WR techniques... is it really science?

[MJS]

I don't think they take the small steps for every route. There's definitely times where they just make one quick cut. If you are selling a go route, though, you need those steps to change your momentum without giving away which direction you are going to cut.

 

So yeah, I think it is just a tool in the tool box. Not a rule that they use each and every time on every single route. Like others have mentioned, receivers need to change things up and deceive the defender. If DB's start jumping routes when they see those quick steps, that's an easy time to blow past them after faking a cut with those steps, or breaking in a different direction for an easy completion.

1 hour ago, mrags said:

I just want to point out Stevie Johnson and why he was so good. I also wanted to comment that the majority of you here in this thread threw him away like a piece of garbage all because Boo-Boo, Kitty-foot Watkins. Stevie was such a good WR and you’re all stupid. 

That's why Stevie did nothing after leaving Buffalo? He's incredibly overrated. He's a decent WR who overachieved. His success can mostly be attributed to the good relationship between him and Fitz.

 

He also had drops in critical moments.

 

Watkins did not work out either, but that doesn't mean Stevie Johnson should have stayed. Only Fitz could throw to him.

[YattaOkasan]

3 hours ago, Thurman#1 said:

Without seeing the story you are specifically talking about, this can't really be discussed.

 

I googled "four small steps out cut" and got nothing to do with sports. Then I added "football" and got a lot of soccer stuff. What specifically did they say? Where did you see it? We need to see the exact words to know what you're really referring to here.

 

Generally, though, yeah, route running is immensely technical and guys who are really good at it gain a real advantage over DBs.

I know there was a cover 1 video or two (one was foster I think) that referenced the quick 4 steps. Those guys are usually on point so I’m gonna defer to them. 

[OldTimeAFLGuy]

..I'd venture it's more of an art form versus science as far as having more "tricks in your bag" to defeat the opposing DB and/or keep him on his "guessing heels".....perhaps winning the "mind games battle" is a better description......make 'em fear what they are facing...........

[StHustle]

On 5/31/2019 at 5:04 PM, jeremy2020 said:

You're reading way too much into things that you've heard somewhere.

 

Is that your reply to everything you don't understand?

[Buffalophil1948]

The 4 steps also gives you a split second to see how the DB is going to react. Then make the right choice of direction to get open

[mrags]

3 hours ago, MJS said:

I don't think they take the small steps for every route. There's definitely times where they just make one quick cut. If you are selling a go route, though, you need those steps to change your momentum without giving away which direction you are going to cut.

 

So yeah, I think it is just a tool in the tool box. Not a rule that they use each and every time on every single route. Like others have mentioned, receivers need to change things up and deceive the defender. If DB's start jumping routes when they see those quick steps, that's an easy time to blow past them after faking a cut with those steps, or breaking in a different direction for an easy completion.

That's why Stevie did nothing after leaving Buffalo? He's incredibly overrated. He's a decent WR who overachieved. His success can mostly be attributed to the good relationship between him and Fitz.

 

He also had drops in critical moments.

 

Watkins did not work out either, but that doesn't mean Stevie Johnson should have stayed. Only Fitz could throw to him.

Only Bill to have 3 straight 1,000 yard seasons. I’m sure his team mates and Darrell Revis would disagree with you. But every clueless person on the internet has their own opinion. So enjoy. 

[MJS]

1 hour ago, mrags said:

Only Bill to have 3 straight 1,000 yard seasons. I’m sure his team mates and Darrell Revis would disagree with you. But every clueless person on the internet has their own opinion. So enjoy. 

Yep, which puts him in average WR territory.

 

He'll go down as a forgotten WR. I'm not saying he sucked. He was just average.

[K-9]

5 hours ago, MJS said:

I don't think they take the small steps for every route. There's definitely times where they just make one quick cut. If you are selling a go route, though, you need those steps to change your momentum without giving away which direction you are going to cut.

 

So yeah, I think it is just a tool in the tool box. Not a rule that they use each and every time on every single route. Like others have mentioned, receivers need to change things up and deceive the defender. If DB's start jumping routes when they see those quick steps, that's an easy time to blow past them after faking a cut with those steps, or breaking in a different direction for an easy completion.

That's why Stevie did nothing after leaving Buffalo? He's incredibly overrated. He's a decent WR who overachieved. His success can mostly be attributed to the good relationship between him and Fitz.

 

He also had drops in critical moments.

 

Watkins did not work out either, but that doesn't mean Stevie Johnson should have stayed. Only Fitz could throw to him.

There is a lot of truth to this statement. Stevie, being the unconventional route runner that he was (or as Gailey put it, "just do whatever that thing is you do"), had a unique chemistry with Fitz. Much of the time it worked, much of the time it didn't. Stevie's penchant for stutter stepping off the LOS would just ruin timing routes, but it also made it difficult for CBs to time him as well. And Fitz, with that HUGE windup, wasn't a slave to timing patterns, either. But it worked for them. Except when Fitz tried triple hitching a long out and then it was a disaster. But that's a different subject. 

[Rochesterfan]

On 5/31/2019 at 4:40 PM, MakeBuffaloGreatAgain said:

I was thinking about watching videos of Sammy Watkins with our Bills, and I remembered our WR coach teaching him to run low(hunched down) so DBs won't know when he is breaking his routes. All I could think of was that Sammy's greatest attribute was his speed, so by making him run unnatural was very stupid. We basically eliminated his advantage. Now I see videos of WRs being told to take at least 4 small steps to make an out cut. When a WR makes 4 steps to cut, then the DB is able to gather his feet and make extra steps to break on the route also. I have seen plenty of WRs make a fast/crisp out cut with one plant step. I would have had wet dreams as a DB in college knowing the WRs would take 4 small steps before a route break! All I needed was a small delay to make a break and jump a route, and these 4 small steps that are taught would be a good corners dream come true.

 

Which Brings me to my next complaint... Speed outs. It is designed so WRs can get to an out route as fast as possible, but because of the bowed trajectory, they end up curving into the DBs path. A lazy route is when there are no sharp cuts, and the DB can close ground fairly easy because the WR wandered into the DBs territory. As a DB, your momentum is moving backwards in your backpedal, and you have to react when a WR cuts/breaks. No matter what, you have to fight your inertia to start moving the other direction. But when a WR rounds a cut and allows you to move your centrifugal force to the side as opposed to forward, it becomes so much easier to change directions and break on a ball. This is where I think the PATs have really excelled(god I hate them). Their route runners don't bow routes or take 4-6 steps to make a cut. They use precise one step moves with head and shoulder(not shampoo) fakes. I think someone tried to out think their predecessors and tried to find a better way to make a field cut, and ended up with a good hypotheses that doesn't work in the real world.

 

Anyways, this rant is mainly for playing against man-to-man teams. Against Zone teams, all that matters is getting to the open zone at the right time, so run like a duck if you want.

 

 

I disagree with your initial interpretation because the Bills will be running a bunch of option routes with certain receivers and the four step allow you to break down your momentum and cut in either direction based upon the reaction of the DB.  This includes routes where if the DB breaks down and tries to jump a route - you can accelerate past them.

 

Cover 1 and the Media has also shown videos where the guys are making 1 cut quick out and in breaking routes.

 

I especially disagree with your assessment of the Pats - their slot guys are always using these 4 step cuts when running an option route - where do you think Daboll picked it up.  

 

I think you will see a lot of different techniques that these guys are being taught for specific routes just to get a reaction from the DBs.  It is critical that they perform the techniques well to allow proper timing with the QB.  The 4 step cuts - especially in the slot also are useful to allow the outside WR to pull his DB deeper to help ensure an open area to cut into.

 

I think it may be a corners dream in HS, but playing a good WR and a well coached team - you would jump the route once and they would then burn you the rest of the game.  The point of that break is to allow the WR to go left or right and up or downfield totally depending upon the play and movement of the DB - which is why these guys are talking so much about body position and what they are seeing to get on the same page.