Play Action on First Down

[chrisc0015]

I would do the research myself, but I don't have games recorded and NFL.com's play-by-play feature does not mention whether play action was used on a play.

Campbell's near-miss of Santana in overtime on 1st and 10 was eerily similar to his near-miss of Santana against the Eagles earlier this year, both were when I expceted we'd run, both utilized play action, and both were sure touchdowns had the throw been better...

I was wondering if anyone had any statistics on how often the Redskins have used play action on 1st and 10 and what happened on the play? Overthrows? Checkdowns? etc...

My feelings are that we haven't used it too often, but probably used it more in the first two games of the season before Randy Thomas was out. I feel that Gibbs isn't comfortable with our depleted OL generating enough push that we'd be able to get 4 - 6 yards on 2nd and 10 to give Campbell a manageable 3rd down attempt.... if our OL continues to produce like they did against the Jets, I can see us going deep on play action more often on first down. (which atleast in 2 plays, should have been 60+yard TDs)

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Edit: PostGameHeroes breakdowns shows whether play action was used or not

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Skins vs. Dolphins

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to ARE (16 yards)

[1-15] PA Pass: Complete to Sellers (3 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: INT targetted deep to B. Lloyd (single coverage)

Skins vs. Eagles

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Cooley

[2-7] end of the game PA Pass: Incomplete to Moss deep (overthrow)

Skins vs. Giants

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Moss (drop)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Portis (10 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Cooley (3 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Moss (50 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Sellers (7 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Portis (1 yard)

2nd Half:

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Moss (overthrow)

Skins vs. Lions

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Betts (6 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Thrash (overthrow)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to ARE (16 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Thrash (out of bounds, out route)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to McCardell (20 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Thrash (thrown out of bounds due to good coverage)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Cooley (JC had to evade some people before making the throw)

[1-Goal] PA Pass: Complete to Sellers (9 yards, TD)

Skins vs. Packers

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Cooley (3 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to ARE (12 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Cooley (28 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Cooley (just off his fingertips)

[1-10] PA Pass: Sacked (Wade dominated)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Cooley (good play by CB)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Yoder (5 yards)

Skins vs. Cardinals

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Sellers (1 yard)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to ARE (throw too high)

[1-10] PA Pass: INT

Skins vs. Pats

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Cooley (Cooley wide open, but too much pressure for JC to make a good throw)

Skins vs. Jets

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Moss (JC avoids sack somehow, complete to Moss but out of bounds)

Thanks to postgameheroes for their breakdowns which is where I found all this info...

[WVU_Redskin]

If we used play action on first down then theres the chance we would get 1st downs on the first try...Redskins football is 3rd and 7 or 3rd and 5...come on now

I know...i'm an a-hole

[S.T.real,lights,out]

Not often enough.

[CRobi21]

Very good job pointing that out. I think we should go deep first play of the game against Philly. They gotta expect us to keep grinding with CP, so play action, bomb to Santana. A hopefully JC can hit it.

[SkinsFan48]

That would be a perfect play to call. Remember what happen last year down in tampa first play of game went deep but again didnt catch it...

Very good job pointing that out. I think we should go deep first play of the game against Philly. They gotta expect us to keep grinding with CP, so play action, bomb to Santana. A hopefully JC can hit it.

[torch7]

Very good job pointing that out. I think we should go deep first play of the game against Philly. They gotta expect us to keep grinding with CP, so play action, bomb to Santana. A hopefully JC can hit it.

I'm all for it!!

We did open one game with a play action once (can't remember which game) and went deep with Lloyd, and I remember he didn't catch it.

But I was excited that we would even try that.

[jtyler42]

Most succesful passing offenses pass wether it's PA or regular dropback on first down...The reason why is b/c most teams run a base man or zone defense on 1st down...So it's an easier read and an easier throw...When you wait until 2nd or 3rd and long then you get man/zone blitzes or even combo man/zone coverages...Hence a more difficult read and throws...

It's not rocket science...Saunder's did it in KC and Gibbs used to do it in his first stint here...

[mistertim]

I'd actually be very happy with some 3 WR SHOTGUN formations every once in a while on 1st or 2nd down.

[chrisc0015]

Skins vs. Dolphins

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to ARE (16 yards)

[1-15] PA Pass: Complete to Sellers (3 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: INT targetted deep to B. Lloyd (single coverage)

Skins vs. Eagles

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Cooley

[2-7] end of the game PA Pass: Incomplete to Moss deep (overthrow)

Skins vs. Giants

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Moss (drop)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Portis (10 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Cooley (3 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Moss (50 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Sellers (7 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Portis (1 yard)

2nd Half:

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Moss (overthrow)

Skins vs. Lions

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Betts (6 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Thrash (overthrow)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to ARE (16 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Thrash (out of bounds, out route)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to McCardell (20 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Thrash (thrown out of bounds due to good coverage)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Cooley (JC had to evade some people before making the throw)

[1-Goal] PA Pass: Complete to Sellers (9 yards, TD)

Skins vs. Packers

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Cooley (3 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to ARE (12 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Cooley (28 yards)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Cooley (just off his fingertips)

[1-10] PA Pass: Sacked (Wade dominated)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Cooley (good play by CB)

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Yoder (5 yards)

Skins vs. Cardinals

[1-10] PA Pass: Complete to Sellers (1 yard)

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to ARE (throw too high)

[1-10] PA Pass: INT

Skins vs. Pats

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Cooley (Cooley wide open, but too much pressure for JC to make a good throw)

Skins vs. Jets

[1-10] PA Pass: Incomplete to Moss (JC avoids sack somehow, complete to Moss but out of bounds)

Thanks to postgameheroes for their breakdowns which is where I found all this info...

[jamesbondman]

Too often the Redskins call the wrong play. Trying an end around or reverse on FIRST down when everybody is expecting a running play doesn't work. Throwing deep on play action on first down intead of just going 15 yards downfield for a first down to get the chains moving.

And why do the Skins try so many 6 yard pass plays on first down when EVERYBODY is around the line of scrimmage expecting a run. Maybe this is why they try and fail on so many first down passes for 4 yards or 6 yards. Get the defense AWAY from the line of scrimmage before you throw a short pass near the line of scrimmage. Geeeez, is their any intelligence on this coaching staff.

I am not a big fan of our play calling this season.

[Aghar]

My God! :doh: Look at that breakdown....Uggghh...Goes to show you when this offense is working well and balanced and when it doesn't. You can almost guess how well the offense did just by the amount of PA Passes throw in a game/half of a game. That's unbelievable. Seriously.. Thanks for that. :applause: