Yesterday's Gameplan is why Saunders is here

[Paintrain]

Admittedly we'd like to see better execution and more than 16 points but if you look at the game plan and play calling, that was exactly why Saunders was brought in.. What did we see yesterday?
-Downfield passing: Campbell had to throw 6 balls more than 20 yds down the field trying for the big play.. If Lloyd turns his head sooner that's a 50 yd TD, if Randle-El makes that jumping catch in the end zone that's another 40+ yd TD.. Saunders is calling plays and Campbell is making attempts we didn't see 6 weeks ago..
-Power running game: We tend to think of Saunders game plans as all gimmicks and tricks but remember he was calling the plays that made Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson elite backs in the NFL. He trys to get too fancy at times (yesterday's 3rd down call) and it hurts us but big yards in the running game are a staple of his offense..

This is what he's getting the big bucks for.. We've put up 381, 415 and 354 yards the past 3 weeks against 3 teams either in or vying for the playoffs. Yards will lead to points with better execution. Next season with Campbell, Portis, Betts, Moss, Cooley, Randle-El and Lloyd we should be the explosive offense we had hoped to see this year.

[JWsleep]

Agreed, though I like the way there is still a nice Gibbs feel in the run game (counter tre's thrown in with the zone blocking, etc.)

Got to get the red zone play book up and running, though. 354 yards needs to equal more than 16 points! BUt I take it that may be a place where Campbell just doesn't know that part of the playbook yet, and they haven't really adjusted to his strengths. My guess is next season, that part will be fixed.

[SKINSnCANES]

Im still not impressed, but we're improving our execution. I dont even know if Saunders is calling different plays of if we just not have a QB that will look down the field.

Two games in a row we dominated the other team statistically, one of those games we lost, the other we could have lost on the last play. We can keep driving down the field and attempting field goals.

Our play calling in the redzone has been horrible in my opinion.

[MTK]

We're racking up the yardage which is a good sign, now the points need to follow. I think a lot of that is due to Campbell's inexperience and it really limits what we try to do in the redzone as a result.

[redsk1]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

We're racking up the yardage which is a good sign, now the points need to follow. I think a lot of that is due to Campbell's inexperience and it really limits what we try to do in the redzone as a result.

It seems like especially yesterday, that we tend to get more conservative when in the red zone. Do you think Joe plays more of a role once in the red zone? You are right i think they were trying to limit JC's mistakes yesterday and called mostly runs. I'm sure it was part of the game plan although they threw deep often in the middle of the field, so go figure.

[Stacks42]

Originally Posted by redsk1

It seems like especially yesterday, that we tend to get more conservative when in the red zone. Do you think Joe plays more of a role once in the red zone? You are right i think they were trying to limit JC's mistakes yesterday and called mostly runs. I'm sure it was part of the game plan although they threw deep often in the middle of the field, so go figure.

B. Mitchell said on the post game show that once the skins pass the opposing teams 35yd line that Gibbs gets involved in the play calling. This is probably why the skins keep stalling, once they get into the 35yd line there are constant delay of game calls, false starts, and the continuity that the offense had driving down the field completely goes to crap. If he is going to let Saunders run the offense, then he should let him run it. Oh yeah and can we please stop running that sweep play, Betts is running up the gut for 8,9,12 yds per carry then we do that stupid sweep and lose a yard or two!

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Originally Posted by Stacks42

Oh yeah and can we please stop running that sweep play, Betts is running up the gut for 8,9,12 yds per carry then we do that stupid sweep and lose a yard or two![/FONT]

I've been saying this for weeks! I will never understand that call.

[Paintrain]

Originally Posted by ArtMonkDrillz

I've been saying this for weeks! I will never understand that call.

The sweep isn't always designed for it to be a huge gainer. If you are getting 8,9,12 yds up the middle then you have to run outside to keep defenses honest and not pinch the DL and rush the OLB in the tackle/guard gap.. If you catch them in a inside stunt that's a long td run most of the time..

[redsk1]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

Admittedly we'd like to see better execution and more than 16 points but if you look at the game plan and play calling, that was exactly why Saunders was brought in.. What did we see yesterday?
-Downfield passing: Campbell had to throw 6 balls more than 20 yds down the field trying for the big play.. If Lloyd turns his head sooner that's a 50 yd TD, if Randle-El makes that jumping catch in the end zone that's another 40+ yd TD.. Saunders is calling plays and Campbell is making attempts we didn't see 6 weeks ago..
-Power running game: We tend to think of Saunders game plans as all gimmicks and tricks but remember he was calling the plays that made Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson elite backs in the NFL. He trys to get too fancy at times (yesterday's 3rd down call) and it hurts us but big yards in the running game are a staple of his offense..

This is what he's getting the big bucks for.. We've put up 381, 415 and 354 yards the past 3 weeks against 3 teams either in or vying for the playoffs. Yards will lead to points with better execution. Next season with Campbell, Portis, Betts, Moss, Cooley, Randle-El and Lloyd we should be the explosive offense we had hoped to see this year.

Agree, although i think about 5 weeks ago Gibbs and Saunders met in the middle of their offenses (or maybe the running game is just working better now).

The lloyd ball was a bad throw and not catchable imo. He completely burned his man and was looking over his right shoulder. The ball was thrown real short and over his left shoulder. Uncatchable imo. Baldinger of course said it was a perfect throw. A perfect throw would have hit him on stride (or close) over his right shoulder, inside not outside.

I'm really impressed w/ this oline and as soon as we start punching it in from the red zone. Who knows???

[memphisskin]

Originally Posted by redsk1

Agree, although i think about 5 weeks ago Gibbs and Saunders met in the middle of their offenses (or maybe the running game is just working better now).

The lloyd ball was a bad throw and not catchable imo. He completely burned his man and was looking over his right shoulder. The ball was thrown real short and over his left shoulder. Uncatchable imo. Baldinger of course said it was a perfect throw. A perfect throw would have hit him on stride (or close) over his right shoulder, inside not outside.

I'm really impressed w/ this oline and as soon as we start punching it in from the red zone. Who knows???

I thought it was a good throw, but a better sign of things to come. Lloyd was so intent on getting deep that he kind of dropped his head and just ran, and he couldn't locate the ball. If Lloyd saw the ball sooner he could have adjusted and made the catch, probably the prettiest incomplete pass of the day.

[onlydarksets]

Originally Posted by memphisskin

I thought it was a good throw, but a better sign of things to come. Lloyd was so intent on getting deep that he kind of dropped his head and just ran, and he couldn't locate the ball. If Lloyd saw the ball sooner he could have adjusted and made the catch, probably the prettiest incomplete pass of the day.

It's hard to tell what the route was. If he was supposed to come back inside, then it was a bad pass. If he was supposed to look to the sideline, then it was almost perfect. Either way, Lloyd might have been able to adjust to it if he had looked back sooner.

[MTK]

ARE didn't time his jump very well on that one in the endzone, if he jumped a second later he would have caught that TD.

[JWsleep]

Agreed--he jumped too early. But it was sweet to see Campbell airing it out. That TD pass to Moss was a thing of BEAUTY.

[freddyg12]

I agree w/most of what's on this thread, especially w/Paintrain's overall assessment. this O has gone from clueless to almost being entirely in sync, which is now due to JC's on the job training.
The next step is finishing drives w/scores. It's easier for a young qb to hit a long pass for a td than it is to complete an 80 yd. 15 play drive. These last 2 weeks I think we'll see them put it together in the red zone & score more. Points in the red zone are tough, no one should be surprised that we're having trouble scoring td's, given that JC has only started 5 games.

[onlydarksets]

Even that pass to Moss near the end of the game. Not the best decision since Moss was doubled when the ball got there, but, even with the safety and corner on top of him, the ball hit him in the hands. Beautifully thrown ball.