Why isn't the bootleg called more?

[AROS]

There's a running joke in my house. Whenever the Hawks (or any team for that matter) gets within the 5 yard line to goal I always shout "BOOTLEG!!!!" and I'll be damned if it rarely occurs but when it does? Touchdown. Why isn't the naked bootleg called more often? Hell, we Seahawks fans can argue if the naked bootleg was called in SB49 we would have been back-to-back Champions.

Annnnnnnd, discuss.

 

[onanygivensunday]

Short field... too many defenders looking to penetrate.

Better play to call further back from the goal line imo.

 

[AROS]

Not so sure. The defense is expecting the run or quick dump off pass. Just seems like it would work more than not (I’m talking about a naked bootleg rolling out of the pocket not a QB keep up the middle).

 

[DarkVictory23]

I think there are two (and a half) reasons for why it's not used more, but these are just my guesses:

1) You can't run it too often or it becomes predictable. It's a misdirection play and isn't as useful when no one is misdirected.
-1a) The traditional bootleg is called from under center, which running plays from under center isn't as common anymore. (Thus, if you run bootlegs like every 4th time you go under center, it becomes a tell.)

2) It's a play that forces the QB to turn his back on the defense, so if it goes wrong it can go very wrong. It also makes a play that looks pretty easy on screen more difficult for the QB because he can't make his reads/progressions quite the same way.

 

[SonicHawk]

QBs are too athletic now and them running is always a threat. Those bootlegs were great when you had QBs that never ran.

 

[MontanaHawk05]

It cuts the field in half. Once the QB rolls left, the right half of the field is somewhere he won't be throwing to unless he wants it intercepted.

 

[warden]

You take away half the field on the bootleg. If you run it too often defenses will be ready to stop it

 

[AROS]

Fair enough but I still get to scream my obligatory "BOOTLEG DUMMIES!!!" at least 20 times throughout the season.

 

[fenderbender123]

 

[sutz]

Throw in the idea that not all QBs can throw with accuracy on the run, and the bootleg by definition means your QB is unprotected if the D reads it quickly. You usually don't want your QB going one on one against a DE.

 

[AROS]

Throw in the idea that not all QBs can throw with accuracy on the run, and the bootleg by definition means your QB is unprotected if the D reads it quickly. You usually don't want your QB going one on one against a DE.

You shut up with your common sense.

 

[Seattle Person]

One of the main reasons why the boot has been ineffective is because so many teams now run plays out of a shotgun formation. So when you're under center and your formations are a certain way -- defenses know what's coming. That defeats the whole point of a bootleg. Especially if a team knows you barely run under center.