Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

[EsksTMac]

After the first three games of a new season, it's clear this football team has several deficiencies. You can look towards the run game, the offensive line being inconsistent, receivers not getting open, or Ricky Ray holding onto the ball too long. In the end, it all boils down to a simple term that Duane Ford mentioned during the broadcast.

Predictable.

Yes, Ricky Ray is a great intermediate passer. Yes, Kamau Peterson loves to take a short pass and turn it into a 15 yard gain. Yes, after a couple seasons of doing this under Maciocia, it's going be a transformation period. At some point however, don't we have to have some creativity to make this offense less predictable?

When Ricky Ray came into the league, wasn't it the deep ball that made him famous? Yeah, you could argue he had better receivers like Terry Vaughn, Jason Tucker and Ed Hervey to spread the wealth too. But the accuracy that he displays when he can drop the ball in between defenders into an open Eskimo's arms is beautiful. So where is it?

With the talent that we have on offense, how do we get the best out of it? How do we liven things up a little bit?

Ultimately, it's for Rick Worman and the offensive coaching staff to decide. This is the reason why there are message boards, for fans like us to discuss and wonder what could be great.

But, this offense clearly lacks someone with big time speed to get vertical. We all knew that no one was going to be able to replace what Kelly Campbell brought to the team because there's not a lot of people in the world with his speed. So with the talent that we have on the roster, what can we do? The same shotgun-set offensive formations aren't going to get us anywhere.

I have a suggestion and it comes from one of the quickest players on our team; Tristan Jackson. Now, I don't want to have him too much involved because of what he brings on special teams and with the amount of two and outs and punts from both teams in the past three games, we need him. But 5-10 snaps a game is fine, and wouldn't hurt him too much.

With his speed, he can probably get deep. Whether we complete it or not, it shows that we're willing to stretch out the defense. We know he does know a thing or two about offense, because he played running back during a fourth quarter against Saskatchewan last year (at that time, why bring it out?). But with his speed, I think we should find a way to get him involved in the offense. Imagine having Calvin McCarty and him in the backfield at the same time, each going out into a separate area? Or lining him up at running back and catching a swing pass out of the backfield. Maybe a trick play? Something to ignite the offense. It's time to take a risk once in a while.

The best part about our offense is the crossing routes. Again, we need to see more of it, and sometimes, we just have to force the issue deep. In my opinion, whenever Maurice Mann has one on one man coverage, we have to throw some jump balls to him. He has the size and ability to jump up and come down with a 40 yard completion.

Finding a way to get Fred Stamps more touches is another idea. He can make something out of nothing, and we need to use his talents to the best of our abilities. I feel like we're short changing ourselves on offense too much. If we committed to the run game and tried a new wrinkle every now and then, I think we'd have much more success.

Anyone else have any ideas?

[GreatWhiteNorth]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

I'm not much for gimmicky stuff, but just once this year, I'd like to see us try and sneak Tristan Jackson onto the field in a wildcat situation. Do it in a no-huddle environment with 36 coming off and 38 coming in.

I've previously talked about getting the shovel pass back into the offence as well... a hugely successful of our 2002 offence with Ray and Avery, and should be a fit for our current offence in two ways... Whitlock is a scatback and it also kind of plays off of the trouble that our O-line is having with more traditional run-blocking.

As others have suggested, I'd also like to see more designed screen passes rather than just check-downs to the backs. Take advantage of the pass rush that defences are trying to throw at us, and it also fits with Ray's comfort zone of high-percetage passes. A great usage of CMC or Bertrand.

One WR Screen that the Stamps threw last night was very well telestrated afterwards and showed the downfield blocking that all receivers were doing to create room to get the ball-carrier moving forward rather than having to dodge two guys right after catching the ball.

[Inquiring Mind]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

Three things I'd like to see

1) Less shotgun formation
2) More running
3) More vertical passing

[Oiler]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

For one thing the players have to execute simple as that. They have to play like they want to win. I see the offensive left side lacking. Rookies I can forgive but veterans I can't.

Having Jackson as an additional threat is a great idea. Much better than relying on him to sub at db.

The offensive misses an impact player like Campbell or Tucker and this makes a huge difference, Lumsden was supposed to be the new impact player but we all know how that turned out. Whitlock sadly is not an impact player at present. It would be nice to have more than one run threat on an obvious running play. Having a end around play or another back who could take the ball would be great.

We also lost our best defensive player in Shabazz. Ellis is good but not as good as Shabazz has been. The d-line pressure is still a sore point. I wonder if Jim Davis is better than Eric Talyor?

The offence has to be more creative and use more misdirection. That will help to an extent, but ultimately the personnel has to step it up. Fred Stamps has to not drop balls in each game.

[Numberz]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

I'm not sure what the CFL's rules are pertaining to 3rd string QBs...if they are similar to the NFLs this would not work...but if we were to use the wildcat, I'd love to see Z run it before Tristan does.

[gizmo fan 2]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

Next week at Sask?

RUN.
THE.
BALL.


Cobourne was 25-145 today.

McCarty is more of a power back than Cobourne is.

Platoon or whatever...but we should have AT LEAST 25 carries.

[Angelus]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

Next week at Sask?

RUN.
THE.
BALL.


Cobourne was 25-145 today.

McCarty is more of a power back than Cobourne is.

Platoon or whatever...but we should have AT LEAST 25 carries.

Easier said than done. It's a lot easier to run behind the Als O-Line than ours...

[Numberz]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

Sask's front 7 is not built to stop the run. They have been run on pretty easily. We ran all over them in the first pre-season game with the same personnel. We NEED to run the ball against them.

[gizmo fan 2]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

Sask's front 7 is not built to stop the run. They have been run on pretty easily. We ran all over them in the first pre-season game with the same personnel. We NEED to run the ball against them.

Yep.

I agree, Ang, to a point...but the reason that SSK was successful in their first two games is because nobody ran on them, IIRC.

Like 'Berz says, their D is a pressure D to stop the pass. If we try to do what we usually do with all the short passing crap, we'll get smoked (as we did twice last year).

I don't care if we start with three two-and-outs as long as we hand it off 5 times. We do that, the DB's start creeping up, and it should open up the passing game.

[EsksTMac]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

I'm not much for gimmicky stuff, but just once this year, I'd like to see us try and sneak Tristan Jackson onto the field in a wildcat situation. Do it in a no-huddle environment with 36 coming off and 38 coming in.

I've previously talked about getting the shovel pass back into the offence as well... a hugely successful of our 2002 offence with Ray and Avery, and should be a fit for our current offence in two ways... Whitlock is a scatback and it also kind of plays off of the trouble that our O-line is having with more traditional run-blocking.

As others have suggested, I'd also like to see more designed screen passes rather than just check-downs to the backs. Take advantage of the pass rush that defences are trying to throw at us, and it also fits with Ray's comfort zone of high-percetage passes. A great usage of CMC or Bertrand.

One WR Screen that the Stamps threw last night was very well telestrated afterwards and showed the downfield blocking that all receivers were doing to create room to get the ball-carrier moving forward rather than having to dodge two guys right after catching the ball.

I love the shovel pass idea. I remember it being so big when we had Avery and even Mike Pringle.

I think having Tristan Jackson and Calvin McCarty in the same backfield would be a huge threat to the defense. Have each of them run out to either side as if in a fade route almost and that would suck in the outside linebackers, opening up the middle of the field for crossing routes for Peterson, Rector, etc.

Anyone wanna play draw a MS Paint Play?

[EsksTMac]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?



Ladies and gentlemen... It's Tyler's creativity play to wake the Eskimos up.

[Numberz]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

I love the shovel pass idea. I remember it being so big when we had Avery and even Mike Pringle.

I think having Tristan Jackson and Calvin McCarty in the same backfield would be a huge threat to the defense. Have each of them run out to either side as if in a fade route almost and that would suck in the outside linebackers, opening up the middle of the field for crossing routes for Peterson, Rector, etc.

Anyone wanna play draw a MS Paint Play?

It would probably open up the sidelines. Most zones have either a halfback or the corner covering the flats. If yopu had RBs going into each flats, the LBs would pass that RB off to a DB and then pick up the slots....where someone is probably coming, just by the design of most plays.

We run a lot of short patterns, and the slots are usually open anyway. We just need to take advantage of it. You just need to have better clear out patterns, more crossers, and push the ball deep in order to loosen the zones.

[Numberz]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

...as for the play, I'd rather have Kamau doing a 7 yard out, Nowacki still running a clearout, and Freddy running more of a crossing route than a backside post...both RB jump up to TE positions right before the snap, McCarty running the flats right, and Tristan doing a zone read somewhere in the middle of LBs zones.

[EsksTMac]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

Definitely.. I think Kamau running the out pattern would be a good change to the play.

And by the running backs each running there.. It's more for a 15-20 yard fade pattern almost, rather than a pass in the flats. A fade route pretty much by each back. With Mann and Fred clearing out the left side, it would allow Tristan Jackson to make a play close to the sidelines, and if we do give it to him earlier, he could catch it and make something happen.

And we need to attack the middle of the field. We rarely do it but I think having Kamau with the option to turn to the middle, or an out pattern towards the sidelines would be good. I really don't trust Ricky's arm strength on sideline patterns.

Am I wrong or is having Tristan's "natural" position as a DB stupid? He seems like he could be a great RB or receiver if given the time to learn the position, the catching, etc. I wonder how his hands are.. you know what they say about most defensive backs. A defensive back is a receiver who can't catch. Tristan's hands must be pretty good, you don't see him drop balls too much when he's on his special teams duty.

And there's so many options you could go with, with those two in the backfield. Delayed hand-offs, play action to one back and swing it to the other..

I realize we're not all offensive co-ordinators and were sitting here on computers, but maybe one of the players could give us some thoughts. Kamau, Mobley, Fleming, etc.

[Numberz]

Re: Offensive Creativity A Must; What Do We Do?

It's my preference to have offensive plays that are controlled and have a purpose...not that the play doesn't...but I like it when you have some movement before the snap, and then you have first read, second read, third read, run. The play should be designed to go to the first read...obvious, yet not something we've had the last few years. A quick pattern, something that should be easy in zone coverages....throw the ball as the receiver makes the break, and hit him for an easy few yards. Second read should be in there for the type of defense that would result in the first read not being there...or a play that works combo to the first read, because you don't want the QB looking all the way across the field for his next read. Third read should be backside...if you looked at the same place for a second or two for the first two reads and those two aren't there, then hopefully it's because the defense has shifted accordingly to that position, therefore, you should be taking advantage of that. In plays that are designed to roll the QB to one side, it shouldn't get this far, because the defense will likely shift over and cover one side of the field pretty tightly. If it's not there, you either run or dump it off to a safety route, usually a back in the flats. We've gotten to this part way too often.

If we want to kickstart the offense, the OC is responsible for calling plays that forces Ray to make decisions. Get a back to get beside a tackle pre-snap, and then roll to that direction, use the back to chip and provide a safety route on the flats. Or...toss a screen to McGrath's side, preferrably an RB screen over a receiver screen. If we see a lot of zone coverage, especially cover 3, then we should have quick hits to the wide receivers coming into the middle of the field, the LBs shouldn't be their yet, so all you have to worry about it the halfback. Either have the slot break to the outside quickly, or have him clear out and have the WR cut underneath him. It has to be quick, a good LB will read the QBs eyes and get out there quickly. Another thing to do is to take those WR hooks along the sideline that they seem to give us all the time.

The most important thing about this is that we have to do the two things that we just haven't done on this offense for a while now....run the ball, and throw quick passes. This is the philosophy that makes Montreal successful right now. They base their offense off this and they execute to perfection. It all starts simple, all your big plays, all your deep plays, crossing patterns, trick plays, draws....all have to start with this. If you overlook this, you've made moving the ball down the field all the harder.