that it's a type of offense that can't be run constantly. It is effective if RW sees something in the D and audibles into it, but we don't need to run it all the time. Colleges can get away with it due to simplified schemes, not so much in the NFL. Also, see RGKnee as to why it shouldn't be done.

Click to expand...

RGKnee is irrelevant to us because he always tried to get a TD when he ran, Wilson always protects himself well.

Also, We don't need to run an offense like that all the time, but why the hell did a quarter of the season need to go by before we finally started seeing Russell run a bit? God forbid there be a happy medium there somewhere.

RolandDeschain":bru97oxr said:

OkieHawk":bru97oxr said:

My opinion is that it's a type of offense that can't be run constantly. It is effective if RW sees something in the D and audibles into it, but we don't need to run it all the time. Colleges can get away with it due to simplified schemes, not so much in the NFL. Also, see RGKnee as to why it shouldn't be done.

Click to expand...

RGKnee is irrelevant to us because he always tried to get a TD when he ran, Wilson always protects himself well.

Also, We don't need to run an offense like that all the time, but why the hell did a quarter of the season need to go by before we finally started seeing Russell run a bit? God forbid there be a happy medium there somewhere.

Click to expand...

122 yards a little bit does not make. I don't mind him running some, just not that damn much. Evidently, he did break a MNF record by doing that though, so yay...? I was at work so still need to watch the game later and see if it's worse in my mind than it really was.

OkieHawk":1b0175vu said:

RolandDeschain":1b0175vu said:

OkieHawk":1b0175vu said:

My opinion is that it's a type of offense that can't be run constantly. It is effective if RW sees something in the D and audibles into it, but we don't need to run it all the time. Colleges can get away with it due to simplified schemes, not so much in the NFL. Also, see RGKnee as to why it shouldn't be done.

Click to expand...

RGKnee is irrelevant to us because he always tried to get a TD when he ran, Wilson always protects himself well.

Also, We don't need to run an offense like that all the time, but why the hell did a quarter of the season need to go by before we finally started seeing Russell run a bit? God forbid there be a happy medium there somewhere.

Click to expand...

122 yards a little bit does not make. I don't mind him running some, just not that damn much. Evidently, he did break a MNF record by doing that though, so yay...? I was at work so still need to watch the game later and see if it's worse in my mind than it really was.

Click to expand...

Eh, most of his runs were wide open with very little danger of a hard hit. I think he took one big hit, and that was on a must-make situation, not a called read option. That play was money for us tonight.

OkieHawk":3k3zk5oa said:

122 yards a little bit does not make. I don't mind him running some, just not that damn much. Evidently, he did break a MNF record by doing that though, so yay...? I was at work so still need to watch the game later and see if it's worse in my mind than it really was.

Click to expand...

I could have clarified more, but I was referring to the designed run plays & read-option runs he actually ran on. Yardage be damned, I was happy to see it even if he had finished with 35 yards rushing instead of 122 on the same number of attempts. Russell running a couple times every game (not talking about deciding to run after he scrambles around and everyone's still completely covered so he gives up and runs for a few) is beneficial to our overall offense in multiple ways, and we had like none of it before tonight.

RolandDeschain":25oho5kl said:

OkieHawk":25oho5kl said:

122 yards a little bit does not make. I don't mind him running some, just not that damn much. Evidently, he did break a MNF record by doing that though, so yay...? I was at work so still need to watch the game later and see if it's worse in my mind than it really was.

Click to expand...

I could have clarified more, but I was referring to the designed run plays & read-option runs he actually ran on. Yardage be damned, I was happy to see it even if he had finished with 35 yards rushing instead of 122 on the same number of attempts. Russell running a couple times every game (not talking about deciding to run after he scrambles around and everyone's still completely covered so he gives up and runs for a few) is beneficial to our overall offense in multiple ways, and we had like none of it before tonight.

Click to expand...

I don't disagree that some of the designed runs, or audible options are beneficial. RW is a damn ninja and generally gets down before contact. I just know that someone will go headhunting and try to take him out on a cheap shot eventually. That is my fear on his running. But, we won, so that is always good. Go Hawks!