Why isn't Brady using more Play action?

[Mikie2times]

Even when you watch his Wyoming tape Josh has been a stone cold killer in playaction (2 minutes and 17 seconds in).

 

 

In his career Allen has a +25 QBR in play action vs regular passing situations 113.9 vs 87. You can see why Josh is so good with playaction with his timing. It's almost like playaction gives Allen a more traditional pocket cadence. Right when he hits the top of his drop he either rips the ball out or you see him moving forward in the pocket still in the rhythm of the play. It's always very decisive. So it's a pretty exciting concept that we have developed this run game under Brady which should allow for a lot more of what Allen does best.

 

 

I wish this was the case.........

 

If you look at the chart below in the PA% column it shows the % of totals passes that were playaction. In the Pass% column to shows the number of Allen passing attempts divided by total plays minus Allen rushing Attempts. I looked at it this way because we know most of Allen rushing attempts actually come from passing attempts. I only wanted to see how often a RB was getting the ball vs Allen throwing. In theory the less we throw and the more we run with HB's, the more impactful PA should be, the higher the PA% should be.  

 

 

 

We are running substantially more with traditional run plays in 2024 off a 2023 career low for Josh but throwing nearly half the amount of playaction passes as a % of total pass attempts, also a career low.

 

It's like taking away John Daily's driver.

 

Just next level dumb. What the hell is Brady doing right now?  

 

 

[Don Otreply]

I wish I knew…, 

 

😁🍸🚬

[Goin Breakdown]

No time for Josh to turn his back to the defense when they are getting to him so fast. Per WGR

[RunTheBall]

The o-line is getting confused with simulated pressures. Until that get cleaned up you can’t have Josh turn his back to the defense because he will get killed. Brady doesn’t trust the o-line right now. Plus, when you are down 2 scores, play action doesn’t work as effectively and we’ve been down quick the last 2 games.

 

 

[0017]

I was thinking about this earlier too, I wonder if they are operating more out of the shotgun because of Allen’s left hand injury (and the glove) it just might be a higher risk of a fumble. Just a guess. 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Thanks for posting. The chart regarding PA and Pass% is depressing. 
 

That being said, I don’t hang this 100% on Brady. Many QBs acknowledge the fact they dislike some wrinkles of offenses. Like Brady stated early this offseason, this is Allen’s offense. 
 

Rothlisburger famously hated play action because he had to turn his back to the defense. 
 

Rogers dislikes motion.

 

If I were calling plays, I’d be motioning and running PA probably too much…but I think their are reasons beyond Brady they are not. Personnel, timing, pass pro, preference, etc it is all baked into the decision and I imagine it isn’t taken lightly.

 

Do you have the stats that compare this chart to the rest of the NFL over the same period of time? I’d be curious to compare how our decrease in use matches up to others. 

[MJS]

23 minutes ago, EmotionallyUnstable said:

Thanks for posting. The chart regarding PA and Pass% is depressing. 
 

That being said, I don’t hang this 100% on Brady. Many QBs acknowledge the fact they dislike some wrinkles of offenses. Like Brady stated early this offseason, this is Allen’s offense. 
 

Rothlisburger famously hated play action because he had to turn his back to the defense. 
 

Rogers dislikes motion.

 

If I were calling plays, I’d be motioning and running PA probably too much…but I think their are reasons beyond Brady they are not. Personnel, timing, pass pro, preference, etc it is all baked into the decision and I imagine it isn’t taken lightly.

 

Do you have the stats that compare this chart to the rest of the NFL over the same period of time? I’d be curious to compare how our decrease in use matches up to others. 

Yeah, I think Allen doesn't like turning his back to the defense, which is why he is often doing the shotgun play action where he is still eying the defense. But, that's just another area to improve upon.

 

I remember Tom Brady being just lethal with play action. He had this ability to snap back around so quickly after the fake. I was always impressed by that.

[JohnNord]

1 hour ago, Mikie2times said:

Even when you watch his Wyoming tape Josh has been a stone cold killer in playaction (2 minutes and 17 seconds in).

 

 

In his career Allen has a +25 QBR in play action vs regular passing situations 113.9 vs 87. You can see why Josh is so good with playaction with his timing. It's almost like playaction gives Allen a more traditional pocket cadence. Right when he hits the top of his drop he either rips the ball out or you see him moving forward in the pocket still in the rhythm of the play. It's always very decisive. So it's a pretty exciting concept that we have developed this run game under Brady which should allow for a lot more of what Allen does best.

 

 

I wish this was the case.........

 

If you look at the chart below in the PA% column it shows the % of totals passes that were playaction. In the Pass% column to shows the number of Allen passing attempts divided by total plays minus Allen rushing Attempts. I looked at it this way because we know most of Allen rushing attempts actually come from passing attempts. I only wanted to see how often a RB was getting the ball vs Allen throwing. In theory the less we throw and the more we run with HB's, the more impactful PA should be, the higher the PA% should be.  

 

 

 

We are running substantially more with traditional run plays in 2024 off a 2023 career low for Josh but throwing nearly half the amount of playaction passes as a % of total pass attempts, also a career low.

 

It's like taking away John Daily's driver.

 

Just next level dumb. What the hell is Brady doing right now?  

 

 

This has always been the thing Dan Orlovsly has pleaded.  He said Josh needs to be under center with pre-snap motion and play action. 

 

 

[EmotionallyUnstable]

Just now, MJS said:

Yeah, I think Allen doesn't like turning his back to the defense, which is why he is often doing the shotgun play action where he is still eying the defense. But, that's just another area to improve upon.

 

I remember Tom Brady being just lethal with play action. He had this ability to snap back around so quickly after the fake. I was always impressed by that.

PA from the gun/pistol is an entirely different beast IMO. The threat of the QB to run out of PA from these formations doesn’t exist within under center. It requires another defender to hold up and cover an additional gap/man, and in theory puts fewer guys into coverage initially. 
 

I think you’re right though regarding Allen wanting to see the field. It’s part of his gunslinger nature. He wants it all. Can’t imagine it’s easy for a man with his mentality to be patient in PA 

[The Cincinnati Kid]

Brady retired before last season. He calls games on Fox now, I think. I guess it’s not going that well so far, or so I’ve heard.
 

Anyway, that’s probably why he isn’t using more play action.

Edited October 11 by The Cincinnati Kid

[Governor]

Yup. The OL isn’t good enough for slow developing plays.

[GolfandBills]

Allen has been bad on play action recently.  Joe Marino talked about this on his podcast yesterday. 

[Generic_Bills_Fan]

I think his injured hand is makin it tough to really sell the play action for some reason…probably the oline not being great too 

[nedboy7]

The pressure is coming too quick due to miscommunication about blitz pickups.  

Edited October 11 by nedboy7

[Mikie2times]

Nearly every angle backs up his effectiveness in play action. I also don't recall a lot of our pressures coming from play action or even Josh under center. They have been occurring more frequently with him in shotgun. Perhaps some merit to his injury but look at the data from last year. Same thing. Way more halfback run plays, way lower PA% vs the 25%+ we have had the three years prior. If anything a solid PA game would slow down the rush. I think the issue is much more likely Brady than what a lot of the responses are indicating. What other variable would explain a massive shift in the data starting last year? The pressure, the injury, everything being posed here didn't overlap 2023. The only thing that did was a change in OC's. 

[BananaB]

Ask McD, Brady is just another one of his puppets. 

[Thurman#1]

9 hours ago, Mikie2times said:

Even when you watch his Wyoming tape Josh has been a stone cold killer in playaction (2 minutes and 17 seconds in).

 

 

In his career Allen has a +25 QBR in play action vs regular passing situations 113.9 vs 87. You can see why Josh is so good with playaction with his timing. It's almost like playaction gives Allen a more traditional pocket cadence. Right when he hits the top of his drop he either rips the ball out or you see him moving forward in the pocket still in the rhythm of the play. It's always very decisive. So it's a pretty exciting concept that we have developed this run game under Brady which should allow for a lot more of what Allen does best.

 

 

I wish this was the case.........

 

If you look at the chart below in the PA% column it shows the % of totals passes that were playaction. In the Pass% column to shows the number of Allen passing attempts divided by total plays minus Allen rushing Attempts. I looked at it this way because we know most of Allen rushing attempts actually come from passing attempts. I only wanted to see how often a RB was getting the ball vs Allen throwing. In theory the less we throw and the more we run with HB's, the more impactful PA should be, the higher the PA% should be.  

 

 

 

We are running substantially more with traditional run plays in 2024 off a 2023 career low for Josh but throwing nearly half the amount of playaction passes as a % of total pass attempts, also a career low.

 

It's like taking away John Daily's driver.

 

Just next level dumb. What the hell is Brady doing right now?  

 

 

 

 

Josh doesn't like taking the ball behind center. And that's how you make great play action.

 

When you get the ball behind center and go back and fake a handoff you are not looking downfield. You don't get to look downfield for the first second and a half. Josh doesn't like that. He likes to have time to see what's going on.

 

Play action from shotgun isn't as effective because the D knows they have much more time to respond to the run when the RB gets the ball more or less flat-footed instead of with a full head of steam.

[BigDingus]

Probably because our run game isn't good enough & teams are fine dropping back to stop the pass & let their front line handle the rest.

 

At that point, play action just becomes passing with an additional step & doesn't benefit anyone if you're not making anyone bite.

[Drew21PA]

12 hours ago, Mikie2times said:

Even when you watch his Wyoming tape Josh has been a stone cold killer in playaction (2 minutes and 17 seconds in).

 

 

In his career Allen has a +25 QBR in play action vs regular passing situations 113.9 vs 87. You can see why Josh is so good with playaction with his timing. It's almost like playaction gives Allen a more traditional pocket cadence. Right when he hits the top of his drop he either rips the ball out or you see him moving forward in the pocket still in the rhythm of the play. It's always very decisive. So it's a pretty exciting concept that we have developed this run game under Brady which should allow for a lot more of what Allen does best.

 

 

I wish this was the case.........

 

If you look at the chart below in the PA% column it shows the % of totals passes that were playaction. In the Pass% column to shows the number of Allen passing attempts divided by total plays minus Allen rushing Attempts. I looked at it this way because we know most of Allen rushing attempts actually come from passing attempts. I only wanted to see how often a RB was getting the ball vs Allen throwing. In theory the less we throw and the more we run with HB's, the more impactful PA should be, the higher the PA% should be.  

 

 

 

We are running substantially more with traditional run plays in 2024 off a 2023 career low for Josh but throwing nearly half the amount of playaction passes as a % of total pass attempts, also a career low.

 

It's like taking away John Daily's driver.

 

Just next level dumb. What the hell is Brady doing right now?  

 

 

Well I think this year may be skewed a little given the last two games have been a dumpster fire and they had to completely abandon ANY game plan they had I would imagine 

 

you don’t do play action down by two scores - especially when you have a coach and leader like McDermott who doesn’t seem to understand it’s a long game and you need to adjust and RELAX!  Your down but chip away you have Josh allen

 

our coaches get nervous and it’s a mess 

[SoCal Deek]

8 hours ago, nedboy7 said:

The pressure is coming too quick due to miscommunication about blitz pickups.  

That’s impossible! During the Jaguars game Chris Collingsworth declared us to have the best OL in the league.  We don’t?