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I also explain this in my Bills/Pats preview show (thread at top of this forum). So, if you are more of an audio learner you can skip this and listen instead.
Steve Fairchild made the following comment this week:
At first glance, it appears he's calling out the offensive line for not being able to handle the pass rush, causing JP not to have enough time to get rid of the football. But he's not. He's actually indirectly pointing a finger at either Losman, the WRs, or both. He's saying they aren't handling the "hot reads" well enough. Not making quick enough adjustments to the blitzes they are seeing.
Let me explain how a "hot read" normally works, and you'll understand what I mean. It's actually quite easy.
A wide receiver splits out wide. He has to take a look at the very first defender to his inside (other than a DL). If that defender blitzes when the ball is snapped, it is the WRs responsibility to go directly to that vacated area and look for the football. It's also the QBs responsibility to see the blitzer and dump the ball to that spot.
Of course, the QB can't do it blindly. He has to take a quick peak at the area the blitzer came from and make sure the WR is there before he throws. So, if the WR doesn't make the adjustment, neither can the QB. And the reverse is true. If the QB doesn't see and make the adjustment, the WR is left standing in a spot other than where the intended route was designed. That will cause the QB to look for him, hold the ball, and most likely be sacked.
It's basic rules: First defender to your inside blitzes, you go and REPLACE him at that spot. QB sees blitzer, he throws to where he came from at pre-snap.
The Bills did this perfectly last year in their home opener against the Jets. Remember Roscoe's TD on the 2nd play of the game? He did a great job of dumping down into the vacated zone after the blitz. Here's the video link: http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter?game_i...2006&week=REG3
Unfortunately, you can't see the blitzer before and during the snap, but you can see him trailing the play after Roscoe catches the ball and figure out what happened (but I remember it at the time as being a terrific hot read pick-up). JP took all of maybe one second to look and throw it to the right spot on that play, too.
Do defenses know this and counter by rolling another player to that spot sometimes? Of course (a zone blitz is a perfect example). But remember, for every defender they do that with, they leave another area exposed. So, usually, DCs will just take their chances at the offense not recognizing the blitz (maybe be disguising it) and/or getting to the QB before he gets rid of it. The fewer areas they have to roll to, and fewer players they have to move after the snap, the better off they are. So, they usually just call it and go with it.
All of this adds up to Steve Fairchild's hidden message: The QB and/or the WRs re not doing a good enough job of either blitz recognition and/or getting to their spots and getting the ball to them when they do recognize it.
Steve Fairchild made the following comment this week:
"We're getting pressured, and that exposes you. When you play a pressure defense, which we have the first two weeks, you have to make plays in the passing game. When you do you usually have big days. We just haven't made enough of them."
At first glance, it appears he's calling out the offensive line for not being able to handle the pass rush, causing JP not to have enough time to get rid of the football. But he's not. He's actually indirectly pointing a finger at either Losman, the WRs, or both. He's saying they aren't handling the "hot reads" well enough. Not making quick enough adjustments to the blitzes they are seeing.
Let me explain how a "hot read" normally works, and you'll understand what I mean. It's actually quite easy.
A wide receiver splits out wide. He has to take a look at the very first defender to his inside (other than a DL). If that defender blitzes when the ball is snapped, it is the WRs responsibility to go directly to that vacated area and look for the football. It's also the QBs responsibility to see the blitzer and dump the ball to that spot.
Of course, the QB can't do it blindly. He has to take a quick peak at the area the blitzer came from and make sure the WR is there before he throws. So, if the WR doesn't make the adjustment, neither can the QB. And the reverse is true. If the QB doesn't see and make the adjustment, the WR is left standing in a spot other than where the intended route was designed. That will cause the QB to look for him, hold the ball, and most likely be sacked.
It's basic rules: First defender to your inside blitzes, you go and REPLACE him at that spot. QB sees blitzer, he throws to where he came from at pre-snap.
The Bills did this perfectly last year in their home opener against the Jets. Remember Roscoe's TD on the 2nd play of the game? He did a great job of dumping down into the vacated zone after the blitz. Here's the video link: http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter?game_i...2006&week=REG3
Unfortunately, you can't see the blitzer before and during the snap, but you can see him trailing the play after Roscoe catches the ball and figure out what happened (but I remember it at the time as being a terrific hot read pick-up). JP took all of maybe one second to look and throw it to the right spot on that play, too.
Do defenses know this and counter by rolling another player to that spot sometimes? Of course (a zone blitz is a perfect example). But remember, for every defender they do that with, they leave another area exposed. So, usually, DCs will just take their chances at the offense not recognizing the blitz (maybe be disguising it) and/or getting to the QB before he gets rid of it. The fewer areas they have to roll to, and fewer players they have to move after the snap, the better off they are. So, they usually just call it and go with it.
All of this adds up to Steve Fairchild's hidden message: The QB and/or the WRs re not doing a good enough job of either blitz recognition and/or getting to their spots and getting the ball to them when they do recognize it.
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