The dreaded screen pass

[Jdubu]

What is everyone’s take on finally being able to run an effective screen pass consistently this season? We haven’t run a successful screen pass consistently since Edge was running the ball. Now, we have Reich and he has been given these new players (RB and 2 pile driving guards) the new focus into shorter drop backs and shorter passing game and the addition of Ebron to block and threat to catch. I look for us to get back to this part of the gameplans to add successful screen plays into the game and slowing what has seemingly become relentlessly being attacked by opposing defenses over the past few years. I’m certainly excited about the new installation of this offense in Indy and knowing it gives Luck more options instead of thinking chunk play each and every time. Hopefully the scheme allows quick plays that become chunk plays using YAC.  30-35 points a game realistic? I think employing this screen play success is a big deal so I’m hopeful we can finally get it figured out for a change as teams kill us with screens. 

[SP_21]

What is this screen pass you speak of? Short throw?? I don't understand...

 

 

 

 

[krunk]

I don't know about that.  We ran plenty of screens last year and executed them pretty good.   There was one point in the season where Gruden called us one of the better screen teams in the league.   Hopefully we continue that with Reich.

[ClaytonC]

I can't wait to see more screen passes.

[AZColt11]

With Nelson and Smith, it just might work.

[Four2itus]

Bigger willing WR's can make short screens into long runs. We have not been a good team at downfield blocking since Reggie was blocking and Peyton/Edge/OL had defenses thinking too much.

[Jdubu]

3 hours ago, krunk said:

I don't know about that.  We ran plenty of screens last year and executed them pretty good.   There was one point in the season where Gruden called us one of the better screen teams in the league.   Hopefully we continue that with Reich.

Did we really run successfull screens last season? I didn’t watch the games out of protest for their protests last year. I plan on returning to the game again this season but I wasn’t aware of them finally learning how to design a successful screen. In the seasons past, they are always sniffed out and either a loss, incomplete or a short 2-5 yard gain. Maybe we can take that success into this season then. 

[indyagent17]

I cant wait until we have a MLB that can stop running backs crossing the middle. We have given those plays WAY to many times including Abadulla on opening day last season that cost us the game 

[MB-ColtsFan]

Pfft...all the planning in the world won't help if our QB's can't throw them.  Briss got better at the end of the year but was still throwing bullets to everyone.  I think Luck's skills on the screen and fades leave a bit to be desired as well - though more on the fade than the screen.  Hopefully working with House will allow him to develop some "touch" on the ball.

[MFT5]

4 hours ago, krunk said:

I don't know about that.  We ran plenty of screens last year and executed them pretty good.   There was one point in the season where Gruden called us one of the better screen teams in the league.   Hopefully we continue that with Reich.

 

that was a lie.

[Shepman]

I assume OP was meaning play action pass but perhaps not.

[Jdubu]

5 hours ago, Shepman said:

I assume OP was meaning play action pass but perhaps not.

PAP will be great to see again as well but no, I was talking about the screen pass. We had not been good at all with screens, defending them or creating them for quite some time now. Krunk said we were good last season at it but I didn’t watch the game last season. 

[ReMeDy]

13 hours ago, SP_21 said:

What is this screen pass you speak of? Short throw?? I don't understand...

 

 

 

 

 

What is this sarcasm you speak of, and what is this screen pass you speak of?

 

13 hours ago, ClaytonC said:

I can't wait to see more screen passes.

 

And I can't wait to know what they look like.

[lollygagger8]

15 hours ago, krunk said:

I don't know about that.  We ran plenty of screens last year and executed them pretty good.   There was one point in the season where Gruden called us one of the better screen teams in the league.   Hopefully we continue that with Reich.

 

What game was Gruden watching? 

 

Yikes, I feel bad for Oakland then. 

[Everyone]

     Well since you asked me, I'm confident the Colts have the right coaching and players needed to have a very successful screen game and I'm looking forward to watching the Colts RBs this season. I know, it's a strange feeling to be excited about the backfield.

[throwing BBZ]

50 minutes ago, lollygagger8 said:

 

What game was Gruden watching? 

 

Yikes, I feel bad for Oakland then. 

 

  Gruden had one or two Gross exaggerations every Monday night. This one was a doozy.
 lol when Reich gets a look at Robo Lucky trying to execute the required passes.
 

[krunk]

1 hour ago, lollygagger8 said:

 

What game was Gruden watching? 

 

Yikes, I feel bad for Oakland then. 

http://forums.colts.com/topic/54457-anyone-remember-gruden-saying-this-monday-night/

 

He was referring to 2017 which we were really not a bad screen team.  Previous years I wouldn't agree with that.

[lollygagger8]

45 minutes ago, krunk said:

http://forums.colts.com/topic/54457-anyone-remember-gruden-saying-this-monday-night/

 

He was referring to 2017 which we were really not a bad screen team.  Previous years I wouldn't agree with that.

 

 

Good find. 

 

I can't say I agree with Colts being anywhere near resembling a good screen team in the Pagano era though. 

[TouchdownMonkey]

I like the idea of a shorter passing game. The success of this hinges on Luck, he has never been that great in the short yardage game. He'll have work on his accuracy he tends to over throw every one and make bad decisions the quicker he has to release the ball. But I truly believe he will improve at this with the upgrades on the line if he is fully healthy.

[dgambill]

There is a lot that goes into being a good screen team. Willing and good blocking WRs. Lineman that can actually get out there and block on the run. RB with good hands and speed. QB with excellent timing and accuracy. You want to hit  a back so that they aren't turning back etc..keep momentum moving. Also a coordinator that knows when to execute them. If all or most of that isn't there you aren't going to be good at it...I will be honest I think it was more the fact we haven't had an athletic back we trusted nor the OL that was agile enough to block it. If we don't have that this year then well we are never going to run it effectively.

[dgambill]

25 minutes ago, lollygagger8 said:

 

 

Good find. 

 

I can't say I agree with Colts being anywhere near resembling a good screen team in the Pagano era though. 

It was probably the only game he watched us and it was probably the only thing that was working lol.....not a lot of positives to take from last year lol.

 

22 minutes ago, TouchdownMonkey said:

I like the idea of a shorter passing game. The success of this hinges on Luck, he has never been that great in the short yardage game. He'll have work on his accuracy he tends to over throw every one and make bad decisions the quicker he has to release the ball. But I truly believe he will improve at this with the upgrades on the line if he is fully healthy.

I like shorter passing game too. To me tackling is a lost art in the NFL and I think converting first downs consistently is easier if you stay ahead of the chains then trying for chunk yardage. I think everything with Luck will be a mystery this year if he plays. It will be almost a year and a half since he last played...along with major surgery. He may not be nearly the same qb when he returns. He may lose arm strength, he may lose touch, he may have to change how he throws the ball (mechanics)...everything is up in the air imo. That said he may come back better at the shorter throws because of his recovery and the deep balls might be something that he struggles. Its hard to tell. I feel like high percentage throws and positive plays will give the offense confidence and at least move the football..thus changing field position and keeping defense fresh...even if we aren't scoring with a bunch of big plays. I guess I subscribe to the old adage "You never go broke taking a profit". As long as we are taking positive yards we are moving in the right direction. Just take what is there and more often then not we should have a chance to win games and score points.

[TonyBungee]

Recently, they've been really good at losing 3 yards on a WR Screen.  I'm just looking forward to NOT being able to guess the play based on the alignment.  I think throughout this next season, it will become even more clear just how bad our last 2 OC's really were.  And it will make us hopeful and sick at the same time. 

[shasta519]

3 hours ago, Everyone said:

     Well since you asked me, I'm confident the Colts have the right coaching and players needed to have a very successful screen game and I'm looking forward to watching the Colts RBs this season. I know, it's a strange feeling to be excited about the backfield.

 

I am glad Everyone can agree on this. It's pretty rare around these parts.

[TouchdownMonkey]

7 hours ago, TonyBungee said:

Recently, they've been really good at losing 3 yards on a WR Screen.  I'm just looking forward to NOT being able to guess the play based on the alignment.  I think throughout this next season, it will become even more clear just how bad our last 2 OC's really were.  And it will make us hopeful and sick at the same time. 

Nail on the head, pagano OCs never disguised any thing everyone knew we were running. I hope we utilize two TE sets alot can run or pass with the defense on their heels.

[Malakai432]

I thought they ran it fairly effectively last season but they barley ran it.  I remember Gore had a huge screen but they didn't even attempt it again after that for some reason??????  

 

I'm not sure if someone could find their net yards and volume of screens they ran.  

[Steamboat_Shaun]

On 5/2/2018 at 2:46 PM, krunk said:

I don't know about that.  We ran plenty of screens last year and executed them pretty good.   There was one point in the season where Gruden called us one of the better screen teams in the league.   Hopefully we continue that with Reich.

 

I think Marlon Mack creates the illusion of good execution by outrunning the entire defense.

[Jdubu]

1 hour ago, Malakai432 said:

I thought they ran it fairly effectively last season but they barley ran it.  I remember Gore had a huge screen but they didn't even attempt it again after that for some reason??????  

 

I'm not sure if someone could find their net yards and volume of screens they ran.  

What I remember out of this running game is that IF we managed a run that netted 10+ yards, we hurried up and tried it again, often for a loss or minimal game. This team had too many tendencies for a professional defensive coordinator not to exploit. Let’s hope the new regime is much better   

[P'Son]

It previously hasn't been in the play book.  Look for it to become a staple with Reich.

[Alex22]

14 hours ago, lollygagger8 said:

 

What game was Gruden watching? 

 

Yikes, I feel bad for Oakland then. 

 

Marlon Mack on the screen was lethal - Gore had some good gainers too.

 

Not the best but not the worst. 

 

Mack is in a good position to succeed so I am expecting him to give the screen game a boost takes pressure off whoever is our QB

[compuls1v3]

13 hours ago, TouchdownMonkey said:

I like the idea of a shorter passing game. The success of this hinges on Luck, he has never been that great in the short yardage game. He'll have work on his accuracy he tends to over throw every one and make bad decisions the quicker he has to release the ball. But I truly believe he will improve at this with the upgrades on the line if he is fully healthy.

 

Aren't all QBs like that though?

[TouchdownMonkey]

Andrew is weaker than most at it in the short yard game. No most elite QBs aren't it's something he can get better at.