motife
06-21-2007, 05:40 PM
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/06/20/packers-want-favre-to-roll-out/#cont
When Bill Walsh and Joe Montana first turned the San Francisco 49ers into an offensive juggernaut in the early 1980s, the one aspect of Walsh's offense that set the 49ers apart from the rest of the league was the way he capitalized on Montana's mobility by rolling him out, letting him run toward the sidelines and scan the field before passing.
Walsh's offense has spread through the league to such a great extent that there's hardly any point in calling it the "West Coast Offense" or anything else anymore, because there's not a coach in the entire league who doesn't use at least some aspect of the Walsh system. The rollouts, however, haven't become an offensive staple as much as some other Walsh innovations -- especially the reliance on short passes -- have.
But now Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy might be bringing the rollouts back. Bob Glauber reported this morning on ESPN2's First Take that McCarthy is planning to use rollouts more often this season, thinking Favre will have more time to pass and be more effective if he's getting out of the pocket more often.
There are questions, though, of whether the 37-year-old Favre still has the mobility necessary to get outside an opposing defensive end or outside linebacker, and whether he still has the arm strength necessary to throw across his body, which any quarterback who rolls out regularly has to do.
For that second question, I think the answer is a clear yes: Favre doesn't have quite the gun he once did, but he can still rifle the ball over the middle, even if he's doing it against the direction his body is already moving in. But as for his mobility, I'm a little skeptical. Favre doesn't have to be as mobile as Michael Vick to use rollouts properly, but he does have to have some spring in his step. If Favre can pull it off, McCarthy is wise to bring back to the Walsh-Montana rollouts, but that's a big "if."
Reader Comments
1. Hey, let Favre play but send him to Detroit instead. ROFL
Posted at 12:19PM on Jun 20th 2007 by Tery
2. Well, he's not going to make us forget Fran Tarkenton or Steve Young, or Vince Young for that matter. He won't be able to roll out three or four plays in a row, but I see no reason he can't roll out two or three times each quarter. That should give him time to recover his legs enough. Speaking of the Walsh offense, I'd also like to see the Packers throw more screen passes, especially against agressive defenses. They don't seem to throw as many as they used to throw.
Posted at 12:42PM on Jun 20th 2007 by Fred W. Brown
3. Fred Brown, who do you except them to use to catch short screen that open up the field? Maybe, Ferguson or Brandon Jackson but thats a lot to put on a rookie to run screens just for him.
Posted at 5:59PM on Jun 20th 2007 by Cubbiessosa
4. The Packers abandoned the rollout about 2003 or so when they looked over their game film and saw that a disproportionate amount of Favre's interceptions came on that play. As the QB rolls right, the usable portion of the field gets narrower and the QB has to exercise good judgement as to whether to throw it, run it, or get rid of it. Favre's no threat to run and rarely throws it away. Look for lots of forced interceptions here.......
Posted at 7:04AM on Jun 21st 2007 by Mark Q.
5. Nice post Mark Q.
Rollouts require the QB to be a threat to run. In the few years, we've seen Favre less and less likely to run. How often do we see him get up laughing when he runs for 2 yards. 2 yards per down means the punter better have a good leg.
When Bill Walsh and Joe Montana first turned the San Francisco 49ers into an offensive juggernaut in the early 1980s, the one aspect of Walsh's offense that set the 49ers apart from the rest of the league was the way he capitalized on Montana's mobility by rolling him out, letting him run toward the sidelines and scan the field before passing.
Walsh's offense has spread through the league to such a great extent that there's hardly any point in calling it the "West Coast Offense" or anything else anymore, because there's not a coach in the entire league who doesn't use at least some aspect of the Walsh system. The rollouts, however, haven't become an offensive staple as much as some other Walsh innovations -- especially the reliance on short passes -- have.
But now Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy might be bringing the rollouts back. Bob Glauber reported this morning on ESPN2's First Take that McCarthy is planning to use rollouts more often this season, thinking Favre will have more time to pass and be more effective if he's getting out of the pocket more often.
There are questions, though, of whether the 37-year-old Favre still has the mobility necessary to get outside an opposing defensive end or outside linebacker, and whether he still has the arm strength necessary to throw across his body, which any quarterback who rolls out regularly has to do.
For that second question, I think the answer is a clear yes: Favre doesn't have quite the gun he once did, but he can still rifle the ball over the middle, even if he's doing it against the direction his body is already moving in. But as for his mobility, I'm a little skeptical. Favre doesn't have to be as mobile as Michael Vick to use rollouts properly, but he does have to have some spring in his step. If Favre can pull it off, McCarthy is wise to bring back to the Walsh-Montana rollouts, but that's a big "if."
Reader Comments
1. Hey, let Favre play but send him to Detroit instead. ROFL
Posted at 12:19PM on Jun 20th 2007 by Tery
2. Well, he's not going to make us forget Fran Tarkenton or Steve Young, or Vince Young for that matter. He won't be able to roll out three or four plays in a row, but I see no reason he can't roll out two or three times each quarter. That should give him time to recover his legs enough. Speaking of the Walsh offense, I'd also like to see the Packers throw more screen passes, especially against agressive defenses. They don't seem to throw as many as they used to throw.
Posted at 12:42PM on Jun 20th 2007 by Fred W. Brown
3. Fred Brown, who do you except them to use to catch short screen that open up the field? Maybe, Ferguson or Brandon Jackson but thats a lot to put on a rookie to run screens just for him.
Posted at 5:59PM on Jun 20th 2007 by Cubbiessosa
4. The Packers abandoned the rollout about 2003 or so when they looked over their game film and saw that a disproportionate amount of Favre's interceptions came on that play. As the QB rolls right, the usable portion of the field gets narrower and the QB has to exercise good judgement as to whether to throw it, run it, or get rid of it. Favre's no threat to run and rarely throws it away. Look for lots of forced interceptions here.......
Posted at 7:04AM on Jun 21st 2007 by Mark Q.
5. Nice post Mark Q.
Rollouts require the QB to be a threat to run. In the few years, we've seen Favre less and less likely to run. How often do we see him get up laughing when he runs for 2 yards. 2 yards per down means the punter better have a good leg.