To Read Option, or Not

Two of my closest friends are Dallas fans...shoot me lol.

Per going onto a Dallas board to get a consensus opinion of Skins, RG etc, I would argue you don't get much perspective from any board. Tends to be a lot of groupthink regardless of the team, board etc.

I don't know who to feel more sorry for- you or your friends. Especially after RGIII schooled Romo on how a real leader qbs a team in his rookie season. That was the true definition of "sonning" someone.

it's kinda funny to think about a former olympic quality track star getting his wheels run off, when you think about it.

I originated this thread right after Griffin injured his knee against Seattle, and my opinion has since changed 180 degrees. I agree with Cooley and Greg Cosell that the team is too dependent on play action off the read option, and that it has stunted Griffin's development reading defenses. They argue that the current passing game (bubble screens aside) is play action out of pistol/read option looks, with isolation routes instead of more complex route combinations. Cooley also mentioned that we do very little to spread the defense horizontally, which is a key tenet of the WCO. I would keep the read option as an occasional change up, but I feel strongly that Griffin needs to learn a more traditional NFL passing game if he is to reach his full potential. I have little doubt that he has the talent, smarts, and the drive to do so, but I have my doubts as to whether Mike and Kyle are the best teachers.

I agree with Cooley here, pretty much what I was saying in the Skins/Giants post game thread:

Until Griffin is willing to play the read-option the way he did last year, coaches should put it on the shelf.

“When you do look at him as a runner, he is not an impactful runner in any way shape or form,” Cooley said. “He was last season. They’re running read option, but he will not stick his foot in the ground, plant, make a cut, and try to make anybody miss. Maybe on a 3rd-and-1 at an impactful point in the game. But it was very clear to me that Robert made the decision that he is not going to get hurt for the rest of this season. So when he gets on the edge, there were a couple plays that could have been had where Robert would have ran for 20-, 30-plus yards last year. He will run for two [this year], and he will run out of bounds.

Cooley: Redskins should ditch read-option (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/wp/2013/12/04/cooley-redskins-should-ditch-read-option/)

I agree with Cooley here, pretty much what I was saying in the Skins/Giants post game thread:Yep, he is looking more for the sidelines than for open space to exploit on his read option keepers. After two ACL replacements on the same knee, I don't blame him.

When we get more weapons and a better OL on the right side , there won't be much RO anymore

Yep, he is looking more for the sidelines than for open space to exploit on his read option keepers. After two ACL replacements on the same knee, I don't blame him.

I definitely don't blame him either. He needs to protect himself. But by doing so it limits the effectiveness of the read option. Now that we're officially out of the race I'd like to see it phased out and just work on his pocket passing.

I definitely don't blame him either. He needs to protect himself. But by doing so it limits the effectiveness of the read option. Now that we're officially out of the race I'd like to see it phased out and just work on his pocket passing.

In addition to protecting himself, I wonder if there isn't the slightest bit of 'I'll get what's there and get out of bounds' rather than actively looking for creases and ways to get upfield with it.

On the all-22 there have been more than a couple of plays where it looks like there was more yardage vertically than horizontally but his aiming point has always been to the sideline rather than looking to cut upfield.

In addition to protecting himself, I wonder if there isn't the slightest bit of 'I'll get what's there and get out of bounds' rather than actively looking for creases and ways to get upfield with it.

On the all-22 there have been more than a couple of plays where it looks like there was more yardage vertically than horizontally but his aiming point has always been to the sideline rather than looking to cut upfield.

I definitely think so. He's simply not attacking defenses like he did last year. Defenses know this and will gladly let him have the shorter runs all day and focus on Morris instead.

Part of me thinks the coaches want Robert to run more with it so he has more chances to work on his sliding techniques when he's scrambling. I've seen RGIII improve greatly over the last couple of games with his sliding. But, the other part of me thinks that doesn't make sense. The coaches want the players to win the games so everybody keeps their jobs - unless of course Shanahan doesn't want to stay in which he is in evaluation mode and just doesn't care so much about the outcome of the games. I don't know. All I know is, four more games and the nightmare can end.