Quick explanation of the wildcat
by yophillybro on Sep 21, 2009 3:49 PM EDT
41 comments
I keep reading all day that people are calling Andy a moron for running so many wild cats, and other tricky formations. Saying that Andy did not have a good game plan, and should have ran the ball more.
While I agree that Andy should have ran the ball more, but people keep referring to the wildcat as a trick play. The truth is that the wildcat is not a trick play. Its just a formation. Just because a runningback lines up behind center instead of a QB doest make it a wildcat. Lets get that straight. A triditional wildcat has one WR spread wide on one, but he is off the line on the slot on one side while lining up the TE as a T on that side. Now on the other side of the formation you put an extra T on the other side to cause an overload to that side. This is because this side will have 2 Tackles. You line up a good blocking WR on the slot here, and the QB is line up wide on this side. The QB lines up wide to keep the Safeties honest, with out the QB, the safeties will just run down hill once the ball is snapped. You usually have 2 RB in the backfield, 1 in shot gun, and 1 next to him.
The whole purpose of the wildcat is just to provide another blocker for the running game, while giving the RB the ball directly. This formation opens up the defense a bit, and afford you an extra blocker where needed. Granted, its nice to throw from this, but its not its design. Its designed to run the ball, not really throw.
Yesterday, the Eagles ran the wild cat effectively, and seemed to moved the ball for over 5 yards a pop. But the media keeps trashing it as a gimmick play. Lets settle this right now. IT IS NOT A GIMMICK PLAY. Just a formation no different than I formation, Aces, split queens etc. Its sole purpose is to run the ball behind that extra tackle. Granted, having a guy like Mike Vick back there causes problems, because he can throw. Lets say the safeties get greedy and attack the line, you can easly get a 1 on one with a CB on either side of the field. This formation will kill the cover 2 that a lot of teams run, only if you have a RB who can throw, which is exactly what Mike Vick is.
I made a diagram before of the wildcat, I will look for it after this post, but lets get off the whole Andy Reid is a moron for using wildcat thing. Who ever says that is a moron because they don't know what the wild cat is and what its designed to do. Its a very high percentage running play, not quite the defination for a trick play.
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although I made 1 mistake there
Desean would be off the line to make him elgible.
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by yophillybro on Sep 21, 2009 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Corrected Diagram
this one has an error. It would have 8 men on the line, eliminating 1 elgible receiver. Thats not happening with Andy.
Bleed green, or don't bleed at all!
by yophillybro on Sep 21, 2009 3:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Good Stuff...
And i hope that we continue to see DJax back there, even when Vick is available. I dont want to see too many passes by Desean, but i love seeing him get touches with soom toom to roam.
by GreenInBaltimore on Sep 21, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
^^umm wow, sorry. some room to roam.
by GreenInBaltimore on Sep 21, 2009 4:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
They are just sad because noone can run the wild cat like us. .. Also they dont have the personell that we have to pull this off
by Qu1nTeR on Sep 21, 2009 4:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
no one that i know said the wild cat formation is for trick plays… but it tends to be “gimmicky”, hate to say we should just man up and run straight ahead – smash-mouth football – wins championships
by fitzy first on Sep 21, 2009 4:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
CATASTROPHE??????????
I know desean is amazing and a threat 2 score al most every time he touches the ball but how smart is it to be running a lot of wildcat plays with him? i know its smart to run a couple wildcats at them with desean but i thought they did it a little 2 much yesterday, the only problem i have with this is the scary thought of desean getting seriously injured.
by goldenbird09 on Sep 21, 2009 4:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
the scary thought of desean getting seriously injured.
he’s playing football not baseball … he could get injured on any play. Whats the difference between him running the ball or catching a pass blind of there middle?
Jim Johnson 1941-2009
"The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss! STRUCK HIM OUT! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! And let the city celebrate! " - Harry Kalas 1936-2009
by Whodie126 on Sep 21, 2009 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
/cobb’d of = over
Jim Johnson 1941-2009
"The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss! STRUCK HIM OUT! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! And let the city celebrate! " - Harry Kalas 1936-2009
by Whodie126 on Sep 21, 2009 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i feel ya............
im just sayin,i think they were using him a little 2 much. why not try sumtin with maclin in the wildcat yesterday????
by goldenbird09 on Sep 21, 2009 4:53 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
why not use maclin instead of curtis
by fitzy first on Sep 21, 2009 5:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
One is a rookie and other is a proven veteren?
RIP Jim Johnson, best ever.
by Imp on Sep 22, 2009 10:36 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Maclin
still hasn’t adjusted as a receiver and Desean was even listed as the emergency quarterback. It makes more sense for Desean to run it. Also, they did split some of the wildcat snaps with westbrook. Example, the pass to weaver.
"Now Sav Rocca played for the Magpies in Australia. I don't know if it's a bird or a pie or what it is." Ike Reese
by The Badassador on Sep 21, 2009 5:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I'm much more comfortable
easing Maclin in like they’re doing.
Just because you’re drafted high doesn’t mean you’re ready to be out there.
The wildcat with Westbrook and DJax is fine. With Vick as its primary operator come next week and beyond, I really wouldn’t ask Maclin to do anything but concentrate on learning the receiver role and perhaps handle some punts.
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Sep 21, 2009 7:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
The wildcat...the single wing...
…the sandlot pop warner play…you say tomato, I say tomahto. Let’s call the whole thing off. If it’s a “high percentage” play as you say, then why are a) option/single wing (system QB’s) so dreadful in the NFL and b) why didn’t offensive coordinators who played in the post Gale Sayers era say, “holy god, why don’t I run the single wing?” Fitzy First said it best: Straight up football wins championships. Unless you want Tebow or Troy Smith or Kordell Stewart here, realize that this Wildcat nonsense is foolhardy.
"Right now Winston Justice is the guy...until that person gets back out there"
by EvilBanner on Sep 21, 2009 5:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Unless you want Tebow or Troy Smith or Kordell Stewart here
Or Michael Vick
About 10 minutes ago, I was pondering my own existence. Then I decided that it didn't matter.
by IronHank on Sep 21, 2009 6:31 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I did work yesterday
The wild cat is good for about 5 yards, not a big TD.
Bleed green, or don't bleed at all!
by yophillybro on Sep 22, 2009 8:22 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
5 yards a pop means you'll never have a third down...not too shabby
by eagleyosh on Sep 22, 2009 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I know, I would run wildcat all the time.
Somebody stated above that our wildcat averaged 6 yars a play. Thats really good. I’m with you, we need to run it more.
I don’t care if they run 3 option wishbone. As longs as we get first downs and win.
Bleed green, or don't bleed at all!
by yophillybro on Sep 22, 2009 11:21 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Some of those plays looked like Buck Sweep
to me. And I don’t really know what’s more smashmouth than that except straight up dives and I formation off-tackle runs.
The wildcat stuff was the least of our worries yesterday. By far. It was, perhaps, the brightest spot.
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Sep 21, 2009 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
Wait a minute...
Weren’t you the one who said Lesean was the second coming of Walter Payton? Run him behind Peters. Let’s see what we have.
"Right now Winston Justice is the guy...until that person gets back out there"
by EvilBanner on Sep 21, 2009 7:53 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
It looks like we substituded those screens for the wildcat on 3rd down. Andy doesn’t beleive in lining up and playing smash mouth. He beleives in giving a back space to run. Both screens and wildcat do that. Teams learned how to sit on our screen, so wildcat is its replacement. I guess once teams pick up the wildcat, he’ll go back to screens.
Bleed green, or don't bleed at all!
by yophillybro on Sep 22, 2009 8:24 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
"Straight up football wins championships"
That’s cool and everything, but we don’t exactly have straight-up football personnel. Brandon Jacobs is not walking through that door.
We’ve spent the better part of the last few seasons acquiring all these speed pieces … We have the personnel to run Wildcat and run it well.
I mean I guess you could run Westbrook behind Weaver to Peters’s side, but you know damn well you’d be complaining about Reid’s lack of offensive creativity when we did that stuff and lost.
Certain people are just habitual second-guessers, moreso when the Eagles lose.
Still waiting for the Eagles to Bring It Home For Jerome
by D3Keith on Sep 21, 2009 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
So this Wildcat experiment gets us what?
8-8, 9-7 as a gimmick sideshow? Your statement about “acquiring all those speed pieces” is great. And we did. We got receivers for Donovan. So he could throw the ball to someone who wasn’t Stinkston and Trash. And you’ll NEVER hear me “complaining about Reid’s lack of offensive creativity” when he runs. The fat man needs to do that more. That’s what Peters does. What team EVER has won with the Barnum and Bailey’s Circus crap that Ringmaster Andy threw out there yesterday? Perhaps Jim Thorpe’s fearsome Canton Bulldogs?
"Right now Winston Justice is the guy...until that person gets back out there"
by EvilBanner on Sep 21, 2009 7:34 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
you realize we ran the wildcat 9 times 7 were runs for an average of 6.4 yards per carry. at 6.4 yards per carry you aren’t seeing many 3rd downs. Point is the wildcat was effective and didn’t appear to disrupt the flow of the offense at all.
to answer your above question
why are a) option/single wing (system QB’s) so dreadful in the NFLThe option works in the NFL if used correctly but linebackers are generally faster than in college. The reason it’s not run is QBs are more important in the NFL and teams don’t want to risk the injury. We will with Vick and it will work.
Jim Johnson 1941-2009
"The 0-2 pitch, swing and a miss! STRUCK HIM OUT! The Philadelphia Phillies are 2008 World Champions of baseball! And let the city celebrate! " - Harry Kalas 1936-2009
by Whodie126 on Sep 21, 2009 9:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
thank you, great way to illustrate the point
Wildcat is a substitute for our screens, its a way to give RB space.
Bleed green, or don't bleed at all!
by yophillybro on Sep 22, 2009 8:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i believe another reason we ran it so much
was to get the guys on the field used to using it on sundays. even without vick there to keep the secondary honest we were still getting 5 yards a play. even with jackson running it, it was reassuring.
by snowhill82 on Sep 22, 2009 4:17 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
I see an error in your diagram
Who is this Shawn you refer to as our tackle? Neva heard of em.
by Team Serbia on Sep 21, 2009 6:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
haahaa. he was getting his Michael Phelps on.
Bleed green, or don't bleed at all!
by yophillybro on Sep 22, 2009 8:25 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
im sorry. i know its very ghetto but
this is a play action pass. vick fakes the handoff to bwest. desean jackson comes back to run the option with vick. vick has the option to run the ball himself, lateral the ball to djax (who will run it), shovel pass the ball to westbrook(after he fakes it to him on the play action) , or pass it to maclin or celek (or even mcnabb if you want to risk another injury).
"I Think I'm Pretty Nasty" - Jason Peters
by eaglesbabyy on Sep 21, 2009 7:18 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
vick
shouldnt he be going in the direction of the reverse to desean, having westbrook on the other side of him?…i’m probably wrong, it just looks backwards to me.
I know it matches the diagram up top, but if desean was on the slot on the other side it would seem to work better IMO (keeping westy in the same spot). Then desean or maclin could run the reverse, and the defense would have to adjust to which wr was running a route.
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by greenbean#twoOH on Sep 22, 2009 12:52 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
i really don’t understand what people are complaining about.
The play was working and getting yards. Reid knows what he’s doing and our offensive unit has the pieces to run “trick” plays as well as “proper” ones. Let’s just hope the unit as a whole learn from this massacre and play some good ball against a weak chiefs team.
by notfromphilly on Sep 21, 2009 7:43 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
And we haven’t even seen Vick yet, This is going to be a fun offense to watch… I’m all for this crazy stuff… just look at eaglesbaby’s post… that’s some enthralling and dangerous stuff
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I'm a Leaf's fan... I like the flyers though (especially back in the day flyers)
by RadioheadbeatlesEagles on Sep 21, 2009 9:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
I think Andy should explaine the wildcat to people, that would help to dispell that
its is just a gimmick play. Did anyone catch the Miami game, I heard they ran it like 20 times or so and almost beat Indy. They were for short games, but good for 3rd down.
I think people need to understand the wildcat, before they start calling for its demise. I don’t understand how even Jeff Garcia said the Wildcat is disruptive. I don’t know how 6+ yards a carry is disruptive. Just substitute the thought of a standard run play with the wild cat. Keep in your mind the objective, and compare the results.
If you line up I formation and run and get 4 yards a pop, you are having a good game, right? Now if you run wildcat, and rush for 6 yards a pop, you are not success and are disrupting the rythm of the offense? Excuse me, I don’t get it. I think getting first downs and keeping the drive alive is the essence of rythme, as it affords your Offense more opportunities to move the ball, in opposed to just running up the gut and not obtaining a first down and having to punt.
Wildcat is designed ot get first downs! Lets get that straight. People need to inform the media and even those players that are confused. 6 yards a play rushing is very successful, as the Wildcat is a glorified RUNNING Play. Passing from it is only a bonus.
Bleed green, or don't bleed at all!
by yophillybro on Sep 22, 2009 10:27 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
difference between Andy's cat and Sparano's cat
Miami runs the cat efficiently because Brown is a prototypical back that makes the correct reads and doesnt do anything fancy. simple read on the olb or de and go up the field for positive yards.
Eagles have a chance to install a complete cat package with vick, only andy is too fancy with his interpretation of the formation. tries to stretch the field when the goal of the wildcat is to overload one side with blockers. Vick can bring that special touch with the passing option as well, which brown has performed successfully once last year. i only hope andy simplifies the package and can possibly spell donovan for a couple plays instead of keeping him on the flank and playing only 2/3s of the field
by fitzy first on Sep 22, 2009 1:56 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
agreed. I would just go with BWest on the wildcat, or McCoy.
He really wants to throw from it. Not enough time, the wildcat formation callapse realy fast. No time to throw.
However, if you run successfully, and you take you QB from the WR position. The safety will begin to anticipate, and shoot downhill to cover the overload. This leaves cover 1 or cover 0 on you 2 End WRs. DJax should be money all day he he gets 3 seconds to get moving. So Andy may be setting that up. But he will have to run effectively from the CAT to enable this. Its all depends on how that safety reads the play. You want that safety to anticipate. Ironiclly Miami went Wildcate with NO QB in the field, and did not even throw from it. Amazing if you aske me, the QB is only there to keep that safety honest in his downhill pursuit, freeing up the short gains
Bleed green, or don't bleed at all!
by yophillybro on Sep 22, 2009 2:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
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