Boundary screens suck

[tmfr15]

There are certain plays that just irk me to all hell no matter when they are called. Enter the boundary screen, especially those that are thrown immediately after the snap of the football. Unless there is a HUGE cushion, it seems like a total waste of time to throw it out there. The QB throws it, the WR catches it and gains precious few yards. And that is if he is lucky enough to get back to the LOS. Teams throw these all the time. And I understand why. It looks like the path of lest resistance. Why not throw it out there and let your WR make a move on the CB, then scoot up the sidelines for a huge gain? But how often does that plan work? And, on the off chance that the receiver misses a backward pass there, or if the player is stripped of the ball, or if the DB gets there quick and picks the ball off, the result is, almost always, a touchdown for the defense. In a risk-reward relationship, it seems that the boundary screen is 80 percent risk for 20 percent reward, not numbers that I value.

 

Now, I am in favor of the throw back pass, where the QB rolls right or left and throws it to a running back going the other way out of the backfield. With most boundary screens, however, there is usually no misdirection action that creates a separation for the receiving player, be it a WR, RB, or TE. And, even when there is a misdirection action, a throw-back screen should only be attempted once every great while and only if the QB can be trusted to put throw only when the misdirection action creates separation between receiver and defender.

 

If you are going to pass the ball, work the ball down field. What if all the receivers are covered. Even then, don't automatically throw a boundary screen. Rather than throwing a dump off, throw the ball away. I can't count how many times I have seen players catch a boundary screen and then get destroyed by some defender driving on the play.

 

In summary, don't throw boundary screens or, for that matter, any screen play, unless the following conditions apply, 1. there is misdirection. 2. The play isn't used too often. 3. The quarterback understands how to read a defense and opts to throw the ball well out of bounds if it appears that there are too many defenders lurking around where the screen is being set.

 

Dallas threw a boundary screen late in the first half on Monday. We see how well that worked out.

 

So, take a cue Huskers. Don't do it.

 

Who is with me?

[bshirt]

I hate horizontal passes with a passion but our OC loves them. So....I'll just have to deal with it.

[HuskersNow]

I think the reason that we use that play so much is that we have a young quarterback and Watson doesn't want to put more on his shoulders than he is capable of handling now. With that play there's only one read usually.

 

Watson probably thinks that when he calls that play, it lets his big receivers on the outside make plays because of their physicality. Also, it makes the defense play more conservatively because they don't want to be caught on a blitz and have no one in the defensive backfield to make a play - which benefits our running game.

 

One person that I would never like to see catch a pass like that, however, is Niles. Multiple times on passes like that he has just given up on the play even when it wasn't known whether or not it was a lateral pass.

[bbeerma2]

Remember how well this one worked versus Oklahoma the other year when they pick-6ed us almost immediately in the game?

[epocSoN]

The whole point is to get the ball in the hands of our play makers. You are seeing it work more and more each game now because we have people who when given the ball, can quickly break a tackle and get in the open field. Welcome to the west coast offense...

[HuskerfaninOkieland]

Remember how well this one worked versus Oklahoma the other year when they pick-6ed us almost immediately in the game?

That's because we seemed to start every offensive series with that play. But I remember that one vividly

[huskerjack23]

WR screens are a staple of most of the spread offenses. Spread the defense out and find mismatches be it athletically or in numbers and WR screens create those.

[TRIPP]

lol, works great in NCAA for Ps3.

[Lil' Red]

Boundary passes have the potential for pick 6's but otherwise they are usually pretty successful as long as they aren't laterals.

[Landlord]

Remember how well this one worked versus Oklahoma the other year when they pick-6ed us almost immediately in the game?

 

 

Their defensive coordinator was actually quoted before the game saying "we are going to pick off a pass for a touchdown tonight", or something to that effect.

 

 

 

 

I don't mind the quick passes to the flats (not actually screens) as a check route when the DB's are playing soft, so far our receivers have been making good yardage out of them.

[hskerprid]

Remember how well this one worked versus Oklahoma the other year when they pick-6ed us almost immediately in the game?

 

 

Their defensive coordinator was actually quoted before the game saying "we are going to pick off a pass for a touchdown tonight", or something to that effect.

 

 

 

 

I don't mind the quick passes to the flats (not actually screens) as a check route when the DB's are playing soft, so far our receivers have been making good yardage out of them.

I was yelling at the screen "Don't throw the screen, Don't throw the damn screen" They threw it

[huKSer]

The whole point is to get the ball in the hands of our play makers. You are seeing it work more and more each game now because we have people who when given the ball, can quickly break a tackle and get in the open field. Welcome to the west coast offense...

Can you say direct snap to Niles?

[Blackshirt316]

Boundary screens are running game extensions for teams that suck at running the ball - Missouri says Hi.

 

However when you have two backs and talent at the wideout position like we do.. there is NO reason what-so ever to throw those stupid things.. when a toss to the Halfback does the exact same thing and in our offense is likely far more effective and far, far less of a risk.

[bball_backer]

Boundary screens are running game extensions for teams that suck at running the ball - Missouri says Hi.

 

However when you have two backs and talent at the wideout position like we do.. there is NO reason what-so ever to throw those stupid things.. when a toss to the Halfback does the exact same thing and in our offense is likely far more effective and far, far less of a risk.

 

you beat me to it. it is an extension of the run game... a long hand-off. personally, i don't mind them. the OP said you gain only a "few yards". this play is just three yards and a cloud of dust without the cloud of dust, but with greater potential to bust the big one. sure nebraska has had bad luck (pick six and fumble recovery for six) each of the past two years, but both plays were due to a guy losing focus (ganz not paying attention to a breaking db and niles being niles).

 

Edit: wrote out a nice little chart of pros and cons but posting it just jumbled it all together, not going to try and fix it. boiled down to one added risk being nearly cancelled out by added potential for a big play

[Landlord]

....are we talking about screen passes or quick throws out to the receivers? There is a difference you know...

 

 

 

Quick throws when the secondary is playing off your receivers are an extension of the run game. Bubble screens are not, at least no more than any other type of screen.