A pass 1st offense weekly lament

[dgack]

Two years ago, HT caught 63 balls (3rd on the team) in an offense with Fitz, Boldin, and Breaston.

Why we aren't throwing more screens to this guy I do not understand. Call it a pass all you like, but for all intents and purposes it's a running play.

Hightower has a terrible 3.5ypc right now but an 8.2y/rec average and is leading all NFC East RB's in receiving first downs.

Meanwhile Helu has a gaudy 5.7ypc.

I'd probably rather see Helu running inside, but both of these guys could be catching more balls out of the backfield. Did you see Hightower hurdle that tackler at the end of the game? That's what I'm talking about.

[mike340]

It seemed to me that the running backs slipped every time they tried to cut. They were so frustrated in the first half because they kept on falling before being tackled. Why couldn't they have changed cleats?
It might have changed their game plan.

[dgack]

Originally Posted by mike340

It seemed to me that the running backs slipped every time they tried to cut. They were so frustrated in the first half because they kept on falling before being tackled. Why couldn't they have changed cleats?
It might have changed their game plan.

Yeah, this is a really good point. Steinberg made a joke about it, but people were slipping all over the luxurious new field of the JerrahDome. And by people, I mean "mostly us". Does seem strange that we didn't make any equipment adjustments.

[That Guy]

want a cookie? and who'd you tell? cause it wasn't me. I knew he could play.

[44ever]

Originally Posted by That Guy

want a cookie? and who'd you tell? cause it wasn't me. I knew he could play.

No, I made sure only to tell only the people that "didn't know". Keep your cookie for knowing it yourself.

[irish]

The NFL is now a passing league. Teams used to run to set up the pass, now they pass to set up a run. Even the salary structure shows the NFL is a pass first league as the highest paid positions have to do with passing or stopping the pass. Only kickers & punters are paid less than RBs.

[30gut]

Over the past few weeks, I think the importance of the running game for this offense has made itself obvious.
Put the game in Rex's hands early 2 picks, but the defense stood up.
Then the combo of Helu+Royster drives the victory.

[freddyg12]

I like Torain for what he is, an avg. nfl backup that can run hard & break tackles in the secondary. Never thought he found holes well, as GTripp always has said, he lost yards on a lot of runs due to poor reads. I could easily see he, Royster & Hightower not making it next year due to health & draft picks. At least RB is not one of our major personel concerns this offseason.

[Paintrain]

Run first, pass first, who cares? If we have personnel that suports a passing game, then we should emphasize that. A pass first offense hasn't hurt New Orleans and Green Bay much, has it?

[30gut]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

Run first, pass first, who cares? If we have personnel that suports a passing game, then we should emphasize that. A pass first offense hasn't hurt New Orleans and Green Bay much, has it?

IF we were winning or even if the offense was merely productive I don't think anyone would care if we were run first or pass first because either style of offense can win.

As you suggest with Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers clearly the QB is the central figure in executing a pass first offense.
One really needs to look no further then Rex to decide whether or not we had the personnel to support that style of offense.

Imo and if you look at the numbers Kyle has been a pass first coordinator.
And like many other pass first OC's his reliance on the pass was often counter productive.

Robert Griffin and the new WRs go a long way towards assembling the personnel to actually support a pass first offense.

[SkinItup]

Originally Posted by 30gut

IF we were winning or even if the offense was merely productive I don't think anyone would care if we were run first or pass first because either style of offense can win.

As you suggest with Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers clearly the QB is the central figure in executing a pass first offense.
One really needs to look no further then Rex to decide whether or not we had the personnel to support that style of offense.

Imo and if you look at the numbers Kyle has been a pass first coordinator.
And like many other pass first OC's his reliance on the pass was often counter productive.

Robert Griffin and the new WRs go a long way towards assembling the personnel to actually support a pass first offense.

The 2 first rounders and the second that we gave up don't.

[SirClintonPortis]

Originally Posted by SkinItup

The 2 first rounders and the second that we gave up don't.

Proper cost-benefit analysis involves weighing the net benefits RGIII/Luck provides vs. what the net benefits the other picks provide.

[artmonkforhallofamein07]

The key with those two franchises is 2 franchise gold standard QBs.

[los panda]

i was looking forward to reading this thread for a long time. thank you

[30gut]

No commitment to the running game

The Redskins may have lost Tim Hightower to injured reserve but the complete lack of commitment they have shown to the running game that was the foundation for their fast start to the season is somewhat shocking. Hightower certainly started the season well but he was not alone in that regard, with Roy Helu (-0.2) and Ryan Torain also playing very well. In the last two weeks, with Hightower on the shelf and trying to bed in a new quarterback, the Redskins have only called 20 designed runs. Neither game has been a runaway victory for the opposition, though the Bills and 49ers rarely looked troubled. Much as the Redskins individual performances are falling off all over the team the complete unwillingness of Mike and Kyle Shanahan to lean on the running game is either baffling or inexcusable depending upon your persuasion. Helu made his intentions clear with a strong run on the first play from scrimmage in the game but was only given the ball on the ground nine more times after that.

Re-Focused - 49ers @ Redskins, Week 9 | ProFootballFocus.com

Originally Posted by Dan Graziano

A couple of interesting facts in this Redskins.com notebook, including the fact that Washington Redskins running back Roy Helu's rushing touchdown Sunday was the first against the Seahawks since the second quarter in Week 4. Helu had a remarkable day and was probably the main reason the Redskins snapped their six-game losing streak. The rookie had 23 carries and the Redskins ran the ball on 29 of their 65 plays.

Here's why that last bit matters: It means they ran on 44.6 percent of their offensive plays, which is their second-highest such figure of the season. Only the Week 4 victory in St. Louis, in which they ran on 40 of their 69 plays (58.0 percent) ranks higher. Sunday was also the fourth game of this season in which at least 40 percent of Washington's offensive plays were run plays. You want to take a guess what the 4-7 Redskins' record is in those games?

Yeah, it's 4-0.

Which means they're 0-7 when they don't run it at least 40 percent of the time. I did that little bit of higher math right there so you didn't have to. I'm looking out for you guys. I'm helpful like that.

Point is, the Redskins' offense only works when it's able to commit to the run. Even as Helu was getting 2 and 3 yards a carry in the early going, they stuck with the run Sunday. Even against one of the stingiest run defenses in the league, the Redskins kept running the ball in the hopes that it would pay off, and when Helu jumped over that dude and ran 28 yards for a touchdown, it had.

During their six-game losing streak, only 29.7 percent of the Redskins' offensive plays were run plays. There were three games -- Eagles, Bills and 49ers -- in which they failed to run the ball at least 30 percent of the time. The bottoming-out came (no surprise) in Week 8, when quarterback John Beck took 10 sacks and the Redskins got shut out. They ran on just 11 of their 54 plays that game -- 20.4 percent.

http://espn.go.com/blog/nfceast/post...d-the-run-game