To Read Option, or Not

[Coff]

It's been pointed out that a few of RG's injuries happened not on the read option but when he had to scramble. So the problem has more to do with what JoeRedskin mentioned, that he needs to develop finer instincts regarding when to slide or get out of bounds.

Two other things worth mentioning; first, we relied on the read option more after Davis went down. Assuming we re-sign him, the offense has one more weapon to use that lease a the importance of the option. Secondly, Shanny has mentioned nervous times that RG's potential goes far beyond what has heretofore been utilized in the offense, and (as Mattyk pointed out) the offense will continue to evolve with Griffin.

[SmootSmack]

Not two weeks ago we (well I at least) were praising the brilliance of the read option and how it completely neutralized Ware and the Dallas Cowboys.

I say keep it as part of the repertoire. More teams I think will use more before the Redskins use it less in my opinion

[Hog1]

.......in West Virginia

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Only idiots who don't know what they're talking about think the read option offense somehow puts rg3 at greater risk of injury. As long as the offense works, keep running it.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by BigHairedAristocrat

Only idiots who don't know what they're talking about think the read option offense somehow puts rg3 at greater risk of injury. As long as the offense works, keep running it.

I mean, the sheer ignorance of this statement is why I wonder/have wondered if you're a kid. Historical evidence, logic and basic common sense are completely at odds with this nonsense you continue to spout.

1. Running QBs by and large tend to break down faster than pocket passers, period. Again, how is it that you can be a football fan and not recognize this most simple of observations?

2. Statistically speaking (here's the logic angle) the more hits any player takes, but especially a QB much smaller than the defenders he faces, increases the risk of injury. Can really bad hits/injuries happen in the pocket? Of course, as everybody wants to bring Tom Brady into this debate. Guess what, it took Brady nearly 10 years to suffer a season ending injury, while RG suffered one in less than 10 months.

3. Common sense, son. Just plain common sense. You're opening up your franchise player to ferocious hits in the most brutal sport in the world.

The "perfect world" argument, of RG learning/knowing when to slide or drop to the turf or get out of bounce is as nonsensical as ignoring the above realities. Nobody's perfect to begin with. Add to it this is a sport where things happen in an instant, defenders appear from seemingly nowhere, and they're all gonna be head-hunting RG when he becomes a runner, it's hard for me to fathom why any Redskins/RG fan would prefer over exposing him. Wonders never cease...

[Skinzman]

Originally Posted by The Goat

I mean, the sheer ignorance of this statement is why I wonder/have wondered if you're a kid. Historical evidence, logic and basic common sense are completely at odds with this nonsense you continue to spout.

1. Running QBs by and large tend to break down faster than pocket passers, period. Again, how is it that you can be a football fan and not recognize this most simple of observations?

2. Statistically speaking (here's the logic angle) the more hits any player takes, but especially a QB much smaller than the defenders he faces, increases the risk of injury. Can really bad hits/injuries happen in the pocket? Of course, as everybody wants to bring Tom Brady into this debate. Guess what, it took Brady nearly 10 years to suffer a season ending injury, while RG suffered one in less than 10 months.

3. Common sense, son. Just plain common sense. You're opening up your franchise player to ferocious hits in the most brutal sport in the world.

The "perfect world" argument, of RG learning/knowing when to slide or drop to the turf or get out of bounce is as nonsensical as ignoring the above realities. Nobody's perfect to begin with. Add to it this is a sport where things happen in an instant, defenders appear from seemingly nowhere, and they're all gonna be head-hunting RG when he becomes a runner, it's hard for me to fathom why any Redskins/RG fan would prefer over exposing him. Wonders never cease...

Running QB's tend to get hurt because they dont throw the ball away. Vick is considered a running QB, but honestly how many times was that a called run? Steve Young was a running QB, but how many times was that a called run. When RG3 has been injured, how many were called runs?

I say it has more to do with the O-line myself. Dont force them to scramble, and they wont. If you are afraid of a QB with legs, then a QB with legs shouldnt be drafted.

Brady and Peyton shouldnt even be in this conversation. They dont suffer a ton of injuries due to how quickly they read the defense and how quickly they get the ball out of their hands. In other words, they are great at avoiding hits. Had RG3 stepped out of bounds against the Ravens and Falcons, are we even having this discussion?

[Skins4L]

Rg does have amazing fakes and that can still be utilized. Thing is the hit that did him in.. If you go back and look he was on his way down. Tough getting to the ground when you move like he does he looks like hes gonna twist his ankle the few times I saw him slide quickly because it's not like he didn't ever slide I saw him.

[HailGreen28]

Originally Posted by The Goat

I mean, the sheer ignorance of this statement is why I wonder/have wondered if you're a kid. Historical evidence, logic and basic common sense are completely at odds with this nonsense you continue to spout.

1. Running QBs by and large tend to break down faster than pocket passers, period. Again, how is it that you can be a football fan and not recognize this most simple of observations?

2. Statistically speaking (here's the logic angle) the more hits any player takes, but especially a QB much smaller than the defenders he faces, increases the risk of injury. Can really bad hits/injuries happen in the pocket? Of course, as everybody wants to bring Tom Brady into this debate. Guess what, it took Brady nearly 10 years to suffer a season ending injury, while RG suffered one in less than 10 months.

3. Common sense, son. Just plain common sense. You're opening up your franchise player to ferocious hits in the most brutal sport in the world.

The "perfect world" argument, of RG learning/knowing when to slide or drop to the turf or get out of bounce is as nonsensical as ignoring the above realities. Nobody's perfect to begin with. Add to it this is a sport where things happen in an instant, defenders appear from seemingly nowhere, and they're all gonna be head-hunting RG when he becomes a runner, it's hard for me to fathom why any Redskins/RG fan would prefer over exposing him. Wonders never cease...

RG is a very good passer, but he will also be a running QB whether we run the read-option of not. Again as others have said many times, RG took the worst hits scrambling, not on the read-option.

So the question is, does the read-option increase the chance of RG taking vicious shots? Last season says that the confusion and hesitation inflicted on opposing defenses actually reduced the risk.

If you want to reduce RG's vulnerabilities as a running QB, you have to make him stop scrambling, extending plays, and running upfield on broken plays. That's why running QBs don't last, before and since the read-option was introduced to the NFL.

[The Goat]

Originally Posted by HailGreen28

RG is a very good passer, but he will also be a running QB whether we run the read-option of not. Again as others have said many times, RG took the worst hits scrambling, not on the read-option.

So the question is, does the read-option increase the chance of RG taking vicious shots? Last season says that the confusion and hesitation inflicted on opposing defenses actually reduced the risk.

If you want to reduce RG's vulnerabilities as a running QB, you have to make him stop scrambling, extending plays, and running upfield on broken plays. That's why running QBs don't last, before and since the read-option was introduced to the NFL.

So...what's your expectation for our boy?

[donofriose]

Should not be a staple of the offense, but would be a good play to use on 2nd on 4 or short 2nd downs. Obviously the less hits Griffin takes the better. In my opinion he should only keep it if there is a wide open field and the DE crashes down, otherwise if its a staple of the offense teams will just start going right after griffin and making sure to hit him, even if it costs them a flag every once in a while, similar to what the Patriots did to Tebow when they tried to do it against the Pats. The Patriots just sent a DE only responsible for Tebow and every time he handed it off right away he would be hit.

[Lotus]

Absolutely read option. Kyle should spend the next few months evaluating his offense to add new wrinkles, making it version 2.0. Keep both the pistol and the read option but don't stand pat in terms of scheme.

[BigHairedAristocrat]

Originally Posted by donofriose

Should not be a staple of the offense, but would be a good play to use on 2nd on 4 or short 2nd downs. Obviously the less hits Griffin takes the better. In my opinion he should only keep it if there is a wide open field and the DE crashes down, otherwise if its a staple of the offense teams will just start going right after griffin and making sure to hit him, even if it costs them a flag every once in a while, similar to what the Patriots did to Tebow when they tried to do it against the Pats. The Patriots just sent a DE only responsible for Tebow and every time he handed it off right away he would be hit.

Your first sentence conflicts with your second. RGIII is more likely to take big hits on drop back passing situations than he is running the option from the pistol. The threat of both he and Morris running, along with Griffins ability to sell the fake handoff, creates a momentary hesitation in defenders, buying him more time to get rid of the ball (avoid tacklers) than he'd have in a pure dropback pass situation. If you want RGIII to take less hits, you want him to run the option more, not less.

The read option is also the #1 reason why Morris gets so many yards on running plays, creating more 2nd and 3rd and short. Its all about the THREAT of RGIII running.

[Dirtbag59]

Ironically the thread title should be to dropback pass or not. After like the 2nd or 3rd week RG3 never took a big hit on a read option play. The only time he took big shots was on traditional passing plays where he scrambled. Most notably the Ngata hit and the Weatherspoon hit. In fact the read option ended up being our safest direct play for RG3.

[GoSkins!]

Originally Posted by Dirtbag59

Ironically the thread title should be to dropback pass or not. After like the 2nd or 3rd week RG3 never took a big hit on a read option play. The only time he took big shots was on traditional passing plays where he scrambled. Most notably the Ngata hit and the Weatherspoon hit. In fact the read option ended up being our safest direct play for RG3.

Agreed. He just needs to learn to slide or dive forward on the scrambles. He seems to take awkward angles, like sliding sideways, when it isn't a planned run. We are talking about him getting to the ground differently for about 10 plays all year. He gets those right, he can have a long career playing the same game he did this year.

[SouperMeister]

Originally Posted by GoSkins!

Agreed. He just needs to learn to slide or dive forward on the scrambles. He seems to take awkward angles, like sliding sideways, when it isn't a planned run. We are talking about him getting to the ground differently for about 10 plays all year. He gets those right, he can have a long career playing the same game he did this year.

If there is one thing that I wish Griffin did as well as Russell Wilson, it would be to protect himself while still getting positive yards with his legs. Wilson was a professional baseball player, so sliding to him is much more second nature than it is to Griffin.