Screen Pass Argument

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
I think people just expect our screens to go like this:

This play is impressive until you realize it's the Raiders.

Originally posted by verb1der:
This play is impressive until you realize it's the Raiders.

Yeah, that's kinda my point also. People think all defenses should be like the Raiders defending the screens.

Originally posted by qnnhan7:

Originally posted by verb1der:
This play is impressive until you realize it's the Raiders.

Yeah, that's kinda my point also. People think all defenses should be like the Raiders defending the screens.

No doubt there's extremes where some people say the Niners "never run screens" along those who expect screens to always work like the Chiefs' did against a Swiss cheese defense.

It's also entirely possible there are people who take a measured approach, noting that the 49ers do run very few of them, bolstering the opinion that they are looked at by the offensive braintrust as one-offs rather than an integral part of the offense that, with the ball in playmakers' (e.g. Gore, Hunter, LMJ, et al) hands, they not only can gain good, positive yards, they also have the potential for big gains, and perhaps more importantly serve to keep defenses honest.

I think Iupati and Boone are fast enough to pull and get outside. End and receivers are excellent blockers. They have everything that says it should work. I'd like to see a TE release screen. For all of the formations and personnel flexibility that the Niners have they sure don't do much. Harbaugh and Co were the same at Stanford. Just a fancy kind off vanilla.

Originally posted by verb1der:

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
I think people just expect our screens to go like this:

This play is impressive until you realize it's the Raiders.

#71's block! LMFAO!

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
I think people just expect our screens to go like this:



And this:



All day...

I don't think anyone expects that. It's the Raiders.

Originally posted by BadgerHawk:
I think Iupati and Boone are fast enough to pull and get outside. End and receivers are excellent blockers. They have everything that says it should work. I'd like to see a TE release screen. For all of the formations and personnel flexibility that the Niners have they sure don't do much. Harbaugh and Co were the same at Stanford. Just a fancy kind off vanilla.

It's tough for guys massive like Boone and Iupati to get going from a standing posture. On screen plays, they get out of their stance to fake the pass block, then from a standing position, accelerate as fast as they can to get outside. It's different than pulling to lead from a three point stance where they can use their legs for driving and pushing off. Even then, there are a handful of stretch plays where they don't pull well. This is why pass rushers would rather go from a 3 point stance.

Originally posted by qnnhan7:
Screens are called to take advantage of the aggressiveness of the defense to go after the qb. But our run offense usually makes the defense stay back and be discipline because we usually pass out of run formations. Can't throw the screen to our RB because their linebackers are already keying on our RB for the run. So Smith/Kaep try to throw a screen he sees the RB with a linebacker lurking close by ready to blow up the RB as soon as he catches the screen pass, he just as well throw it to the ground to blow up the play.

Great point. The more a team passes, the more the opponent thinks pass rush, the more effective screens passes are.

Originally posted by Kolohe:

9ers don't utilize the scree-pass cause Kaepernick can't throw one. If its not a 40 mph fast ball, he ain't throwing it!!! Haha!!

It's true. Kap doesn't have enough touch for a screen pass.

What's a screen pass? Is that throwing the ball as hard as you can thru your tv screen??

Originally posted by thl408:

So middle screens work, when compared to screen left/right. WR screens work somewhat. Instead of running screens to the RB, I'd rather just run a draw play. Both types of play work to slow down the pass rush. We talk about putting players in a good position to succeed. Running screen left/right would not be putting the 49er players in a position to succeed.

Fantastic gif's...let the gif's do the talking! Great work on this compilation. And I fully agree with your assessment. Like I mentioned in the previous post, timing is everything, with a screen. Naturally, if a defense already has 9-10 guys up at the LOS they've got us in the number's game (you can see how in most, the defense clearly outnumber our blockers). You also illustrate one of my long-standing complaints in Kyle Williams. But his absolute imability to block (save for the crack-back block on the Alex Smith/Saints TD) was very salient to me. He alone blew up so many plays I can't even count them. No WAY should you have a 5'10" 120 pound WR split out wide to block on any AR-like plays or screens. Now, having him as your target to run the screen? Now THAT is a much better idea.

With the likes of Crabtree, Boldin and VD, we should be able to get some very succesful quick WR screens when the DB's are playing off...all three are very good blockers. Our RB's screens out on the edges should now be a little more sucessful (while keeping the defense honest and forcing them to cover the entire field). I love how you highlighted the middle screen...this one we don't seem to run much but it seems to suit our OL better blocking down hill vs. getting out on the perimeter and trying to block out on space.

Another thing that can help the screen is Roman's smoke-and-mirrors perspective...misdirections to one side and then toss back to the screen side, delayed screens and pump fakes to one side to hold the defenders, etc. When I watch very good screen teams, they do a fantastic job of selling it and setting it up in their favor. This takes practice, repetition and an OC that knows when to call them...HaRoMan can give CK the option as well esp. on the WR screens.

We need to try a HB screen pass. No one would expect us to do that.