Cutting It Close with the Playclock

[timmat]

This team is incredibly exciting / nerve racking to watch. Everything goes down to the wire. It seems that even the simplest of actions - snapping the flipping ball - comes with the "will they or won't they make it" anticipation. There we so, so many plays yesterday that were snapped at zero - or darn near zero - on the clock. Is this part of our offensive scheme? That Russ makes adjustments at the line on nearly every snap - and it just pushes the clock to it's max? Or were we just struggling to keep up tempo yesterday?

It's sort of a squishy area in officiating. The ref has to see zero on the clock then look to see if the ball was snapped. If it went to more of a "shot clock" approach like the NBA with an audible horn (maybe in-ear so refs could hear it) and they didn't need to visually watch the clock, we'd be in trouble.

I don't watch other teams the way I do the Hawks, but we've pushed it to the wire all year on the snap count, and yesterday it was even more obvious. I don't notice this as much with other teams.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I don't watch other teams the way I do the Hawks, but we've pushed it to the wire all year on the snap count, and yesterday it was even more obvious. I don't notice this as much with other teams.

Talk to Charger or Packer fans, both Rivers and Rodgers love to run the clock down to zero seemingly 80% of the time.

It's how Pete and Russ want to run the offense. Pete likes the ball/clock control style of taking as much time as he can to control the clock............and Russell likes the time needed to survey the defense, change protection if needed, etc.

What drives me crazy is other teams use tempo on us very successfully (as the Rams did to run us out of the building two games ago, and the Panthers even did successfully yesterday)...........yet it never occurs to Pete to use tempo after momentum shifts or to tire out defenses.

 

[seabowl]

This is so opposite of what Holmgren used to do. He was all about temp temp tempo, calling the play, getting to the line and hiking the ball. You would see him get upset when the O would take it's time and not get going. I kind of like the up tempo plan too as it gets the D out of sync. Whatever makes this O work I am all for.

 

[balakoth]

I don't watch other teams the way I do the Hawks, but we've pushed it to the wire all year on the snap count, and yesterday it was even more obvious. I don't notice this as much with other teams.

Talk to Charger or Packer fans, both Rivers and Rodgers love to run the clock down to zero seemingly 80% of the time.

It's how Pete and Russ want to run the offense. Pete likes the ball/clock control style of taking as much time as he can to control the clock............and Russell likes the time needed to survey the defense, change protection if needed, etc.

What drives me crazy is other teams use tempo on us very successfully (as the Rams did to run us out of the building two games ago, and the Panthers even did successfully yesterday)...........yet it never occurs to Pete to use tempo after momentum shifts or to tire out defenses.

I could get behind this.. if... every play... I didn't watch them take 10 to 15 seconds to just call in and relay the play in the huddle.

Coming out with 10 seconds left on the play clock to be able to make pre snap reads and adjustments is different than Rodgers and Rivers "running it down".

Several times yesterday they were in the huddle for 10 + seconds.... Is it a play call or a short story?

 

[HawkGA]

I don't watch other teams the way I do the Hawks, but we've pushed it to the wire all year on the snap count, and yesterday it was even more obvious. I don't notice this as much with other teams.

Talk to Charger or Packer fans, both Rivers and Rodgers love to run the clock down to zero seemingly 80% of the time.

It's how Pete and Russ want to run the offense. Pete likes the ball/clock control style of taking as much time as he can to control the clock............and Russell likes the time needed to survey the defense, change protection if needed, etc.

What drives me crazy is other teams use tempo on us very successfully (as the Rams did to run us out of the building two games ago, and the Panthers even did successfully yesterday)...........yet it never occurs to Pete to use tempo after momentum shifts or to tire out defenses.

I would say it's not just tiring them out, but it should be used to keep them off balance.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I don't watch other teams the way I do the Hawks, but we've pushed it to the wire all year on the snap count, and yesterday it was even more obvious. I don't notice this as much with other teams.

Talk to Charger or Packer fans, both Rivers and Rodgers love to run the clock down to zero seemingly 80% of the time.

It's how Pete and Russ want to run the offense. Pete likes the ball/clock control style of taking as much time as he can to control the clock............and Russell likes the time needed to survey the defense, change protection if needed, etc.

What drives me crazy is other teams use tempo on us very successfully (as the Rams did to run us out of the building two games ago, and the Panthers even did successfully yesterday)...........yet it never occurs to Pete to use tempo after momentum shifts or to tire out defenses.

I would say it's not just tiring them out, but it should be used to keep them off balance.

Absolutely. It affects substitution and the time it takes for Bobby to get the defense in the right positions and gap control.

Rams made us look like a high school team using tempo and motion to get us out of balance and gap responsibility.

Not sure with Russell having such a command of the offense it never occurs to Pete to do it.........especially after a big momentum shift like we get a turnover. Perfect time to go up tempo when the other team's on their heels.

Head scratcher.

 

[Cyrus12]

Sometimes it by design and sometimes I get the feeling that its communication breakdown.

 

[bigskydoc]

Both Pete, and Wilson, have addressed this in press conferences in the past.

It allows them to read what defensive players are on the field, use that info to call a play, communicate that play to Russ, who then communicates it to the huddle. They then run it down further so that the defense is locked into position, and Russ takes his time to read it.

Love it or hate it, it's a tactical decision, and it isn't going to change. I think there is definitely some benefit to catching the defense off guard, rather than getting a better read on how they are lined up

 

[nepahawk]

Tempo is a double edged sword.
Tempo does keep the defense off balance but also causes fast series.
This often means our defense is on the field quicker with less rest and at this time is not a great option.

 

[Seahawk Sailor]

I don't mind milking the clock like that, but I think it'd be extremely successful if every so often they'd suddenly hurry up and snap it as quickly as they can. Maybe not so much of a hurry-up offense, but that slow, methodical offense with a few hurry-up plays scattered in there to throw the defense off. I think it would do wonders for getting the defense back on its heels and making things a whole lot more unpredictable for them.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Tempo is a double edged sword.
Tempo does keep the defense off balance but also causes fast series.
This often means our defense is on the field quicker with less rest and at this time is not a great option.

That's why I said that a great time to go up tempo is after turnovers and momentum swings, it's a good time to go after teams.

Chip Kelly is a perfect example of why you can't run it all the time in the NFL, clock control is a vital part of winning and losing, so that's not lost on me.

I just would like to see up use tempo more than we do, especially now that Russell has full command of the offense...........he's a rhythm and tempo QB, IMO he's the perfect QB to run tempo. It's part of why he's so good running two minute offenses. He get's into rhythm quickly.

 

[nepahawk]

Tempo is a double edged sword.
Tempo does keep the defense off balance but also causes fast series.
This often means our defense is on the field quicker with less rest and at this time is not a great option.

That's why I said that a great time to go up tempo is after turnovers and momentum swings, it's a good time to go after teams.

Chip Kelly is a perfect example of why you can't run it all the time in the NFL, clock control is a vital part of winning and losing, so that's not lost on me.

I just would like to see up use tempo more than we do, especially now that Russell has full command of the offense...........he's a rhythm and tempo QB, IMO he's the perfect QB to run tempo. It's part of why he's so good running two minute offenses. He get's into rhythm quickly.

I totally agree with your assessment.
Especially considering how we tend to move the ball in the final 2 min before half, with tempo.
Mixing tempo changes would seem to be the best solution.

 

[sdog1981]

This is just what you get with Sloppy Pete. He never demands perfection, he demands results. The team will always, have a ton of penalties, dudes out of position and bad personal groupings. But he wins because he gets players playing fast and with reckless abandon.

 

[ivotuk]

I was curious about this, and Most teams I've watched lately do the same thing.

I thought one announcer explained it as the QB forcing the defense to commit and show whether they're playing man, zone, etc.

 

[evergreen]

It seems like it is beneficial to the defense to let them get all set. I get that Pete and Russ think they can beat them. A lot of audibles looked to be short stuffed runs. Seems like if you ran the play you were ready for before they got ready it could be good. Russ does a pretty nice two minute drill. When Pete goes to the garage he could drive any sports car he wants. He picks the Prius. Unless he's running behind...