Slow starts, Offensively

I have no idea if he scripts. Never really seen evidence one way or the other. Certainly, we seem to be getting a lot of vanilla early in games, and while that does some similar things to scripting (both would do a lot to see how a defense reacts, and therefore how to attack it), the very early parts of games just don't feature a lot of diversity.

A portion of it, as we saw mid-game this week and certainly in weeks prior, is that a physical run game can warm up and wear down a defense. That doesn't really explain the lack of getting the ball upfield by itself - you can't say that throwing a bunch more is going to make that better. I do think we could use some more mid-range, attacking the edges with the secondary receivers type plays to get the chains moving, but that's not really much different than what we've been doing.

 

I think it's execution at least as much as play calling. We've had guys break off big runs just going off tackle so it's not like vanilla can't work.

But I do have to ask why we are throwing the smoke to Moose, he's not gonna juke anyone and get any major yards.

 

Magnus left. Magnus right.

 

I think alot of our 3rd down struggles early in games has to do with our very vanilla and predictable tendency to want to come out and run. One thing I have learned in my years of football is that where you are on 2nd down is the key to running a successful offense. 2nd and short is the OC's best friend, because it's almost a free play - you can open up the playbook and try anything you want. 2nd and Longs are his worst enemy because you feel like you have to get 6-7 yds minimum and you feel like the only way to do that is to throw it and that leaves you susceptible to 3rd and Longs, where you know you have to throw and you know that they'll be laying their ears back and blitzing and you can't hit a HOT or DUMP OFF route because that may not get the 1st down. And that leads to sacks, turnovers, and, best case, punts.

Seems like defenses KNOW we're gonna run our basic iso play on first down early in the game and the put eight in the box and stuff it and then we have 2nd and 9.

 

Fuck yo blanket​

 

Good stat, although I strongly disagree with the last sentence.

In any case, people have touched on the two main reasons. Jake Delhomme is an inconsistent passer (hence the 3rd down struggles) and we don't get enough yardage on the first two downs.

 

I've come to realize that I don't think Jake has very good vision. It seems to take him too long to go through his receivers and seems not to notice wide open receivers too much. Give him some glasses.

 

Thankfully he's gotten better about not throwing it right at defenders he didn't see, but I guess you could put that in the same category. I'm sure the team has his vision checked, but it's an interesting idea.

 

I think his accuracy is a bigger problem, but I'm no fucking expert.