No-Huddle is No-Hassle for Flacco
Some NFL fans don't like the no-huddle offense -- I get that. It can look chaotic. With all the milling about at the line of scrimmage after a play, it can resemble 11 big guys hustling to catch a bus.
But the Ravens used it to great effect in their 30-7 win over the Denver Broncos Sunday. According to my colleague Ed Lee on the Ravens Insider blog, the Ravens went no-huddle 31 times. And that wasn't even their season-high -- they used it 42 times in their opening win over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Will they use it this Sunday against the Bengals? Seems to me they should. It's used to keep the other team's defense from changing players and switching packages. But a big key to using it effectively is to have a quarterback who's smart and able to direct the team before the snap by calling plays and making sure everyone's in the right formation.
The master of this, of course, is Peyton Manning of the Indianapolis Colts. But the Ravens' Joe Flacco is proving to be no slouch at running the no-huddle, either. While Manning, with his frantic shouting and pointing and foot-stomping, often resembles a man having some sort of breakdown, Flacco is calm and cool in assessing defenses, calling plays and checking off before the play-clock winds down.
The no-huddle seems made for him. I gotta believe the Ravens bring it back for another look this Sunday.
If they don't, they're nuts.
Comments
I agree that the Ravens use the no huddle effectively, but that the "gold standard" is still Peyton Manning. Given that Joe is only in his second year, he will improve at using this type of offense. Right now it keeps the defense from catching their breath and reading the offensive scheme. With experience, sooner or later, the Ravens will draw the flag of too many defensive players on the field.
Posted by: Anonymous | November 3, 2009 4:30 PM
Might be a little to run the no huddle at Cincy though. I liked what I saw with the pace of the offense against Denver and definitely think that helped us keep their defense off balance. Flacco can do it, but the crowd noise might make this more difficult,
Posted by: Jim Traber | November 3, 2009 5:05 PM
The Ravens 'no huddle' provides them a two advantages: 1) it limits the substitution packages by the defense, and 2) allows Cam Cameron to see the defensive set as Flacco approaches the line, enabling Cam to adjust the call before the QB headset goes dead when the play clock hits 15 seconds to go.
Posted by: tommyBob | November 3, 2009 7:51 PM
Delaware runs a no-huddle attack 80% of the time. Sure, the offense is a little different, but his comfort with the no huddle comes from this being his fifth year using it.
Posted by: Blue Hen | November 3, 2009 10:28 PM
What no huddle?
O.K. everyone,here's the no huddle,but we'll wait to you get all your players off the field before we hike the ball.
What no huddle?
Posted by: fireladdie72 | November 4, 2009 7:26 AM
i'm with fire laddie. they should have hiked the ball when the Broncos had about 22 guys on the field on that one play.
Posted by: jemaine | November 4, 2009 9:11 AM