Smoot Lays The Smack Down (Redskins vs. Colts)

[NLC1054]

Originally Posted by Lotus

I wasn't talking about going deep all the time. Of course deep throws are low percentage. I believe I used the adjective "occasional."

I simply alluded to the fact that taking an occasional shot keeps the defense honest. We haven't really done that yet this year. And such shots can be taken safely, without much fear of a turnover. Many teams do this.

A lack of taking shots is only problematic if it is chronic. We haven't yet had a chance to see if it is chronic. But we haven't taken shots in the first two games - that is all that I was saying.

Rex took two shots versus the Steelers. The first one was on the play action bootleg to his left, where he had Davis open for the first down, but threw it deep to Stallworth in the end zone. It was incomplete. The second shot was on a pump and go to Santana Moss. Moss was double covered by the corner and the safety. Incomplete.

Versus the Colts, there was no point in "taking a shot to keep the defense honest", because the defense more or less bailed on being worried about the run game. In the whole time Beck was in the game, I count them blitzing twice (and on one, Beck hit Moss on a crossing pattern that resulted in a first down). Every other time, they dropped 7 guys into coverage and rushed the passer with 4 guys.

The Colts pretty much sold out the run by being totally committed to defending the deep pass. At that point, "taking a shot to keep the defense honest" is pointless, because the defense is pretty much giving you the run game and the ability to throw it short whenever you want it.

And it's funny, because last year, Kyle was accused of trying to go deep too often. Now he's accused of not trying to go deep enough. (Not by you, just in general).

How quickly things change...