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The sudden, never before seen and inexplicable angst about Rudolph throwing short

I'm really happy that Rudolph is completing at such a high percentage. However, I would point out that the reason he's throwing in to such "tight windows" is because he's throwing the ball at or behind the line of scrimmage where teams are loading 8 and 9 in the box. Of course they're going to be tight windows.

However, he's COMPLETING them! And that's the key.
 
FordFairLane said:
I do wish they’d air one out early to loosen the defense though. When the safety comes down in the box audible to play action and you should easily be able to move the single high with a pump or body movement and then go deep to the single coverage. Even if it’s incomplete it will get the dbs on their heels a little and create a little room for those short underneath routes.
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I have heard that theory for so many years that I have lost count. "Challenge deep, and even if incomplete, it will put the defensive backs on their heels."

No, it won't. Just hucking the thing downfield to a covered receiver will not do anything other than result in an incompletion or, worse, an interception. Throwing deep to open receivers is the key.

Two games in a row, Rudolph has thrown a TD pass covering more than 30 yards in the air to an open DJ for a score. His QB rating for deep throws (more than 20 yards in the air) so far is 125 based on 3-8 for 110 yards, 2 TD's, 0 picks. (The 17 yard completion to Vannett is not included.) No complaint on that.
 
Yeah the cheats really had to abandon their short passing game with every other team but the Bengals. The quick release dink and dunk is fine as long as you keep them honest.

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Punxsutawney said:
The passing offense has been too horizontal with Rudolph.

It worked against the Bengals, but it was the Bengals. It was a different story against the 49ers.

What they're doing now is too dependent on yards after the catch, and you cannot build your offense around that week after week in the NFL.

They need to push the ball downfield more where the success they have had thus far has been inflated by two long TDs to Johnson against blown coverages.
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Coach said:
Very true. However when you mix in Samules and a new TE who looks like he can block and catch, this can become a part of your offense. Key word part. However this won't catch team by surprise anymore, and you're right, we can't keep competing 50% of you passes less than 2 yards in front the of the LOS. It seems like the post, the skinny, the out, the square in and other patterns typical run 8-10 yards down field are not being completed. Vs a better defense this type of offense will produce a lot of punts and maybe a pick six if a team jumps one of these quick hitting routes.
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Marsha made a career of passing short.

Who is Samules???
 
We need to see Mason make them pay to stack the box. Everyone knows that. We’ll see.
 
CharlesDavenport said:
We need to see Mason make them pay to stack the box. Everyone knows that. We’ll see.
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IMO, and it's an amateur one, but I think that's one of Mason's strengths, throwing the deep ball. The intermediate and timing routes is a bit what I'm worried about, but he seems like a guy who's willing to work hard at what he might not be the best at.
 
Mason threw the short passes in the last game because we could not run against the 5-man DL. We went for the edges instead with runs and short passes. THIS was to establish a higher TOP (time of poss) because our D was getting gassed late in the game. It worked...against a bad team.

If the Ravens were smart, they will load the box and play man coverage to see what Mason can do against them. IF Tomlin keeps his ideas away from the play-calling, we should still be able to get to the edges with our run-game (as it's easier to block when the defender is playing "man") BUT the backs could feast if we can use the TE and the backs coming out in the middle of the field behind the linebackers.AND by utilizing NE's patented "rub" routes and sideline "comeback routes" to loosen up the middle even more.

This will open up the run lanes, IMO, later in the game...as long as we don't get behind.
 
keslerclan said:
Mason threw the short passes in the last game because we could not run against the 5-man DL. We went for the edges instead with runs and short passes. THIS was to establish a higher TOP (time of poss) because our D was getting gassed late in the game. It worked...against a bad team.

If the Ravens were smart, they will load the box and play man coverage to see what Mason can do against them. IF Tomlin keeps his ideas away from the play-calling, we should still be able to get to the edges with our run-game (as it's easier to block when the defender is playing "man") BUT the backs could feast if we can use the TE and the backs coming out in the middle of the field behind the linebackers.AND by utilizing NE's patented "rub" routes and sideline "comeback routes" to loosen up the middle even more.

This will open up the run lanes, IMO, later in the game...as long as we don't get behind.
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Cleveland knew BAL tendencies and beat their ***. Lets see how we do.
 
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