More screen plays the answer to the offensive funk?

[PATRIOT64]

I think if the coaches think Cassel is not capable of continuously passing the ball a decent distance then why not try screens preferably to the left where the better part of the OL resides?

If I am not mistaken, the screen pass was used quite a bit and effectively in 2001 and 2003 and resulted in significant drives and TDs

Maroney sucks when running down the middle and sometimes is slow getting outside but he has been productive and dangerous when getting the ball on a screen pass plus we all know Faulk has been good at it since he was drafted.

If Cassel is to get this offense on track I think the long ball or even the pass to the sidelines is not working really well but the screens will take the pressure off him somewhat and would move the chains better than they have been

McDaniels needs to change the game plan and take the offense to a different scheme which won't be as predictable as it usually has been this year.

The screen pass opens this offense up and I think is tailor made for this team who does not have a QB talented enough to do the long ball consistently.

 

[JoeSixPat]

If I'm not mistaken, although the Patriots and Brady did in fact employ quite a few screen passes and other short passes in 2001 (with the vast majority going to Troy Brown) it seems to me that in 2001 the OL was doing a pretty decent job protecting Brady and giving him enough time to throw an occasional deeper ball that season.

Basically I think teams defending against Brady didn't know what he could or couldn't do - so with the OL keeping the pressure off Brady and the DCs questioning whether Brady could beat them deep, they tended to keep more bodies back in the secondary. All of this had the effect of keeping Ds somewhat off balance.

This season our OL is NOT doing a good job giving Cassell time to make the deep throws when he wants to (or has to) - but just having Moss back there is helping to keep a bit of pressure off.

So I think the last thing you want to do go too far towards screen passes and lessen Moss' factor in the defensive equation. In other words I think they run a big risk if they go overboard on the screen passes, as that will cause the defense to collapse on the line - and a collapsing defense is NOT what you want to see this OL contending with.

The ideal situation is actually pretty simple - but it begins and ends with the OL. Have the OL give Cassell the time he needs to throw some mid to deep balls, and hope that Moss can get himself open against a double team, completing enough passes to begin to spread the offense and thus, the defense more - lessening the pressure on the OL and the QB and making everyone more effective.

I guess what I'm saying is that if the OL can't do their job, much of the discussion on what plays should be called is somewhat academic.

 

[SHOWTIME15]

screens will not help us. we can employ them, but even Madden said that cassell has to learn to throw the medium range passes better. cassel has to be able to hit 10-15 yarders. of course it doesn't help that the oline sucks.

 

[DocE]

I don't think the screen pass will help the offense significantly. They are already jumping our WR screens because they know we don't want Cassel throwing down the field. I just don't think we are going to fool anyone with more screens until defenses have to respect other aspects of our offense.

The first thing that MUST happen is Cassel has to stop missing layups. He had Moss wide open for two 2 td's against San Diego and missed on both throws. He also had Moss wide open for a td against the Jets and missed that one too. The game was over, but he also missed a shorter throw that would have been a TD to Watson in the end zone at the very end of the San Diego game.

We can't expect Cassel to complete 3rd and 6 or more with regularity, but we certainly can expect him to NEVER miss the plays listed above. Until Cassel stops missing layups, it really doesn't matter what adjustments we make to the short passing game...teams will still take it away because Cassel can't make a play down the field.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Yeah I don't think I remember a single screen play to Faulk against SD, fairly disappointed. I think we should use them more, but here and there. Like the above poster pointed out, alot of these Welker screens are getting stuffed, it just seems like defenses are sitting there waiting for it now. We moved the ball okay against SD with the approach we had it was just that horrific red zone sequence and also a missed FG, or else we'd have been on our way to scoring 20+.

 

[PATRIOT64]

Yeah I don't think I remember a single screen play to Faulk against SD, fairly disappointed. I think we should use them more, but here and there. Like the above poster pointed out, alot of these Welker screens are getting stuffed, it just seems like defenses are sitting there waiting for it now. We moved the ball okay against SD with the approach we had it was just that horrific red zone sequence and also a missed FG, or else we'd have been on our way to scoring 20+.

If we had some decent blockers at TE it would help with screens and make them a good idea to do it more often but since our TEs suck at blocking it requires the OL to do it without much help but I would still like to see some on Monday with Maroney the key here as I think his speed could be beneficial if there is room to run - If Maroney can find his nuts and get out there and play.

 

[SVN]

we should run more with the 4 rb's we have and make teams respect at least 1 dimension.right now they are just coming after cassel since we are still playing shotgun quite a bit .
SD game first drive , we were running well until McD suddenly tried attempting a sideline pass to moss on 1st and 10 which became 3rd and 6 and missed FG.

 

[Schmo]

Screen plays? How are film scripts going to help us?


Wah wah wah waaaaaahhhhh

*sigh*

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Blocking. Screens are nice tools, and one that can easily become predictable if you can't be more effective with other play options. Mankins, Koppen, and especially Yates need to be more consistent with holding the pocket and giving Mattyice room to step up. The entire team of blockers (OL, RB, TE, WR) need to be more consistent on running plays. Positively consistent vice the version being practice at the moment.

 

[satz]

Because the presure is coming up the middle and screens do not succeed when the OL cannot move foward from LOS.

 

[Nunchucks]

I think that the screen could be a great remedy for the issues this team is facing, Maroney and Faulk are both excellent in space and then of course there is the WR screen...I ain't too big a fan of the TE screen, but that i something else entirely.

The Patriots used to screen teams to death, I'd love to see the return of the nmerous screen plays the Patriots would run. The real determining factor though is that screens need to be sold, I am not sure if the Patriots OL is up to the sale part, also Cassel has to be able to sell it....so, who knows...though from I've seen in the few screen plays they've run..they've been successfull.

 

[dhamz]

We attempted several screen Sunday night. They ended with Cassel drilling the ball straight into the ground because the defense blew them up and there was no where to throw the ball.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

We attempted several screen Sunday night. They ended with Cassel drilling the ball straight into the ground because the defense blew them up and there was no where to throw the ball.

So few here grasp that screens take time to develop if they are to have much of a chance to net substantial yardage. When the Pat's screened teams to death it had more to do with their struggles to power run sufficiently or pass deep consistently enough to keep defenses honest due to personnel situations or availability as opposed to their current inability to block with any consistency.