Is The Read Option Offense Dead Yet?

[BillsImpossible]

Not even close.

RGIII, Cam Newton, and Colin Kaepernick all had a bad year, but Russell Wilson, Alex Smith, Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles, and even Mark Sanchez have been successful running the read option offense in 2014.

http://www.thechipwagon.com/eagles/2014/11/extra-extra-read-all-about-it-sanchez-and-the-read-option.html

http://soshcentral.com/nfl/film-study-nfl/offense-film-study-nfl/2014/11/12/alex-smith-read-option/

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/nov/04/read-option-will-it-stick-in-nfl/

The Bills put all of their eggs in EJ Manuel and Sammy Watkins baskets.

Thinking of EJ Manuel running the read option offense as he was originally drafted to do is a more entertaining thought than resting the Bills 2015 hopes and dreams on a turtle.

[SpikedLemonade]

The jury is out, but the early returns are not good.

It will take a very creative OC to successfully pull it off.

Hackett is as dumb as a piece of crap.

It won't happen under his influence.

[BillsImpossible]

The jury is out, but the early returns are not good.

It will take a very creative OC to successfully pull it off.

Hackett is as dumb as a piece of crap.

It won't happen under his influence.

Hackett and Marrone are conjoined at the hip.

The Bills offense has never really been alone in Hackett's hands, Marrone has always had a very heavy influence.

They both need to go because the offense has simply sucked under their leadership.

How to fix EJ Manuel?

Give him a head coach and an offensive coordinator that know how to utilize talent instead of wasting it.

[Ingtar33]

Not even close.

RGIII, Cam Newton, and Colin Kaepernick all had a bad year, but Russell Wilson, Alex Smith, Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles, and even Mark Sanchez have been successful running the read option offense in 2014.

calling Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill or even Alex Smith read option QBs is an insult to all three of those men. All three of those men run highly complex nfl offenses which happen to have some elements of the read option in a handful of plays. All three of them can operate under center and in the pocket. So no... they aren't read option QBs, nor could you classify their offenses as read-option offenses.

Cam Newton doesn't run the read option either, and Kaepernick and RGIIIs problem this year is their coaches didn't run it enough.

[BillsImpossible]

calling Russell Wilson, Ryan Tannehill or even Alex Smith read option QBs is an insult to all three of those men. All three of those men run highly complex nfl offenses which happen to have some elements of the read option in a handful of plays. All three of them can operate under center and in the pocket. So no... they aren't read option QBs, nor could you classify their offenses as read-option offenses.

Cam Newton doesn't run the read option either, and Kaepernick and RGIIIs problem this year is their coaches didn't run it enough.

I actually agree with you more than the 3 articles I posted above, but your last sentence is confusing.

'Cam Newton doesn't run the read option either, and Kaepernick and RGIIIs problem this year is their coaches didn't run it enough.'

That's like saying North Korea doesn't have nuclear weapons, and Russia and China don't use theirs enough.

[Don't Panic]

The pros are going to have to take what the colleges give them to some extent. If there are a lot of spread option offenses being run in college, then there is going to be a shift to more spread option looks in the NFL. You have to bake with the ingredients in the kitchen, and there is no doubt a shift is occurring in the college ranks that will eventually make its way to the pros. The traditionalists may not like it, but the bottom line is that sea change is happening as we speak. I only see the spread option becoming more prevalent as time goes by.

[Mace]

The pros are going to have to take what the colleges give them to some extent. If there are a lot of spread option offenses being run in college, then there is going to be a shift to more spread option looks in the NFL. You have to bake with the ingredients in the kitchen, and there is no doubt a shift is occurring in the college ranks that will eventually make its way to the pros. The traditionalists may not like it, but the bottom line is that sea change is happening as we speak. I only see the spread option becoming more prevalent as time goes by.

Yup. Been going on now since before the Gailey hire. It also explains why teams are desperate for the few middlin' pro stylers available. The successful offenses are adapting to the ingredients college is giving them.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Not even close.

RGIII, Cam Newton, and Colin Kaepernick all had a bad year, but Russell Wilson, Alex Smith, Ryan Tannehill, Nick Foles, and even Mark Sanchez have been successful running the read option offense in 2014.

http://www.thechipwagon.com/eagles/2014/11/extra-extra-read-all-about-it-sanchez-and-the-read-option.html

http://soshcentral.com/nfl/film-study-nfl/offense-film-study-nfl/2014/11/12/alex-smith-read-option/

http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2014/nov/04/read-option-will-it-stick-in-nfl/

The Bills put all of their eggs in EJ Manuel and Sammy Watkins baskets.

Thinking of EJ Manuel running the read option offense as he was originally drafted to do is a more entertaining thought than resting the Bills 2015 hopes and dreams on a turtle.

I like the option and I think it is a very useful concept to integrate into your offense, but EJ Manuel is complete garbage at running it. Just because he's big and fast doesn't make him a successful runner.

[cookie G]

I like the option and I think it is a very useful concept to integrate into your offense, but EJ Manuel is complete garbage at running it. Just because he's big and fast doesn't make him a successful runner.

Agreed. He's not a read option quarterback, because he rarely exercises his option to run. Pretty much eliminates the effectiveness of the play.

[stuckincincy]

I like the option and I think it is a very useful concept to integrate into your offense, but EJ Manuel is complete garbage at running it. Just because he's big and fast doesn't make him a successful runner.

CIN has been using it with success this season. Dalton has three runs of 20 yds. and has rushed for 4 tds.

[IlluminatusUIUC]

Agreed. He's not a read option quarterback, because he rarely exercises his option to run. Pretty much eliminates the effectiveness of the play.

The QB doesn't need to run all that much to establish it as a threat, but I agree that the defense needs to think he will. One play I like and I've seen Philly and Buffalo both run is to read the olb/de. If the de plays the QB, hand off. If he plays the run, pull it and throw to a receiver screen set up behind the DE.

[Ingtar33]

I actually agree with you more than the 3 articles I posted above, but your last sentence is confusing.

'Cam Newton doesn't run the read option either, and Kaepernick and RGIIIs problem this year is their coaches didn't run it enough.'

That's like saying North Korea doesn't have nuclear weapons, and Russia and China don't use theirs enough.

Cam Newton isn't a read-option QB~

RGIII wasn't in a read-option offense this year (which is why he struggled)
Kaepernick's offense was almost completely lacking any read-option plays this year as well (which is probably why he struggled)

[DynaPaul]

It's only good as a wrinkle to throw in there at certain times, not as your main offense's play repertoire.

[Meathead]

uh im pretty certain ej didnt run on many ro plays bc his coaching told him not to. you would too if your franchise that hasnt worked out so far but still at least im hopeful qb had three knee injuries the previous season

[Jaybird]

EJ is way too slow and reading and reacting to run the read option. He doesn't understand or see what the D is doing. He has shown zero ability to run any kind of offence, forget about a style that requires him to be cerebral

[Ingtar33]

uh im pretty certain ej didnt run on many ro plays bc his coaching told him not to. you would too if your franchise that hasnt worked out so far but still at least im hopeful qb had three knee injuries the previous season

EJ was running read option "looks", which is different from the read option. That or he doesn't run the plays as they're intended to be run. multiple times this year he would hand off with the DE cutting inside on the running back. the EXACT situation the QB is supposed to look for to run it himself.

Either it's a "read-option" look or he just doesn't know how to run the read option. Whichever it is, the result is he didn't run the actual read option at all this year.

[YardRat]

Throw whatever offense out on the field you want, defense will always win championships.

[Night Train]

Throw whatever offense out on the field you want, defense will always win championships.

Unless your O has bad OL & QB play.

[TacklingDummy]

Throw whatever offense out on the field you want, defense will always win championships.

43 Super Bowl winners scored 20 points or more.

35 Super Bowl winners scored 24 points or more.

24 Super Bowl winners scored 30 points or more.

Offense wins Championships.