What should change on offense?

by The Maestro on Sep 23, 2009 12:16 PM EDT Comment 20 comments

What would you like to see the offense do to get better?

I have thought about this quite a bit and I think there are multiple things that I want to see. Overall, I want the offense to be unpredictable. It was very nice to watch portions of both games where the opposing defense had no answer for the play call. Either a 13yd run or a long pass, that looked easy for the Leo's.

Here are some things that I want to see:

- More TE passes. TE stays in too block, but slips out into the flat with an LB (mismatch) on him. Or just simply overloading the defense with receivers (including the TE's), to set up mismatches.

- Running plays that have some misdirection in them. The Lions have run a few plays like this (Flip 90, or fake end around). Even if the misdirection is there just to throw the defense of, it helps the o-line. Draws are nice too. I have always liked the way Green Bay ran the ball. Something different here and there.

- Play action. Of course this only works if you establish the run. This kind of falls under the misdirection plays, but in the passing game.

- Smash mouth running. I enjoy seeing Felton and T. Smith smoking people in the gut. I think that the O-line really enjoyed and responded to it against Minnesota in the first half. I am not sure if Kevin can hold up to the punishment.

So I put it to a vote.....

Poll

What do the Lion's need to do on offense?

More plays for Pettigrew and the TE's?

19 votes

More deception plays in the running game?

8 votes

More deep passes?

17 votes

More smash mouth running plays?

2 votes

Other? Explain.

3 votes

49 votes | Poll has closed

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pride of Detroit or its writers. FanPosts are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable fans.

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I chose other

and by other I mean all of the above

by JazzyBBP on Sep 23, 2009 1:40 PM EDT reply actions

Air it out

Put that million dollar arm to work! Keep defenses from stacking the box on us. They ran the ball well last week against a stout run D. In the endzone they need to employ the Randy Moss rules. Toss the rock up and let CJ go get it. Plus airing it out a little more will force the safteys to roll coverage and that’ll help create those TE mismatches.

by vanman on Sep 23, 2009 3:03 PM EDT reply actions

A lot of good choices

I voted more TE passes. Establishing Pettigrew as a major threat and underneath complement to Calvin going deep will help free up Calvin more for deep passes. I also want to see more RB misdirection, and of course more deep passes.

What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.

by GRLion on Sep 23, 2009 3:20 PM EDT reply actions

My change would.....

…..be a new LT!!!!……I cant believe when I see that play to open the 2nd half backus standing there not blocking Allen…..Then staring at the ball on the ground that was fumbled and not jumping on it……Play Salaam or anyone on waivers would be fine with me!!!!

by BennieBladesFan on Sep 23, 2009 3:51 PM EDT reply actions

Not Backus' fault

Read Killer’s article on MLive- that one was Felton’s fault. Backus looked strange, but I think he was still trying to figure out what the heck happened.

I am not a Backus supporter either. He is overpayed for the results.

by The Maestro on Sep 25, 2009 7:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Deep passes.

Everything else will improve with a couple deep completions per game.

by CLF on Sep 23, 2009 4:06 PM EDT reply actions

The easiest answer

is not always the right answer.

Even if you are joking… some are not.

by CLF on Sep 23, 2009 6:15 PM EDT up reply actions

I am.

Although I haven’t agreed with 1) the drafting of Stafford or 2) his starting, I know the position we’re in (not that I like it).

One reason cited by most everyone who supported playing Stafford from day was the fact that he would take shots downfield. He hasn’t really done that, whether that’s by design or it’s because he’s pulled a short term (hopefully) Joey H and has become gun shy. Either way, what I think we need is to attack all parts of the field (i.e. more deep passes above), keeping the opposing D off balance. He can throw it, now let’s take the leash off and attack.

I mean why not? What’s the worst that can happen? We lose?

by WBL on Sep 23, 2009 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions

I didn't realize it was ever about being right or wrong......

Did I miss something?

by KDawg on Sep 23, 2009 7:45 PM EDT up reply actions

Nah

by WBL on Sep 23, 2009 8:34 PM EDT up reply actions

I'm confident Stafford will soon revert back to throwing the ball downfield

It’s in his nature. This just seems to be a short-term reaction to the faster speed of regular season games. In preseason, Staff confidently lasered the ball into tough spots. Now those small windows seem even smaller, and Staff is rearing up like a horse reluctant to jump a higher fence. He’s not used to it, and it’s reached the point where he’s getting a little uncomfortable, just like that horse. If he stays in there and keeps trying, he has what it takes IMO to adjust and will see that he can do it. If he sits, he won’t adjust by watching, and even worse, doubt will creep in.

What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.

by GRLion on Sep 24, 2009 12:53 AM EDT up reply actions

Keep in mind too

The defenses he faced in the preseason were “vanilla”. Now he is seeing real defenses and real pressure from stunts, blitzes, and other defensive fronts. He does not have as much time to set up and throw down field, like he did in the preseason. I have my doubts that he will get more time to set up, but I do feel that he could adjust. Once he gets the idea that he does not have the same amount of time he did in the preseason, and once he starts reading defenses better and gets used to the speed of real defenses, he will make some throws down field.

by KDawg on Sep 24, 2009 4:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep, I agree

Both about the preseason vanilla and the adjustments.

What? He can’t block a dead gopher? Humph, details.

by GRLion on Sep 24, 2009 7:07 PM EDT up reply actions

Right now Stafford throwing the ball just scares me.
The play calling is boring and predictable. On top of the interceptions, the Lion’s coaches let them down with the playcalling. The Lions were at their best with unpredictability with Mike Martz’s offense as much as I hate to admit it.
Right now we arent using any of our weapons to their full potential. TE’s, RB’s WR’s period.
The Lions have 3 and possibly 4 very good RB’s, and since the passing game is sucking, it might be a good time to implement the wildcat into our play book. Defenses wont be able to keep up with Smith, Brown and Morris constantly running the ball.

Schwartz is going to have to shake things up a bit. Most teams that have played us did expect to win, but they were shocked when they found out that we werent the same team as last year, they have adjusted, but we havent. The Vikes were proof of that.

by ABN_MI_fan on Sep 23, 2009 7:07 PM EDT reply actions

I voted for TE's

I think that Pettigrew has a shot at being a top notch receiving TE. He’s big, got good hands and provides a huge mismatch for coverages, we should be making defences worry about him as well as CJ.

2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).

by Hyperion Ecta on Sep 23, 2009 9:00 PM EDT reply actions

Pettigrew is a giant

I like Pettigrew as well. I think that he is having some trouble acclomating to the offense. He had some time off. This is just a guess, but I think that is why he hasn’t been featured as much. He may not be open due to his lack of knowledge of the offense. That will change in time.

by The Maestro on Sep 25, 2009 7:45 AM EDT up reply actions