Most overrated play in football... (1 Viewer)

[BuddyKnuckles]

is the flea-flicker. Has this play worked once since 1982?

 

[RBM]

Giants had a beauty in Super Bowl 21

 

[Grigs Allmoon]

is the flea-flicker. Has this play worked once since 1982?

Just ahead of the #2 overrated play, the WR "screen."

 

[Statcruncher]

The punt. If it's a yard or less run the ball Nancy!

 

[NorvilleBarnes]

The Statue of Liberty. It was a gift from France for chrissakes!

 

[Whizzinator]

Just ahead of the #2 overrated play, the WR "screen."

Strange thing here is that Charlie Weis called 3-5 of these a game for the Pats for a couple years. And they generally worked.But no one else has gotten mileage out of this one (including the post-Weis Pats) otherwise that I can remember.

 

[Incogneto]

I have a nominee for most UNDERrated:

3rd and goal, play action to the TE.

60% of the time, it works everytime!

 

[packersfan]

I have a nominee for most UNDERrated:3rd and goal, play action to the TE.60% of the time, it works everytime!

For a few years in Green Bay that play was simply called The Bubba.

 

[thayman]

is the flea-flicker. Has this play worked once since 1982?

Just ahead of the #2 overrated play, the WR "screen."

The Redskins used the WR screen to Santana Moss with great success a couple of years ago.

 

[clinton_c]

The Cowboys under Parcells completed the flea flicker about once every 2 games.

My most overrated play is the fade to the endzone.

You must have:

A. a perfect pass

B. a huge dominate WR

yet I see team throws this pass countless times like they have Randy Moss catching it. Most end up incomplete.

 

[SSOG]

is the flea-flicker. Has this play worked once since 1982?

As someone mentioned, Parcell's Cowboys ran all sorts of flea flickers. Bledsoe to Jones to Bledsoe to Glenn was practically a staple in the playbook. I've seen plenty of other teams have success with the flea flicker, too- in fact, I question why we don't see MORE flea-flickers, since they have a pretty good success rate when the play-action is working (at least, they have a good success rate when you compare them to all other deep passes), and they really force the defense on its heels.Also, WR screens are a huge staple of the NFL playbooks. Steve Smith and Santana Moss do a huge chunk of their damage on screens (in fact, it seems that all Smiff catches are screens and bombs). I think it has to do with them being former punt returners (and therefore possessing sick open-field moves).I think the most overrated play in the NFL is any passing play designed for 3rd and short, 4th and short, or goal-to-go at the 1 or 2 yard line. Seriously, running plays convert almost twice as frequently. Just run the damn football! I understand you have to pass every once in a while to keep defenses honest, but you should be rushing twice as often as passing in those situations, and if you're going to throw it, throw DEEP (and then go for it on 4th down if you fail, smartly using a running play).

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

At least flea flickers attempt to get the ball downfield. More often than not, especially with today's speed ends and quick outside LBs, end-arounds seem to end up fairly ineffective.

 

[SSOG]

At least flea flickers attempt to get the ball downfield. More often than not, especially with today's speed ends and quick outside LBs, end-arounds seem to end up fairly ineffective.

I don't know, I've seen some of the really fast WRs do well on them. Ashley Lelie was always a big threat on the end-around, and Javon Walker did pretty well on them last year, too.I do hate how everyone calls the "end-around" a reverse, though. End-arounds are bad enough plays as it is- an actual, honest-to-goodness reverse is one of the stupidest plays I've seen run in the NFL, unless you're playing the Kansas City Chiefs (who have turned overpursuit into an artform). Otherwise, you might as well snap the ball and have all 5 offensive linemen start playing while all the skill position players stand still for 2 seconds before moving. Either way, all you're accomplishing is giving the defense a nice head start.

 

[NorvilleBarnes]

Fumblerooski has to be up there.

 

[1huskerfan]

Fumblerooski has to be up there.

I havent even seen it since Osbourne ran it in the 84(?) Orange Bowl, how can it be over rated?

 

[1970's Oakland Raiders Secondary]

60% of the time, it works everytime!

You sir, are a damn idiot.

 

[hofer]

60% of the time, it works everytime!

You sir, are a damn idiot.

And I believe you sir, have not seen Anchorman.

 

[eagles2007]

i'm getting tired of the repetitive incompletion on first down followed by a run on 2nd down. if i know its coming, i'm guessing most defensive coordinators know it too.

 

[Native]

is the flea-flicker. Has this play worked once since 1982?

Flea Flickers are definitely overrated. But whats even worse is the way the announcers react to flea flickers. They act as if its the final play of the Cal-Stanford game re-manifesting before their eyes. Come down folks, it doesnt work most of the time. Sheesh. Some innovative offensive coaches need to come up with some new trick plays because the old ones arent really 'tricks' anymore.

 

[slckrsmitty]

The Cowboys under Parcells completed the flea flicker about once every 2 games.

My most overrated play is the fade to the endzone.

You must have:

A. a perfect pass

B. a huge dominate WR

yet I see team throws this pass countless times like they have Randy Moss catching it. Most end up incomplete.

marvin tends to disagree. he may be dominant but he is in no way a huge wr. and the colts run that play religiously

 

[redman]

I dunno, Joe Theismann and Lawrence Taylor are both big fans of the flea flicker.

The Statue of Liberty. It was a gift from France for chrissakes!

 

[redman]

Also, WR screens are a huge staple of the NFL playbooks. Steve Smith and Santana Moss do a huge chunk of their damage on screens (in fact, it seems that all Smiff catches are screens and bombs). I think it has to do with them being former punt returners (and therefore possessing sick open-field moves).

For both of those guys, if the CB can't tackle him, it's a 20-yard gain. It's ridiculous to watch.

 

[BroadwayG]

I thought it was hilarious when Philly did it for one of their first plays of the game.

 

[redman]

I thought it was hilarious when Philly did it for one of their first plays of the game.

Andy Reid wanted to demonstrate that his playbook did in fact contain a hand-off to a running back.

 

[Billy Pilgrim]

is the flea-flicker. Has this play worked once since 1982?

Flea Flickers are definitely overrated. But whats even worse is the way the announcers react to flea flickers. They act as if its the final play of the Cal-Stanford game re-manifesting before their eyes. Come down folks, it doesnt work most of the time. Sheesh. Some innovative offensive coaches need to come up with some new trick plays because the old ones arent really 'tricks' anymore.

The flea flicker can still work, but you have to sell the run. I still see it done well occasionally.

 

[jon_mx]

The most overrated play in football is any play which Joey Harrington throws the ball.

 

[redman]

The most overrated play in football is any play which Joey Harrington throws the ball.

Help me out here- who exactly is rating that highly beforehand?

 

[LILB811]

i'm getting tired of the repetitive incompletion on first down followed by a run on 2nd down. if i know its coming, i'm guessing most defensive coordinators know it too.

I read this and thought to myself, "wow, sounds like the Eagles". Then I looked at your username...Flea Flicker seems to work much better with speedsters. The 3 yard dinky completion over the middle or out wide to the fullback on first down I think is very overrated. If that's the pass you're gonna throw, you might as well just run the ball and see if you can break something big on first down. If not, you still have two more chances to get it right.

 

[Thorpe]

I've never seen a TE screen work. The play I hate the most is the run up the middle on 2nd and 1.

 

[Lord Lucan]

The 3 yard dinky completion over the middle or out wide to the fullback on first down I think is very overrated.

The angle the full-back has to take, coupled with the fact that they're invariably slow, means that they either take the pass over their outside shoulder and then try to execute a tractor-style turn upfield as only a full-back can do, OR they turn to take the catch, in which case they are then left with a standing start. And, as often as not, they seem to drop the ball anyway. This play generally only seems to work as a complete surprise tactic (i.e. once or twice a season per team) and/or if the offense manages some nifty mis-direction.

 

[GroveDiesel]

At least flea flickers attempt to get the ball downfield. More often than not, especially with today's speed ends and quick outside LBs, end-arounds seem to end up fairly ineffective.

I don't know, I've seen some of the really fast WRs do well on them. Ashley Lelie was always a big threat on the end-around, and Javon Walker did pretty well on them last year, too.I do hate how everyone calls the "end-around" a reverse, though. End-arounds are bad enough plays as it is- an actual, honest-to-goodness reverse is one of the stupidest plays I've seen run in the NFL, unless you're playing the Kansas City Chiefs (who have turned overpursuit into an artform). Otherwise, you might as well snap the ball and have all 5 offensive linemen start playing while all the skill position players stand still for 2 seconds before moving. Either way, all you're accomplishing is giving the defense a nice head start.

And then you get to hear the announcers scream "IT'S A DOUBLE REVERSE!!!" Has an NFL team EVER run a double reverse?! I can't imagine that any team has actually run it and not had about a 20 yard loss.

 

[azgroover]

At least flea flickers attempt to get the ball downfield. More often than not, especially with today's speed ends and quick outside LBs, end-arounds seem to end up fairly ineffective.

I don't know, I've seen some of the really fast WRs do well on them. Ashley Lelie was always a big threat on the end-around, and Javon Walker did pretty well on them last year, too.I do hate how everyone calls the "end-around" a reverse, though. End-arounds are bad enough plays as it is- an actual, honest-to-goodness reverse is one of the stupidest plays I've seen run in the NFL, unless you're playing the Kansas City Chiefs (who have turned overpursuit into an artform). Otherwise, you might as well snap the ball and have all 5 offensive linemen start playing while all the skill position players stand still for 2 seconds before moving. Either way, all you're accomplishing is giving the defense a nice head start.

And then you get to hear the announcers scream "IT'S A DOUBLE REVERSE!!!" Has an NFL team EVER run a double reverse?! I can't imagine that any team has actually run it and not had about a 20 yard loss.

The most under rated play in pickup football is the double reverse flea flicker. Nothing gets you feeling like Mike Martz when you draw that one up in the dirt an hour before hitting the local bar for real football.

 

[Snotbubbles]

i'm getting tired of the repetitive incompletion on first down followed by a run on 2nd down. if i know its coming, i'm guessing most defensive coordinators know it too.

I read this and thought to myself, "wow, sounds like the Eagles". Then I looked at your username...Flea Flicker seems to work much better with speedsters. The 3 yard dinky completion over the middle or out wide to the fullback on first down I think is very overrated. If that's the pass you're gonna throw, you might as well just run the ball and see if you can break something big on first down. If not, you still have two more chances to get it right.

Must be an inside joke for us Eagle fans.

 

[DoubleG]

The 3rd and 9 draw play. Works like 98% of the time...if the goal was to get the punting team on the field.

BTW, this used to be a staple for the Bears in the 80's with Dennis Gentry - he'd always pick up 7-8 yards.

Edited to add: this may not be overrated - just over used.

 

[Eric]

60% of the time, it works everytime!

You sir, are a damn idiot.

Congratulations, you've just outed yourself as a clueless humorless tool.

 

[ScoobyDoo]

is the flea-flicker. Has this play worked once since 1982?

It's also one of the prettiest plays in football when it works.

 

[SSOG]

At least flea flickers attempt to get the ball downfield. More often than not, especially with today's speed ends and quick outside LBs, end-arounds seem to end up fairly ineffective.

I don't know, I've seen some of the really fast WRs do well on them. Ashley Lelie was always a big threat on the end-around, and Javon Walker did pretty well on them last year, too.I do hate how everyone calls the "end-around" a reverse, though. End-arounds are bad enough plays as it is- an actual, honest-to-goodness reverse is one of the stupidest plays I've seen run in the NFL, unless you're playing the Kansas City Chiefs (who have turned overpursuit into an artform). Otherwise, you might as well snap the ball and have all 5 offensive linemen start playing while all the skill position players stand still for 2 seconds before moving. Either way, all you're accomplishing is giving the defense a nice head start.

And then you get to hear the announcers scream "IT'S A DOUBLE REVERSE!!!" Has an NFL team EVER run a double reverse?! I can't imagine that any team has actually run it and not had about a 20 yard loss.

I have actually seen one honest-to-goodness double reverse, and it was reasonably recently- maybe 2 years ago? It was predictably blown up in the backfield.

 

[nygiants56]

is the flea-flicker. Has this play worked once since 1982?

plenty of times. as one poster said, the Giants,under Parcells, used it extensively. so did the JEts with Vinnie T under Parcells, NE, etc..it works well..

 

[Stompin' Tom Connors]

At least flea flickers attempt to get the ball downfield. More often than not, especially with today's speed ends and quick outside LBs, end-arounds seem to end up fairly ineffective.

I don't know, I've seen some of the really fast WRs do well on them. Ashley Lelie was always a big threat on the end-around, and Javon Walker did pretty well on them last year, too.I do hate how everyone calls the "end-around" a reverse, though. End-arounds are bad enough plays as it is- an actual, honest-to-goodness reverse is one of the stupidest plays I've seen run in the NFL, unless you're playing the Kansas City Chiefs (who have turned overpursuit into an artform). Otherwise, you might as well snap the ball and have all 5 offensive linemen start playing while all the skill position players stand still for 2 seconds before moving. Either way, all you're accomplishing is giving the defense a nice head start.

Glad (though not surprised, given the acumen you've shown on the boards) that you appreciate the distinction. From my experience -- and, mind you, I am basing this on absolutely no statistical proof, only subjective watching of games -- the reverse and the end-around seem to have the same low success rate. But in the rare cases where a reverse works, it usually works for a large chunk of yards because the Ds are so overpursued. Not so much with end arounds, which pretty much gain the same amount of yards a sweep or quick WR out can get.

 

[AtomicDogg97]

The punt. If it's a yard or less run the ball Nancy!

The punt is the most important play in football, according to Jim Tressel.

 

[smcindoe]

I vote for any play where the QB hands off and then pretends to throw a pass.

I've literally never seen a defensive player even twitch at that move. Not to mention the QB always oversells it to a ridiculous extent, leaping in the air and doing a full windmill throw motion, like he's Tony Fernandez circa 1985.

 

[SSOG]

From my experience -- and, mind you, I am basing this on absolutely no statistical proof, only subjective watching of games -- the reverse and the end-around seem to have the same low success rate. But in the rare cases where a reverse works, it usually works for a large chunk of yards because the Ds are so overpursued. Not so much with end arounds, which pretty much gain the same amount of yards a sweep or quick WR out can get.

As I said, I seem to recall Ashley Lelie running a mean end-around. I went and looked up his rushing stats on Pro-football-reference, and in 2005 he had 5/84/0 rushing (16.8 per). As I remember it, all 5 were end-arounds (or, at least, that's my flawed impression- we're talking about 5 plays made 2 years ago, so obviously there's a lot of fuzzy recollection going on here). Javon Walker had 9/123/1 rushing in much the same role, although the TD (and a huge chunk of the yardage) came on a run between the tackles. Still, if the running game is strong enough to sell the play fake and the WR is fast enough to hit the corner in a hurry before the defense knows what's up, the end-around can be an incredible weapon. The reverse, on the other hand, negates all of the WR's speed, because it's basically just a slower-developing end-around. The only time I've seen it work is if you do a reverse and then have the second ballhandler throw downfield, since by that time the defense has sniffed out the play and is cheating up. If the second ballcarrier holds on to the ball, though, it doesn't matter HOW fast he is- he's getting creamed.