Max Protect Question????

[Cbz40]

How much of our offense is having to be shelved when we Max protect?

Do we go into Max protect mode due to Bledsoe's lack of mobility or is to cover for our less than steller OL?

 

[Hostile]

How much of our offense is having to be shelved when we Max protect?

Do we go into Max protect mode due to Bledsoe's lack of mobility or is to cover for our less than steller OL?

I'd say about 15% has to be scaled back. TE is most affected by far with RB & FB in the mix as well. It really doesn't affect WR as much. Not even Key who is a noted blocker.

It is a combination of Bledsoe hanging on to the ball too long at times, but most of it is on the OL.

If the OL could give Bledsoe 5 seconds it would be great.

If he'd get rid of the ball in 4 seconds that would help.

 

[BigDFan5]

The line is protecting, we are 6-3. Drew Bledsoe leading vote getter for Probowl. How is Henson doing?

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Depends on how the team uses Max Protect and how effective their WRs are and how confident the QB is.

The key to using Max is utilizing your RB and TE blockers as passing options.

 

[Nors]

Biggest mistake is not allowing Bledsoe to throw more. Our Running game is worse than 2003....

Bledsoe needs to step it up and pass sets up run - cuz our 3.4 YPC average sucks.....

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Works both ways Nors.

Depending on your personnel.

 

[NorTex]

None of our offense is being shelved...it is what it is...max protect schemes are part of our offense.

It's like saying how much is the Steelers passing game suffering because they run so much...you are what you are.

 

[TheHustler]

Seems to me like we do better when we line up 3 and 4 wide so the defense can't stack the box and blitz more than we can defend.....

 

[CowboyChris]

we max protect to help our OL, and more importantly keep Bledsoe from getting injured.

 

[playit12]

So our max protect is simply putting out an extra TE, FB, or RB into the back field. All of these are elligible recievers and all are used extensively in the running game. All are also expected to run routes when they don't have a man to block. TEs run outs or short curls, FBs and RBs slip out to the flat for an outlet.

Having said that, we lose nothing by having another TE on the field. Our second TE is better than our third WR.

Keeping the RB back to block has been a mixed bag. I focussed in on the blitz pickup of both Barber and Jones on Monday. This I can say for certain, both are really good at picking up the blitz. I saw Barber absolutely blow up a linebacker coming on a delayed blitz. However neither has been able to provide any kind of threat as a reciever in the flat. This is mostly Drews fault. By the time he checks down and passes it to the flat he has given the linebacker time to close the space. You want to force teams to keep a man in coverage to your RB, which is impossible if they aren't a threat to gain substaintal yards.

Polite has shown decent hands and decent run blocking. However he absolutely was the reason for at least one sack on Monday. He should have been right off the RTs hip to pick up the delayed blitz while the Running back took the outside blitzer. Instead he went with the outside blitzer and gave up the lane directly to Drew. We lose something on offense by having Polite back there. It certainly is no coincidence that BP (or Sean) has drawn up plays putting Keyshawn, Pierce, Spears, and Witten back in the FB spot. I wouldn't be surprised if we upgrade this position.

Overall I don't think max protect has cost us much. Glenn is fast enough to get behind coverage and Drew has shown good accuracy.

 

[followthestar]

i would also add that Bledsoe likes to look for deeper options, so during a max protect call his first desirable option is to a deeper pattern, or more accurately to his favorite WR Terry Glenn. Since Glenn's routes are generally mid- to long-range passes that is where Bledsoe is looking. McNabb for instance is conditioned to go to his TE or RB in their WCO, so if you plugged him in to our offense he would hit those dump passes to the RB much more often than Bledsoe does, all other things being equal.
Better to shelve some of our options than shelve our QB...

 

[playit12]

i would also add that Bledsoe likes to look for deeper options, so during a max protect call his first desirable option is to a deeper pattern, or more accurately to his favorite WR Terry Glenn. Since Glenn's routes are generally mid- to long-range passes that is where Bledsoe is looking. McNabb for instance is conditioned to go to his TE or RB in their WCO, so if you plugged him in to our offense he would hit those dump passes to the RB much more often than Bledsoe does, all other things being equal.
Better to shelve some of our options than shelve our QB...

I think you are right, but I'd still like to see our OC call a few swing passes to the RB to at least keep defenses honest. Without a mobile QB or pass threat to the flat, teams are free to ignore the flats after the first three steps.