Pet Peeve of Mine, mis-called "reverses"

[arglebargle]

OP is right about the terminology. All this plays do have misdirection in common though. Aside from their use against a specific player's weaknesses, they are generally good against overpursuing defenses. They also have the advantage, even if unsuccessful, of slowing down that defense on other plays. I think that's one reason why Parcells used to use a trick play in almost every game.

 

[Established1971]

One of the ESPN.com mediots brings this up every so often, and it happened to be one of my pet peeves long before I ever read an article on it. Here's the play:

A QB takes the snap, does his drop and in comes a receiver streaking behind the line of scrimmage to take the hand off...

"IT'S A REVERSE!!!" scream the mediots behind the mike.

No you morons, it's an end around. The ball never changed direction of travel, but every single solitary time the QB hands off the ball to some one other than a full back or half back they'll scream "IT'S A REVERSE!!!"

No, it's just an end around and I've heard too many people in bars and in front of the TV scream the same.

If the QB hands off to a WR and then the WR hands off to another player coming the other direction THEN IT IS A REVERSE AS THE BALL HAS CHANGED DIRECTION OF TRAVEL.

If Romo hands off to Felix who runs a sweep at right tackle and then hands off to Miles coming the opposite direction its a reverse.

What really irks me is when the QB drops back, fakes the hand off to one WR, then hands off to another WR coming the other way. The mediots will screw this all kinds of up, left, right, and backwards.

The play is a fake handoff, end around. It's not a fake reverse, it isn't a double fake reverse, and it isn't a double reverse. The ball is simply handed off to a end player.

/ rant. :bang2:

wow I havent heard "end round" in so many years. I remember that from my early days of watching the game, that and split end, remember that one?
How about flanker?

 

[cowboyschmps3]

wen a qb hands off to a receiver its more like an end around...a reverse is another player other than the qb giving the ball to the other player

 

[Nav22]

It also increases the likelihood of a defensive choke when there's more pressure.

Or an offensive choke with the added pressure. You have to assume that the odds of the 2PC are the same, whether you attempt it now or later.

I think if you don't get the 1st 2PC, it forces you to kick an onside kick the next kickoff. If you don't get that, not only do you give them the ball back up 2 scores, you give them great field position, and they can put the game away.

Imagine being down 2 scores, but only believing that you're down 1 score... with time as the enemy in the 4th quarter. That's the predicament that roughly 50% of coaches are putting themselves in when they use the "kick the PAT first" strategy, since they'll fail on the eventual 2PC attempt roughly 50% of the time.

My whole thing is, clear the game up for yourselves so you know what you're REALLY down by. That 8 point deficit leaves you in the dark, especially when time is of the essence.

Teams will play that as being down 1 score, and then they'll score the TD with 15 seconds left... and fail on the 2PC. They now have almost no chance to win the game. But if they had failed on the 2PC earlier in the 4th quarter, they could approach the rest of the game knowing that they need 2 scores to win.

 

[Kevinicus]

Or an offensive choke with the added pressure. You have to assume that the odds of the 2PC are the same, whether you attempt it now or later.Imagine being down 2 scores, but only believing that you're down 1 score... with time as the enemy in the 4th quarter. That's the predicament that roughly 50% of coaches are putting themselves in when they use the "kick the PAT first" strategy, since they'll fail on the eventual 2PC attempt roughly 50% of the time.

My whole thing is, clear the game up for yourselves so you know what you're REALLY down by. That 8 point deficit leaves you in the dark, especially when time is of the essence.

Teams will play that as being down 1 score, and then they'll score the TD with 15 seconds left... and fail on the 2PC. They now have almost no chance to win the game. But if they had failed on the 2PC earlier in the 4th quarter, they could approach the rest of the game knowing that they need 2 scores to win.

I've always wondered about this as well, and have never heard any reasoning that stands up logically.

 

[Apollo Creed]

Parcels actually used a ton of gadget plays. He'd only use them on specific spots on the field, though. Inside the 50? Watch out!

I miss the old Gaily trick play where the TE would block, stumble, and roll into the end zone for an easy 6. Hopefully, Garrett will show a couple of wrinkles this season. If nothing else, we've got a *lot* of flexibility to design plays with this group of offensive skill players we've got.

You're right. Richie Anderson threw left handed, so the half back pass was very effective and deceptive from that side. I also remember Terry Glenn was great at sucking in safeties on the flea flicker.

Has Garrett run one single gadget play since he got in Dallas?

Cliche response is gonna be, 'how can you run a trick play if you can't run a regular play.' But you'd figure for a team that is having trouble establishing drives you'd try to steal a couple every now and then.

 

[xpistofer]

Has Garrett run one single gadget play since he got in Dallas?

Romo backward pass to Witten, Witten 39 yard pass to Buffalo Bill...

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Thank you.

If you're gonna be pissed enough about something to start a thread about it, at least be original.

And it wasn't even as witty as the TMQ complaint...

Since this has bugged me since the early 80's, you can * off.

 

[SaltwaterServr]

Has Garrett run one single gadget play since he got in Dallas?

37 yard over the head snap for a 3 yard gain.

Not a lot else comes to mind.

 

[Idgit]

You're right. Richie Anderson threw left handed, so the half back pass was very effective and deceptive from that side. I also remember Terry Glenn was great at sucking in safeties on the flea flicker.

Has Garrett run one single gadget play since he got in Dallas?

Cliche response is gonna be, 'how can you run a trick play if you can't run a regular play.' But you'd figure for a team that is having trouble establishing drives you'd try to steal a couple every now and then.

Good point re: Terry Glenn and the double move. That guy was so underrated.

Garrett doesn't run trick plays, and I don't know why. Maybe it's something he inherited philosophically from his days as a Cowboy backup when we just lined up and beat you.

With all the former college QBs on the roster, Tony Romo and Felix Jones, we're setup to run just about anything. And a good trick play is the best way to win the adoration of a dim fanbase and become a 'good' coordinator if you care to rehabilitate your image.

 

[Idgit]

Romo backward pass to Witten, Witten 39 yard pass to Buffalo Bill...

That was a broken play.