Quote:
Originally Posted by Black Bob
No shit. Why do we have to run plays that require a lot of setting up and time to develop? I mean those TE tosses seem really desperate.
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Reids O is built like a basketball team O. It is designed to be a high percentage pass play (usually around the LOS) to get one guy wide open with space to move the ball.
All the motion and misdirection like on the TD to the FB is necessary. Everything needs to be set up by power runs which have been less and less productive or consistent.
In the passing game they cannot line up and throw it downfield with Smith, and with most QB's in the NFL for that matter so Reid figures that D's cannot cover everyone and someone is going to be wide open so his WR's tend to be Judas Goats downfield to open up the underneath for TE and RB's out of the flat or in the seam. That is why your leading pass catcher by Yards is Ware and used to be JC and the 2nd leading catcher is the TE because they give him easy catches in space with room to run.
Travis's stock falls downfield where he has to make big time catches in traffic while covered that is why I think he is overrated because his yards are dinks with YAC where he is not contacted until 20 yards downfield. Put at guy on him and make him make a big catch downfield on the run and he is just another dude and his play proves that.
I do enjoy some of Andy's innovations, he has a 2 TE set where he brings them into a Wing formation on either side and motions the RB down behind the strong side and you don't know if the TE's are going to block, leak out into routes or if the RB is going to run a screen, lots of options off that one play and they didn't run it once Sunday night, it is the perfect play against a rushing team like Denver because the rush LB's have to account for the route options rather than sell out and rush the QB.
The problem with not being a downfield passing O is that when you need to use it there are not enough game reps to execute it. Sure there are nights where anything will work, especially against teams who are hurt or not strong D's but you cannot count on that in the playoffs.
Steelers played everyone the right way, they kept everything in front of them, they accounted for Hill and attacked him behind the LOS rather than backing off. They knew the tendency's to run and they pressed on 3rd and shorts. The sad thing was this is your best OL for years and they didn't establish the run game and stay with it like Pitt was willing to.