Rivers "Obviously" Telegraphing Snap

by Lenny Suckerpunch on Nov 6, 2009 9:23 AM PST Comment 22 comments

I couldn't hear the first moments of it, but Sal-Pal was on Colin Cowherd's show this morning previewing an upcoming ESPN show with Merril Hoge (which show, exactly, was part of what I missed). One of the things he mentioned was that Hoge was going to have a click-by-click video of how Rivers is telegraphing the snap on every single play. Paolantonio calls it "shocking" how obvious it is, and is incredulous that the coaching staff hasn't self-scouted enough to stop it. Two things: 1) if true, that is really horrendous coaching/scouting, and 2) maybe it's all the team needs to change to have much more effective run-blocking and pass protection.

This FanPost was written by a member of the Bolts From The Blue community and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Bolts From The Blue editors or SB Nation.

0 recs | Comment 22 comments | Add comment

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

I was wondering about this

I was also wondering about how much the other team has keys for where we are going to run the ball. I’ve seen several plays where it seems like all the defenders have a hat on them, but everyone is so bunched up that there are no holes.

Perhaps the self-scouting department was cut back due to the whole economy thing… We can’t run the ball because the economy sucks.

by Stephen (shaynes41) on Nov 6, 2009 9:41 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

After a little research

I believe it’s “Edge NFL Matchup” on at midnight and 4:30 am PST Saturday night/Sunday morning.

by Lenny Suckerpunch on Nov 6, 2009 10:07 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

and after a little more, maybe it's the "State Farm NFL Matchup"

I wouldn’t want to confuse sponsors for a show on in the middle of the night.

by Lenny Suckerpunch on Nov 6, 2009 10:13 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Mountain West Connection ::Above the Rest::
Bolts From The Blue ::This spot currently available for lease::
Representing the San Diego State University Aztecs, home of the 2009 College Cheerleading National Champions in the all women's division.

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Nov 6, 2009 10:17 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

As opposed

To the Raiders center who repeated his pre-snap ritual EVERY time?

I think Hoge is desperate for attention. Often, a cadence is intentionally rhythmic so that an attempt to draw the defense offsides is more effective.

When all else fails....

run Iso!

by pacstud on Nov 6, 2009 10:23 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I don't know about desperate for attention

He gets paid to analyze game tapes for a weekly show in which he and Jaworski break down about 7 or 8 different plays or sets of plays. It seems exactly in line with what his job should be.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Nov 6, 2009 10:27 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

...and maybe it's all part of the coaching staff's calculated genius

Some teams save their trick plays for better opponents later in the season. The Chargers take it 14 steps further, saving their varied snap counts/routines for later in the season. Look out when they finally unleash that beast!

by Lenny Suckerpunch on Nov 6, 2009 10:34 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

I know it's tough to hear the snap count on TV

but did you see anything in your review to suggest he’s correct?

We're boned.

by maestro876 on Nov 6, 2009 11:08 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Honest

I’ve never looked. I have noticed through every game I’ve watched on both sides that all QBs/Centers tend to get in a rhythm. Except for when they go on two, etc…

If they’re right, then I have to imagine it’s been addressed. Brady, Manning…they all have “tells” on purpose, then they whammy you.

When all else fails....

run Iso!

by pacstud on Nov 6, 2009 3:31 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

that little thing he does

with his leg maybe? that kinda swinging his foot thing>? ive never noticed anyone else ever do that

by $#%@ eli and his daddy on Nov 6, 2009 6:02 PM PST reply actions 0 recs

There are others

You see it more in college football.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Nov 6, 2009 10:09 PM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Elway would often telegraph his snap too .....

and he converted a lot of 3rd and 5s that way .Remember the head twitch and the late snap

by RTChargerfan on Nov 7, 2009 9:39 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

I just watched the show

They showed three plays. Each time Phillip was under center (i.e. not in shotgun) and he would do that pointing stuff (“Mike, mike!”) and then as soon as he squatted down the ball got snapped immediately. It happened on the famous Ray Lewis play. It happened against the Broncos where a blitzer got a running start and pressured Rivers to throw a bad pass. And it happened in the Chiefs game where a blitzing safety got a running start and tackled the running back for a loss. Presumably, it’s happened even more than that.

Personally, I would think that the majority of the time this happens is when the play clock was almost to 0 as well, but that seems to obvious for Hoge to miss. But, that’s the first thing that comes to mind when I think of Rivers going under center and getting a quick snap.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Nov 8, 2009 1:14 AM PST reply actions 0 recs

Perhaps it's the same thing Ray saw in film?

by gman87 on Nov 8, 2009 3:28 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

If those existed

He would have picked something else to analyze. I’m not sure why you are assuming that a guy who watches 60-70 hours of game film a week is incompetent in his analysis.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Nov 8, 2009 10:56 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

That was meant to be a reply to pacstud below

I had it all right and then my internet connection went kablooey.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Nov 8, 2009 10:57 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

According to Ray Lewis

He knew before the ball was snapped what the exact play call was and went for the gap that the pulling guard was going to vacate. So, if he did know the snap count, it was just icing on the cake because he knew enough to stop that play already.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Nov 8, 2009 10:58 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Which would be all well and good

Except he didn’t go through the gap vacated by the guard. If you think SalPal and Hoge watch 60 hours of film a week, I have a bridge to sell you. They aren’t incompetent, but wrong more often than “experts” should be.

Just like when the “expert” Sharpe said we ran the same play on 4th and 2 against the Ravens that we had run against the Raiders. Trap, he said. Problem is, it wasn’t trap, it was Power. 28 Power at that. Confirmed on the radio by Clary too. So my point is that these “experts” are wrong a lot. Doesn’t mean they aren’t right sometimes, too. TV is like the internet, just because something is on there, doesn’t make it fact. (This goes for my inane observations as well, of course).

When all else fails....

run Iso!

by pacstud on Nov 8, 2009 12:14 PM PST up reply actions 1 recs

Comparing Sharpe to Hoge or Jaworski?

I’m not listening anymore, your argument has entered a new realm of far fetched. Those guys study more tape in a day than Sharpe does in a year.

Wisdom can not be cultivated through ignorance of information.

by Wonko on Nov 9, 2009 10:11 AM PST up reply actions 0 recs

Now

Show the clips where he does the same thing and the ball doesn’t get snapped. As posted, Manning, Brady, Brees…all of them get into what appears to be routines. Am I the only one who remembers the infamous “Miami Stealing Brady’s Cadence”Gate?

When all else fails....

run Iso!

by pacstud on Nov 8, 2009 7:44 AM PST reply actions 0 recs