Speed of the game

[Mainefan]

All right, fellow patsfans, I'm going to take my life in my hands and propose an idea:

It seems obvious that the ability to master the speed of the game is one of the key factors in players' success. Some guys, no matter how athletic, never manage it. Others do. And it is very difficult to predict, on the basis of college competition, which is which. It is even more difficult to improve this skill, except by playing.

How about this: When players are looking at game tapes, run the tapes 15% faster than in real life. Do this consistently. Get players accustomed to making faster evaluations of what's happening, so that when they get into a game, they are more than up to speed.

This is kind of like swinging two bats before coming up to the plate. It makes the single bat feel lighter.

It seems to me that this would not only maximize a player's ability to get to game speed, it might also help identify those who do not have this ability and never will.

It might even be possible to use this technique to come up with another measurable of college talent--perhaps to slowly increase tape speed, to determine when the player loses the ability to adjust.

Of course, game experience obviously helps players improve. But this may be a way to improve the skill without game experience.

What do you think?

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

Dunno but there are several scientific studies that show that playing video games improves reaction time, reaction time as measured by vid games for what that's worth.

 

[Willie55]

If you ran the game film faster you would miss a lot. The coaches wind and rewind the tape multiples times to show what techniques the opposing players use, this may involve the smallest of things such as hand placement on the body or foot positioning prior to or during a snap.

 

[upstater1]

The dirty secret about football is that everything depends on player's strength and quickness. These guys spend so little time improving their skills, less than any other major sport. It's not a skill sport (other than the QB position). It's simply brute strength and speed. Either you have it or you don't. Do you know how much difference steroids makes for these guys? A normal NFL player (ie. with size and strength) can juice and suddenly excel. I'm not saying you or I could do it, but a player in the league could go from backup to starter. The skill set is minor. That's why the skill position players (QB, DB, WR) are singled out in a way that no other sports single them out. Basketball, Baseball, Hockey and Soccer require skills all over the field.

In short, I would say, no, it doesn't help. Not even getting in shape during training camp helps. Nothing prepares you for a game where you are pushing and slamming into another guy, and then you have to sprint to get to the guy with the ball, or vice versa. Game conditions cannot be replicated by film or practice.

 

[patsfaninpa]

All right, fellow patsfans, I'm going to take my life in my hands and propose an idea:

It seems obvious that the ability to master the speed of the game is one of the key factors in players' success. Some guys, no matter how athletic, never manage it. Others do. And it is very difficult to predict, on the basis of college competition, which is which. It is even more difficult to improve this skill, except by playing.

How about this: When players are looking at game tapes, run the tapes 15% faster than in real life. Do this consistently. Get players accustomed to making faster evaluations of what's happening, so that when they get into a game, they are more than up to speed.

This is kind of like swinging two bats before coming up to the plate. It makes the single bat feel lighter.

It seems to me that this would not only maximize a player's ability to get to game speed, it might also help identify those who do not have this ability and never will.

It might even be possible to use this technique to come up with another measurable of college talent--perhaps to slowly increase tape speed, to determine when the player loses the ability to adjust.

Of course, game experience obviously helps players improve. But this may be a way to improve the skill without game experience.

What do you think?

Going too fast can get you in as much trouble as going to slow. For example, If a safety bites too quick on a run play or a crossing pattern. He can get beat over the top. QB can move shoulder pump fake and get you of position. Have to read what's in front of you.
CB's get beat on double moves. LB's over-run plays against a good cut-back runner. DE's get upfield only to realize a draw play is coming right where they came from. The one position it's interesting regarding is qb. I remember Kurt Warner talking about how the reads in Arena Football came at him so quick. He was ready for the NFL because of that.

 

[stinkypete]

I like the idea as a tool for prospect evaluation, especially for the LBs and DBs, but think the overall effectiveness is limited to that.