Why was there only 1 Viking WR on that Lewis Catch? (1 Viewer)

[biggamer3]

From all they views i saw of that play, Lewis was the only WR even close to the endzone.

Where were the other WR's on that play? how could they not have been in endzone as any other completion was game over.

 

[dcgator]

I don't know, but that was supposed to be Percy Harvin running that route, not Lewis. Harvin had just run several straight go routes and was gassed. So they put Lewis in in his place for that last play. The rest is history.

 

[the_Truth]

Chillyball baby!

 

[Bandit]

Thanks for posting this, I almost posted the same topic. From the regular camera view, you can't see any other Vikings in the end zone--however, you can't see the very far right corner of the end zone, so I just assumed that this is where the other WR's must be. But today I just saw a replay from a camera behind the end zone where you can now see that hidden corner, and guess what--no Vikings there either!

Outstanding catch by Greg Lewis, and I don't think he's getting enough credit. However, why would he be running along the very back line of the end zone? If other Vikings are in the end zone, I can see how being near the end line can help to hide from the defenders; but if you're the only guy there surrounded by several defenders already, why not just run in the middle of the end zone? If that were the case, all he has to do is catch the ball and doesn't have to worry about his feet.

 

[jon_mx]

From all they views i saw of that play, Lewis was the only WR even close to the endzone.Where were the other WR's on that play? how could they not have been in endzone as any other completion was game over.

I thought there were 12 seconds left on that play. Could they not have gotten a first down? I was not watching the game, but are you sure the game would have ended?

 

[FFdork]

Maybe that's how it's drawn up? Clear out for the one guy to try to isolate, although I know from hearing Lewis that running the back line was improvisation once he saw Favre moving a bit to the right.

If it's not there I assume Favre tries to put some air under the ball so the other WRs can get in the endzone after it.

Total guess on my part.

 

[BringItOn]

Thanks for posting this, I almost posted the same topic. From the regular camera view, you can't see any other Vikings in the end zone--however, you can't see the very far right corner of the end zone, so I just assumed that this is where the other WR's must be. But today I just saw a replay from a camera behind the end zone where you can now see that hidden corner, and guess what--no Vikings there either!Outstanding catch by Greg Lewis, and I don't think he's getting enough credit. However, why would he be running along the very back line of the end zone? If other Vikings are in the end zone, I can see how being near the end line can help to hide from the defenders; but if you're the only guy there surrounded by several defenders already, why not just run in the middle of the end zone? If that were the case, all he has to do is catch the ball and doesn't have to worry about his feet.

Heard him on the radio earlier today.. He said that Havin was exhausted, so his number was called. Said the play called had him going out deep along the left side. Said he looked back, and saw Brett Rolling right, and he knew it would be tough for Brett to get him all the way across the field on the left side, so he rolled to the right, Favre saw him, and threw a laser. Rest is history.

 

[MNTom]

From all they views i saw of that play, Lewis was the only WR even close to the endzone.Where were the other WR's on that play? how could they not have been in endzone as any other completion was game over.

Heard on KFAN that the play was designed to have one player in the endzone. The other two wideouts were to run patterns on each side to the 15-20 yard line and would dumpoffs for a pass to advance ball and step out of bounds if the play to the endzone did not develop.

 

[Aaron Rudnicki]

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writ...mmqb/index.html

New Vikings hero Greg Lewis will have a place in the Favre history book -- even if he wasn't supposed to be in the game.

The Vikings may be playing a risky game with Favre, who turns 40 in two weeks, because they don't know if he can last the full season at his age. But they've now officially won one more game than they'd have won with either Sage Rosenfels or Tarvaris Jackson playing. That's because Favre pulled a Favre -- he threw a 32-yard touchdown pass to Lewis at the back of the end zone with two seconds left to beat the 49ers.

It was one of those plays that at first seemed certain to be overturned because Lewis seemed like he'd come down with at least one foot on the white end line. But in the replay, one foot comes down perilously close to the white line and the other is clearly in. There's no way ref Jerome Boger could have nullified the play.

Lewis said he wasn't supposed to be on the field for this play; Percy Harvin was supposed to be in the left slot, where Lewis lined up. "But Percy was gassed,'' Lewis told me last night. "He just ran, like, seven straight go-routes, and they needed someone to go in for him.''

With Sidney Rice and Bernard Berrian split wide, and tight end Visanthe Shiancoe just to the right of the formation, the Vikings called a four-man all-go pattern on third-and-three from the Minnesota 32 with 12 seconds left and San Francisco up 24-20.

"Just before we left the huddle,'' Lewis said, "Brett told us, 'Stay alive.' [Meaning, if he leaves the pocket, try to find an opening in the coverage where he could find one of them.] Once he breaks the pocket, we're free to go within our landmarks. So I saw him leave the pocket and I just floated toward the back of the end zone, following him as he moved to the right.'' Favre picked out Lewis because he had two steps on his man, and because desperate times call for desperate decisions.

The ball came high and fast, and Lewis went up to get it. "When it was in the air, I thought, 'This is the chance you've been waiting for,' '' said Lewis, cut by the Patriots early this month and signed by the Vikings just before the opener two weeks ago. "When I came down, I felt I wasn't in. But I tried to drag my feet, and they gave it to me.''

I asked him if he was surprised he got cut by the Patriots. "Honestly I was,'' he said. "But you have to be prepared for any situation in this league.'' Good thing he was. And when he said that, I was left to wonder if Bill Belichick wishes he had kept Lewis and cut Joey Galloway.

Read more: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2009/writ...l#ixzz0SXn7SIGa

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[Dismattle]

NFL Network is covering this play basically the defense is responsible for 4 corners of play. Food for thought it was 3rd down with 12 seconds to go, so the pass could just be thrown out of the endzone. I guess a big part of the play was Roman frozen for a moment to maintain coverage in his designated area. Supposedly had Harper broke coverage to assist with Lewis, another WR would have had a TD before Roman could tackle him. Im not sure about any commentary on this video but heres the play. I guess the big point is that this throw was a heater, as compared to what we might have seen @ 4th down... http://ballhype.com/video/brett-favre-game...-lewis-vikings/

 

[Dexter Manley]

Outstanding catch by Greg Lewis, and I don't think he's getting enough credit. However, why would he be running along the very back line of the end zone? If other Vikings are in the end zone, I can see how being near the end line can help to hide from the defenders; but if you're the only guy there surrounded by several defenders already, why not just run in the middle of the end zone? If that were the case, all he has to do is catch the ball and doesn't have to worry about his feet.

Chris Carter was saying on Mike and Mike the other morning that it's very common for defenders to forget to guard the last 2 yards of the endzone, so that's why Lewis was running along the backline.

 

[TommyGilmore]

Who needs more than 1 WR when Brett Favre is throwing the ball?

 

[bcr8f]

Outstanding catch by Greg Lewis, and I don't think he's getting enough credit. However, why would he be running along the very back line of the end zone? If other Vikings are in the end zone, I can see how being near the end line can help to hide from the defenders; but if you're the only guy there surrounded by several defenders already, why not just run in the middle of the end zone? If that were the case, all he has to do is catch the ball and doesn't have to worry about his feet.

Chris Carter was saying on Mike and Mike the other morning that it's very common for defenders to forget to guard the last 2 yards of the endzone, so that's why Lewis was running along the backline.

If that's true it's stupiid as teams often target the back line. I give Favre 40% and Lewis 60% on that play. The catch was excellent. Calling it Favre magic is dumb. More often than not his final play is an interception. Someone should research this.

 

[zDragon]

Outstanding catch by Greg Lewis, and I don't think he's getting enough credit. However, why would he be running along the very back line of the end zone? If other Vikings are in the end zone, I can see how being near the end line can help to hide from the defenders; but if you're the only guy there surrounded by several defenders already, why not just run in the middle of the end zone? If that were the case, all he has to do is catch the ball and doesn't have to worry about his feet.

Chris Carter was saying on Mike and Mike the other morning that it's very common for defenders to forget to guard the last 2 yards of the endzone, so that's why Lewis was running along the backline.

If that's true it's stupiid as teams often target the back line. I give Favre 40% and Lewis 60% on that play. The catch was excellent. Calling it Favre magic is dumb. More often than not his final play is an interception. Someone should research this.

Why is it 60% Lewis? Seems like a way to just try and take away from what Favre did all the way up to the catch. Otherwise the 60/40 number is just seems random considering everything that actually occurred on the field.Here's how I see it and I added the % breakdown from your post in. I see football as a team effort and don't ignore the other 9 on the field.

Favre (40%)

1. Avoids sack

2. Continues to extend and recognize the whole field

3. Throws 50 yards bullet that hits sprinting WR in hands (not your normal toss for interception type pass at the end of the game)

Evaluation: Great job by Favre to extend the play, find and hit the WR. He did not make a lob pray for someone to catch it pass. It was a pin-point strike for a TD.

Lewis (60%)

1. Runs his normal route

2. Recognizes Favre is in trouble and heads to his area and extends the play.

3. Makes great catch.

Evaluation: Great Job by Lewis of extending the play and recognizing what was going on in the pocket and giving Favre a chance. Excellent catch.

Line (0%)

1. Overall O-line gives Favre 7 seconds to get the pass off. Another tenth less and Favre is sacked and the play does not happen.

2. Loadholt managed to ride his guy up field enough to give Favre the extra tenth second he needed to find a WR and throw the ball

3. Interior line holds solid with no leakage into the pocket.

4. Interior lineman comes free and turns and heads back to seal back side of pocket. Not giving up on play.

Evaluation: Great job of creating the pocket and extending the play. Play doesn't happen with out them giving Favre 7 seconds to get the ball off.

RBs (%0)

1. RB picks up his guy and rides him far enough outside to let Favre avoid the sack.

2. RB once his block is defeated immediately turns and looks for ball.

Evaluation: Great pick-up on the block and just good enough push outside to allow Favre to avoid the sack. Heads up to immediatly turn and try to extend the play if Favre has to dump it since his blocking was done.

 

[Franknbeans]

There were four receivers on that play, the other three stopped short of the end zone. NFL Network broke the play down last night and they said that with so many defenders in the end zone, running shorter routes would force the defense to account for those other receivers in case they wanted to catch a short pass and try and run it in.

 

[vandyt]

No excuse for there not being 5+ SF defenders in the endzone near or at the endzone at the start of the play. All they had to do was rush 3, play zone near the sidelines 15 yards downfield, and cover the endzone.

Singletary should be ashamed.