Wildcat Offense for Buffalo???

[dolphann4life]

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/16837/gailey-wildcat-must-feature-passing-threat

Gailey: Wildcat must feature passing threat

August, 24, 2010 Aug 2410:13AM ETEmail Print Comments4 By Tim GrahamThe Miami Dolphins unleashed their Wildcat offense out of desperation.

Trying to build something under new head coach Tony Sparano after a 15-loss season, they opened the 2008 campaign 0-2. Their passing game couldn't stretch the field, but they did boast a deep and talented backfield.

If only they could figure out a way to utilize multiple running backs on a given play ...

Sound familiar, Buffalo Bills fans?

New head coach Chan Gailey has a quarterback known as Captain Checkdown, a stable of running backs and nothing to lose. He also isn't afraid to get creative. After all, he helped create the "Slash" role for Kordell Stewart with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Gailey was asked Monday whether the Wildcat was possible in Buffalo.

"Oh, yeah," Gailey replied. "We consider everything. We're not so polished in one area that we can stay in that and beat people. We're going to have to consider everything."

In explaining his Wildcat philosophies, however, Gailey raised an important point that would apply not only to the Bills, but also any team interested in running the specialty offense, which features speed motion and a direct shotgun snap to a running back.

"Wildcat is an interesting proposition," Gailey said. "I don't know how long that thing will last if you don't throw out of it. You have to be able to throw out of that formation to make it last because pretty soon they're going to put everybody up there on defense.

"Defensive coaches are catching up slowly but surely. They'll get there. They're a smart group. You have to be able to have some diversity out of it in order to make something like that work."

Another significant problem for Buffalo -- and a major difference from Miami's situation in 2008 -- is they might not have the offensive line to pull it off. While a passing component is important, the Wildcat is based on a nasty ground attack. When the Dolphins relied on it in 2008, they often put tackles Jake Long and Vernon Carey next to each other on an unbalanced line.

Nonetheless, Gailey's comments got me thinking about the backgrounds of Wildcat-style playmakers around the AFC East.

Best Non-QB Passers In AFC East

Name Comp Att Yds TD Int Rate

Fred Jackson, Bills 1 1 27 1 0 158.3

Marshawn Lynch, Bills 1 1 8 1 0 139.6

C.J. Spiller, Bills* 2 3 32 2 0 141.7

Ronnie Brown, Dolphins 4 10 63 2 0 101.2

Ricky Williams, Dolphins 1 3 34 0 1 37.5

Kevin Faulk, Patriots 2 4 21 0 0 65.6

Julian Edelman, Patriots* 385 706 4,997 30 31 72.9

LaDainian Tomlinson, Jets 8 12 143 7 0 146.9

Brad Smith, Jets 2 4 45 0 0 90.6

*College stats

Fred Jackson and Marshawn Lynch each have thrown one pass in the NFL and it has gone for a touchdown. But the prime candidate to be a Wildcat threat is rookie C.J. Spiller, who possesses a combination of elusiveness and, apparently, an arm. Spiller threw a pair of touchdown passes at Clemson.

The New York Jets have a pair of threats. They've lined up running back LaDainian Tomlinson (seven career NFL touchdown passes) and receiver Brad Smith (played quarterback at Missouri) in Wildcat roles at training camp.

The New England Patriots haven't dabbled much in the Wildcat for a couple of obvious reasons. They don't seem to have a versatile enough running back, and it makes little sense to remove the ball from Tom Brady's hands even for a play or two.

But the Patriots could get tricky with receiver Julian Edelman, an option quarterback at Kent State. He was more dangerous as a runner than he was as a passer, but so is Ronnie Brown. The threat of being able to do both is enough to keep a defense honest, which was Gailey's point.

"You're trying to create some kind of diversion for the defense so that they don't know where the ball is going all the time," Gailey said. "If you can do that, you've got a chance to create more open spaces for the guy that does have the ball, and hopefully they don’t know who has it all the time."

[Samphin]

I don't think Gailey has a good grasp on what makes the Wildcat work (when it does). The key is to be able to have the ability to run in between the tackles. You need your trigger man (the Ronnie Brown role), to have the ability to run between the tackles AND the ability to be patient and wait for holes to open up. It is that very reason why Ricky is in the Wildcat role and not the triggerman. Ricky hits the hole to quickly and won't allow for his blockers to get established.

Anyhow, the point is, yes, you need the ability to pass out of the formation, but it sounds as if Gailey is thinking in terms of developing it into a standard offensive set. Which I don't think would ever work.

Besides, the standard Wildcat formation still has the QB on the field. The Dolphins utilized that in 2008 against the Texans when Ricky went in motion, got the ball from Ronnie, lateralled it back to Pennington who was running back towards the pocket, where he launched it to a streaking Patrick Cobbs for a TD. Slow developing play, but effective as all get out.

[#27TheDominator]

I don't think Gailey has a good grasp on what makes the Wildcat work (when it does). The key is to be able to have the ability to run in between the tackles. You need your trigger man (the Ronnie Brown role), to have the ability to run between the tackles AND the ability to be patient and wait for holes to open up. It is that very reason why Ricky is in the Wildcat role and not the triggerman. Ricky hits the hole to quickly and won't allow for his blockers to get established.

Anyhow, the point is, yes, you need the ability to pass out of the formation, but it sounds as if Gailey is thinking in terms of developing it into a standard offensive set. Which I don't think would ever work.

Besides, the standard Wildcat formation still has the QB on the field. The Dolphins utilized that in 2008 against the Texans when Ricky went in motion, got the ball from Ronnie, lateralled it back to Pennington who was running back towards the pocket, where he launched it to a streaking Patrick Cobbs for a TD. Slow developing play, but effective as all get out.

Didn't sound anything like he was considering it as a standard set. He gave the usual "explore all options" BS. He even said that defensive co-ordinators would catch up. Th assumption is that you have the ability to run the ball or you would just continue trying to pass with a regular QB.

[Ghost]

Go **** yourself.

[Midget Love 20]

I don't think Gailey has a good grasp on what makes the Wildcat work (when it does). The key is to be able to have the ability to run in between the tackles. You need your trigger man (the Ronnie Brown role), to have the ability to run between the tackles AND the ability to be patient and wait for holes to open up. It is that very reason why Ricky is in the Wildcat role and not the triggerman. Ricky hits the hole to quickly and won't allow for his blockers to get established.

Anyhow, the point is, yes, you need the ability to pass out of the formation, but it sounds as if Gailey is thinking in terms of developing it into a standard offensive set. Which I don't think would ever work.

Besides, the standard Wildcat formation still has the QB on the field. The Dolphins utilized that in 2008 against the Texans when Ricky went in motion, got the ball from Ronnie, lateralled it back to Pennington who was running back towards the pocket, where he launched it to a streaking Patrick Cobbs for a TD. Slow developing play, but effective as all get out.

I'm just waiting for the hiccup to the wildcat formation....when a QB is split out wide and a D throws a LB (Ex. Bart Scott) on him to bump him at the line. Technically, he is no longer a QB and can be contacted up to 5 yards from scrimmage. Although it may be a cheap/cheesy tactic it will definitely have OC consider keeping QBs on the field lined up as a WR and place their QB at risk of injury or anything else. I'm surprised nobody has done it yet, and think that would be the biggest deterrent to a team running the formation IMO

[SenorGato]

Schotty gets no credit for being one of the first few coaches to bring the Wildcat back into play. We were doing it a year before the Dolphins.

Now everyone's got some variation of the Wildcat.

[stoicsentry]

Why couldn't we do something like an end-around type play with Brad Smith?

Sanchez is behind center, receives snap, then Brad Smith runs towards him then either:

1. hands it off to running back

2. fakes handoff to Smith, throws ball

3. hands off to Smith, who runs

4. hands off to Smith, who throws

5. hand off to Smith, who tosses back to Sanchez who throws

Am I wrong in saying that a look like that might be just as versatile if not more so than the typical wildcat?

[Fifth Amendment]

I'm just waiting for the hiccup to the wildcat formation....when a QB is split out wide and a D throws a LB (Ex. Bart Scott) on him to bump him at the line. Technically, he is no longer a QB and can be contacted up to 5 yards from scrimmage. Although it may be a cheap/cheesy tactic it will definitely have OC consider keeping QBs on the field lined up as a WR and place their QB at risk of injury or anything else. I'm surprised nobody has done it yet, and think that would be the biggest deterrent to a team running the formation IMO

I'm not sure if taking your best run defending LB, or any LB, and moving him out of the box is a good idea when you're 90% sure the next play will be a running play. And if you're perceived as trying to cheap shot the other team's QB, you can bet they'll be trying to cheap shot yours.

[stoicsentry]

I'm not sure if taking your best run defending LB, or any LB, and moving him out of the box is a good idea when you're 90% sure the next play will be a running play. And if you're perceived as trying to cheap shot the other team's QB, you can bet they'll be trying to cheap shot yours.

Except there is a difference between taking a cheap shot at a quarterback, and doing what is expected to ANY wide receiver. The latter will get you fines and suspensions.

It'll all be fun & games until Chad Henne gets slapped.

[#27TheDominator]

Why couldn't we do something like an end-around type play with Brad Smith?

Sanchez is behind center, receives snap, then Brad Smith runs towards him then either:

1. hands it off to running back

2. fakes handoff to Smith, throws ball

3. hands off to Smith, who runs

4. hands off to Smith, who throws

5. hand off to Smith, who tosses back to Sanchez who throws

Am I wrong in saying that a look like that might be just as versatile if not more so than the typical wildcat?

I think the problem is that it opens you up too much for a negative play. The more the ball is handled the more likely a turnover. That is one of the main issues with the wildcat in general. Particularly the option aspect, but that can be practiced around. The play as you describe it will take a long time and probably necessitates being dropped pretty far behind the line. It's good for a quick strike, but opens you up to a chance at a pretty big loss too.

I'm not sure if taking your best run defending LB, or any LB, and moving him out of the box is a good idea when you're 90% sure the next play will be a running play. And if you're perceived as trying to cheap shot the other team's QB, you can bet they'll be trying to cheap shot yours.

Cheap shot? It's a cheap offense. Don't move him out there if you don't want him hit. I wouldn't move an LB. I agree with you there, but what to stop a CB or even S from running out there and popping him? Maybe Cromartie wouldn't do much damage, but I'm sure most DBs could do a good job teeing off on a QB. Worst part is that during my unofficial survey, something like 75% of the QBs lead with their throwing shoulders when the take a hit or block.

[Aten]

Schotty gets no credit for being one of the first few coaches to bring the Wildcat back into play.

That's because he didn't, and it's not like running the pistol with Brad Smith was especially innovative even pre-wildcat. Every team that winds up with a college option quarterback tries it at some point.

[Fifth Amendment]

Except there is a difference between taking a cheap shot at a quarterback, and doing what is expected to ANY wide receiver. The latter will get you fines and suspensions.

It'll all be fun & games until Chad Henne gets slapped.

True, there is a difference. That's why I said "perceived". If the opposing team even thinks your's playing dirty they'll be after your QB. I think it speaks volumes that not a single team has used the QB bully strategy to counter the WC. The way to stop is to buckle your chin straps, play physical, and tackle well. Like the Saints did last year, like you guys did last year. In that second game it was totally ineffective. Only once did we have a decent gain, and that was b/c David Harris missed a tackle, not b/c we beat you schematically.

LOL. I'd love to hear you talk smack about Chad Henne AFTER the game.

[dolphann4life]

Go **** yourself.

You talking to me bro?!?!? lol

[RutgersJetFan]

That's because he didn't, and it's not like running the pistol with Brad Smith was especially innovative even pre-wildcat. Every team that winds up with a college option quarterback tries it at some point.

Man oh man, that effing DVD offense cost me a fantasy title one year. I still haven't gotten over it.

[JohnnyHector]

That's because he didn't, and it's not like running the pistol with Brad Smith was especially innovative even pre-wildcat. Every team that winds up with a college option quarterback tries it at some point.

Maybe Weis and Parcells should've put Scott Frost out there after Testaverde got hurt in '99...

[SenorGato]

That's because he didn't, and it's not like running the pistol with Brad Smith was especially innovative even pre-wildcat. Every team that winds up with a college option quarterback tries it at some point.

Best coordinator alive.

[THE ILK]

LOL. I'd love to hear you talk smack about Chad Henne AFTER the game.

You won't be here after the game.

[Samphin]

I'm just waiting for the hiccup to the wildcat formation....when a QB is split out wide and a D throws a LB (Ex. Bart Scott) on him to bump him at the line. Technically, he is no longer a QB and can be contacted up to 5 yards from scrimmage. Although it may be a cheap/cheesy tactic it will definitely have OC consider keeping QBs on the field lined up as a WR and place their QB at risk of injury or anything else. I'm surprised nobody has done it yet, and think that would be the biggest deterrent to a team running the formation IMO

If you take a linebacker out of the box to cover the QB who is flanked out wide, you have pretty much given the opposing team a huge chunk of yardage. If that were to ever happen, the QB would simply run out of bounds before he ever gets touched and with the overloaded line, the numbers game would probably favor the offense.

[stoicsentry]

True, there is a difference. That's why I said "perceived". If the opposing team even thinks your's playing dirty they'll be after your QB. I think it speaks volumes that not a single team has used the QB bully strategy to counter the WC. The way to stop is to buckle your chin straps, play physical, and tackle well. Like the Saints did last year, like you guys did last year. In that second game it was totally ineffective. Only once did we have a decent gain, and that was b/c David Harris missed a tackle, not b/c we beat you schematically.

LOL. I'd love to hear you talk smack about Chad Henne AFTER the game.

Chad Henne needs to get slapped around when he lines up as a wide receiver. If he wants to play with the big boys and outside of the lame protections for QBs then I say its time for him to pay the price. No cheap shots, just reality.