By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Total Sports BlogTotal Sports Blog
  • Home
  • Football
    FootballShow More
    European Championship Qualifiers Today (18.11.23): High Stakes and Dynamic Clashes Across Europe
    2 weeks ago
    Profile: Moussa Diaby (Football Player)
    2 weeks ago
    Jack Grealish: An In-depth Look at the Football Star
    2 weeks ago
    What To Look Out For When Betting On Inter
    2 months ago
    Fantasy Football Team Name Generator
    2 weeks ago
  • NFL
    NFLShow More
    Profile: Peyton Manning (NFL Player)
    2 weeks ago
    Is the NFL Scripted? Debunking Myths and Understanding Realities
    4 months ago
    NFL Trivia: A Deep Dive into the Fascinating World of American Football
    4 months ago
    DRAFT Fantasy Football: Develop a Fun (And Perhaps Profitable) New Hobby!
    2 months ago
    NFL Week 1 Picks Against The Spread
    2 months ago
  • Wrestling
    WrestlingShow More
    WWE vs. AEW
    1 month ago
    Predicting the Future of Released WWE Stars during recent Budget Cuts
    2 months ago
    WWE SummerSlam 2023 Match Card, Predictions, and Surprise Returns
    4 months ago
    WWE SmackDown August 4 Results, Grades and Analysis
    4 months ago
    WWE Raw July 17: Winners, Grades and Analysis
    5 months ago
  • Cricket
    CricketShow More
    How Asian Fast Bowlers Are Finding Success in India for the ICC World Cup 2023?
    4 weeks ago
    Best Fast Bowler from Each Team in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023
    1 month ago
    Best Spinners from Each Team in ICC Cricket World Cup 2023
    1 month ago
    Road to the Semis: Picking the ICC World Cup 2023 Semi-Finalists
    2 months ago
    Australia vs England Ashes 3rd Test Match Details and Predictions
    5 months ago
  • NBA
    NBAShow More
    The 10 Best Random NBA Team Generators
    8 hours ago
    Giants of the Game: Exploring the Average NBA Height and the Tallest Players
    4 months ago
    Five Best International Players That Will Join the NBA Next Season
    5 months ago
    Top 10 Moves From the Opening Days of the NBA Free Agency
    5 months ago
    Toronto Raptors And Cleveland Cavaliers Still On Second Round Collision Course
    4 months ago
  • More
    • Baseball
    • F1
    • NCAA
    • Golf
    • Athletics
    • Hockey
    • Pop Culture
    • TV
    • Wags Wednesday
    • Women
    • Reviews
    • Beer
    • Celebrity Gossip
    • Games
Aa
Aa
Total Sports BlogTotal Sports Blog
Search
  • Home
  • Football
  • NFL
  • Wrestling
  • Cricket
  • NBA
  • More
    • Baseball
    • F1
    • NCAA
    • Golf
    • Athletics
    • Hockey
    • Pop Culture
    • TV
    • Wags Wednesday
    • Women
    • Reviews
    • Beer
    • Celebrity Gossip
    • Games
Follow US
© Foxiz News Network. Ruby Design Company. All Rights Reserved.
NFL

The Best Play In Football: The Screen Pass

TotalSportsBlog 11 years ago 6 Min Read
Share

Over the past decade, the NFL has transformed from a ground and pound league, to an ultra heavy passing league.  In 2002, four QB’s threw for over 4,000 yards.  Last year ten did.  And of those ten, three threw for over 5,000 yards (Eli Manning had 4,933).  We also saw Drew Brees break Dan Marino’s record for passing yards in a season, with 5,476.

When you see those gaudy passing statistics, you would figure that the QB’s are taking seven step drops and just letting it fly, 50 yds down the field.  While there are some teams that do have QB’s that are able do that, the short passing game is where they rack up the yards.  With the evolution of the slant route (Jets fans LOVE this pass pattern), it has essentially taken over as a run for some teams.  If you have a wide receiver who can get off the line quickly and cleanly, then cut to the middle of the field, it’s an instant six to ten yard gain if he holds on.  But while that pass play can lead to big gains, there’s nothing like the screen pass.

The screen pass works more now, than ever before.  This play is designed to beat defenses that have ultra aggressive pass rushers.  These days, almost every team has one or two defenders who are ends or hybrid linebacker/defensive end types, who get up the field in a hurry and attack the quarterback.  The screen pass is designed to suck those defensive linemen into the backfield, then having the offensive line release them as the quarterback lobs a pass over the oncoming defenders.  When this play is executed correctly, it’s a thing of beauty.  It’s essentially an automatic 7+ yard gain every time.  Once five or six defenders get in near the QB, there are only a few defenders left behind the line who are able to catch the running back who has snuck out into a pass pattern.  

See also  FanDuel/Yahoo DFS NFL Week 2 Bargains and Best Bets

Here is RB Doug Martin (Tampa Bay’s first round draft pick this year) when he was at Boise State. Watch as he sneaks out through the maze of offensive lineman and gets the pass to him with five defenders already essentially behind him. As this is happening, the offensive lineman that had released the defensive lineman, are already at the linebackers throwing blocks. Usually after a few yards, the running back is met with some contact, but as you see in this play, the Boise State WR’s do a great job at blocking in the secondary. The ball traveled about five yards in the air, and wound up going for a 79-yard touchdown

Here’s another fantastic way to use the screen. The Dolphins rush five defenders, with their speed rusher coming hard on the outside (on the top of the screen). The Cowboys had been a heavy running team last year in pre-season. So they decided to call a play-action screen pass. The Dallas QB fakes the handoff and you can see the two linebackers bite hard on the fake. As the lineman get up into Stephen McGee, everyone releases and he flips it out to DeMarco Murray. By the time Murray gets the ball, there is ten yards of space between him and the nearest defender. With a few blocks and some nifty moves, Murray takes it for a fifty yard gain.

This screen pass is a thing of beauty. South Carolina spreads out Vandy with four wide and is in the shotgun. Running Back Marcus Lattimore gets out through the line, untouched, as the Vandy d-line gets after the QB as if they were shot out of a cannon. Pause the clip at the 4 second mark and look and see how many white jerseys you see between where Lattimore catches the ball and the 50-yard line. ZERO. This play worked great for two reasons. Number one is that there was only 24 seconds left in the half and Vandy was in pretty soft coverage. And number two is that in college, a first down stops the clock. This allowed Steve Spurrier to give his running back a chance to make something happen in the open field without killing the clock.

See also  Is Colin Kaepernick being Disrespectful to the 49ers?

The most explosive offense in football over the last four years uses the screen pass to perfection.  Make sure to check out this great dissection of the Saints screen that was part of their 62-point barrage against the lowly Indianapolis Colts last season.

Realistically, the only way to defend the screen is to drop a lineman back and disguise coverage, or play constant man-to-man. Both types of coverage have serious drawbacks, so it’s basically like picking your poison. On Wednesday night, watch how the Cowboys will kill the Giants with the screen pass. Dallas throws the screen as well as anyone in the league. They know the Giants pass rush as well as anyone in the league. If Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck or Osi Umenyiora start getting into Romo’s face, Romo will start throwing screens to DeMarco Murray and Felix Jones.

TotalSportsBlog August 31, 2012
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article Total Sports Babes: USWNT Forward, Alex Morgan
Next Article Fantasy Draft Domination: “The Standard 10-Team League”
Leave a comment Leave a comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Featured
Profile: Peyton Manning (NFL Player)
NFL
Top 10 Sport Accounts on Instagram You Should Follow
Uncategorized
European Championship Qualifiers Today (18.11.23): High Stakes and Dynamic Clashes Across Europe
Football
10 Most Athletic Sports
Athletics Other Sports Rugby Tennis

You Might Also Like

NFL

Profile: Peyton Manning (NFL Player)

2 weeks ago
NFL

Is the NFL Scripted? Debunking Myths and Understanding Realities

4 months ago
NFL

NFL Trivia: A Deep Dive into the Fascinating World of American Football

4 months ago
NFL

DRAFT Fantasy Football: Develop a Fun (And Perhaps Profitable) New Hobby!

2 months ago

TotalSportsBlog.com

  • Contact and Advertise
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?