EVT-Cards digesting playbook

[BigRedRage]

May 21, 2007
Cardinals digesting playbook
Darren Urban, Tribune
Matt Leinart considered finding
the right analogy, and finally, he turned to a subject he hated in school: math.

Then the Cardinals quarterback tried to simply explain what it was like to learn a new offense.

“Say you are getting OK in algebra,” Leinart said after a voluntary organized team activity last week. “Then you are going into advance geometry. It’s still math — but a completely different language.

“It is difficult.”

With a new coach comes a new offense. That was a given once the Cards hired Ken Whisenhunt in January. Since mid-April, when the team held its initial minicamp, Whisenhunt has already repeated three installations of the base package, including during the current voluntary workouts.

Whisenhunt’s system isn’t as wordy and complex as say, Jon Gruden’s West Coast mindbender out in Tampa Bay.

But repetition is important, as is Whisenhunt’s plan to keep it “pretty basic.”

“You can’t throw (all of) it in their face and expect them to process it right away,” Whisenhunt said.

For instance, the Cardinals have yet to put in the red zone and two-minute portions of the offense. Still, Whisenhunt has been happy with how the team has picked up the concepts and how its has executed them during practice. The trepidation of the key players has also begun to subside. Wide receiver Anquan Boldin said players are concerned not only about learning the playbook but also how they will be used within the system. NFL teams can only have so many offensive concepts. A run off-tackle is a run offtackle, a post pattern a post pattern.

So players begin the transition from one offense to another by equating the previous playbook’s plays to the new playbook, slowly learning the new language. Receiver Larry Fitzgerald said Whisenhunt’s system contains code words, while former coach Dennis Green preferred numbers much of the time. Green’s offense would also flip-flop numbers based on protections.

“This is a little easier, I think,” Fitzgerald said.

That should help the oft-criticized offense line, which struggled much of last season in part because blocking schemes were not always properly developed. Tackle Oliver Ross, who played under Whisenhunt in Pittsburgh, said the system is designed to narrow a specific lineman’s duties to one of a couple of spots each play. Breaking plays down that way, rookie tackle Levi Brown added, makes the originally daunting playbook much more simple to digest. Of course, learning the plays in the classroom and pulling them off on the field are different.

“When you are home (studying), you get to really think about it,” Boldin said. “As opposed to being in the huddle, hearing a play called, having a quick pace and everyone hustling around and moving.”

The Cardinals continue their organized team activities Tuesday. Eleven remain, and with the continuing work on putting in the playbook, players’ participation, Boldin acknowledged, is “one of those voluntary, non-voluntary kind of things.”

Whisenhunt, though, insisted the process is not designed to force players to be around for non-mandatory work. It’s simply the way it patterns out. “We don’t like to slow down in training camp,” Whisenhunt said. “That’s where you find out about these guys as far as competition goes. “For them to have their best chance, you’d like to be familiar to the system.”

That’s what the past month — and the next three weeks — are about.

“I liked last year’s offense,” Leinart said. “But I think in this one … things are just simplified, for the quarterback and the offense. “It is better. You aren’t trying to overanalyze things.”

hey look, a fitz sighting!

 

[vinnymac]

If the offense is easier does that mean it is more predicable for the defense?

 

[Mulli]

If the offense is easier does that mean it is more predicable for the defense?

Not sure if it is possible for the new offense to be any more predictable.

 

[RugbyMuffin]

If the offense is easier does that mean it is more predicable for the defense?

I don't think Whiz cares about how predictable the offense is......well, at least when running the ball. He seems he will be using the "imposing his will" technique.

As for the passing game. I think Whiz has proved in year's past that his passing attack is anything but predictable.

 

[DakotaCardsFan]

“You can’t throw (all of) it in their face and expect them to process it right away,” Whisenhunt said.

For instance, the Cardinals have yet to put in the red zone and two-minute portions of the offense.

I know it's very early, but I can't help but be concerned by this. The Cards haven't had either of these for years.

 

[Duckjake]

I know it's very early, but I can't help but be concerned by this. The Cards haven't had either of these for years.

Last year they finally got their red zone offense and two minute offense going only to have Rackers miss the FGs.

 

[JeffGollin]

I understand that the new play-nomenclature uses descriptive words (vs. a numbering system used when D Green was HC). Based on personal (albeit limited) experience, I like it.

I remember how much easier it was when - instead of calling an end run "49 Right" (i.e. 4-back thru 9 hole) in the huddle - the nomenclature became "Single Wing Right - Smitty on an End Run."

And instead of just looking at playbook diagrams to figure out our assignments, we used to devote half an afternoon to "walk-thrus" of various plays.

It worked. If our players can spend less time worrying about what the numbers mean and more on executing their assignments more confidently and precisely, this is a good thing.

 

[RedStorm]

If the offense is easier does that mean it is more predicable for the defense?

Success is dependant upon execution. The off always has the upper hand in that they know the play and the def has to react. So, there is always an advantage their. Our problem has been inconsistent execution (missed blocks, missed assignments, missed snap counts, etc).

If we execute then we can be successful regardless of the simplicity. JMO