Thoughts on the bootleg/rollout

[WarnerToBruce]

Mods: This is not a Goff thread. This is not a McVay thread. This is a bootleg/rollout thread.

Buried in hundreds of posts related to this last Whiner game is the frustration around getting Goff out of the pocket, and the perception that this is a good thing for our offense. I wanted to dig in and see what the numbers tell us. First, let's start after we gauged them with this tactic last year, to the point that they instituted a special defensive scheme just to stop us from using it. Any numbers before that are not relevant since this was supposedly addressed...

In the interest of full disclosure, I have posted on this before and seem to have an unhealthy obsession with the use of this play. Especially when considering the 9ers, whom I have hated with a passion ever since we stopped being able to beat them twice per year (i.e. pre-Montana). As an example, here is what I posted after our first meeting with the Whiners.

Couple of things I couldn't figure out.

1) They instituted a special bootleg defense because we smoked them with this last time. We don't run it AT ALL? We just assume they got this covered now? I mean, I bet that Warner dude flying around might have been neutralized if he was burned a few times.
...

Now let's look at yesterday's game to compare perception with reality. Here is every drive/play where rollout/bootleg was used.

1st Drive: No bootlegs, ends in Brown fumble.
2nd Drive:
2nd and 7 from Rams 32 yard line - Woods completion, gain of 30 yards.
1st and 10 from 9er 38 yard line - Goff rolls out for 2 yard gain.
Ends in FG.
3rd Drive: No bootlegs, ends in Sherman INT.
4th Drive: No bootlegs, ends in punt.
5th Drive: No bootlegs, ends in punt.
6th Drive: No bootlegs, ends in punt.
7th Drive: No bootlegs, ends in Goff fumble.
HALFTIME
8th Drive: No bootlegs, ends in Goff pick-6.
9th Drive: No bootlegs, ends in punt.
10th Drive:
1st and 10 Rams 27 yard line - Goff rolls out for 6 yard gain.
Ends in punt.
11th Drive: No bootlegs, ends in FG.
12th Drive: No bootlegs, ends with Akers TD.
13th Drive:
2nd and 6 from Rams 18 yard line - Woods completion, gain of 12 yards.
Ends in punt.
14th Drive: No bootlegs, ends in punt.
END OF GAME

What does this tell us?

Well, they ran it 4 more times than the last game against them, with an average of over 12 yards. I guess that's progress.

I must admit, I thought we were MUCH more successful early, I hadn't realized we only tried this twice in the first half. That was enlightening. Another takeaway from breaking it down, was that we never rolled Goff out on 3rd and short. Given the number of 3rd and shorts we failed to convert, I find this baffling. Especially considering the defense that shut us down on those plays included stunts that would have been vulnerable.

Those of you who have GamePass, this "Condensed Game" mode of looking at all the plays without commercials or announcer chatter in between, is a great way to separate your initial impression from reality. In this case, it only confirmed for me what I posted in GDT as it happened (or didn't happen)...

Thoughts?

 

[KJD_Ram]

Use it...Goff seems to be able throw on the run and if no one is open , he's out of the pocket for a throw away...He seems a bit rushed in the pocket...I'm not sure if he's not fully confident with Boom or what, but something is off...

 

[Merlin]

Bootlegs get dimishing returns. They're easily stopped by the edge playing contain correctly, barring the QB having insane elusiveness which Goff does not have.

Fans see a bootleg work and are like "WHY AREN'T WE DOING THIS EVERY PLAY?????" Well, because it won't work if you run it every play.

 

[Merlin]

I'm not sure if he's not fully confident with Boom or what, but something is off...

I think you just summarized it nicely. He lost his security blanket at LT, the loss of Whit was huge. From here on out it's about survival in the standings to get in the playoffs and hopefully get Whit back. That's where we're at IMO.

If we don't get Whit back we're cooked.

 

[Kevin]

My opinion, Goff needs to improve on going through his progressions and finding the second or third option receiver. He stares down his primary target when he stays in the pocket and waits for him to get open. Maybe that’s why Kupp has so few receptions, Goff is trying to throw to the outside receivers too much. When he is locked-on to the primary receiver, he is oblivious to the rush and holds the ball too long and gets hit and fumbles. That is, if he doesn’t force the ball to the primary receiver and throw a pick.

After four years as the starter, he should be able to do this by now.

 

[thirteen28]

I think you just summarized it nicely. He lost his security blanket at LT, the loss of Whit was huge. From here on out it's about survival in the standings to get in the playoffs and hopefully get Whit back. That's where we're at IMO.

If we don't get Whit back we're cooked.

Thing is, it's not like Boom was a disaster yesterday. No, he's no Whit, but I haven't seen him as a big liability either. If Goff is lacking confidence in Boom, is it really justified? Boom sure didn't cause any problem for him against Tampa Bay, so one would think Goff would have somewhat a comfort level with him going into this game.

Again, I know Boom isn't Whit ... but he sure as hell isn't Jason Smith or Alex Barron either.

 

[Merlin]

Thing is, it's not like Boom was a disaster yesterday. No, he's no Whit, but I haven't seen him as a big liability either. If Goff is lacking confidence in Boom, is it really justified? Boom sure didn't cause any problem for him against Tampa Bay, so one would think Goff would have somewhat a comfort level with him going into this game.

Again, I know Boom isn't Whit ... but he sure as hell isn't Jason Smith or Alex Barron either.

Boom's been solid in pass pro. The biggest dropoff has been the run game. But Goff is already a bit of a sketchy guy with a rush, so of course losing a guy playing at Whit's level will impact the QB. Just pointing out that probably factors in a bit.

We need Whit back.

 

[RamsFanCK]

Wouldn’t rolling him away from Boom help if the rush was getting home to quickly from that side? I’d assume it would but ya’ll are way more knowledgeable than I am lol

 

[thirteen28]

Boom's been solid in pass pro. The biggest dropoff has been the run game. But Goff is already a bit of a sketchy guy with a rush, so of course losing a guy playing at Whit's level will impact the QB. Just pointing out that probably factors in a bit.

We need Whit back.

Sure, I want Whit back. But I don't want his absence to be an excuse either. If Boom is solid in pass pro, then there is no reason for that to excuse a bad day by Goff yesterday. And to be fair, Goff shit the bed in the first 9er game and against Miami with a healthy Whit.

 

[Merlin]

Sure, I want Whit back. But I don't want his absence to be an excuse either. If Boom is solid in pass pro, then there is no reason for that to excuse a bad day by Goff yesterday. And to be fair, Goff shit the bed in the first 9er game and against Miami with a healthy Whit.

Dude all I'm saying is this team will fall short for sure, IMO, without Whit. With Whit I think they have a chance, as good a chance as anyone assuming they can get into the playoffs.

Whit was playing at an elite level in the pass and run game. Boom can't touch that shit. That matters. It matters to the QB, to the playcaller, and to the rest of the guys on that unit.

 

[thirteen28]

Dude all I'm saying is this team will fall short for sure, IMO, without Whit. With Whit I think they have a chance, as good a chance as anyone assuming they can get into the playoffs.

Whit was playing at an elite level in the pass and run game. Boom can't touch that shit. That matters. It matters to the QB, to the playcaller, and to the rest of the guys on that unit.

Fair enough, Whit was playing great. But I think we could have won yesterday without him and with Boom, comfortably. The margin between victory and defeat lies somewhere else.

 

[dang]

I am coming to the realization the offense will not be consistent this year. I hope they improve over the final 5 weeks but I cannot and will not count on them consistently moving the ball. As a result I expect them to get a wild card playoff spot, win a game looking good them promptly lose a game they could have won. Next year is another story. I expect them to add run blocking strength and find a big WR to take the place of Reynolds and give us red zone prowess.

 

[Ramlock]

Wouldn’t rolling him away from Boom help if the rush was getting home to quickly from that side? I’d assume it would but ya’ll are way more knowledgeable than I am lol

From memory, most of the boots are back to the right and away from the RDE and the OLT...in other words, rolling him away from Boom is what they do already.

The right DE has to run across the field to catch or pressure him.

Bootlegs get dimishing returns. They're easily stopped by the edge playing contain correctly, barring the QB having insane elusiveness which Goff does not have.

Fans see a bootleg work and are like "WHY AREN'T WE DOING THIS EVERY PLAY?????" Well, because it won't work if you run it every play.

Yet team's LDE constantly crash down on the play action fake and rarely "stay at home" it seems.

I don't believe @JackAttack85 is calling for the bootleg on every play but four times against the whiners is making it a rarely used facet of the overall run game/play action game.

Even when the timing is rushed by the LDE playing contain, Goff has made plays throwing to the first and second level receivers and almost never takes a sack. At worst, he throws it out of bounds because he's out of the tackle box.

 

[WarnerToBruce]

I don't believe @JackAttack85 is calling for the bootleg on every play but four times against the whiners is making it a rarely used facet of the overall run game/play action game.

Even when the timing is rushed by the LDE playing contain, Goff has made plays throwing to the first and second level receivers and almost never takes a sack. At worst, he throws it out of bounds because he's out of the tackle box.

You win!

 

[RamsFanCK]

From memory, most of the boots are back to the right and away from the RDE and the OLT...in other words, rolling him away from Boom is what they do already.

The right DE has to run across the field to catch or pressure him.

Yet team's LDE constantly crash down on the play action fake and rarely "stay at home" it seems.

So I was right in my thinking that a bootleg away from Boom would negate him a bit as a liability. Cheers

 

[Merlin]

Yet team's LDE constantly crash down on the play action fake and rarely "stay at home" it seems.

I don't believe @JackAttack85 is calling for the bootleg on every play but four times against the whiners is making it a rarely used facet of the overall run game/play action game.

Even when the timing is rushed by the LDE playing contain, Goff has made plays throwing to the first and second level receivers and almost never takes a sack. At worst, he throws it out of bounds because he's out of the tackle box.

You can only use it so much, especially against a whiners team who knows us well and how to defend it (they put a special defensive call together after our second game vs them last season due to us using it so much in fact). Used sparingly it can get you key down/distances when you really need them. Could he have called some more? Sure. Would they have all worked? Maybe. But I'll point out that there is danger too with bootlegs, danger of sacks and strips when they're anticipated.

Lastly as has been discussed before around here with Goff is that he's got to get settled in this pocket for us to have a chance. He's gotta have the mentality of dishing it quick, with that mental clock thing, and that's a big problem for him. We saw him do it vs Tampa and Seattle quite well, then he regressed. But he's gotta keep working that.

This year Goff has a lot more on his mind at the LOS. He's making protection calls, adjusting play calls, etc. It's a lot and he's still a young QB doing it for basically the first time this year. These aren't excuses they're reality. We're going to go so far as Goff can grow and take us. McVay can't do those things that the QB has to do. He can't scheme in enough things to keep Goff insulated. But the good thing is Goff has shown he can do it, just needs to keep raising that bar.

 

[Elmgrovegnome]

I think you just summarized it nicely. He lost his security blanket at LT, the loss of Whit was huge. From here on out it's about survival in the standings to get in the playoffs and hopefully get Whit back. That's where we're at IMO.

If we don't get Whit back we're cooked.

I don’t think fans are asking for it on every play. But 4 times in an entire game is not much especially when Goff is better rolling out than any QB in the league. I’d like to see it a few more times a game. I also think it’s necessary to back pressure off the line.

I also think the loss of Cooks speed is hindering the offense. It allows more defenders to play intermediate and closer causing more confusion for Goff.

I also think we’ve seen Goff at his very best when he had all day to throw through most of 2018. This current line who many here have hailed as being very good cannot give him that kind of time. It’s deceiving how improvement can look like greatness, when it follows very poor Oline play from a season before. This problem, this Goff problem won’t be fixed unless they can find a few studs on the Oline.