Why Stopping the Read-Option Isn't as Easy as You Think

[scowan]

I love how all I have read this offseason about how Defenses are going to stop it are to "hit the QB". That is code for "we really dont know how to stop it."

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

This is also a perfect answer to anyone (usually an angry spouse) who questions why Football is so interesting. Multi-dimentional Chess with muscles.

rat - you should read chuck klostermann's sex, drugs and cocoa puffs. he goes on a long and detailed rant about football that i think you would enjoy.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by scowan

I love how all I have read this offseason about how Defenses are going to stop it are to "hit the QB". That is code for "we really dont know how to stop it."

The league won't let that go on for long as a defensive strategy. QBs are the moneymakers for the NFL and they've proven they will do whatever they need to do rules-wise and penalty/fines/suspensions-wise to protect their income streams. The Commissioner's office made the suggestion last season that read-option QBs throw their hands up if they do not have the ball. That won't fly because it takes the element of deception away.

If we keep running this, I fully expect the NFL to come up with new restrictions on the defenses as far as hitting QBs. RGIII could be the most-popular player and product the NFL has.

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

One of the "prettiest" things about Griffin's game is his exchange with RB's. The TV camera can be right on it, and still sometimes no one really knows where the ball ended up. I don't think his ACL took that ability away.

i was amazed out how well he and morris worked together. sometimes rg3 keeps the ball in morris' bread basket until the very last second. i know one game last year they slowed it down and did repeat views of how long rg3 keep the ball in morris' stomach before keeping it himself.

amazed they had no problems/fumbles last year for 2 rookies.

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

rat - you should read chuck klostermann's sex, drugs and cocoa puffs. he goes on a long and detailed rant about football that i think you would enjoy.

Any man who can pen "The villain is the person who knows the most, but cares the least." is a worthwhile author. Thanks OTM!

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

i was amazed out how well he and morris worked together. sometimes rg3 keeps the ball in morris' bread basket until the very last second. i know one game last year they slowed it down and did repeat views of how long rg3 keep the ball in morris' stomach before keeping it himself.

amazed they had no problems/fumbles last year for 2 rookies.

This is how you fumble:


This is not:

[RedskinRat]

Originally Posted by Monkeydad

The league won't let that go on for long as a defensive strategy. <SNIP>

I expect late hit on the QB's to be punished with ejections in the not-too-distant future.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

I expect late hit on the QB's to be punished with ejections in the not-too-distant future.

Good. That will help our team more than hurt it.


New calls coming up: "Hitting a defenseless passer"

[ArcticRed]

Every time I read about putting more pressure on a read-option quarterback is the answer to defending it, I think about the Redskins vs Ram game last year.

The Rams just kept knocking RGIII on his back, cheap shots to his head or a simple hand push in the face. Even after he got rid of the ball. It was the first time I saw RG lose his cool. Once it started to visibly show that it was effecting RG, we proceed to blow a 15 pt lead and eventually lose the game.

I really do hope MShanahan starts to utilize his arm more than his legs this year. I think RG has a fantastic touch on his passes. Something that was not as needed last year with so many wide open receivers created from the read-option.

[Monkeydad]

That Rams game was completely out of hand and normally would not be tolerated by officials.

Fisher was taking advantage of the replacement refs who were either intimidated by his hot head or were just told be to conservative with the whistles. I was pretty angry with the things the refs let Fisher and his dirty players like Finnegan got away with. There were countless fights from the first play and cheap shots being thrown at us every chance they got.

That's not a gameplan we'll see working again. Those refs were never in control.

I still do not blame Morgan for losing his cool and throwing that ball that lost us the game. He was taking cheap shots all day without them being called. A man can only take so much. Even Griffin was visibly frustrated.

Replacement officials lose control early on in Redskins-Rams game - Washington Times

Last night’s crew also presided over Rams-Redskins mess | ProFootballTalk

Washington Redskins -- Robert Griffin III says he took cheap shots from St. Louis Rams - ESPN

Hall leads chorus of Redskins unhappy with officials

[RedskinRat]

Regarding goonish attacks on RGIII, I expect a similar approach as old school Hockey players dealt with their start getting hit. Retribution.

I'd expect that the Redskins players unofficially designate a hit man, have them put a few blindside hits of the offending D personnel. Fullback or TE would be large enough.

[donofriose]

I think the answer to stopping any offense is putting more pressure on the quarterback. Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Aaron Rogers or Drew Brees don't always look great when the DLine is owning the line of scrimmage and hitting them repeatedly.

If you want to stop the read option you have to dominate the line of scrimmage. But that is true for any offense so I imagine if the read option runs into a good defense, it will be stopped, just like any other offense in the NFL.

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by ArcticRed

Every time I read about putting more pressure on a read-option quarterback is the answer to defending it, I think about the Redskins vs Ram game last year.

The Rams just kept knocking RGIII on his back, cheap shots to his head or a simple hand push in the face. Even after he got rid of the ball. It was the first time I saw RG lose his cool. Once it started to visibly show that it was effecting RG, we proceed to blow a 15 pt lead and eventually lose the game.

I really do hope MShanahan starts to utilize his arm more than his legs this year. I think RG has a fantastic touch on his passes. Something that was not as needed last year with so many wide open receivers created from the read-option.

Look at the Post article from a while back that looks at how many hits Griffin took per game. After the Rams and Cinci games Griffin never took that many hits again. And the Rams game would have been called differently with the regular refs. Hitting the qb is not a defense against the Read Option in this NFL, the risk of penalties hurting your defense is greater than the risk to any effective qb. Baltimore tried it in the SB, and near the end CK was making some pretty effective plays. I go back to the Minnesota game when Jared Allen was so frustrated that he was going to switch from crashing down to aiming for the qb. As long as the DE has in mind what he is going to do before the play, the offense, and a good qb will effectively negate his actions.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by RedskinRat

Regarding goonish attacks on RGIII, I expect a similar approach as old school Hockey players dealt with their start getting hit. Retribution.

I'd expect that the Redskins players unofficially designate a hit man, have them put a few blindside hits of the offending D personnel. Fullback or TE would be large enough.

What?

[SirLK26]

Originally Posted by Monkeydad

What?

C'mon, Monkeydad, why the skepticism? It's a great idea! I can already see Paul or Young laying a beautiful hit on Ware, Pierre-Paul, or any other idiot who messes with our quarterback.