No Time. Fade Route
Nov 25, 2014, 10:15 AM | Updated: 10:20 am
A fade route is the last refuge of an offensive coordinator bereft of ideas. I’ll take what Luke said a step further. There are some receivers in the NFL, huge guys like Calvin Johnson, Jimmy Graham, Kelvin Benjamin, and Josh Gordon who are decent options for such a play call. But the Sea-yuks threw their fade route to Doug Baldwin. He has a big heart but it’s trapped in a 5’10, 189 pound, easily interfered with frame.
Why do running backs wear out faster, career-wise, in the NFL? Most of the players are involved in collisions on every play, so it’s hard to discern who is getting the worst of it. My theory on running backs is they have the least control over the collisions they are involved in. They are often engaged with a defender or two when another tackler can take a free shot at their body, resulting in wear and tear which other positions are not as often exposed. When I asked Marshawn Lynch about this theory he agreed.
And while I’m boring you zombies back to death with sportball talk let’s address Luke’s confusion about the nickel defense. A standard defense calls for four defensive backs to cover receivers. Often, in second down or third and long yardage situations the offense will put more receivers in the game. The defense reacts by deploying a fifth defensive back in what is called a “nickel” defense or even a sixth DB in a “dime” package.
Finally, the “read option.” It’s right there in the name, Hodor Kotb. Wilson reads one player, a defensive end or outside linebacker depending on whether the defense runs a 4-3 or a 3-4 scheme. If that defender stays put as he is supposed to Wilson hands the ball to Lynch. If that defender doesn’t stay put and “crashes down” to chase Lynch, Wilson fakes the handoff and runs around the end where that defender should have stayed. It’s his option. Wilson READS the defender, then chooses the OPTION of handing it off or keeping it. A third option, rare but effective, is for Wilson to pull the ball back and throw deep to a receiver, typically a tight end, who has snuck behind a defense which has become preoccupied with this power running offensive set.
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