And we complain about Bevell

[hawksfansinceday1]

Watching the Jets/Falcons game last night and saw some of the worst play calling ever.

Jets have the ball with 6:30 to go after the Falcons just scored to draw within 6. First play and the Jets run for a nice 5 yard gain with the o-line doing a pretty good job moving the d-line back and the RB knifing nicely through a small seam. So, you're the o-coordinator and you're looking at 2nd and 5 and you want to use some clock so what do you call? How about another run? Or, if you don't want to do the obvious, a play action pass with a three step drop to keep your rookie QB out of sack danger and to fool them because they think you're going to run again seems smart. Sure, either works for me. So what does the genius that calls plays for the Jets do? First of all, he sends in a personnel package that removes the RB that just completed the nice run out of the game. Then he runs a seven step drop with no play action and predictably the Falcons get the sack, Jets end up punting and Falcons score to go ahead by one. Jets O ends up bailing the guy out with a game winning FG drive, but seriously, there are high school coaches that would know better than to call a play like that in that situation.

Look I get Bevell drives us all crazy at times. And this is not really a defend Bevell post either. But to my recollection we haven't seen anything this stupid. Sure the play action on the last series against the Colts seemed silly and as was said on another thread may take RW's eyes off the field for a split second, but it still is nowhere near as dumb as what I described above.

(Mods: if you think this ought to be on the NFL Forum, I get it. I just figured that it relates to our board's frustration with the Hawks' play calling)

 

[Hawknballs]

I don't have too many problems with the playcalling. About the only time I get irritated is when we think we are so elite at running the ball that we can do it even on the most obvious downs against defensive fronts obviously set up to crush the run.

Obvious enough that I can't blame Wilson for checking out of them because he obviously knows they are going after the run but doesn't change the play, so it's obviously a philosophical approach they have to running the ball - that they are going to do it and succeed. I admire their cohesion to the plan but I would admittedly like to see us try to do that less often.

 

[Hawks46]

I hate that we seem to run PA for no reason, when it doesn't fool the defense because of down and distance.

I hate that we never use quick passes or screens to beat blitzes. Our blitz beater is Wilson running all over the place.

Other than that, I'm mostly ok with the play calling.

 

[Sports Hernia]

Watching the Jets/Falcons game last night and saw some of the worst play calling ever.

Jets have the ball with 6:30 to go after the Falcons just scored to draw within 6. First play and the Jets run for a nice 5 yard gain with the o-line doing a pretty good job moving the d-line back and the RB knifing nicely through a small seam. So, you're the o-coordinator and you're looking at 2nd and 5 and you want to use some clock so what do you call? How about another run? Or, if you don't want to do the obvious, a play action pass with a three step drop to keep your rookie QB out of sack danger and to fool them because they think you're going to run again seems smart. Sure, either works for me. So what does the genius that calls plays for the Jets do? First of all, he sends in a personnel package that removes the RB that just completed the nice run out of the game. Then he runs a seven step drop with no play action and predictably the Falcons get the sack, Jets end up punting and Falcons score to go ahead by one. Jets O ends up bailing the guy out with a game winning FG drive, but seriously, there are high school coaches that would know better than to call a play like that in that situation.

Look I get Bevell drives us all crazy at times. And this is not really a defend Bevell post either. But to my recollection we haven't seen anything this stupid. Sure the play action on the last series against the Colts seemed silly and as was said on another thread may take RW's eyes off the field for a split second, but it still is nowhere near as dumb as what I described above.

(Mods: if you think this ought to be on the NFL Forum, I get it. I just figured that it relates to our board's frustration with the Hawks' play calling)

I think the criticism towards Bevell is justified. He has been lousy at times, and good at others. I think the guy has the potential to be a real good play caller on a consistent basis, that's the frustrating part for me.

 

[hawker84]

Bevell was horrible first half of the season lasy year, but improved as the season progressed. i was one of the ones who didn't care for him, however this season, i think he's doing a much better job mixing it up and really don't have much complaint about him up to this point. I'm fairly happy with the entire coaching staff up to this point..

 

[HawkFan72]

I actually think Bevell's playcalling hasn't been too bad this year. I see a lack of execution by the offense.

A lot of players open with these playcalls. But Wilson is having a hard time finding those receivers. Sometimes it is his fault because of a bad throw, sometimes it is the fault of the O-line giving him no time.

But Bevell is not the problem right now.

 

[Tech Worlds]

I dont complain about Bevel. Maybe you do but I dont.

I think when players execute correctly the plays work. When they dont a bunch of people around here bitch about Bevel. Just last year he was a head coaching candidate.

He doesnt all of the sudden suck.

 

[Hawknballs]

So whatever play is called the players should be able to execute it and win?

That's false. That simply discredits every GOOD play call and caller.

 

[cockeyhawk]

He is good most of the time but then does stupid formations in certain situations. Its 3rd and 2 why is the backfield empty, he does this way to much. This would be the time to use play action nimrod. Not 4th and 9, that was the dumbest play action call in the history of the NFL. This week was better as he did have a lot more short pass plays for Wilson to complete. Why do we pound the rock in the first half to wear down a defense then go straight pass in the 2nd half? That and why is our red zone offense god awful, does anyone kick more field goals?

Long story short there is a lot of room for improvement from this guy.

 

[RolandDeschain]

I see a lack of execution by the offense.

I think when players execute correctly the plays work.

These are ridiculous statements. First of all, there has never been, is not now, and will never be perfect football. No team will ever have a game where everyone plays perfectly. It's impossible. It can't happen, and it never will happen.

Expecting good execution all of the time, or even the vast majority of the time, is ignorance; and sometimes, our play calling seems to indicate that that is exactly what Bevell thinks should happen. Football is an ugly game, (I mean that in a good way) and you have to assume things will break down a lot. It doesn't matter if your play calling would look like the best play calling in the history of the world if your players don't execute it well enough to win all of the time. If we had a mediocre defense, we'd be about 2-3 right now, maybe even 1-4. Our offense, despite achieving an average of 27.4 points scored per game which is good for ranking 7th, has not looked good at all. A ridiculously easy match-up against Jacksonville and the fact that like, 30% of the TDs we've scored have contained a 30, 40, 50-yard penalty to massively help out the drive we scored a TD on, are artificially inflating that number.

Offensive coordinators need to find sets of plays to call that our personnel has a good chance of completing against the opposing defense. It's an incredibly complicated task. It seems like Bevell just...I don't know; regularly manages to get caught up in the "can't see the forest for the trees" mentality, and makes a bad play call at bad times on a semi-regular basis, mostly in the first half of games.

To me, saying we just need to execute sounds like well, we just need to get people to stop driving stupidly and there will be no more accidents, or something. It's an unrealistic expectation that can never be met.

 

[Tech Worlds]

Haha. You guys are too easy.

Roland.. You weren't bitching last year when we were putting up 50's on people. Stop being selective. If anything your expectations are unrealistic.

I suppose when we start playing better it will be because bevell pulled his head out as opposed to players getting healthy, not missing blocks, limiting penalties.. Ect. But you been bitching about bevell all year cause he is an easy target. I am sure the next wide receiver pass we call that doesn't work will bring the pitchforks out yet those same plays worked last year.

Return to your Bevell bitch session.

 

[RolandDeschain]

Actually, Dom, I was. Even before we had our hot streak. Ask anybody who is and was a regular through that time in the .NET live chat. Execution is definitely a big part of playing good football, but it's not everything; and an offensive coordinator's JOB is to recognize and adjust when his guys CAN'T execute for any given reason.

I'm completely serious about having bitched about play calling last year, by the way.

 

[Sturm]

I don't know why you guys hate Bevell so much. I think he does a pretty good job, with exception of running the ball on 1st down a little too often.

But compare him to Holmgren and ask yourself who was more predictable.

 

[OkieHawk]

Roland did bitch about Bevell last year, as did I. Empty backfield on third down is dumb, something we were doing a lot in 2012 as well.

 

[sutz]

"Ground" Chuck Knox used to go empty backfield, 5 wide on 3rd and 1. A lot. :laugh:

 

[hawksfansinceday1]

I'm with several of you on this thread in wondering what the hell he's thinking going 4 WR with an empty backfield on 3rd and 2 when he indeed does that (and he has several times this year IIRC) particularly considering who our #1 RB is. Like many here I wonder why more screens aren't called especially against teams like the Texans who are sending 5 on nearly every play. Overall I do think he's decent to good at his job and certainly believe he'd never do anything as blatantly stupid as what I described in my initial post. But there is room for improvement in my mind as well.

I just remembered it's Marty Morningwheg (sp?) that's the o-coordinator for the Jets and he's considered top notch. If that type of play calling is top notch then at 6'7" and 255 lbs. I'm going to ride a horse in the Kentucky Derby next May. :roll:

 

[HawKnPeppa]

Bevell was horrible first half of the season lasy year, but improved as the season progressed. i was one of the ones who didn't care for him, however this season, i think he's doing a much better job mixing it up and really don't have much complaint about him up to this point. I'm fairly happy with the entire coaching staff up to this point..

Yeah, I think that's a function of knowing his personnel and what the can do so much better. Now if we could just get enough pass pro to let a large chunk of the plays in this O develop. :thirishdrinkers:

 

[Subzero717]

Roland did bitch about Bevell last year, as did I. Empty backfield on third down is dumb, something we were doing a lot in 2012 as well.

Empty backfield on third is dumb? K.

 

[seabowl]

I hate that we seem to run PA for no reason, when it doesn't fool the defense because of down and distance.

I hate that we never use quick passes or screens to beat blitzes. Our blitz beater is Wilson running all over the place.

Other than that, I'm mostly ok with the play calling.

This. When you run PA on 4th and 15 it leads people to believe that you are just not thinking. Who in their right mind thought Lynch was getting a handoff on that last play?

 

[Subzero717]

I hate that we seem to run PA for no reason, when it doesn't fool the defense because of down and distance.

I hate that we never use quick passes or screens to beat blitzes. Our blitz beater is Wilson running all over the place.

Other than that, I'm mostly ok with the play calling.

This. When you run PA on 4th and 15 it leads people to believe that you are just not thinking. Who in their right mind thought Lynch was getting a handoff on that last play?

That's what I don't get about this thread. PA on 4th and 15 and somehow using a team that won their games play calling to defend our lack of.