Lack of Ingenuity on Offensive Formations

[HuskerHawk]

The Seahawks are obsessed with trying to hide their intentions when it comes to formations and sets. Which is odd considering the philosophy they consistently voice.

They'd do well to stop trying to trick the other teams and just lineup and beat them with their offense.

I agree more i-formation, and a LOT more play action out of i-formation is needed. They did this quite a bit back at the end of 2012 when Russell was establishing himself. I don't know why they don't do it any more.

Dear God this. What happened to I formation and the PA off it? RW may be the best there is at selling that fake, and is deadly on the boot off it. He was lethal at Wiscy, and as you said here too in late 2012. FB coming out of the backfield, TE with the late release on a drag (swoon). Jimmy would be lethal. Somewhere along the line last year (cough, Percy Harvin, cough) we transitioned to using this absolutely awful spread/college thing way too often. I seriously don't get it.

 

[Rocket]

In many ways, I agree. Seems to me we are entirely too invested in the shotgun formation. I know it gives the QB better vision down field to spot coverages and blitzing, but every play? Borderlne obsession IMHO.

Short. Physics.
Maybe?

 

[Spin Doctor]

I'm very worried about this offense with Bevell at the helm. He's bad for Wilson's development, and the offense in general. He just does not get how to utilize our talent effectively. Players such as Harvin, Tate, and Miller were marginalized in his system. I'm not talking about the lack of passing either... Let us take Tate for example, in Detroit he is tearing it up, and he's being used in a different way. They use pick plays to clear room for him, he gets the ball and is able to turn a simple slant route into 10 to 20 yards with boring consistency. I hardly ever saw Bevell try to get Tate into space, normally he was used as a deep threat or decoy.

I'm also surprised at some of the formations he uses in certain situations. The play that Lynch got stuffed on 4th down is a good example of this. A run out of the shotgun, when the defense is clearly selling out to stop the run is foolish. That is a situation that calls for our big bruising fullback. Against the Rams, Bevell refused to give up the empty set, on 25 percent of our passing plays. All the Rams had to do was keep Wilson in the pocket, and send more guys than our line could block, and wam you got a sack. I couldn't remember one positive play from that formation. Bevell also very slow to adjust to what the defense is doing. I feel like most of our offenses successes are based on Wilson's improvisational skills, and Lynch's talent rather than solid structure.

I feel as if many of our skill positions are being marginalized, and misused by Darrelle Bevell. It's no wonder that Brett Favre audibled out of every play that was called in Minnesota. It was a point of contention between Brad Childress, and Favre.

 

[dunceface]

I'm very worried about this offense with Bevell at the helm. He's bad for Wilson's development, and the offense in general. He just does not get how to utilize our talent effectively. Players such as Harvin, Tate, and Miller were marginalized in his system. I'm not talking about the lack of passing either... Let us take Tate for example, in Detroit he is tearing it up, and he's being used in a different way. They use pick plays to clear room for him, he gets the ball and is able to turn a simple slant route into 10 to 20 yards with boring consistency. I hardly ever saw Bevell try to get Tate into space, normally he was used as a deep threat or decoy.

I'm also surprised at some of the formations he uses in certain situations. The play that Lynch got stuffed on 4th down is a good example of this. A run out of the shotgun, when the defense is clearly selling out to stop the run is foolish. That is a situation that calls for our big bruising fullback. Against the Rams, Bevell refused to give up the empty set, on 25 percent of our passing plays. All the Rams had to do was keep Wilson in the pocket, and send more guys than our line could block, and wam you got a sack. I couldn't remember one positive play from that formation. Bevell also very slow to adjust to what the defense is doing. I feel like most of our offenses successes are based on Wilson's improvisational skills, and Lynch's talent rather than solid structure.

I feel as if many of our skill positions are being marginalized, and misused by Darrelle Bevell. It's no wonder that Brett Favre audibled out of every play that was called in Minnesota. It was a point of contention between Brad Childress, and Favre.

Well never mind on the title being the most creative way to say fire Bevell...you win

 

[bigskydoc]

I agree more i-formation, and a LOT more play action out of i-formation is needed. They did this quite a bit back at the end of 2012 when Russell was establishing himself. I don't know why they don't do it any more.

Dear God this. What happened to I formation and the PA off it? RW may be the best there is at selling that fake, and is deadly on the boot off it.

Dear God, not against the Rams... in game one... with an untested and unknown offensive line.

If I was Bevell, I would have had a game plan that kept Wilson in shotgun for the whole game. No play action, no 3 step drop, shotgun. So he can see the pressure coming and protect himself.

If I was Pete I would have drilled into Wilson's head that this is not the game to display his running chops. Feel the pressure? Protect yourself. Throw it away if you have time or turtle and live to fight another day if you don't.

If I was Paul Allen, I would tell Bevell that I would fire him if he did anything stupid to get my new expensive toy hurt.

Last thing I wanted to see last week was Wilson running the read option/ bootleg/ scramble and getting killed at the end of the line because the line couldn't give him enough time.

Against the Packers next week? Bears, Bengals, Lions? Different story. I certainly hope we open up the playbook a lot more. The play action can be truly deadly against the Packers, and I hope to see a lot of it.

The Rams are the only team in the NFL that is still built specifically to take us on, strength for strength, and beat us at our own game. They are a physical defense who appear would be perfectly happy with taking Wilson out for a week or a season. Come Dec 27th with the season on the line, I would take more chances if necessary. Early in the season with a team that is barely recovered from the last grueling season, self-preservation is the name of the game. Take what they give you.

At least that would have been my plan going in. Near the end of the game, when it became apparent that the line actually could form a pocket and protect Wilson, I would have considered adding in something more interesting and productive.

- bsd

 

[dunceface]

^^^That's some good perspective to the folks that are salty about the play calling on Sunday (like me for instance)

 

[hawk45]

I can see limiting roll-outs and keepers. But sprinkling in play action here or there is no less hazardous to Wilson's health than all the empty sets that resulted in him being hit. Wilson consistently gets smacked around in empty sets especially against blitzing teams. Whether it's his fault or not, if the idea is protect the investment, thus far the empty set shotgun hasn't proven superior to play action.

Although I do recognize that when Wilson gets killed from the empty set at least he is going to see it coming.

 

[fenderbender123]

Is the shotgun formation + RW's height the reason why we don't do short passes over the middle? If he is standing further behind the LOS, plus having to put more arc on his throws to get it over the OL/DL line, then maybe that gives the defenders too much time to react to make a tackle or even a play on the ball.