Beginning games with short plays?

I got a little bored yesterday, and decided to look at some game logs. Since it seems that we struggle most in the first half, I focused on the first 20 plays of each game. Now I know field position and score make a difference in the playcalling, but I more wanted to see what we are doing in that first quarter and part of the second.

Overall, there were 100 plays (20 from each game)

Passing = 56
-Sacks = 6
-Deep passes = 6 (1 INT, 1 catch, 4 incomplete)
-Short passes = 44

Running = 44
-Runs up the middle = 22
-Runs everywhere else = 22 (off RT, sweeo, etc.)

From this Raye clearly loves his HB dives. He has just as many runs up the gut as runs to every other direction. Shaun Hill is also showing that he is the true dink and dunker with 44 short passes. My question to this is, are the recievers even running deep routes?

Maybe we should take more deep shots in the beginning? is that a result of playcalling? QB pressure? NFL.com considers deep 20+ yards and Hill can throw friggin 20+ yards, so no need for noodle arm comments.

And one last thing, no wonder teams stack the box, out of 100 plays, we ran short passes/runs 88 times (give or take for errors counting). Predictable?

Why not take a couple shots downfield out of a 4 WR package then a 2 TE package...keep em guessing rather than send Gore/Coffee up the middle three plays in a row then punt

Originally posted by NeeJ49er:
Why not take a couple shots downfield out of a 4 WR package then a 2 TE package...keep em guessing rather than send Gore/Coffee up the middle three plays in a row then punt

Do we even have a 4 WR package??

screen passes to Crabtree ALLLLLL DAY...

I think the specialize in dinka and dunks because maybe they feel that's Hill's strongest asset. If you look at the long passes in the first quarter 6. Only 6. And I also have seen where there could have been big passes down the field, but if u watch closely. He looks underneath right after the snap.

I remember something Hill said in the beginning of pre-season. He said yes, I feel I can make all the throws, even raye said he could as well, bt in the same sentence he said but I still gotta play my game and will only do what I feel comfortable with. I think he honestly doesn't trust his long ball, and the coaches don't either. At least somene finally pointed out, we need to go down the field more. But if Hill isn't comfortable continuously with the long ball first, and short pass second, then what. We just leave things a lone and just settle?

Originally posted by Juniorminime:

Originally posted by NeeJ49er:
Why not take a couple shots downfield out of a 4 WR package then a 2 TE package...keep em guessing rather than send Gore/Coffee up the middle three plays in a row then punt

Do we even have a 4 WR package??

seriously doubt it. Maybe for a hail mary play.

Originally posted by Juniorminime:

Originally posted by NeeJ49er:
Why not take a couple shots downfield out of a 4 WR package then a 2 TE package...keep em guessing rather than send Gore/Coffee up the middle three plays in a row then punt

Do we even have a 4 WR package??

Raye even said he doesn't do much 4 WR sets. I think he said it is because he feels that would weaken protection. I really want to see Bruce, Crabtree, Morgan, Hill/Battle/Jones out there together at least 5 times a game damn it. Actually, I'd be glad just to see more 3 WR sets!

This thought keeps going over & over in my head

First play of the game we start from our own 17 yard line, it's a PA play, Crabtree catches a 15 yard pass and takes it all the way for a 83 yard TD.

Too bad it wont happen

Originally posted by BirdmanJr:
This thought keeps going over & over in my head

First play of the game we start from our own 17 yard line, it's a PA play, Crabtree catches a 15 yard pass and takes it all the way for a 83 yard TD.

Too bad it wont happen

not gonna happen birdman. deal with it.

Originally posted by SybErkRimInAL:

Originally posted by BirdmanJr:
This thought keeps going over & over in my head

First play of the game we start from our own 17 yard line, it's a PA play, Crabtree catches a 15 yard pass and takes it all the way for a 83 yard TD.

Too bad it wont happen

not gonna happen birdman. deal with it.

I think our playcalling indicates what the coaches feel our strengths are. They obviously feel Hill is better at short-to-intermediate throws and Frank is better in a power run game. Can't really say I disagree with either of those assessments.

My problem with the playcalling isn't so much about short vs long as it is about simple predictability. I don't think we should go deep out of the 4 WR set. A conservative team like ours just screams "deep shot" when we go 4 wide.

If we really want to keep the defense off balance, than we should go deep from one of our big run packages. And then try a few misdirection run plays from our passing sets. Atlanta did both to us with great success. But I could tell run or pass about 90% of the time our offense was on the field just by looking at the personnel and the formation.

Its great to be a "here's what we're gonna do, just try and stop us" type team (which is what Sing wants apparently), but common sense should dictate that you play off your strengths to open other things up. Threaten to run the ball down somebody's throat, than throw past their safeties. We haven't near enough of that imo.

Originally posted by Overkill:
I think our playcalling indicates what the coaches feel our strengths are. They obviously feel Hill is better at short-to-intermediate throws and Frank is better in a power run game. Can't really say I disagree with either of those assessments.

My problem with the playcalling isn't so much about short vs long as it is about simple predictability. I don't think we should go deep out of the 4 WR set. A conservative team like ours just screams "deep shot" when we go 4 wide.

If we really want to keep the defense off balance, than we should go deep from one of our big run packages. And then try a few misdirection run plays from our passing sets. Atlanta did both to us with great success. But I could tell run or pass about 90% of the time our offense was on the field just by looking at the personnel and the formation.

Its great to be a "here's what we're gonna do, just try and stop us" type team (which is what Sing wants apparently), but common sense should dictate that you play off your strengths to open other things up. Threaten to run the ball down somebody's throat, than throw past their safeties. We haven't near enough of that imo.

I was just about to say that...instead of coming out in a package where we are obviously going to run, why not come out in a 3 or 4 WR set and RUN the ball, keep the D surprised. Instead the D knows exactly when we are going to run or pass because it's pretty obvious if we come out in a 3 or 4 WR set we are going to pass

Bring back the 15 scripted plays!

Originally posted by 49AllTheTime:
Bring back the 15 scripted plays!

im pretty sure i read an article on the home page that interviewed Raye and he said he scripted the first 20 plays.

I cant find the article now it was a couple of days ago. I could be wrong

i say we throw a hail mary to crabtree on the first play !