1989 and 2009: The quick slant.

NinerPrideinNJ · 2009-06-28T20:15:11-07:00

Just finished watching America's Game DVD on the 1989 Niners (so glad I have the collection of those btw). Anyways, one portion of the DVD discusses the use of the quick slant and how lethal it was for the team that year. It flashes to highlights of Rice and Taylor burning through that middle seam of the field and I thought to myself, "This '09 team is perfectly suited to make use of such a weapon". Think about it. Let's go with the idea that Hill starts (please no Smith vs. Hill comments). The knock on Hill is his arm strength. Nevertheless, we know that his strengths are smarts, quick decision-making/release, and QUICK, SHORT PASSES. We all know that our WR corps. is the deepest it's possibly ever been. With the budding potential of WR's like Morgan and Crabtree, the quick slant could be just what we need to open up this passing game. I've heard time and time again that we can't waste our WR's on a QB who can't throw the bomb. Yet, short passing (and the slant in particular) could be the ticket we need to develop a lethal passing game. Morgan, Bruce, Crabtree and the like could make quick tears to the middle and allow their pure athleticism to shine and make plays. I know Raye's offense varies greatly from the WCO. Still, I hope we utilize the quick slant because the gains could be tremendous. Thoughts and critiques are more than welcome.

Jun 28, 2009 at 8:28 PM

PTulini
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Posts: 12,412

I do think we will see more of a controlled passing game similar to the WCO.

Jun 28, 2009 at 8:39 PM

RichmondPete
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Posts: 682

every team has the quick slant in there playbook and use it regularly. the reason the quick slant was so devistating back then was because Jerry Rice and John Taylor were on the field with Joe Montana throwing the ball.

Jun 28, 2009 at 8:44 PM

jdt84_2
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Posts: 25,947

Originally posted by RichmondPete:
every team has the quick slant in there playbook and use it regularly. the reason the quick slant was so devistating back then was because Jerry Rice and John Taylor were on the field with Joe Montana throwing the ball.

honestly, i am not sure joe even mattered in that. john and jerry were vicious downfield blockers, and were blocking for each other 20-30-40-50 yards down field.

Jun 28, 2009 at 8:51 PM

ajsjohnson
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Posts: 1,028

Originally posted by jdt84_2:
Originally posted by RichmondPete:
every team has the quick slant in there playbook and use it regularly. the reason the quick slant was so devistating back then was because Jerry Rice and John Taylor were on the field with Joe Montana throwing the ball.

honestly, i am not sure joe even mattered in that. john and jerry were vicious downfield blockers, and were blocking for each other 20-30-40-50 yards down field.

You have to deliver the ball at the exact right time in the numbers. Joe mattered, believe me--have you seen what happens to a play like that when the timing/placement is off?

Jun 28, 2009 at 8:53 PM

jdt84_2
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Posts: 25,947

Originally posted by ajsjohnson:
Originally posted by jdt84_2:
Originally posted by RichmondPete:
every team has the quick slant in there playbook and use it regularly. the reason the quick slant was so devistating back then was because Jerry Rice and John Taylor were on the field with Joe Montana throwing the ball.

honestly, i am not sure joe even mattered in that. john and jerry were vicious downfield blockers, and were blocking for each other 20-30-40-50 yards down field.

You have to deliver the ball at the exact right time in the numbers. Joe mattered, believe me--have you seen what happens to a play like that when the timing/placement is off?

he mattered, but if you take shaun hill, kurt warner, jeff garcia, most average QBs now, i think those slants would be as effective, joe just made it much easier, and not as riky for the WR.

Jun 28, 2009 at 9:15 PM

NinerPrideinNJ
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Posts: 4,403

Originally posted by jdt84_2:
Originally posted by ajsjohnson:
Originally posted by jdt84_2:
Originally posted by RichmondPete:
every team has the quick slant in there playbook and use it regularly. the reason the quick slant was so devistating back then was because Jerry Rice and John Taylor were on the field with Joe Montana throwing the ball.

honestly, i am not sure joe even mattered in that. john and jerry were vicious downfield blockers, and were blocking for each other 20-30-40-50 yards down field.

You have to deliver the ball at the exact right time in the numbers. Joe mattered, believe me--have you seen what happens to a play like that when the timing/placement is off?

he mattered, but if you take shaun hill, kurt warner, jeff garcia, most average QBs now, i think those slants would be as effective, joe just made it much easier, and not as riky for the WR.

Yeah, I realize all teams have the quick slant in the playbook. My questioning was if it will be utilized more heavily and how effective it can be for our offense. As far as whether the WR's or QB make it work well, both of them do. The QB has to "put the ball right on the numbers" and the receivers need to gain that quick separation and block well down field.

Jun 28, 2009 at 11:23 PM

frankie
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Posts: 6,361

As I recall the past few yrs we hadn't even used the quick slant in our game plans. I vaguely remember an artical saying it was in the playbook just never utilized. Fans on this board a few yrs back where screaming for this play to help move the chains instead of run run run punt! Run run deep pass, incomplete. So has it been mentioned if the quick slant was gonna actually be used this yr? It would be great to see. It would give us I am guessing an extra 5+1st downs.

Jun 28, 2009 at 11:49 PM

Young2Rice
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I believe the slant is ineffective against the Tampa Two.

Jun 28, 2009 at 11:54 PM

frankie
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Posts: 6,361

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
I believe the slant is ineffective against the Tampa Two.

Fade route should be sufficient no? The slant helps keep the d fairly honest though imo and could open it up for the te. Especially when a lot of lb can't keep up wit the likes of vernon davis and delany walker!

Jun 29, 2009 at 12:28 AM

#10

jdt84_2
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Posts: 25,947

Originally posted by Young2Rice:
I believe the slant is ineffective against the Tampa Two.

eh yes and no. the tampa 2 is designed to take away the big play. basically you can run the quick slant all day and drive down the field, but the defense will make a big play, whether it be a sack, fumble, incomplete, or int.

Jun 29, 2009 at 1:40 AM

#11

Joecool
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Posts: 70,984

We stopped running the quick slant because of the following reasons:

1. Brett Favre killed us with it and we have had nightmares ever since.

2. Jerry Rice got old.

3. TO doesn't catch the ball well.

4. Erickson didn't know what a quick slant was.

5. Nolan didn't know what offense or defense was.

6. Alex Smith is still a high school QB.

7. Shaun Hill...eh...correction, Hill can consistently throw an effective quick slant. When he starts, you will see it often.

Jun 29, 2009 at 8:07 AM

#12

RollinWith21n52
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Posts: 2,948

Originally posted by Joecool:
We stopped running the quick slant because of the following reasons:

1. Brett Favre killed us with it and we have had nightmares ever since.

2. Jerry Rice got old.

3. TO doesn't catch the ball well.

4. Erickson didn't know what a quick slant was.

5. Nolan didn't know what offense or defense was.

6. Alex Smith is still a high school QB.

7. Shaun Hill...eh...correction, Hill can consistently throw an effective quick slant. When he starts, you will see it often.

8. When the one person who can throw slants and win games plays, the organization becomes uncomfortable and decides to bench him (I mean compete for the starting job...)

Jun 29, 2009 at 8:54 AM

#13

BrodieFan
Member
Posts: 1,348

Anyone here who thinks there is a QB on the roster who cannot throw a quick slant is just plain nuts.

Jun 29, 2009 at 9:43 AM

#14

Izyniner
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Posts: 2,697

Ahh the slant. I remember watching games in the 80's & 90's were we needed 3 to 5 yards on third down. Yelling look out here it comes you could see the defense new it was coming but could do nothing to stop it. It was mainly because Jerry and J.T. who do you double? I think we may finally have the reciever core to run this again. Who you going to double Crabs, Morgan, or Hill. I like it.