I see OC's & QBs call screens and draws constantly on 2nd and long ... it seems to me such a low percentage play that its like giving up ... do you disagree?

Edited August 15, 20168 yr by BigBlue

usually it's not about gaining a first down. It's usually just about field position and not taking chances with the ball. You know the other team is going to sit back waiting for you to try and force a first down so you go short and if you get a miracle run and get the first down great, if not you get some yards and punt the ball away and live to fight another day. 

Most Ds will either blitz or protect the first down marker cloging up the under with zone or playing a match zone/man with a good size bubble. The play most likely to get a first down against the blitz is some thing medium to short, high percentage. Against the ladder is a zone breaker, or the wr finding the soft spot in the zone. Against man its a deep in/out/hook that takes advantage of the bubble the wr has then puts him in a position to break a tackle or out run an angle to get the first, leaving you in 2nd and short if they get tackled. 

Most offenses these days seem to go right into a passive mind set. Trying to get the yards lost back on first down, so a 10 yard or shorter pass leaving you in 2nd and 10. Then a high percentage pass that eats up yards and time. The screen, draw, hitch/out/in. Teams play field position, and time of possession unless in scoring range. It seems to work fairly well in the long run, but its not interesting.

I like a slant route with a rub to get the wr a step, and hit him in stride see if he can make a play. Aiming for 2nd and 10 is like aiming to punt to me. Not a great position to take a deep pass, as the chances of the dbs playing under is very low. If you want to try some thing like that, Id go hitch n go / pump and go. Try and atleast freeze the db. Also a good time to run an iso form with 1 wr on one side and the slot running off the Safety. 

Of course the situation in game makes a difference too. Not a time I would run a reverse, 2nd and 25-30 is an awful situation. A flea flicker, or hook n ladder would probably be best in that case. 

I think the play would depend on the situation. Field position, score, time of game would factor into it imo.

You might want to fix the typo in your second poll question unless there really is something called a "sreen" play. 

Edited August 15, 20168 yr by Jacquie

They're all low percentage plays in terms of getting a first down.  Its 2nd and 20.

The short game is favored because the chance of turning the ball over is much lower, it helps in the field position battle and the chance is still there for the player to make a couple guys miss and gain the first down.

This intent of the pole is geared towards managing the drive where in reality, a head coach  is trying to manage the game.  

10 hours ago, ALuCsRED said:

This intent of the pole is geared towards managing the drive where in reality, a head coach  is trying to manage the game.  

Please keep your pole out of this and any other threads......thanks.

2 hours ago, Noeller said:

Please keep your pole out of this and any other threads......thanks.

That's racist.

Kind of depends on what you expect from the defense...but you're either looking at throwing well downfield (50-50 ball for catch or PI) or getting the ball to a guy in space short of the marker with a chance to break a tackle and get upfield for a chance at the sticks.