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Where was the West Coast Offense?


Spor_tees

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Hair, I gotta agree with you. Gresham has had some moments but it's time for him to take over in games. By all accounts, last season was a cluster but there were times where something seemed off with him but I couldn't put my finger on it,

Now it's time to take the training wheels off. The rookie QB with two games of experience shouldn't be asked to carry the load.

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I still think they need to add in a TE screen, some RB screens, and run the wheel route with Scott some. It looked more like a West Coast offense in week 2 than week 1, but there is still some room to improve.

I don't want to here anything about them losing in week 2 because they got away from the week 1 strategy. It wasn't the strategy that lost the game, it was the lack of putting on the big boy pads when it came down to short yardage situations.

They've run that TE screen through preseason (when it worked) and tried it in week one and it got stuffed - I sense Gruden hasn't really installed all of the offense yet.

Gresham seems slower than he did college, not sure if they're putting weight on him to block, but he's definitely not the same fast, nimble big guy he was in college. He simply does not look as good as he did at OK.

Willing to be patient due to rookie QB and new system, but hoped he'd be a bit farther along than he is.

Right now I'm not sure anyone in that offense is performing as well as they can - and I think it has a lot to do with the guys upfront...again.

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Hair, I gotta agree with you. Gresham has had some moments but it's time for him to take over in games. By all accounts, last season was a cluster but there were times where something seemed off with him but I couldn't put my finger on it,

Now it's time to take the training wheels off. The rookie QB with two games of experience shouldn't be asked to carry the load.

I don't understand how you guys are expecting so much production out of a second year TE with a new offensive coordinator and a rookie QB. It's like Gresham is starting all over again. Last year he was a rookie TE, playing for the first time in two years since he missed his Senior season with a knee injury, and now in his second year has to learn a new system and get acclimated to a new rookie QB. You most certainly can't label him a bust after his rookie year and the production he had, and they have only played 2 games so far this year. Chillax!

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Can someone answer me where the heck is the screen game at. How about getting Scott some screen passes, the WCO uses the RBs all the time but so far nothing much with them.

Last week Marvin Lewis apologized for failing to get Bernard Scott more involved.

IMHO the apology felt much too familiar.

I have been saying for awhile now, the success of the West Coast offense deals with getting the RBs involved in the passing game. Roger Craig was the quintessential West Coast RB. I believe he was the first RB in the NFL to rush for 1000 yards and have 1000 yards receiving in the same year. I don't understand why he isn't in the Hall of Fame.

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Take it back even further to guys that played here like, Essex Johnson, Pete Johnson and a little later, James Brooks.

The swing pass is one of the main facets of the WCO, in that a screen pass or dump off in the flat is nothing more than an extended hand-off designed to give the back a mismatch and less traffic than a draw play into the line. So far it just hasn't been there.

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With Shipley hurt and Simpson likely a goner... Caldwell went from 4th on the depth chart to starter in less than a week.

I wonder if they will use fewer 3WR sets now. When they do use 3WR sets, does Whalen play in the slot? Does Caldwell the slot with Tate on the outside?

Regardless of the answer to those peripheral questions... Gresham needs to step up. Time to put on your big boy pants.

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With Shipley hurt and Simpson likely a goner... Caldwell went from 4th on the depth chart to starter in less than a week.

I wonder if they will use fewer 3WR sets now. When they do use 3WR sets, does Whalen play in the slot? Does Caldwell the slot with Tate on the outside?

Regardless of the answer to those peripheral questions... Gresham needs to step up. Time to put on your big boy pants.

Yeah on the official website there is already an article about Whalen stating that he will get significant playing time in the slot and that he is ok with that. It also says that he had no problem picking up the offense because he played in a very similar West Coast offense at Stanford under Jim Harbaugh, and that with his 3.5 GPA he did so with ease.

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I suddenly find myself giving a s**t about Whalen.

I'm pretty sure that is NOT supposed to happen.

I'm hoping for Tate to get in the game and stretch the defense with his speed on some deep routes. I actually like Caldwell in the slot and Tate taking over the outside more often than Caldwell on the outside and Whalen in the slot. I do want to see both in this game even if Simpson does play, though.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Now we are starting to see more of a West Coast offense and Dalton is gaining confidence from it. More screen passes is getting more people involved and helping move the ball down field. If they can just clean up some of the blocking on the edges, especially by the receivers, the screens will be even more affective. Now we just need to see more delayed draw plays and some more play action passes. Maybe Boomer can stop in town and show some of his secrets to doing a great play action pass? He used to be the master at it!

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I'm more concerned about the running (or lack there of) game. Unless the Bengals get this part of the offense straightened out, we are in for hard times against the Steelers and Baltimore.

Yeah against tough physical teams like those you can't have consecutive 3 and outs series. You have to have an 8-10 minute drive here and there to let the big guys a rest.

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