Gameplanning with 1 RB: How creative do they get?

[Maelstrom787]

[tweet]https://twitter.com/gbellseattle/status/1321959465227186176[/tweet]

I would imagine that the rushing attack is going to get much more horizontal this week.

A lot has been talked about regarding David Moore in the backfield, but I think the more likely route they take is utilizing all the receivers in a sweep-predicated attack reminiscent of the McVay attack that swept (heh, get it, swept) through the league in 2018.

More than David Moore, I'm expecting DK Metcalf to play a role in this.

The Seahawks already utilize a high amount of pre-snap motion. What I think Schottenheimer is drawing up is a bundle of jet sweep option plays where they send DK (or Lock/Moore, but DK is uniquely enticing) in motion from a shotgun or pistol look, and either pitch/shovel it to him or hand it off to Dallas. This also could open up the threat of Russ keepers.

DK is fast, strong, and imposing. We've seen him fight for yardage with his length and fairly nasty stiff arm.

This might be a blessing in disguise that adds a new, deadly wrinkle to the offense, born from necessity but kept on as an effective method to keep the defense off balance and stretch them horizontally to open up lanes for DeeJay (and Carson/Hyde/Homer when they return) on traditional rushes.

Well, that's what I'm thinking, at least. The blazing speed of the receiving core might be unleashed in an entirely different way Sunday, and I'm pretty excited to see what they cook up.

If Pete still has the Percy Package fundamentals on file, might be a good time to dust those off.

Anyone else got any ideas on what they're cookin' up to cope with the possibility of only suiting up 1 running back?

 

[bigskydoc]

Bet he means more screen type plays.

I don't like the idea of tying up DK in the backfield. We need him as the deep threat to keep the secondary honest, and if he is going to be used successfully in the backfield, it can't be only in situations where the play goes to him out of the backfield.

One play they absolutely should dust off is the counter pass. We did this with Lynch very successfully. Putting someone with some receiver chops, cough Moore cough, in the backfield and having him squirt out the backside of the play could be very successful.

Lockett could be used in pre-snap motion, sweep type plays, but that is a completely new wrinkle for us, and Pete doesn't really do new wrinkles.

I assume that Lockett will also be returning kicks this game, or maybe Amadi.

My preference is to go to a quick strike, dink and dunk attack, to suck in the defense, then go deep, over the top, with the splash play.

We already know that our strategy this year is different. Instead of running out the clock, we just outscore our opponents. So the loss of our RBs isn't as devastating this year as in years past.

 

[bigskydoc]

Maybe Hollister at 6'2" 245 LB. An expendable player at a position where we still have a surplus

 

[HawkRiderFan]

Based on what we have seen from the offense this year I feel more confident that we will see some creativity to adjust than I would have last year at this time.

 

[PNW]

Looks like we’re gonna sign Alex Collins, obviously it won’t help this week though
https://www.fieldgulls.com/2020/10/30/2 ... nning-back

 

[Sgt. Largent]

For a team that's only running it about 15 times a game, I'm not worried about Dallas running the ball.

The part we have to worry about with Dallas as the primary back is pass protection. We saw what happens last Sunday night when he's confused, Russell gets destroyed.

GUARANTEE you Salah and the SF defense is going to throw the kitchen sink at Dallas in pass pro to confuse him and get to Russell. That scares the hell out of me.

 

[ivotuk]

DJ Reed can return kicks and punts.

I like Hollister as an option. Running DK out of the backfield scares me. Too much chance for injury with the change of direction and a defense looking to pile on him. Please no.

 

[bigskydoc]

The more I think about it, the more I like Hollister back there.

I know, I know the blown block against GB, and yes blocking for a TE is different than in the backfield, but hear me out.

That was his only blown block last year. He was a very good blocker at Wyoming, and he did line up in the backfield for them a little. He has decent hands as an outlet and counter receiver. It is a position where we have a surplus of active players.

That is who I would be looking at for the weekend.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

Help is potentially coming, not in time for sf but could play buf

[tweet]https://twitter.com/AroundTheNFL/status/1322188904766742528[/tweet]

 

[bigskydoc]

Like I posted in another thread, I'm probably Collins' second biggest fan here. He definitely is at the top of my list for signing.

The only thing I don't like about it is the inevitable return of his biggest fan,, who is actually a big Seahawks fan and will stick around .NET even if Collins is cut.

 

[Maelstrom787]

DJ Reed can return kicks and punts.

I like Hollister as an option. Running DK out of the backfield scares me. Too much chance for injury with the change of direction and a defense looking to pile on him. Please no.

Oh, I wouldn't necessarily want him lining up in the backfield. That just sounds like trouble. Just doing jet sweep style stuff.

 

[Appyhawk]

I think we're gonna have 3 RBs available to play Sunday, without a new signee.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

I think we're gonna have 3 RBs available to play Sunday, without a new signee.

I don't have the percentage, but what's the percentage of guys who didn't practice all week that Pete says are "gametime decisions" that actually play?

Seems like very rarely, if ever. Pete's always a you gotta practice and show me you're healthy enough to play kind of conservative coach.

I think we're in trouble Sunday health wise. I don't see Adams, Griffin, Carson and even some other surprises like Hyde being out as well. Maybe Homer sucks it up and can go 10 snaps? But other than that, the injury report looks bleak.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

We have a fullback. Use him for rb things. Get the wrs involved in more dink routes. It's what sf did when their rbs went down and what they'll keep doing as they also are short on rbs.

Both qbs are going to have to pass more and fortunately for us, Russ is better at that.

 

[TwistedHusky]

This will be a very good test of the assertion that PA works even when it is pretty clear you are not going to run.

My bigger concern is that without RBs that can protect our QB, a lot of our longer developing plays are now off the table. Go back and look to find the RB stayed in to keep blitzers off, especially in Cover 0 situations.

SF might have a lot of injuries but they have been competitive, even dangerous.

This will be a difficult game because a lot of short yardage situations suddenly become incredibly challenging.

 

[SantaClaraHawk]

This will be a very good test of the assertion that PA works even when it is pretty clear you are not going to run.

My bigger concern is that without RBs that can protect our QB, a lot of our longer developing plays are now off the table. Go back and look to find the RB stayed in to keep blitzers off, especially in Cover 0 situations.

SF might have a lot of injuries but they have been competitive, even dangerous.

This will be a difficult game because a lot of short yardage situations suddenly become incredibly challenging.

We both have fbs on board but the 49ers' is Juice check. That guy is like a swiss army knife with blocking, catching, running. You don't really see him until bam, there's a first down or bam, now Kittle has the ball or whatever. Him being back there makes the playaction from jimmyg that much more effective.

 

[Maelstrom787]

We have a fullback. Use him for rb things. Get the wrs involved in more dink routes. It's what sf did when their rbs went down and what they'll keep doing as they also are short on rbs.

Both qbs are going to have to pass more and fortunately for us, Russ is better at that.

Thing about Bellore is that he really doesn't have a rushing element to his game. He has a single career carry for 0 yards. Might be better to just put someone like Moore back there who has more experience handling the ball.

 

[Own The West]

Someone besides Dallas will go. That said, if we went spread and ran every play out of the shotgun I wouldn’t complain. Their secondary is thin and we’ve got the best point guard in the league.

 

[chris98251]

We could go I formation a lot more also which I think will suit Dallas's style to cut off the block, also Hyde or Homer will be in the game, maybe situationally for a breather.

But short hooks and TE's as well as crossing patterns are the way to get through this.

 

[bigskydoc]

But short hooks and TE's as well as crossing patterns are the way to get through this.

They are also a good way to get through having a sieve of an offensive line, yet we see how much they utilized them the last few years. Head scratcher really.