In the past few weeks there have been a few instances of offensive players reporting defenses shouting out the offenses plays. It has happened before, but I can't remember a time where it happened two weeks in a row especially this early in the season. We are only going into week 4 and we have had Josh Huff of the Eagles and now Golden Tate of the Lions both report defenses calling out the offensive play.
So what are we to make of this situation? Do I think the defenses are somehow stealing the play calls from the sidelines? No, what I believe is that the offensive systems which are run in the NFL have become somewhat predictable for the majority of teams. The Eagles and Lions both run multiple 3 wide receivers, 2 tight ends, 1 running back formations. They like to spread the field and the ball out across it so therefore teams may be able to predict what is coming more often. If they through multiple looks at the defenses two things would happen, 1) they would probably do better since they both are awful right now and 2) defenses predicting whats coming would be a lot more difficult. It is simple to that extent. Obviously, I know a lot more goes into it than just that, but from a fan's perspective doing those small things may make all the difference.
Listen I am an Eagles fan and even I know what's coming before the ball is snapped and thats just from watching them a few times over the past three years (I live in MA so I don't get many Eagles games, and have no money to buy NFL Sunday Ticket). Chip Kelly may be an offense genius, but even geniuses have their flaws. If we have another player or two come out in the next few weeks claiming the defenses knew what they were doing, well then I think the offensive side of the NFL as a whole needs to start looking at disguising their play calls a lot better or else we may see many more defensive games. Let's be honest no one wants more defensive games especially for us who play fantasy football.
Of course then there is Adrian Peterson who even if the defense knows he is getting the ball, can't do much to stop him. That's just my stance though, let me know what you think of these defenses knowing whats going offensively before it happens. Is it good coaching or somehow cheating the system?
So what are we to make of this situation? Do I think the defenses are somehow stealing the play calls from the sidelines? No, what I believe is that the offensive systems which are run in the NFL have become somewhat predictable for the majority of teams. The Eagles and Lions both run multiple 3 wide receivers, 2 tight ends, 1 running back formations. They like to spread the field and the ball out across it so therefore teams may be able to predict what is coming more often. If they through multiple looks at the defenses two things would happen, 1) they would probably do better since they both are awful right now and 2) defenses predicting whats coming would be a lot more difficult. It is simple to that extent. Obviously, I know a lot more goes into it than just that, but from a fan's perspective doing those small things may make all the difference.
Listen I am an Eagles fan and even I know what's coming before the ball is snapped and thats just from watching them a few times over the past three years (I live in MA so I don't get many Eagles games, and have no money to buy NFL Sunday Ticket). Chip Kelly may be an offense genius, but even geniuses have their flaws. If we have another player or two come out in the next few weeks claiming the defenses knew what they were doing, well then I think the offensive side of the NFL as a whole needs to start looking at disguising their play calls a lot better or else we may see many more defensive games. Let's be honest no one wants more defensive games especially for us who play fantasy football.
Of course then there is Adrian Peterson who even if the defense knows he is getting the ball, can't do much to stop him. That's just my stance though, let me know what you think of these defenses knowing whats going offensively before it happens. Is it good coaching or somehow cheating the system?
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