Steve Smith knocks the read option...

[teeray]

nt

[rayzor]

I'd say the Ravens did a pretty good job of handling it up until 1) Ngata went out and 2) they got tired.

The tactic they used was similar to what defenses have used against option type offenses before, i.e. maintaining gap discipline and having the DEs wait and guard their lanes rather than committing early.

so basically treating it like any run heavy offense?

[teeray]

I'd say the Ravens did a pretty good job of handling it up until 1) Ngata went out and 2) they got tired.

The tactic they used was similar to what defenses have used against option type offenses before, i.e. maintaining gap discipline and having the DEs wait and guard their lanes rather than committing early.

Smart tactic, honestly. If the QBs decision is based on what the DE does, have the DE hold back so that the QB has to make his decision earlier than he'd want.

If by handling it well you mean the 49ers never had to punt then... yeah I guess.

[Mr. Scot]

If by handling it well you mean the 49ers never had to punt then... yeah I guess.

Would you call six points and two turnovers an effective attack?

[Proudiddy]

It is effective, but not as a base... That is what the takeaway should be. SF wasn't running it as a base. They use it quite a bit, but it's not what they limit themselves to.

[Mr. Scot]

so basically treating it like any run heavy offense?

By switching the pressure.

If the basis of the read option decision is what the defensive end does, then you hold him back from committing one way or the other and force the QB to make his decision before he wants to. It's the same way they used to defend the old option offense when the Cowboys tried running it with Quincy Carter.

That kind of tactic might or might not work at the college level when defenses don't have the kind of speed they do at the pro level, but in the NFL it's another matter.

Defensive speed is generally one of the biggest obstacless you have when you're trying to bring a college style attack to the pro level.

[PhillyB]

It should be part of our offense, not the basis of our offense.

this is the simple fact that people are missing. the answer isn't "the read option sucks and should go away" any more than "the read option is great run it for all the plays" is. san fran got to the superbowl by running it situationally, sprinkling it in so change the pace. as we all know all to well, chudzinski ran it almost as a base set. that was the problem. great scheme, wrong (or inefficient) application.

i expect shula to run a much more balanced offense.

[teeray]

Would you call six points and two turnovers an effective attack?

If I were simple minded and didn't actually watch the game to see that the defense had no answers for the 49ers. The 49ers just shot themselves in the foot in the first half. The Ravens defense had very little to do with that.

[Dpantherman]

He's a receiver and wants the ball in his hands like most receivers do.

[PantherPhann89]

You gotta love Steve Smith...

[teeray]

It is effective, but not as a base... That is what the takeaway should be. SF wasn't running it as a base. They use it quite a bit, but it's not what they limit themselves to.

this is the simple fact that people are missing. the answer isn't "the read option sucks and should go away" any more than "the read option is great run it for all the plays" is. san fran got to the superbowl by running it situationally, sprinkling it in so change the pace. as we all know all to well, chudzinski ran it almost as a base set. that was the problem. great scheme, wrong (or inefficient) application.

i expect shula to run a much more balanced offense.

Nobody, in college or elsewhere, use the read option as the basis of their offense. No one run it every time or even a majority of the time. It depends on what the defense is doing.

[Delhommey]

Would you call six points and two turnovers an effective attack?

So the zone read caused a QB to overthrow his WR and a RB to fumble fighting for extra yards?

The Niners were one play away from winning the SB after putting up 31 points, folks. Let's not act like they lost 34-3.

[Mr. Scot]

If I were simple minded and didn't actually watch the game to see that the defense had no answers for the 49ers. The 49ers just shot themselves in the foot in the first half. The Ravens defense had very little to do with that.

Gotta disagree there. The Niners did indeed make mistakes, but to say the Ravens did nothing but benefit from poor execution by San Francisco is out there.

[Mr. Scot]

So the zone read caused a QB to overthrow his WR and a RB to fumble fighting for extra yards?

The Niners were one play away from winning the SB after putting up 31 points, folks. Let's not act like they lost 34-3.

I actually faulted Randy Moss on that play more than Kaepernick.

But with that said, up until Haloti Ngata went out and the Ravens defense got gassed, that offense had as many turnovers as they did scores.

Fast forward to the end, and even with the Ravens tired, they can't punch the ball in from inside the ten?

Not a performance to hang your hat on.