ES: playcalling still a work in progress

[themurf]

(photo by Brian Murphy)

On the first offensive play of the Washington Redskins’ 2009 season, running back Clinton Portis rushed for 34 yards. Unfortunately, things went downhill from there.

While standing on the sidelines of Giants Stadium, we couldn’t help but dwell on what we thought was lackluster playcalling by head coach Jim Zorn – especially on first downs.

With that in mind, we went back and logged every play the Redskins ran on first down. Here’s the breakdown:

1. Portis rushes left for 34 yards.

2. Wide out Antwaan Randle El sacked for 11-yard loss.

3. Portis runs off left tackle for no gain.

4. Quarterback Jason Campbell to tight end Chris Cooley for 17-yard gain.

5. Campbell to Randle El for 13-yard gain.

6. Portis rushes left for 2 yards.

7. Portis rushes left for 2 yards.

8. Campbell passes to Cooley for 11-yard gain.

9. Campbell passes to running back Ladell Betts for 23-yard gain.

10. Campbell passes to Randle El for 8 yards.

11. Portis rushes left for 2 yards.

12. Portis rushes left for 2 yards.

13. Campbell pass intended for Cooley is incomplete.

14. Betts runs right for 1 yard.

15. Portis runs left for 1 yard.

16. Portis runs left for 3 yards.

17. Portis runs right for 6-yard loss.

18. Wide out Devin Thomas gains no yards on end around.

19. Campbell pass intended for Betts is incomplete.

20. Campbell to Cooley for 4-yard gain.

21. Campbell to Randle El for 16-yard gain.

22. Campbell to Cooley for 17-yard touchdown.

To recap, that’s a total of 22 first downs for the Redskins on the day. The playcalling splits evenly between 11 running plays and 11 passing plays. But, as you’ll see, the production wasn’t nearly the same between the running and passing game.

After picking up 34 yards on the first run of the day, Portis was shut down the rest of the game – especially on first down. Nine times on first down the team handed Portis the ball and he picked up a total of 40 yards (which translates to a healthy 4.4 yards per carry). But don’t be fooled. Take away the big first carry and you’re looking at eight carries for just six yards. We repeat – eight carries for six yards. That’s not going to get it done, folks.

The ‘Skins were so predictable on first-down running plays that Portis ran to the left – behind tackle Chris Samuels and guard Derrick Dockery – eight out of nine times. Of course, the one time he tried to run behind right tackle Stephon Heyer, Portis was stuffed for a six-yard loss. So it’s not difficult to see why the team kept trying to run left, even when it wasn’t successful.

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[TSO]

Wow... look at the stats we've got when we threw it on first down. I think that proves what I saw re-watching the game last night, that the Giants were selling out against the run on first downs. The weird thing is they knew exactly when we were going Play Action pass as well.

I think Zorn was too worried about the pass rush. He should've let Jason throw it on first down a lot more.

[budski]

In the picture Todd Collins doesn't look like he is very confident in what

Zorn is picking for the next play.

[Botched]

I agree, probably too many runs on first down, but maybe we were able to pass successfully on other occasions because the Giants were expecting us to run.

Take away the 17 yard touchdown to Cooley and we had 194 passing yards, no offensive touchdowns, 1INT, 2 fumbles on passing downs, and we lose by 13. Suddenly it doesn't look like our passing game was so effective.

So lets not play the "take away this play and..." game, because it can go either way. We did not run or pass well against the Giants, our offense just got beat. In my opinion our loss had more to do with lack of execution than lack of good play calling.

[TheLongshot]

What I was disappointed about was the big chunk of running on 1st down that was in the 2nd half. I don't know what Zorn was seeing, but it wasn't the right approach and it was way too damn predictable.

[themurf]

So lets not play the "take away this play and..." game, because it can go either way.

Okay, lets do it your way. The Redskins rushing game on first down totaled 41 yards on 11 attempts. The Redskins passing game gained 98 yards with a touchdown on 11 attempts. No spin. No nothing. Those are the numbers. You tell me which was more successful on the day?

[Botched]

Okay, lets do it your way. The Redskins rushing game on first down totaled 41 yards on 11 attempts. The Redskins passing game gained 98 yards with a touchdown on 11 attempts. No spin. No nothing. Those are the numbers. You tell me which was more successful on the day?

Those sound like standard numbers for an NFL game to me. Not indicative of bad playcalling at all. How often do rushing yards outnumber passing yards in games not including Adrian Peterson?

[themurf]

Those sound like standard numbers for an NFL game to me. Not indicative of bad playcalling at all.

... until you realize that out of those 11 rushes, only one was for more than three yards.

Maybe you like watching the Redskins break huddle on second-and-long all day long. I'd just like to see the team give themselves a better chance of putting together sustained drives. If that happens, then the defense isn't on the field as much (the Giants had 36 minutes time of possession to the Redskins' 24) and we're not asking the defense to carry so much of the load.

[Botched]

... until you realize that out of those 11 rushes, only one was for more than three yards.

Maybe you like watching the Redskins break huddle on second-and-long all day long. I'd just like to see the team give themselves a better chance of putting together sustained drives. If that happens, then the defense isn't on the field as much (the Giants had 36 minutes time of possession to the Redskins' 24) and we're not asking the defense to carry so much of the load.

I hate seeing that, but you have to run the ball. It's going to be tough getting anything going in the passing game when the defense knows you've abandoned the run.

[gortiz]

its all about converting 3rd downs, extending drives and winning TOP, that is how the giants beat us, straight up. I don't even care about that strip/TD play ... that was a fluke. the skins could have over come that ...

the way to do it ...effective 1st and 2nd down plays.

it was so painful to see how bad the skins were on first down.

we had 5 punts to there ONE!

[gortiz]

I hate seeing that, but you have to run the ball. It's going to be tough getting anything going in the passing game when the defense knows you've abandoned the run.

don't tell bill walsh that ... RIP

the pass set up the run for him. those niner teams woudl dink and dunk their way to a lead and then freaking put a strangle hold on you and run the ball ...

death by paper cut.

awsome write up by the way.

not sure what happened to zorn ...his play calling in the beginning of last year seemed a lot more dynamic, maybe i'm not remembering correctly.

for some reason he seems to be so freaking hesitant? out of rhythm? what is his deal?

[TheLongshot]

Those sound like standard numbers for an NFL game to me. Not indicative of bad playcalling at all. How often do rushing yards outnumber passing yards in games not including Adrian Peterson?

It wasn't running on first down that was the problem. It is all the 2nd half runs on 1st down that bug me. It was getting pretty predictable. It really annoyed me after the interception that we followed that with a run. I wanted to see an aggressive play in the end zone.

[themurf]

its all about converting 3rd downs, extending drives and winning TOP, that is how the giants beat us, straight up.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. Which is why I wish the 'Skins would have noticed that running to the left on seemingly every first down was not working. They could have made that in-game adjustment to switch things up and tried something different - whether it be a quick slant or a screen pass or whatever - in hopes of gaining a few extra yards on first/give yourself less of an uphill battle on second and third downs.

[HateOffSeason]

Amen , Murf, amen. The problem isn't that you have to stop running, or even that you have to get away from a almost 50/50 split. The problem is what plays are called. When 37% of your first down plays are the same play, and only is successful once, that is a problem.

To put it in perspective, we are all part of the video game generation (at least most of us). If you are playing Madden, and you have called a power left run 4 times, and three out of four times they stuff you, do you call it a fifth time? If you do call it, and see that 8 are in the box, do you audible out? If you stick with that play, you are the guy I want to play against. Not only are you predictable, but you are easy to beat. Enter the play calling of Head Coach Jim Zorn.

[Botched]

its all about converting 3rd downs, extending drives and winning TOP, that is how the giants beat us, straight up. I don't even care about that strip/TD play ... that was a fluke. the skins could have over come that ...

We can never seem to overcome turnovers. Seems like one fumble or INT in a game pretty much dooms us. Then when our defense forces a turnover we can't take advantage of it.

There were so many teams that turned the ball over last weekend and yet overcame it. The Steelers had 2 INTs and a fumble, Brady threw a pick 6, the Colts, Saints, and Ravens turned it over and it didn't even slow them down. We saw the Giants turn it over twice and win.

When we do it, it's game over.

-Sorry murf, don't mean to hijack, just had to rant a little.-

It wasn't running on first down that was the problem. It is all the 2nd half runs on 1st down that bug me. It was getting pretty predictable. It really annoyed me after the interception that we followed that with a run. I wanted to see an aggressive play in the end zone.

I think we tried to run a fade route down there, but that was the play when our pass protection got beat and Campbell got mauled.

[themurf]

To put it in perspective, we are all part of the video game generation (at least most of us). If you are playing Madden, and you have called a power left run 4 times, and three out of four times they stuff you, do you call it a fifth time?

Honestly, this is awesome. I'm even a little jealous because the video game comparison is brilliant and I wish I thought of it for the blog.

You're right. If you and I were playing online and I kept calling the same play over and over, it's not going to take you very long to figure out my crutch and overload that side to take it away. And if I'm not smart enough to change up my strategy on the fly, then I deserve to lose the game.

Seriously, thanks for sharing.

[gortiz]

I wholeheartedly agree with you. Which is why I wish the 'Skins would have noticed that running to the left on seemingly every first down was not working. They could have made that in-game adjustment to switch things up and tried something different - whether it be a quick slant or a screen pass or whatever - in hopes of gaining a few extra yards on first/give yourself less of an uphill battle on second and third downs.

that is, (I think ) what makes the Pats offense so good.

they are dynamic - they are like water, they do not have constraints, they adapt, they form to the situation in front of them.

they kill you with throwing to the RB's, you take away the flats, its welker and moss going over the short middle, you take that away its watson going over the linebackers and splitting the safetys down the deep middle. you take away the pass, the run the hell out of the ball in a two TE set ...

keep it simple stupid...

i don't know if i have seen zorn do anything in the way of radically departing from a game plan, or leaving one thing to exploit another. i get that balance is improtant, but you have to be dynamic. Throw the ball 5 straight times every once in awhile, go to a hurry up in the 2nd Quarter, run three straight draws, split portis out wide on a 3rd and 3 and then run a fullback dive with sellers ...

something...ANYTHING!

[gortiz]

To put it in perspective, we are all part of the video game generation (at least most of us)

i so agree ...

i never run on first down on madden and almost always run on 2nd. I try to pick up 4-5 yards on a pass, then 3-4 yards on a run and, boom ... i got a 3rd and 4 and now i can run ANYTHING... and I can pick just abuot any formation. 5 wide, 3 TE's, basic I-form, even a freaking goaline formation.

it just seems that this offense beats its head against the wall. NOTHING SEEMS EASY. every drop back and every handoff come with so much dread for me.

my only consolation is that zorn does get it ... he just has to do it. he's not dumb man, and sooon the dude will be desparate, and desparation can be good.

some people wait to see the light ..others got to feel the heat!

[themurf]

that is, (I think ) what makes the Pats offense so good.

they are dynamic - they are like water, they do not have constraints, they adapt, they form to the situation in front of them.

they kill you with throwing to the RB's, you take away the flats, its welker and moss going over the short middle, you take that away its watson going over the linebackers and splitting the safetys down the deep middle. you take away the pass, the run the hell out of the ball in a two TE set ...

keep it simple stupid...

This is what hurts the most. I mean, in-game adjustments were what got Joe Gibbs into the Hall of Fame, right? He would go into halftime, figure out what worked and what didn't, and make the necessary changes to get the job done.

Conversely, I heard the 'Skins were still running scripted plays into the third quarter. Part of that is because they basically didn't have the ball in the first quarter, but to me, you've got to get away from scripted and be willing to switch things up by the time the third quarter rolls around. Am I crazy for strongly believing this?

[HateOffSeason]

Conversely, I heard the 'Skins were still running scripted plays into the third quarter. Part of that is because they basically didn't have the ball in the first quarter, but to me, you've got to get away from scripted and be willing to switch things up by the time the third quarter rolls around. Am I crazy for strongly believing this?

Don't think you are crazy at all Murf. The problem I have with the scripted plays is that you mean to tell me that our 2nd play, the Randle El sack was from a script as opposed to trying to take advantage of something we had seen (something we had to see in just 1 offensive play, so it obviuosly had to be scripted)? If that play was the 2nd play on your script, it shows that the guy calling the plays has absolutely no clue about calling plays in the NFL. You don't call a reverse option pass until you have gotten the defense to commit to stopping the run in the other direction. Otherwise, you get an 11 yard sack. :doh:

[gortiz]

This is what hurts the most. I mean, in-game adjustments were what got Joe Gibbs into the Hall of Fame, right? He would go into halftime, figure out what worked and what didn't, and make the necessary changes to get the job done.

Conversely, I heard the 'Skins were still running scripted plays into the third quarter. Part of that is because they basically didn't have the ball in the first quarter, but to me, you've got to get away from scripted and be willing to switch things up by the time the third quarter rolls around. Am I crazy for strongly believing this?

not at all ...especially when one facet of your game is flat out not working.

I love both JC and Zorn, I really do, but their honestly seems to be a restrictor plate on this offense. It always seems to be stuck in 1st gear, just churning along. It is like a veil of fear. It is expecting the worst and hoping for the best for this offense.

it was great to see JC hitting those plays over the middle, and winging it ... what happened to that? what happeend? they got away from it until the 4th when the game was out of reach, or close to it.

[TheLongshot]

Don't think you are crazy at all Murf. The problem I have with the scripted plays is that you mean to tell me that our 2nd play, the Randle El sack was from a script as opposed to trying to take advantage of something we had seen (something we had to see in just 1 offensive play, so it obviuosly had to be scripted)? If that play was the 2nd play on your script, it shows that the guy calling the plays has absolutely no clue about calling plays in the NFL. You don't call a reverse option pass until you have gotten the defense to commit to stopping the run in the other direction. Otherwise, you get an 11 yard sack. :doh:

I doubt the play was the second play on the script. It just happened to be the perfect place on the field to run a play like that. Course, Zorn expects ARE to throw the ball away if it wasn't open instead of taking the sack.

[HateOffSeason]

I doubt the play was the second play on the script. It just happened to be the perfect place on the field to run a play like that. Course, Zorn expects ARE to throw the ball away if it wasn't open instead of taking the sack.

Even Randle El admits that he expects himself to throw the ball away there, he screwed up. The point is that if you are pulling that play out of the pile, regardless of field position, that isn't the time to run that play.

So which is it? Was the play scripted and the coach totally clueless for putting it there, showing that he has no clue how to gameplan? Or is it that he decided to deviate from his script and throw the play in when the defense hadn't been prepared to be weak to it yet, showing that the coach has no idea how to create on the fly and under pressure?

Wow...you know I was really happy when Zorn was hired here. His rise to head coach was kind of weird, but I was still excited. I didn't really bash on him at all last year either, had a good start and felt that he was limited by his personnel which caused the decrease in production later in the year. I just can't support that anymore. It looks the exact same as last year, and that points back to Zorn just not getting it done.

[themurf]

I doubt the play was the second play on the script. It just happened to be the perfect place on the field to run a play like that. Course, Zorn expects ARE to throw the ball away if it wasn't open instead of taking the sack.

Hate to do to this to you, but you're wrong. From the Washington Post:

"The trick play was pretty sound," Zorn said the other day. "It was the right field position; it was on the script. They covered Santana, which most of the day they tried to take him out of the game. They did a good job with two guys on him. They had him covered. They had Chris Cooley covered on the play.

[HateOffSeason]

"The trick play was pretty sound," Zorn said the other day. "It was the right field position; it was on the script. They covered Santana, which most of the day they tried to take him out of the game. They did a good job with two guys on him.

Wow, I'm turning into a horrible Zorn basher today. Moss wasn't double covered. He had one guy on him and Moss stopped running when he saw he was covered. He quit on the play. If that is all Zorn can take out of that play, this is going to be a long season. And where is the accountability? Gee, maybe shouldn't have called that there, the defense was still playing us honestly because we hadn't made them react to anything yet. The play was sound? Really!!???