Why does our 5'6" receiver not do more comeback routes?
It has been an aggravation of mine over the many years that I have watched football.
There should be more " playground " ball in the NFL.
For one thing, players give up on plays.
Keep running, WRs.
Continue blocking, linemen - as well as anyone else without the ball.
But when it comes to WRs ( or any receiver position) and QBs, there should be more ad lib plays.
The back shoulder pass is a part of this, but this play is now common.
And the comeback route is something that we should be seeing a lot more.
How many times have you seen an interception that could easily have been avoided by the receiver coming back for the ball?
Short, medium and long plays - cut your route short quickly and immediately head back towards the QB, or to the open area.
And I say " THE open area " because more often than not, there will be an open area somewhere.
Of course, this type of play is more viable when players have been together a while.
I know - this is the pros, and this kind of play may be discouraged, but today's very successful QBs excel at improvisation.
My point is that coaches should CALL improv plays.
Make them part of the playbook.
I guess I'm saying, primarily, that there is plenty opportunity during a game for what you could call a " trick play " - like one where it's 1st and goal on the 8 yard line ;
the WR is near one corner of the end zone ;
he is covered ;
so he takes off towards the middle of the end zone ;
the defender goes with him ;
the QB, who may be scrambling, but can still see downfield, throws the ball HIGH BACK TO THE CORNER THAT THE WR just left ;
the WR stops suddenly WITHOUT LOOKING TO WHERE THE BALL IS HEADING ;
he cuts back to the corner, where he catches the ball, that hung in the air a while because of the extra high pass, while his defender is no where near him.
As kids, we pulled plays like this all of the time.
Playground ball.
Or how about, say on a post pattern, the WR acts as though the ball is already approaching him by lifting his arms up, when the ball is actually going to land another ten yards up the field.
The defender takes the fake, slows down a little, and this is all the time the WR needs to lose the defender and make a wide open catch.
I'm sure this stuff happens in the NFL, but I think it should be more prevalent.
Bit going back to the issue that brought this short novel on, comeback plays are something that receivers need to always be aware of.
As well as QBs.