Tear up the Script

[CloakNNNdagger]

Scripted plays was something developed back when by Walsh. Fifteen plays were scripted at the beginning of the game to "feel out" the defenses. Today some teams still use a variation of this theme. However, with all the changes in the game, if 3rd down looks don't appear promising or if the direction of the defense seems to be heralding destruction, smart teams will readily break from their scripts........adjusting accordingly and early. To do anything else is suicidal...........enter Kubiak and the Texans. It has been revealed that Kubiak has allowed Schaub one alternate option "just in case." One alternate option can't consistently adjust when you're getting your head repeated beaten in. Real-time decisions, whether by Schaub or Kubiak (thru helmet communication) are necessary to be able to adjust properly and promptly when necessary. There is no way that this script subborness is not at least in great part responsible for our inability to score in the first half. We are not only outdated but our coaches are either afraid to or incapable of "thinking on the fly." With so many questionable and nonsensical past recurrent on-the-field decisions, the latter is not far-fetched. Walsh had a good idea back then.........Since then, the game has evolved.........Unfortunately, Kubiak has us stuck in a time warp.

Originally Published: December 15, 2007
By John Clayton
ESPN.com

Early blitzes countering 'scripted-play' strategies

Defenses this season are willing to take more chances with blitzes on early possessions, their way of forcing offenses to move away from the standard 15-play "script" most


[For years, Peyton Manning's Colts were among the NFL's leaders in first-possession scoring. This year the Colts rank 12th in that stat as defenses have become more aggressive earlier in games.]

San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame coach Bill Walsh popularized the idea of scripting the first 15 plays of each game.

For the past three decades, many coaches have copied Walsh's script idea. It made sense. As teams got to the end of the week, coaches put together a script that would keep defenses guessing. The plan stressed execution. Quarterbacks and offensive players had a couple of nights to study the script, visualize the successful plays and start the game with a positive tempo.

Fast starts were important to Walsh. He built his great 49ers teams with the idea of getting two scores in the first couple of drives. Working with a 10-0 or 14-0 lead, Walsh then made sure he had enough pass-rushers to pressure a quarterback into mistakes and take opponents out of their rushing attacks.

But even the great Bill Walsh would have difficulty in 2007, when defensive coaches have tried to ruin offensive scripts by using more aggressive blitzes earlier in games.

Offenses that script plays -- especially West Coast attacks such as Seattle, Denver, Green Bay and Philadelphia -- want to get into a good rhythm early in games The idea is to get a long, eight-play touchdown drive mixing in passes and runs and not necessarily a quick-strike score. But defenses have faced that script so long now that they know most of the good teams aren't going to take too many risks in the first quarter while they're working off their scripts.

So defenses this season are willing to take more chances with blitzes on early possessions. Defensive coordinators tested the plan in the preseason, and there has been a carry-over into the regular season. Early blitzes throw off the timing of scripted teams and can create turnovers.

Seattle coach Mike Holmgren admits it's hard to go off the script and go deep against blitzes because no offense wants to start the game with a mistake. That's what happened to Green Bay when Brett Favre was intercepted early in a Week 13 loss to Dallas. Defensive coaches know few West Coast teams are going to throw high-risk passes early in games.

Even the Colts' Peyton Manning is feeling the early heat. Manning adjusts his calls at the line of scrimmage based on what he sees in pre-snap reads. Although it's not advisable to blitz Manning, it's not as risky in the first two possessions when he's testing his play calls and probably isn't going to attack deep.

Consequently, the Colts, who have led the league in first-possession scoring, are 12th this season. In 13 games, they have four touchdown drives and only 27 points on opening drives.

The Seahawks are eighth with 31 opening-drive points. The Broncos are fifth with 34. The Eagles are 11th with 28. The Packers are tied for 21st with 17.

Although the Colts might be down a score or two in the first quarter, Manning doesn't panic. He'll study still pictures of defensive alignments on the sideline and work on his adjustments with offensive coordinator Tom Moore.

By the third series, Manning and most of the top quarterbacks seem to figure out the opponent's plan and attack those weaknesses.

To no one's surprise, the best team on opening drives in 2007 is the Patriots, who don't script plays. They lead the league with 61 points -- seven touchdown drives and four field goals.

Bill Belichick has Tom Brady come out in three- and four-receiver sets and is willing to throw deep to Randy Moss at any time. For the Patriots, it's all about scoring this season. Unlike most teams, they aren't concerned about trying to set up the running game.

Their goal is to get as many points on an opponent as fast as possible, then get the ball back to score more. Sure, that strategy has been criticized as running up the score, but Belichick has a good reason for the plan: New England's defense has holes.

The linebacking corps is old, and it tends to wear down later in games. If a back slips by the defensive line, he could turn a short run into a long one. The Patriots must open big early leads because their defense could lose steam in the second half. Their formula should result in a perfect season.

Of course, offensive coaches will adjust. They will study the early-game blitzes and come up with more aggressive plays in the scripts. It all makes for fun football.

[JB]

Wow! From 12/15/07. But it sure seems like it was talking about our offense this year...

[Texan_Bill]

I agree with tearing up a 10 or 15 play set script. I am not against scripting a scenario of plays. What I mean is, rather than have a straight line script, have a script that's more like a flow chart. I.E. start with the run, run again. If they play both plays a certain way or differently. Come out and throw the ball and see how they react. See how they wanna play you. It shouldn't take 10 to 15 set plays, irrespective of the defense to run plays that you scripted during the week... Have, structure, but have a flow to see where they go.


Coaches nowadays have these huge laminated play sheets with many, many plays... ****ing use them.

/END rant!

[Txn_in_Oki]

What I find interesting in the article is the discussion about the 2007 Patriots and their tendency to score as fast and often as possible. Due to what? Holes in defense that could be exploited by the opposing team.

I understand that the Texans offense has injury issues right now, but a trend here has always seemed to be a lack of killer instinct and the desire to blow teams out as quickly as possible.

By no means is this team the 2000-anything Pats, but c'mon... at some point you have to see that what you are doing is not working.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by JB

Wow! From 12/15/07. But it sure seems like it was talking about our offense this year...

It is strange, last year we didn't have the issues we have now. Last year we were pretty good on opening drives & first Qtr points.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

I agree with tearing up a 10 or 15 play set script. I am not against scripting a scenario of plays. What I mean is, rather than have a straight line script, have a script that's more like a flow chart. I.E. start with the run, run again. If they play both plays a certain way or differently. Come out and throw the ball and see how they react. See how they wanna play you. It shouldn't take 10 to 15 set plays, irrespective of the defense to run plays that you scripted during the week... Have, structure, but have a flow to see where they go.


Coaches nowadays have these huge laminated play sheets with many, many plays... ****ing use them.

/END rant!

4,770 yards. 7th highest passing total ever...... accomplished the same year this article was written......

[JB]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

It is strange, last year we didn't have the issues we have now. Last year we were pretty good on opening drives & first Qtr points.

So why do you think we are having the issues this year? We have a much better running game. Our play action ought to be much better. Our explosiveness should be much better. But it's not.

[Rey]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

4,770 yards. 7th highest passing total ever...... accomplished the same year this article was written......

It's one thing to have a break out season, but to have dominant performances year in and year out is something that elite level players accomplish.

Schaub is not that kind of player.

There have been many QB's that come out and have great seasons and somewhat dwindle down in the future. John Kitna, Matt Hassleback....These are just two that immediately come to my mind.

I'm not sure what makes Schaub any different. He had a good season last year...he threw the ball more than anybody else and he had more yards than anyone else.

We have one...maybe two elite level players on this offense...

AJ, and Foster...

We don't have that elite level QB so I don't think we can expect that kind of offensive consistency...

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by Rey

It's one thing to have a break out season, but to have dominant performances year in and year out is something that elite level players accomplish.

Schaub is not that kind of player.

There have been many QB's that come out and have great seasons and somewhat dwindle down in the future. John Kitna, Matt Hassleback....These are just two that immediately come to my mind.

I'm not sure what makes Schaub any different. He had a good season last year...he threw the ball more than anybody else and he had more yards than anyone else.

We have one...maybe two elite level players on this offense...

AJ, and Foster...

We don't have that elite level QB so I don't think we can expect that kind of offensive consistency...

This thread is about tearing up the script, that teams are blitzing to mess up the script.

But this article was written last year, when our script helped us to the 7th highest passing total in NFL history.

This isn't about Schaub, it's about the script.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by JB

So why do you think we are having the issues this year? We have a much better running game. Our play action ought to be much better. Our explosiveness should be much better. But it's not.

AJ took a step last year..... he didn't drop nothing..... he bulled people out of his way, he carried people across the goal line... he gave new meaning to the word "Beast"

Matt Schaub became a play maker. improvising, creating, commanding.

JJ became a playmaker, a serious, dependable threat.

****

Now, AJ is dropping balls. I think he's playing hurt, & playing well, considering... but he's not that beast we saw last year.

Schaub is back to square one. If the play isn't there, throw it away, even on third down.

JJ has clearly taken a step back, & should be behind David Anderson on the depth chart.

Winston looks almost as bad as he did his rookie year.

****

I have no idea what is going on....... no idea why.....

[Texan_Bill]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

This thread is about tearing up the script, that teams are blitzing to mess up the script.

But this article was written last year, when our script helped us to the 7th highest passing total in NFL history.

This isn't about Schaub, it's about the script.

I'm not sure, and I hate to correct you, but I believe it was the 6th highest passing total in NFL history.... I could be wrong. AND yes, this thread is about tearing up the whole "script" approach.

[CloakNNNdagger]

You stick with the same script long enough and a smart D coach will figure you out and make adjustments..........something we have had problems with not just this year, but for years. Is it that much to remember the long standing complaints of this team never being able to consistently put together 2 good halves? This year, last year, years past. Doesn't matter how many yards you put out if they don't usually lead to touch downs. If you lose 15 plays, that could mean 5 possessions..........easily a loss of a whole half.

[JB]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

This thread is about tearing up the script, that teams are blitzing to mess up the script.

But this article was written last year, when our script helped us to the 7th highest passing total in NFL history.

This isn't about Schaub, it's about the script.

Originally Posted by JB

Wow! From 12/15/07. But it sure seems like it was talking about our offense this year...

Do you even bother to read the op's link?

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by CloakNNNdagger

You stick with the same script long enough and a smart D coach will figure you out and make adjustments..........something we have had problems with not just this year, but for years. Is it that much to remember the long standing complaints of this team never being able to consistently put together 2 good halves? This year, last year, years past. Doesn't matter how many yards you put out if they don't usually lead to touch downs. If you lose 15 plays, that could mean 5 possessions..........easily a loss of a whole half.

Nobody uses the same script twice.... it's a new script put together for each game, each week.

Last year, while we did have problems putting halves together, our opening drives were more consistently good than not. We scored as frequently as anyone on our first possession of the half.

[thunderkyss]

Originally Posted by JB

Do you even bother to read the op's link?

I'm not arguing with the argument you made there.

This thread turned into a "tear up the script now" I was pointing out (because it looked as if some had not noticed the original post's link)... that the article's argument isn't conclusive as they skipped all around 2009's 4th ranked offense.


We may have been the exception to the rule, & it's finally caught up to us this year...

But the point still would have been that we successfully used the script to beat those early blitzes.

[HOU-TEX]

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

This thread is about tearing up the script, that teams are blitzing to mess up the script.

But this article was written last year, when our script helped us to the 7th highest passing total in NFL history.

This isn't about Schaub, it's about the script.

Originally Posted by JB

Do you even bother to read the op's link?

Originally Posted by thunderkyss

I'm not arguing with the argument you made there.

This thread turned into a "tear up the script now" I was pointing out (because it looked as if some had not noticed the original post's link)... that the article's argument isn't conclusive as they skipped all around 2009's 4th ranked offense.


We may have been the exception to the rule, & it's finally caught up to us this year...

But the point still would have been that we successfully used the script to beat those early blitzes.

The article was written December 2007. I'm not sure where you got last year from.

Anywho, Kubiak will run his script and I can practically guarantee he'll come out throwing. Without going back to look, I beleive we've come out throwing the first series of every damn game this year. Hell, last season too.

The Jets tend to do exactly what the article mentions. They blitz the hell out of you to keep you off any type of rythm. Then they will pound the football until we submiss.

[Hervoyel]

Originally Posted by Rey

It's one thing to have a break out season, but to have dominant performances year in and year out is something that elite level players accomplish.

Schaub is not that kind of player.

There have been many QB's that come out and have great seasons and somewhat dwindle down in the future. John Kitna, Matt Hassleback....These are just two that immediately come to my mind.

I'm not sure what makes Schaub any different. He had a good season last year...he threw the ball more than anybody else and he had more yards than anyone else.

We have one...maybe two elite level players on this offense...

AJ, and Foster...

We don't have that elite level QB so I don't think we can expect that kind of offensive consistency...

This has been on my mind ever since Schaub wrapped up that very good 2009 campaign as the MVP of the Pro Bowl. "Great Player" or "Great Season"? I'm leaning towards the latter.

I have been worried that what we saw in 2009 wasn't going to be typical of Schaub all year. That was his best but he's not a great player. He makes mistakes that a Manning, Brady, or Brees would never make and he makes those mistakes too consistently for them to written off as anomalies.

I think of Schaub as just outside of the top ten QB's in the league. He'll have a great year every now and then that will put him in the top 5 but he's not consistently one of the 10 best QB's in the league. His accuracy is quesitonable a lot of the time and his arm is genuinely weak compared to the kind of guys he's typically compared to.

The biggest problem to me seems to be that he's a streaky passer who mostly seems to be focused and reliable when the stakes are really high. Before that though he's kind of all over the place.

Don't get me wrong, he's more or less good enough to win with. He's just not going to carry your team anywhere in particular on his own. Pretty low on our list of problems I think but still, to say our QB situation couldn't be upgraded would be a mistake. I don't think Schaub was, in hindsight worth a pair of 2's. I think we overpaid for him but I'm not upset or particularly critical about that. It was worth a shot.

[Texans_Chick]

Actually, I think the biggest issues for the Texans is this.

They've been most effective with their offense when they increase the tempo and don't do too much pre-snap movement to get defenses thinking. They've done this to get more offensive snaps.

HOWEVER

They want to chew clock on offense because their defense is so bad. Increasing the offensive tempo better work or you are just turning the ball over faster.

I'm not sure what the Texans offensive game plan is going to be this week. Hurt Schaub. The Texans running game was not very effective in the first half against the Jaguars.

As for the use of the script, it is my understanding that the Shanahan-tree of script makers either stays very close to the script if it is working, or completely strays if the game plan is getting crushed. Really the purpose of the script is to see defensive tendencies (especially where the safeties are playing), and to use that information later in the game to blow defenses up.

Eric Winston said after the Jets game that he wishes that they got to face them again. Hmmm. I think that the Texans are going to have to play very patient ball but their defense may not give them that luxury.

[Ole Miss Texan]

Originally Posted by Texan_Bill

I agree with tearing up a 10 or 15 play set script. I am not against scripting a scenario of plays. What I mean is, rather than have a straight line script, have a script that's more like a flow chart. I.E. start with the run, run again. If they play both plays a certain way or differently. Come out and throw the ball and see how they react. See how they wanna play you. It shouldn't take 10 to 15 set plays, irrespective of the defense to run plays that you scripted during the week... Have, structure, but have a flow to see where they go.


Coaches nowadays have these huge laminated play sheets with many, many plays... ****ing use them.

/END rant!

I could be completely wrong so don't hold me to this... but I believe Kubiak goes the route you kind of suggest. I don't think he has print out of plays 1-15. I think he's got the first several series or plays scripted to an extent but that it's dependant on down and distance.

Originally Posted by Rey

It's one thing to have a break out season, but to have dominant performances year in and year out is something that elite level players accomplish.
We have one...maybe two elite level players on this offense...

AJ, and Foster...

We don't have that elite level QB so I don't think we can expect that kind of offensive consistency...

Not to break from the point of the OP but I find it funny you mention elite players being the ones that excel year in and year out... yet you mention Foster who hasn't even played a full season yet.

[Ole Miss Texan]

Originally Posted by Texans_Chick

Actually, I think the biggest issues for the Texans is this.

They've been most effective with their offense when they increase the tempo and don't do too much pre-snap movement to get defenses thinking. They've done this to get more offensive snaps.

HOWEVER

They want to chew clock on offense because their defense is so bad. Increasing the offensive tempo better work or you are just turning the ball over faster.

I'm not sure what the Texans offensive game plan is going to be this week. Hurt Schaub. The Texans running game was not very effective in the first half against the Jaguars.

As for the use of the script, it is my understanding that the Shanahan-tree of script makers either stays very close to the script if it is working, or completely strays if the game plan is getting crushed. Really the purpose of the script is to see defensive tendencies (especially where the safeties are playing), and to use that information later in the game to blow defenses up.

Good post TC. I have that same feeling of quicker tempo being better for us yet at the same time we want to chew up the clock (or at least give our defense some real time to rest).

I also want the Texans to pound the ball with Foster early and often. This accomplishes winning T.O.P. and tires the opposing defenses more. Plus we're good at it. This SHOULD keep opposing teams from scoring as many points early in the game so that we'll "always be in it". If we get down early, that's when other defenses feel more relaxed and can pin their ears back and get after Schaub.

I agree too with what you mentioned about "scripted plays". I feel with this offense, a lot of what we do early on is setting the opposing defense up for the big plays AJ down the field.