Our Future: Gailey, Crabtree, Bowe, Thigpen, Charles, Harrell, Vick

The entire idea behind the wildcat offense is to cause confusion.

and mismatches, but also it creates high percentage situations for talented ballcarriers to have the ball, in space, running at full speed.

Idealy you want to snap the ball into the hands of someone that could either keep it and run with it, hand/pitch it off to someone else that can EITHER run or throw the ball, or throw the ball down field.

I see 2 guys, 1 a ‘QB’. in my example, this is thiggy or harrell. the other guy I call a PistolBack, or PB. in my example, this would not be vick. the QB can be a traditional pure passer capable in the spread or a more mobile quarterback in the new mold that Randall Cunningham began — but the PB definitely needs some Cunningham in him – he must be capable of rushing the ball effectively and throwing it.

now the way I would run the wildcat is to simplify it. i don’t want players making decisions on the field. they should know exactly what they’re supposed to do with that damn ball and that’s run with it. i want em athletic as hell and in space.

I would like to see the defensive interior trying to turn our 6 yard runs into 3 yard runs, with the ballcarrier having a chance to go the distance at any time. I like athletic receivers with good moves, and prefer quick, high percentage passes.

On each snap in the basic set, the QB and PB are lined such that the defense does not know who is getting the snap. Lets say the QB gets the snap, the PB can move up to block for passing as a traditional HB or FB. He can release for a PB screen. or he can take a handoff as a normal HB. let’s say the PB gets the snap. the passing skills allow for the same quick passes as the QB, but the additional running threat splits the resources of the defense.

The wildcat does not do anything magical, but it adds an additional layer of uncertainty to defensive players making coverage decisions. Plays still must be blocked, patterns crisp, and timing right.

Vick does not fit that mold. Another "vick prototype" does not fit that mold. There is no throwing danger with Vick. He cannot read an NFL defense, and he is too impatient to let a play develop. If you snap it to a running back and pitch it to Vick he’s going to RUN. He’s not going to throw, so you don’t have to keep your defense back in coverage. THe second the ball is pitched to Vick you just crowd the line and play the gaps.

a bit overstated I think.

If you snap it to Vick he’s either going to run or hes going to hand/pitch it to someone else.

there’s lots of things you could have him do.

In order for the wildcat to work WELL with Vick you’d have to have a second QB/HB hybrid player that can actually read a defense and throw an accurate ball, and doesn’t fumble the damn ball every 3rd time he tries to run it down field.

I agree with you, except the second guy wouldn’t need to be able to run – he could be the pure passer of the two – Vick would be the run/throw threat (if the guy always ran or couldn’t throw then he’d get cut).

And if you are going to add another QB/HB hybrid player anyway why would you waste your time, your money, and risk alienating your fans by hiring Vick?

checkmate.

Tyler Thigpen has the legs to run the ball. He also showed some ability to read the blitz and find the hot route (although it always seemed to be TG). If you are looking for a guy that could succeed as the "pitch back man" in the wildcat look no further than what we already have. On top of that, with Charles’ speed he’s definitely a threat as the direct snap ball carrier/pitch back guy.

I agree, but sure would like a lefty PB

We already have the pieces we need to run the occational gimic wildcat snap or 2 if we want to.

to me, play action passes are gimmicks. this is an offensive set that takes maximum advantage of two talented throwers on the field.

Look to the reccommended posts under "Tyler Thigpen’s Future:….."

thanks!

look how often the Card’s threw to a player that was running the seam, or crossing the seam 12-20 yards down the field. Then watch the game for the big plays and see how many of them had a receiver starting outside and then sliding inside to the seam as the ball is thrown.

Yes, that’s the big play bob version of the spread. I wouldn’t use two throwers to achieve bigger plays — i’d use the mismatches to create high percentage positive offensive plays with the ball in the hands of guys who are more talented at running than the guys trying to tackle them!

Now, I would use some short timing plays. A guy like TG is a perfect example… run your PB out to the outside and get Tony to the seam as the hot option.

The 43 blitz package is weak to the SPREAD style offense through the seams. Gailey’s "keep Tyler alive" offense may end up being just what the Chiefs need to overcome the 43 blitz package defense, if they ever decide to use big TG and Will Franklin to run seam routes or slide the WR’s to inside seam positions as they move down field while a delayed "dump off" RB or slot receiver slides underneath the LB’s.

I agree. Of course we’d hope the offense dictates the defense.

The PB can release straight upfield as the hot option on a designed QB scramble to exploit the seam, although the timing would be a key obstacle. The difficulty of passing in motion is neutralized by the run option – the QB doesn’t throw it unless he’s unaccounted for.