The Fly Sweep

by OBF on Aug 6, 2008 1:02 PM MDT

With the addition of two very fast, but smallish guys in Royal and Alridge, could the fly sweep work in the NFL?

I am a big Oregon State Beaver fan, and last year we saw a very fast, but small recruit come in at WR. Listed generously at 5-8 we all thought, how in the world could James Rodgers make in in the Pac-10 at WR. We were even more surprised when he wasn't redshirted and made the team as a true freshman. As the season wore on Rodgers became one of our most important weapons on offense. yes he caught a ball or two, but his bread and butter was the fly sweep. The beavers ran the play about 4 times a game and Rodgers averaged over 11 yards per carry on it. The play requires the team to have a fairly good running game to begin with (Yvenson Bernard is one of the top 5 RB in Pac-109 history), but it also improves the inside running game by giving the linebackers and DB's something to worry about when the slot goes in motion.

I guess my bottom line question is can plays like these work in the NFL, and could we see Royal or Alridge with their great speed running them??

Some examples:

This was the last game of the regular season, so they knew it was coming and they still couldn't stop it:

Again in the bowl game so Maryland knew it was coming and was powerless to stop it:

The second play in this highlight shows how the fly sweep can open up huge holes even for a 3rd string white RB:

So what do you think can / will the broncos pick up the fly sweep this year?

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In my view, the NFL is too fast and filled with too many intelligent players for

a “fly play” to work consistently. Maybe once a year, but after that guys will be all over it. Remember, the NFL is made up of the best football players on Earth.

As for skin color being an issue at RB, I really don’t see the argument there. It’s taboo to say a black quarterback can’t be successful, so why is it okay to say a white guy can’t play running back? I would say that percentages are not in a whtie dudes favor, but it could happen. Peyton Hillis baby! ;)

All I want from this team is touchdowns in the red zone…lots of them.

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08
The Quest ~ TSG 5/19/08

by Zappa on Aug 6, 2008 1:33 PM MDT 0 recs

kind of like the option

I just don’t see how it can be a consistent go to play in the NFL much the same reasons that zappa mentioned the defenses are too fast and too smart.

by Denverjhawk on Aug 6, 2008 1:51 PM MDT 0 recs

Yeah I was just

poking some fun at Matt Sievenson (the white RB in the thrid video), didn’t mean to be making a comment on White RB’s as a whole, just a little joke.

Go M's

by OBF on Aug 6, 2008 2:00 PM MDT 0 recs

It's all good...

what i was trying to come around to say was that you are probably 99.99% right. lol

If God is not a Bronco fan, then WHY are sunsets Blue and Orange? - Jon Tollerud 5/22/08
The Quest ~ TSG 5/19/08

by Zappa on Aug 6, 2008 2:56 PM MDT up 0 recs

Royal & Alridge will be utilized . .

Their speed will be used in a variety of ways by the Broncs – sweeps, reverses, screen passes, dump passes, draw plays, counters, shuttle passes, etc.

I have seen teams use the motion man in a sweep or reverse action before (but they probably do not call it the “fly play”). But the key for all these plays is timing, and not using them too often, cause if NFL defenders can key on them then they can create a big negative play, which almost always becomes a punting situation or turnover.

Staying out of negative plays in the NFL is more important than gambling for big plays. Thats why teams use these plays only occasionally. But the timing is the key for any play calling, and that is where good play callers are separated from the ordinary.

by The Gun Young on Aug 6, 2008 2:02 PM MDT 0 recs

As far as the speed of the defenses go

Thats why it would have to be run with Alridge or Royal. Remember Alridge was, IIRC, the fastest guy in the draft, didn’t he run a 4.1??? Maybe I am thinking of someone else. And unlike the option play this play has a ton of variations you could run off of it, and if ran right would make your inside runs more effective. Even if you only ran it once a game, it would give the Linebakers a split second of indecsion when that slot goes in motion, and so maybe gives the RB a slightly bigger seem up the middle. Espeacially in the redzone, that can be quite important.

I completely understand that the NFL is the best of the best of the best, but I think the difference between high level college players (like the Pac-10) and the NFL is over blown. They said that gimmick offenses like the spread would work in a major collge conference, but the ducks (if not for Dixons injury) almost rode it to the national championship.

Go M's

by OBF on Aug 6, 2008 2:04 PM MDT 0 recs

A couple of thoughts.

In my mind, the difference between the NFL and college is further than you might put it. I consider that the worst NFL players are still scraped from the top of the college ranks. The speed, power, techniques, training, and complexity are such that even some top college talents never make the adjustment.

All that being said, I’m going to go against the grain here. The fly sweep would be a high risk move at the NFL level, and not something a team should pull out of the hat more than once (probably in an entire season). That being said, there are some collegiate type plays used in the NFL from time to time that have a surprise factor and work, but only if they are r-a-r-e. I think the fly sweep could work for a team, but it would be a toss-up that it would work, and it would probably have to be shelved (for that team) for a season or two after use. I’d think it’s not a good idea at the pro level, but I wouldn’t completely rule it out.

The biggest problem with the fly sweep is that any pro defense is going to read the WR in motion, and the defenders are going to be much more likely to be disciplined enough to keep their assignments (or know how to adjust). The fly sweep takes a few seconds to develop, and I think that makes a big difference at the NFL level.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by hoosierteacher on Aug 6, 2008 4:33 PM MDT up 0 recs

Do defenses really remember a play

that was run ONCE for an entire year or two???

If they do then that is great because running the fly sweep once will help out inside running plays for a season or two afterwards when ran with a WR motion. Like i said more than just the one or two fly sweeps it sets up so many other things. Like helping the inside run, or a fake fly and pass, or a fake fly and pitch going the other way. Or even a fake fly where the sweeper follows the diver up the hole.

Go M's

by OBF on Aug 6, 2008 5:08 PM MDT up 0 recs

At the pro level...

...they track singlular plays in multiple categories. If a fly sweep was run just once in a season by a team, every other team would have it on file in a hard drive (and probably by coordinator and head coach). As long as either of those coaches are in the league, I imagine the opponents would put it on the defenses raders for at least three years after the play was run. Single, “trick” plays stand out because they are rare.

"Greater is an army of sheep led by a lion, than an army of lions led by a sheep" Defoe

by hoosierteacher on Aug 7, 2008 8:39 AM MDT up 0 recs

I don't know...

I’d almost rather use this sort of play as a decoy. Obviously you can’t run it every game or in more than a few, but if you run it and it works a couple of times you can play off of it and put a new wrinkle in it for the playoffs(especially against a team you’ve already played). It’s a good way to keep a defense honest. Especially with someone who has the wheels of a Royal or Aldridge. They don’t need a lot of time to make something big happen.

by JR_G on Aug 7, 2008 3:16 AM MDT up 0 recs

Ok, Maybe I was thinking of Chris Johnson, but...

Look at #7 and #12 from the fastest 40’s at the combine:

Name School 40-YardDash

Johnson, Chris East Carolina 4.24
King, Justin Penn State 4.31
McFadden, Darren Arkansas 4.33
Jackson, DeSean California 4.35
Alridge, Anthony Houston 4.36
Franklin, Will Missouri 4.37
Jackson, Dexter Appalachian State 4.37
Caldwell, Andre Florida 4.37
Charles, Jamaal Texas 4.38
Royal, Eddie Virginia Tech 4.39

Go M's

by OBF on Aug 6, 2008 2:15 PM MDT 0 recs

I think it could be occasionally successful...

...it’s sort of like the end around that Shanahan likes to throw in every now and again (granted without a misdirection). Especially with a player like Alridge who is constantly amazing me in his ability to get around the corner.

by UnarmingMermaid on Aug 6, 2008 2:15 PM MDT 0 recs