Russ and QB Sneaks

[RolandDeschain]

QB sneaks work best when you have an elite offensive line, like the Eagles. The Broncos are pretty loaded upfront, so that's probably why he's been so efficient running them in Denver.

Tom Brady has done QB sneaks his whole career, even in years when they had a mediocre line. Pete's scared to do QB sneaks and I don't know why.

 

[Ozzy]

I think around that time, after 2015, NFL DC's started to figure Russ out, and it was hard for Russell to excel as the gunslinger he wanted to be. Russell seemed to understand single-high safety looks well enough, then teams figured out that he struggled vs two-high shell types of looks, so they started showing him a lot of that. Russell does NOT read defenses at the level of a Brady or Peyton, nowhere close. Even though he struggled to carry an offense with his passing at times, he does read some types of things well, like how he read the Packers' zero blitz in the NFCCG and threw the ball to Kearse for the walk-off, Super Bowl ticket TD. In fact he did a similar thing multiple times last game, vs the Browns, reading multiple blitzers, and throwing up a ball to Courtland Sutton for a nice completion or a PI.

To me it looks like Sean Payton is a much better OC and schemer that anyone the Seahawks have ever had. The Broncos *should* have a depleted roster after having squat for impact draft picks. Somehow, the Broncos are fielding an O-Line that is opening holes in the run game and giving Russell enough time to throw. Somehow, the Broncos are fielding a defense that is now generating turnovers and making red zone stops, despite giving up that 70-burger earlier this season to the Dolphins.

In any case, Payton has figured out how to maximize Russell and get him to play to his strengths. The Broncos strong run game opens up the play-action that Russell excels at. I've noticed a few more middle-of-the-field throws. Some (Sherm) say Pete treated Russell with kid gloves, like a delicate china doll. Seems like Payton has been very direct and clear with Russell about what he wants and has even gotten Russell to change and improve parts of his game. It seems to me like Russell and the Broncos are doing a little better at the 3rd and 4 types of situations that Russell sucked at with the Seahawks.

The receivers seem to have figured out the scramble drill much better, especially Sutton, but also Jeudy, and (IIRC) rookie Mims, TE Dulcich, and the rest. The scramble drill competence was totally missing last year, so I'll credit Payton's influence.

Some of my favorite memories of Russell are from his gunslinger games, which to me are these:
* Beating 2nd year Patrick Mahomes in a shootout
* Beating DeShaun Watson and the Texans in a shootout
* Beating Ben Rothlisberger and the Steelers in a shootout

It's actually kind of fun watching the Broncos now, and Russell seems to have bought into the Payton way, and is looking like a really good NFL QB again. I don't miss the version of Russell we had at the end of his time in Seattle, but it's also clear now that Geno+Waldron is not the answer, and the Hawks need a QBOTF, not just a better Tavaris Jackson.

Fantastic post!

 

[AROS]

I don't even know if this is the right thread but apparently Brady said "I never get bored of boring." Meaning, he took the dump offs, first reads, quick slants, etc, over the hero balls and deep passes because it was efficient and got the job done. Who's to argue with him?

Payton is employing this strategy with Russ and it's working.

Sorry if that was off topic a bit.

 

[Fade]

Russ struggled with 2-High for a few reasons.

#1 When you see 2-High, you're supposed to run them out of it. The Seahawks had a lot of issues at RB and O-Line post Marshawn Lynch. Especially how the Seahawks were supposed to be built to play, but weren't.

#2a The TE down the seam/post. The Seahawks rarely ran their TE down the seam, instead preferring to use him as a 6th blocker. Early in his career I would say that was his best pass. But again, only used rarely, Pete hates middle of the field throws preferring to attack outside.

#2b Floodzone the Mike. Again, Seattle avoids throwing over the middle of the field. But the concept is you get the TE/WR to carry the Mike, and then run another TE/WR underneath to the voided area.

Or the opposite. Get the Mike to bite on the underneath route. And throw it over his head to the TE running a post.

#3 The Honey hole, between the corner and the safety. The Seahawks would run Smash to hold the Corner, and bring the Slot Receiver into that area. But it's not something you can run play after play. That would be like running all go special play after play. You just can't do it.

#4 Deep Over off of playaction. This would extend the defense, buy Wilson time, and aim for that voided area deep down field away from the Safety being cleared by someone running a go route. Again, not something you can run over and over.

#5 The unwillingness to use a RB in the passing game. (They are doing this in Denver.) That corner that has flat responsibility? He will likely make a business decision rather than tackle a RB coming right at them. So get your outside WR to carry the Corner up field 5-10 yards, and swing it out to the back.


Russell Wilson regardless of the coverage, is gun shy. He will not throw the ball unless he is 100% confident that WR is open. Choosing to instead hold the ball and use his legs to extend the play. This can drive people crazy, but it is a style of play choice that limits interceptions.

He has developed more under Sean Payton in 10 months as a passer than he did in 10 years with Pete Carroll. He is attempting more throws over the middle of the field at a near league avg. rate. His sack numbers have improved, especially on this 5 game win streak. He is checking at the LoS into an array of plays. In Seattle, if he checked to a new play--it was a 97% chance a handoff to the RB into a loaded box.

Watching him in Denver this year, has me wondering what a Prime Wilson would've been with this kind of competency coaching him. As Wilson is still good, just diminished over what he was 3-5 years ago physically. Mentally he has never been better.

 

[olyfan63]

Russ struggled with 2-High for a few reasons.

#1 When you see 2-High, you're supposed to run them out of it. The Seahawks had a lot of issues at RB and O-Line post Marshawn Lynch. Especially how the Seahawks were supposed to be built to play, but weren't.

#2a The TE down the seam/post. The Seahawks rarely ran their TE down the seam, instead preferring to use him as a 6th blocker. Early in his career I would say that was his best pass. But again, only used rarely, Pete hates middle of the field throws preferring to attack outside.

#2b Floodzone the Mike. Again, Seattle avoids throwing over the middle of the field. But the concept is you get the TE/WR to carry the Mike, and then run another TE/WR underneath to the voided area.

Or the opposite. Get the Mike to bite on the underneath route. And throw it over his head to the TE running a post.

#3 The Honey hole, between the corner and the safety. The Seahawks would run Smash to hold the Corner, and bring the Slot Receiver into that area. But it's not something you can run play after play. That would be like running all go special play after play. You just can't do it.

#4 Deep Over off of playaction. This would extend the defense, buy Wilson time, and aim for that voided area deep down field away from the Safety being cleared by someone running a go route. Again, not something you can run over and over.

#5 The unwillingness to use a RB in the passing game. (They are doing this in Denver.) That corner that has flat responsibility? He will likely make a business decision rather than tackle a RB coming right at them. So get your outside WR to carry the Corner up field 5-10 yards, and swing it out to the back.


Russell Wilson regardless of the coverage, is gun shy. He will not throw the ball unless he is 100% confident that WR is open. Choosing to instead hold the ball and use his legs to extend the play. This can drive people crazy, but it is a style of play choice that limits interceptions.

He has developed more under Sean Payton in 10 months as a passer than he did in 10 years with Pete Carroll. He is attempting more throws over the middle of the field at a near league avg. rate. His sack numbers have improved, especially on this 5 game win streak. He is checking at the LoS into an array of plays. In Seattle, if he checked to a new play--it was a 97% chance a handoff to the RB into a loaded box.

Watching him in Denver this year, has me wondering what a Prime Wilson would've been with this kind of competency coaching him. As Wilson is still good, just diminished over what he was 3-5 years ago physically. Mentally he has never been better.

Makes absolute sense to me. Wilson's had to rewire his head to play this way, stuff Pete wouldn't allow, didn't believe in. Pete was so focused on throwing outside the numbers, because, tipped balls and picks, that it made the Hawks offense too predictable. This just shows Payton is on another level as an offensive mind. Of course, Pete is supposedly a defense-oriented mind, but that's not working out so well either this year. Payton's offense seems to be creating receivers with enough separation for Russell to go ahead and throw, and also he trusts Sutton with 50-50 balls and Sutton usually makes the paly.

Also, Payton having the courage to stick with Russell through the learning curve, kudos on that. Also, Payton bringing in a viable #2 in Jarrett Stidham so Russell knew it was perform or get replaced, also kudos to Payton. Pete never had a viable #2 behind Russ that I can ever recall.

 

[Weadoption]

Russ struggled with 2-High for a few reasons.

#1 When you see 2-High, you're supposed to run them out of it. The Seahawks had a lot of issues at RB and O-Line post Marshawn Lynch. Especially how the Seahawks were supposed to be built to play, but weren't.

#2a The TE down the seam/post. The Seahawks rarely ran their TE down the seam, instead preferring to use him as a 6th blocker. Early in his career I would say that was his best pass. But again, only used rarely, Pete hates middle of the field throws preferring to attack outside.

#2b Floodzone the Mike. Again, Seattle avoids throwing over the middle of the field. But the concept is you get the TE/WR to carry the Mike, and then run another TE/WR underneath to the voided area.

Or the opposite. Get the Mike to bite on the underneath route. And throw it over his head to the TE running a post.

#3 The Honey hole, between the corner and the safety. The Seahawks would run Smash to hold the Corner, and bring the Slot Receiver into that area. But it's not something you can run play after play. That would be like running all go special play after play. You just can't do it.

#4 Deep Over off of playaction. This would extend the defense, buy Wilson time, and aim for that voided area deep down field away from the Safety being cleared by someone running a go route. Again, not something you can run over and over.

#5 The unwillingness to use a RB in the passing game. (They are doing this in Denver.) That corner that has flat responsibility? He will likely make a business decision rather than tackle a RB coming right at them. So get your outside WR to carry the Corner up field 5-10 yards, and swing it out to the back.


Russell Wilson regardless of the coverage, is gun shy. He will not throw the ball unless he is 100% confident that WR is open. Choosing to instead hold the ball and use his legs to extend the play. This can drive people crazy, but it is a style of play choice that limits interceptions.

He has developed more under Sean Payton in 10 months as a passer than he did in 10 years with Pete Carroll. He is attempting more throws over the middle of the field at a near league avg. rate. His sack numbers have improved, especially on this 5 game win streak. He is checking at the LoS into an array of plays. In Seattle, if he checked to a new play--it was a 97% chance a handoff to the RB into a loaded box.

Watching him in Denver this year, has me wondering what a Prime Wilson would've been with this kind of competency coaching him. As Wilson is still good, just diminished over what he was 3-5 years ago physically. Mentally he has never been better.

so what you are saying is, that you are a fan speculating hyperbolic narratives about the inner workings of the minds of professional athletes and coaches that you cannot possibly know.
got it