Forgive me for bringing up a subject that I am sure has been discussed ad nauseam around here by this point, but I just have to get this argument off my chest while it's clear in my head. The call to run out of the Wildcat on 2nd and 10 down 3 in the 4th quarter pretty much epitomizes what I feel is the fundamental problem with Dan Henning and Tony Sparano. Now, before the requisite straw-manning and pointless banter begins, let me make something clear. I have no problem with calling a run play in that situation. None. Chad Henne had just thrown an incompletion. If he throws another one, you're stuck at 3rd and 10 with an even tougher decision about whether to secure the tie or go for the first down. I understand the call. Completely. But, if you're going to run it, why take Chad Henne out of the game (or even from under center)? He's just torched the Bills defense for two straight drives. Why not keep him on the field so that the defense has something to focus on other than the possibility that you're playing for the tie? Throwing the Wildcat out there pretty much tells the defense exactly what we're doing. You might as well send an ambassador to their huddle to say, "We're just gonna try to get a few yards on this play so that we know we've got the FG on 3rd down. Good luck stopping us." And therein lies the rub. When you hear Coach Sparano and Dan Henning talk about execution, this is exactly what they are getting at. In their minds, we should be able to go out there, forfeit any notion of surprise or tactical advantage, tell the defense exactly what we are doing, and still execute the play for the desired outcome. And if the desired outcome should not occur, well then the problem was the execution. It really doesn't get any more simple than that. That is their philosophy. My problem is that I happen to think that surprise and tactical advantage are the most important factor in calling a successful offense. Execution matters. System matters. But, in the end, the guys that are being successful are the guys that are mixing things up and keeping defensive coordinators guessing. Judging by our own opponents mocking us on multiple occasions, we're clearly not doing that. But we don't even need their words. All we have to do is look at what our own coaches are saying. They don't even try to hide it. And here is the problem. If that mentality is costing us in an important situation like that one, you can bet your *** it's costing us in a lot of other situations.
Very good. If I may add one thing. They run it with Ronnie Brown who by now, throws absolutely no fear in anyone but his fellow team mates when he touches the ball.
Perfect. A draw play would have been a much better call in that spot. Or maybe a screen. Same basic reasoning, same goal, just without telegraphing our intentions to the entire world. Glad Eisenhower didn't have that "execution over surprise" mindset on D-Day. We'd have gotten our asses kicked all the way back across the Channel.
Geeeeesh, didn't know anyone on this board would be old enough to get that other than me By the way, that is one of my all time favorite movies.
It's one of the most brilliant movies ever made! "Gentlemen, you can't fight in here! This is the War Room!"
It's ironic that it really DOESN'T get any simpler than that, yet it's couldn't be any more difficult for our jug-heads to understand. Great post by the way. You should email this to the man with the checkbook.
great post. this is what the debate should have been about. A run play in that situation is absolutely the right call. One, you are trying to get the ball inside a 45 yd FG. Inside 45 for a NFL Kicker is as close to 100% as you're going to find. 48 or 47 isnt. If we get three yards, we now have a 3rd and 7 and then we only need another four yards on 3rd to get inside 40 where Carpenter is 100% this year. Or better yet we still have a down to try to move the chains. Also add the fact, that a sack takes us out of FG range entirely. Granted its Carpenter but he was having a rough day so having him try a 58 yarder isnt a good option.
Well, to me the WC is no longer used in the proper context, for that I blame Henning, instead of a way to create explosive plays and to cause the Defense preparation issues, it is now a sort of substitute for solid offensive football a sort of half step between letting Henne wing it and just running a off tackle dive. Of all of the things I disagree with the most about the current state of the Sparanophins it is the lack of next phase Wildcat development, when White bombed, they shuttered the thing, save for 5 plays or so with Tyler Thigpen. Innovate for goodness sakes or don't bother.
You are correct that surprise is important. Not essential but vital. A classic case with the Patriots on Sunday. They ran a perfect WR screen fake - every movement looked like a set up for the WR screen and the D reacted to it immediately. Brady faked the pass perfectly, and then turned and threw to another receiver going down field. It led to a solid gain (15-20 yards). It is the ability to keep teams off balance on what a team is going to do - to put doubt in defenders heads - that has a big impact. However, execution is a major factor. It's really about being both aggressive and unpredictable. Sparano plays not to lose. And, the talent they put on the field is talent "not to lose" rather than talent "to make big plays." That's why guys like Hartline and Bess stick and a kid like Anthony Armstrong - who has made big plays on a dismal Redskin offense - is let go.
