Play-Action

[ravensfan160]

Maybe I'm wrong and someone can correct me but I was getting frustrated during the Browns game for the lack of play-action passing. Frankly, I've thought we haven't done enough of it all season but up until last week we've struggled to run the ball. However, against the Browns we were dominating them.

The play-action should have been there for the taking. Instead, it seemed like most of the time when we did throw it it was out of the shotgun and often with an empty backfield. Why would you make it so easy for the defense!? We were running it down their throat all day and we don't even make them think about the possibility of a run on every play. It doesn't make much sense to me.

Also, the red zone is where play-action should be most effective and we failed there too. I mean how many touchdowns does Rob Gronkowski have for the Patriots? A ton! I realize Tom Brady is a superior QB but on most of those TD's Rob is wide open in the end zone. Very frustrating why we can't do the same thing at lease occasionally with all the weapons we have.

[Ravenslifer]

You're asking me to enter the mind of Cam Cameron? No thanks, I have enough nightmares already.

[ravens rule]

We need more pa fakes I agree. But our redzone passing plays are absolute garbage I mean we have Boldin who got a lot of his career touchdowns down there.Also the two athletic tight ends. Is it that hard [b]Cam[/b] to design something to get them open. Then there are times where we just don't execute like the slant to Lee Evans last week even though there was pretty good coverage by Haden. Also ravensfan 160 every week I see Rob Gronkowski just dominate in the redzone so why is it so easy for the Pats (who in my opinion are the best offensive executing team in the AFC) to score when the other team knows Tom Lady is probably looking for Gronk. Its called creativity [b]Cam [/b]maybe you should try it[b].[/b]

[Natty Boh]

[quote name='ravensfan160' timestamp='1323201369' post='897590']
Maybe I'm wrong and someone can correct me but I was getting frustrated during the Browns game for the lack of play-action passing. Frankly, I've thought we haven't done enough of it all season but up until last week we've struggled to run the ball. However, against the Browns we were dominating them.

The play-action should have been there for the taking. Instead, it seemed like most of the time when we did throw it it was out of the shotgun and often with an empty backfield. Why would you make it so easy for the defense!? We were running it down their throat all day and we don't even make them think about the possibility of a run on every play. It doesn't make much sense to me.

Also, the red zone is where play-action should be most effective and we failed there too. I mean how many touchdowns does Rob Gronkowski have for the Patriots? A ton! I realize Tom Brady is a superior QB but on most of those TD's Rob is wide open in the end zone. Very frustrating why we can't do the same thing at lease occasionally with all the weapons we have.
[/quote]
I don't know for sure but I would assume that was probably the plan initially but when they saw how well the run was doing...PA was abandoned for the most part.

[Bltravens]

We didnt even need to pass the ball to win that game. Frankly Im impressed Cameron actually ran the ball 40 times.

[Fricknmaniac]

Play action really should be the icing on the cake for the Ravens (with the cake being Ray Rice). I'd like to actually see the numbers on Flacco in play action versus under center without play action, but I suspect that the play action numbers are going to be impressively better.

You just need to compare the Seahawks game to the Bengals game to see how well play action works. They didn't bother with play action against the Seahawks because they weren't bothering to run. Against the Bengals the running game worked well enough to make them bite on play action. The end result was Flacco getting about the same number of yards with nearly half the number of passes.

[Romo Ravens]

Joe Flacco is horrendous in play action lol. He doesn't even sell it.. but he still drops dimes to Torrey. Love it

[hawkprey]

Play-action would've helped a lot. When you run the ball constantly you set yourself up to fake them out with a throw. But putting Joe in the shotgun made it plainly obvious how the Browns should defend each play.

[Guest RBates]

[quote name='ravensfan160' timestamp='1323201369' post='897590']
Maybe I'm wrong and someone can correct me but I was getting frustrated during the Browns game for the lack of play-action passing. Frankly, I've thought we haven't done enough of it all season but up until last week we've struggled to run the ball. However, against the Browns we were dominating them.

The play-action should have been there for the taking. Instead, it seemed like most of the time when we did throw it it was out of the shotgun and often with an empty backfield. Why would you make it so easy for the defense!? We were running it down their throat all day and we don't even make them think about the possibility of a run on every play. It doesn't make much sense to me.

Also, the red zone is where play-action should be most effective and we failed there too. I mean how many touchdowns does Rob Gronkowski have for the Patriots? A ton! I realize Tom Brady is a superior QB but on most of those TD's Rob is wide open in the end zone. Very frustrating why we can't do the same thing at lease occasionally with all the weapons we have.
[/quote]
I have to agree. We dominated them on the ground, and the offensive coordinator doesn't dial up the play action. Wow so frustrating.

[EdReedFTW]

Watching the game it looked like they were scared to pass the ball. I think they just decided they were going to run the ball each and every time possible, and only throw when it was third and medium-long. And frankly it worked.

[usmccharles]

i have absolutely no problem with the play calling sunday. Browns were first against the past and close to last against the run...only make sense to me to continue running the ball since we were dominated. Its like when there is a weak CB on a WR, you just keep going at him...thats what we did. Seems like no one is ever happy with just a win, we need to put up 300 yards rushing and 300 yards passing just to satisfy all fans.....um no.

[codizzle]

Our gameplan was obvious that game..
We'll see more PA down the road

[redrum52]

The plan was to run them into submission. A game like this will pay dividends cause of the change of mentality that comes with December football. Teams having just seen this game now know we are willing to run, run and run some more which will set up play action in later games. There was no reason to pass considering the defensive ranking and inability to stop the run they displayed. Also take into account the weather conditions. Funny to me that people complain after always saying Cam never sticks with what's working. He does it and people get mad.

[BMORElegacy]

I think the weather and field conditions dictated the game-plan. The conditions were terrible and favored a run heavy gameplan.

I can picture it now, Joe rolls out on a PA fake, loses his footing on that wet grass, and gets sacked for an 8 yard loss....

On several of the pass plays, Joe's receivers lost their footing and the balls were incomplete because Joe threw where they were supposed to be. Limit the variables and stick to what works, and in the case of the CLE game.... a solid and relentless run game.

[jaege]

[quote name='Romo Ravens' timestamp='1323207291' post='897741']
Joe Flacco is horrendous in play action lol. He doesn't even sell it.. but he still drops dimes to Torrey. Love it
[/quote]


I love the guy, but I have to agree, he is not much of an actor as far as selling the fake hand off. It seems pretty obvious that he is not actually handing the ball off. Although it could look different from field level.

[Romo Ravens]

[quote name='jaege' timestamp='1323224137' post='898033']


I love the guy, but I have to agree, he is not much of an actor as far as selling the fake hand off. It seems pretty obvious that he is not actually handing the ball off. Although it could look different from field level.
[/quote]

Good point.. never thought of that. It could look really good on field, but when I'm watching it on the TV, I can almost tell when the call is a play action. Not that this matters though, he still gets the job done running it.

[BenDufusberger]

Joe may not fool anyone on play-action , but he sure fooled them on Sunday when he ran that pass route. He had all the DBs thinking that Tyrod was throwing to him in the endzone , at least up to when Joe stopped to tie his shoelaces.

[RayRiceRunningfortheRavns]

This whole game was a setup for play action. Look for the fake against the chargers and bengals.

[jdynamite]

Yeah I was screaming for a play-action to Torrey Smith. Even in redzone I wanted play action to pitta or Dickson but it just never materialized. Although the running game was killing them from the start which means the. Safeties woulda really jumped all over the play action.

[jaege]

[quote name='Romo Ravens' timestamp='1323224236' post='898035']

Good point.. never thought of that. It could look really good on field, but when I'm watching it on the TV, I can almost tell when the call is a play action. Not that this matters though, he still gets the job done running it.
[/quote]


That he does. Get the job done I mean.

[Based Josh]

[quote name='usmccharles' timestamp='1323216930' post='897944']
i have absolutely [b]no problem with the play calling sunday[/b]. Browns were first against the past and close to last against the run...only make sense to me to continue running the ball since we were dominated. Its like when there is a weak CB on a WR, you just keep going at him...thats what we did. Seems like no one is ever happy with just a win, we need to put up 300 yards rushing and 300 yards passing just to satisfy all fans.....um no.
[/quote]



I agree. Except in the red-zone. That's the only problem with the play-calling Sunday. But I'm happy we got over the lose to bad teams hump. That was a tough environment to play in, with the rain and all.

[BloodRaven]

Yeah I don't get it either, it's just one of those Cam things. Sometimes I watch other teams play and they live for the play action play.

[CapoRocky]

Sometimes the ball bounces the wrong way, the refs don't see it our way, or the wind blows the kicks astray.

[AsianRice]

[quote name='Bltravens' timestamp='1323206227' post='897722']
We didnt even need to pass the ball to win that game. Frankly Im impressed Cameron actually ran the ball 40 times.
[/quote]
This is what I want to say....we need to attack the opponent's weakness regardless how ugly and boring it looks; as long as we win, that's all it matters.

We will call playaction, shotguns, no huddle and spread out offense when we're going against worst pass defense in league like the Steelers, 49ers, the Colts and many more.....

[Ravenslifer]

Cam needs to stop dialing up 30+ yard bombs, is what he needs to do. Our playcalling is so obvious at times. Run for short gains, throw for deep ones, never anything else. Throw some more short completions to Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin, let them gain YAC. It's what Boldin did his whole career before coming here, and it's what Smith did his entire career at Maryland. Move the ball down the field, keep time of possession. We put ourselves into such bad positions because of all the deep balls that fall incomplete, and then instead of 3rd and 2 we're looking at 3rd and 8. Go back to what you were doing at the end of last year - those plays were working great. Flacco is a rhythm passer - he needs to complete a few balls early in order to have success throughout the game. When he does, he's proven he can shred elite NFL defenses. Give him some short slant routes and WR screens to work with.

[PurpleDrink]

[quote name='BMORElegacy' timestamp='1323220776' post='897990']
I think the weather and field conditions dictated the game-plan. The conditions were terrible and favored a run heavy gameplan.

I can picture it now, Joe rolls out on a PA fake, loses his footing on that wet grass, and gets sacked for an 8 yard loss....

On several of the pass plays, Joe's receivers lost their footing and the balls were incomplete because Joe threw where they were supposed to be. Limit the variables and stick to what works, and in the case of the CLE game.... a solid and relentless run game.
[/quote]
If your QB cant throw the football in the NFL while you have bad weather condition he shouldnt be starting, last time i check all NFL teams dont play in domes....

[RavensAllTheWay]

What worries me about running PA is that Joe is not a fast dude. Maybe it's because he's a big, heavy QB, but his drop backs are way slower than a lot of other QBs in this league. I also agree that he hardly sells the fake at all, lol. I think to be a truly great PA QB, it would be a big help to improve in both of these areas.