Staley On Playaction Pass...

[YaKNow11]

Staley made a statement few months back, that you dont need a running game to set up the play action pass.... which seems pretty weird to me in so many ways...

Is there any other context to this statement?

[Bolt-O]

I remember that statement. I think he was alluding to the 'threat' of a running game as being enough to set up the play action. Welcome to the Powder Blues.

[chargeroo]

Staley made a statement few months back, that you dont need a running game to set up the play action pass.... which seems pretty weird to me in so many ways...

Is there any other context to this statement?

I saw Willie McGinest on NFL Network just a couple of days ago and he said if the opponent doesn't run the ball, they ignore the play action.

[YaKNow11]

I remember that statement. I think he was alluding to the 'threat' of a running game as being enough to set up the play action. Welcome to the Powder Blues.

He straight up said you don't need to be a good running team to have effective play action. The running game has nothing to do with play action.

[Xenos]

He straight up said you don't need to be a good running team to have effective play action. The running game has nothing to do with play action.

Yes, he’s correct in this regards. You don’t need a good running game to set up play action per the data. But you still need a running game for other reasons:

What I think that the running game does for a quarterback is it gives you some breathers,” Staley said. “You don’t need a good running game to be a good play-action team, but what you need the running game for is the physical element of the game. There’s a physicality to the game that’s real, right? If you’re just a passing team, there’s a physical element to the game that the defense doesn’t have to respect. And that’s the truth. Because the data will tell you that you don’t need a run game to play pass. You don’t need that.

“But what the running game does for you, it brings a physical dimension to the football game. And what the running game does that the passing game does not, is the running forces the defense to play block and to tackle. That happens on a run play — You must play blocks and you must tackle. In the passing game, those things don’t need to happen, right? You don’t have to play as many blocks. And you may not have to tackle based on incomplete or not. So what the running game does is it really challenges your physicality and that’s why I think the run game is important to a quarterback. It’s literally going to allow him to have more space to operate when you do throw the football.”

[YaKNow11]

Yes, he’s correct in this regards. You don’t need a good running game to set up play action per the data. But you still need a running game for other reasons:

For other reasons besides the PA... lol

[Berserker76]

Yes, he’s correct in this regards. You don’t need a good running game to set up play action per the data. But you still need a running game for other reasons:

Agree with this.

[BearWithJetpack]

I read some statistics a few seasons ago that indicated that play action has a positive impact on the passing game even if the running game is performing poorly. Not as strongly as when the running game is gashing, but it was still positive for the offense.

Play action kicks ass. Only problem is if your QB is getting killed because of the increased time to set up the play. But if you can protect the man, it should be worth running whether or not you can run that game.

[Xenos]

For other reasons besides the PA... lol

Believe it or not, a lot of HCs still believe that you need a good running game to set up PA.

[foreigner]

To me this is only more proof of Telesco's failures.. he hasnt been able to provide Staley a good RB stable and Staley has to bullshit us to hide the roster shortcomings...

[YaKNow11]

Believe it or not, a lot of HCs still believe that you need a good running game to set up PA.

Which is weird why Staley would say the opposite regardless of data....

[Xenos]

Which is weird why Staley would say the opposite regardless of data....

Why would it be weird? Staley is an analytical guy who is forward thinking. It’s why he was hired and why I’m glad he was hired especially after having someone like Lynn. I expect him to say things that run counter to the old ways of the past. It’s why he’ll go for it on 4th down even on his own side of the field.