i was just listening to the chad henne interview from today and he mentioned what i'm about to talk about. I've heard it said that the wild cat is a disadvantage to a QB's rhythm, but i've always seen the glass half full. think about it this way. Every time our QB comes off the field b/c of the wild cat, its like taking a timeout without taking an actual time out. Henne is on the sideline for a play or two or three and he's getting advice from the coaches, looking at print outs of the opposing teams defense, getting questions answered, and thinking about the next play he's going in for. I think this is a huge advantage!
This is something I've mentioned myself....Instead of stressing over "rhythm", take advantage of what opportunities it presents. A chance to catch your breath, collect your thoughts, confer with coaches and more time to visualize what you want to do during the drive. It basically slows down the game and for a rookie QB, that's a blessing I think. There will be times when it doesn't work out and Henne has to trot out and face a 3rd and long.....but most of the time he goes back out on to the field and it's first down and better field position to work with. Not to mention the defense reeling from getting ran over, once again.
Don't forget guys Henne had just gone back in and then called a time out, trotted over to the side line, and they reinserted the WC. I truly believe Henne has bought into playing the way this staff wants him to play and if he sees the defense in a certain formation he has no problem changing up the play called. I've had great reservations about this young man until I saw him play in a real game. I am now 100% a Henne man and think he can/will be something really special for years to come. Will he have bad games, of course, but I just don't see that he will let it bother him. The rest of the NFL is on notice cause we got ourselves one jam up QB. Damn wheres the popcorn!!
henne should have the ability to call a wild cat play and come off the field instead of burning a time out.
While I agree to that in principle, remember it was only his second game, and just may have been the first time it showed itself. He will learn.
Can henne call an audible into a wildcat formation? Is it legal? He lines up at QB, reads the D, and makes a decision to let ronnie take the snap.
That's an excellent point I hadn't considered. It is particularly useful with an inexperienced QB. In the long run that may be the second most important advantage the WC provides. The first is just the numbers advantage in blocking.
I've thought this from day one. Especially with a young QB like Henne. I think we should use it like a time out. If the D starts to stop us, we run the WC so Chad can come to the side and get help.
the break allows Henne and the staff to ensure that he doesn't get 'caught up in the moment' ... good or bad ... and can stay focused. i doubt the plays are called for that specific purpose, but then again, things have generally gone pretty well for Henne up to this point - so, there hasn't been a need. rather right now, it has been to dog the defense, and catch them with mismatches ...
It also doesn't allow the defense to get into a rhythm defending against the quarterback. A lot of defenses make it a priority to put pressure on the quarterback to take him out of his game but its harder to do with the wildcat option part of the time. It would be neat if Henne could call an audible to change into the wildcat, it would cause problems with the defensive alignment.
That is something I haven't thought about and it makes perfect sense. I am glad they came up with that idea. It is definitely working.
i don't see why Henne couldn't call a wild cat audible. i don't think its against the rules in anyway. he might have to stay on the field as a WR depending on how much time is on the play clock. I don't think this will happen anytime soon. maybe one day when Henne reaches Peyton Manning status! lol. The ball needs to be in Sparano's court, not a new QB in his first starting season. I hope they let Henne do that in the future. i believe it could be a big advantage. It would definitely keep Henne from burning a TO.
Last year I suggesting that the wildcat was setting up the proset {for reasons i could not get a grasp of} i also wrote, that it made chad pennington a better qb on the next play, his rhythm was always exceptional right after the wildcat..like he knew what defense they were gonna show..i also wrote that he should of been benched for henne after the arizona game because of how his velocity and slow drop and release would inhibit our offense from reaching its true power potential..then, ronnie brown and this formation took over, chad played off it. and we won the freakin division. some called me crazy for suggesting such illogical analysis. Were going to be a much better football team this year, and were about to come together and show how dangerous a 100 percent unified, well conditioned, very talented group can become. 5 games in...never been outmatched, have completely dominated some football games, have not been on the same page defensively, and have not once, put all 3 phases of the game together. Preseason my prediction was "10 and 6 at the worst, with a chance to be special......this year".... now we have as much talent on defense as anyone, they just need to get on the same page. i love the power game with henne and the cat..we {players and fans} just need to rise our emotional play on sunday,if we beat the saits, Fear will set in, intimidation will take over, and we'll make a run at the whole damn thing
when henne is on the sideline because of the wildcat, he will see print outs of how much separation ginn is getting. this will encourage him to throw to him more often. i can't wait to see more bombs to ginn. i got a fever, and the only prescription is more bombs to ginn!