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Whatever happened to the screen pass?


slamee101

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Opinions are like ***holes, everyone has one. After a loss like Sunday a lot of questions will arise but I hope the coaching staff looks real hard at what's not going right despite the fact that we're 4-2 and thinks about changing some things...like this:

As I was going through the weekly truckload of information that ESPN Stats & Information sends us each week earlier Wednesday, I was glancing at a breakdown of screen passes and looking to see where the NFC South quarterbacks ranked in that area.

At first glance, I couldnt find Atlantas Matt Ryan anywhere on the list. Then, I checked it a second, third and fourth time. Then, I noticed a little disclaimer at the bottom that said only quarterbacks who have attempted at least five screen passes were listed.

That set off a little bell. I know I havent seen a lot of screen passes from Atlanta, but I wanted to make sure there wasnt some kind of mistake. There wasnt. When I reached out to our stats people, they explained that Ryan, indeed, did not qualify for the list.

The explanation is pretty simple. Ryan has attempted three screen passes this season. Hes completed two for 21 yards. Atlantas three screen passes are the fewest in the league. Chicago leads with 22 and well get to the other NFC South teams in just a minute.

But I think the Atlanta situation deserves a little more attention first. What about all that offseason talk about getting running back Michael Turner more involved in the passing game? Technically, he is. Turner has seven catches this season, which tops his career high of six in 2008. But, obviously, a few of his receptions have been downfield and not screens. Turner has 50 receiving yards on the season. Backup Jason Snelling has 13 catches, but, again, theyre obviously not all screen passes.

For the sake of comparison, screen passes dont seem to be a hot trend throughout the NFC South. The one exception is New Orleans, where Drew Brees has completed 19 of 21 screen passes for 156 yards.

Tampa Bays Josh Freeman has completed four of six for 82 yards. Carolinas Jimmy Clausen has completed six of seven screens for 64 yards and Matt Moore, who will replace Clausen as the starter this week, hasnt attempted enough screens to be on the list.

Also, Freeman and Clausen each have had a screen pass intercepted and no NFC South quarterback has had a screen pass go for a touchdown this year.

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There's gotta be a reason but I sure can't figure it out either.

neither can i, i mean they say we teach our o-line to block down field to help out our RBs, well a screen is just that, getting the o-line out of the pocket and blocking down field, screens help out your QB in sooo many ways..... its not like our guys cant run, or we wouldnt use that power o running play we KEEP using so much.....

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Sam Baker is playing screen pass every passing down. He tries, that the defender thinks..OH Baker will pass block me....Then he lets the DE run straight by him to Ryan....

That is my definition of screen pass....

Sam Baker is the best screen pass LT in this leauge!

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Opinions are like ***holes, everyone has one. After a loss like Sunday a lot of questions will arise but I hope the coaching staff looks real hard at what's not going right despite the fact that we're 4-2 and thinks about changing some things...like this:

As I was going through the weekly truckload of information that ESPN Stats & Information sends us each week earlier Wednesday, I was glancing at a breakdown of screen passes and looking to see where the NFC South quarterbacks ranked in that area.

At first glance, I couldn’t find Atlanta’s Matt Ryan anywhere on the list. Then, I checked it a second, third and fourth time. Then, I noticed a little disclaimer at the bottom that said only quarterbacks who have attempted at least five screen passes were listed.

That set off a little bell. I know I haven’t seen a lot of screen passes from Atlanta, but I wanted to make sure there wasn’t some kind of mistake. There wasn’t. When I reached out to our stats people, they explained that Ryan, indeed, did not qualify for the list.

The explanation is pretty simple. Ryan has attempted three screen passes this season. He’s completed two for 21 yards. Atlanta’s three screen passes are the fewest in the league. Chicago leads with 22 and we’ll get to the other NFC South teams in just a minute.

But I think the Atlanta situation deserves a little more attention first. What about all that offseason talk about getting running back Michael Turner more involved in the passing game? Technically, he is. Turner has seven catches this season, which tops his career high of six in 2008. But, obviously, a few of his receptions have been downfield and not screens. Turner has 50 receiving yards on the season. Backup Jason Snelling has 13 catches, but, again, they’re obviously not all screen passes.

For the sake of comparison, screen passes don’t seem to be a hot trend throughout the NFC South. The one exception is New Orleans, where Drew Brees has completed 19 of 21 screen passes for 156 yards.

Tampa Bay’s Josh Freeman has completed four of six for 82 yards. Carolina’s Jimmy Clausen has completed six of seven screens for 64 yards and Matt Moore, who will replace Clausen as the starter this week, hasn’t attempted enough screens to be on the list.

Also, Freeman and Clausen each have had a screen pass intercepted and no NFC South quarterback has had a screen pass go for a touchdown this year.

Good read dude, I've been preaching since the first game of the season.

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I think the screen pass went out the door when Norwood went down last season and this year.

This system never knew how to use Norwood effectively. You look at Norwood, see a skinny, quick running back perfect for misdirection rushes and screen passes yet they always had him run between the tackles. It is no wonder why he's been injured so much the past few years since he's been so misused.

In any case, the screen passing game would be effective with the personnel we have. Set up a delayed bubble screen to Turner so Jenkins and White can block the first few defenders while Ovie can get the closest linebacker and with Snelling you can have him run up to fake block and then move up further when the blitz has better developed or the linebackers are far enough away with their coverage. Simple.

Edited by Psychic Gibbon
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