Romo Letting the Play Clock Always Run Down

[WPBCowboysFan]

So many people get really irked by Romo always seeming to let the play clock run down to a second or two before getting the ball snapped.

What does this accomplish in his favor?

Does it really give the defense an edge because they know that now the snap is coming?

Is it more on Romo or Red J?

 

[Proximo]

Good god there have been so many threads about this.....your "Cowboys domain name" thread was a better idea.

 

[DFWJC]

Guarantee they incorporate more hurry-up offense this year when they are not in catch-up mode. fwiw

 

[mmillman]

the advantage is that you get to see the defensive adjustments. Other teams accomplish the same thing by getting to the line early and using motion and quick snaps. Watch the Patriots or Broncos for example. They get to the line early force the defense to show their coverage early and make their adjustments.

Dallas spends far too much time in 1st, 2nd and 3rd and long due to, not only delay, but other penalties. This has been the trend for a looooooooooong time now.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Tony Romo has said before that it allows the offense to know what final alignment the defense will set in, and that is an advantage to the offense.

Now that may be the God's honest truth, or Romo may just be saying that to cover up the real answer with a rosy one. And I say that because when the offense has gone into hurry-up mode it has been more succesfull on average.

But even this is gray area because temas typically go into hurry up mode when they need to move the ball and score quickly. And in those instances defenses tend to play prevent, so that could be what's really contributing to better offensive success while in hurry up mode.

 

[jzcowboy]

Does it really give the defense an edge because they know that now the snap is coming?

They don't know it's coming, they can't be looking at the playclock, they are looking at their man waiting for the snap.

 

[Yeagermeister]

I think it does help the defense. They know when the ball will be snapped and can time their blitz. IMO

 

[Idgit]

It's at the offense's discretion to do it or not. Obviously, Romo prefers knowing the defense is set and being able to act accordingly to disguising how the offense could be set.

I've always thought, when you have a guy like Tony who process information so quickly that's the smart way to go. If he knows what you're trying to do for sure, he'll find the best way to beat it. And then the random quick snap is more effective.

That said, they were snapping the ball earlier in the play clock much of last year. It didn't make a ton of difference early because of the hodge podge on the OL and the mistakes at WR. Later in the year, they looked pretty much like they have all along, to me.

 

[Hoofbite]

If there is some advantage to be had it sure hasn't shown up on the field.

The defense doesn't have to do anything and if they simply waited until 3 seconds are left to make an adjustment there isn't enough time for Romo to switch anything in response.

Or the defense could just sit still and let Dallas go through all it's motions, forcing these lineman to hold their water for an extended period of time while the clock moves to zero.

Or the defense could just bluff and then you have a situation in which Dallas is reacting to nothing.

Or the defense could make an adjustment and then all the time spent going through these motions is likely for nothing because you're back at square one. Who was the LB for the Giants who countered Romo's audible a couple years back right before the snap and Romo threw the pick in the flat to a guy that he didn't expect to be there? I can't think of his name right now. Pierce maybe?

I think it's worthless. I don't think the team gains anything from it at all. I think they'd be better served by getting to the line quicker and then having 12-15 seconds or so to do whatever they wanted. Now instead of knowing the snap will come within a short period of time the defense has to consider the possibility that the snap comes immediately or maybe that it comes after significant time passes.

I also think it's a bit naive to think that defenses coordinators don't know what the team is trying to accomplish by it.

 

[Denim Chicken]

This is a fallacy, anyhow. While there are many times he allows the play clock to run down, there are many times he does not.

 

[Idgit]

If there is some advantage to be had it sure hasn't shown up on the field....I also think it's a bit naive to think that defenses coordinators don't know what the team is trying to accomplish by it.

I'd say just the opposite. We're pretty effective passing the football, overall. Our problems are with red zone scoring and with turnovers from taking some significant chances with the football in tight games.

And, sure, the coordinators know what we're doing. That doesn't matter. Waiting reduces the equation to 'can Tony figure out what you're doing and adjust fast enough, or not.' There's not much the defense can do, one way or another, since it has to be set before the play clock runs down.

 

[Wood]

Good god there have been so many threads about this.....your "Cowboys domain name" thread was a better idea.

its offseason and lull before draft.

 

[CanadianCowboysFan]

Watch other teams and QBs, they do it too.

 

[SDCowboy]

Watch other teams and QBs, they do it too.

This. Watch the QBs that actually read defenses. The clock typically runs right down to almost zero before the ball gets snapped. Part of the problem though is when he has to tell everyone where to line up. That kills a lot of time also.

 

[CATCH17]

So many people get really irked by Romo always seeming to let the play clock run down to a second or two before getting the ball snapped.

What does this accomplish in his favor?

Does it really give the defense an edge because they know that now the snap is coming?

Is it more on Romo or Red J?

As an offensive lineman you hate it.


We already put pressure on our linemen with play design and then we do that mess with the snap count.

It's going to be hard for us to ever be good on the Oline with some of the stuff Garrett tries to do.

 

[CATCH17]

This. Watch the QBs that actually read defenses. The clock typically runs right down to almost zero before the ball gets snapped. Part of the problem though is when he has to tell everyone where to line up. That kills a lot of time also.

Other teams do it but most teams change their cadences as well.


Patriots are probably running the best system in the league right now and they change it up constantly.

 

[SDCowboy]

Other teams do it but most teams change their cadences as well.


Patriots are probably running the best system in the league right now and they change it up constantly.

I'm not saying we run pre-snap the best. Just that it's very common among the top guys and offenses.

 

[ufcrules1]

I watch players Like Brady, Peyton, Rodgers, Brees, etc play and they RARELY let the clock wind down to zero. Peyton tries all the time to snap the ball fast when the defense isn't paying attention. A

Romo snapping the ball at zero seconds is dumb because it gives the defense a jump. He does it so often that there is no surprise. Quite honestly it has NEVER helped us and they should change it up.

 

[WV Cowboy]

I remember seeing an article that said that other QB's do this too.

The article said Brady is the best at using this to read defenses.

The article also said Romo was the 2nd best, and that it is to his/our advantage to do so because he is so good at it.

 

[ufcrules1]

I remember seeing an article that said that other QB's do this too.

The article said Brady is the best at using this to read defenses.

The article also said Romo was the 2nd best, and that it is to his/our advantage to do so because he is so good at it.

Yeah, he is just wonderful at it. It just so happens the defense gets a jump on our oline all the time. Could that have anything to do with our oline penalties? I dunno, but all I can say is we look terribly unorganized on the line.