The following comment is counter to a core belief that lack of rhythm is our offense's top challenge. That said: 1) Brad Smith has been our biggest weapon this year. 2) He gets ~2-3 snaps a game under center. Defenses change their entire look when he's under center. 3) Our run game sputtered since mid-season. 4) Why not put Smith under center to simply hand off to Greene or LT? Pre-snap, a QB's job on a running play is to create the threat of the play not being a hand-off. Smith's presence might do that better than Sanchez. 5) To open the game, why not put in a simple 3-step-drop slant pass from Smith to Holmes or Edwards - who are in position to physically _dominate_ IND's CB's if left 1:1? The only answer I see to those questions is because we need our offense in rhythm - and that entails consistency under center. That said - without a run game, we haven't had that rhythm since the Denver game (except on game winning drives). And unless Rex believes something's changed that will give us that rhythm, employing our best weapon more just might make sense!
What I never understood is why we don't use him in the no-huddle. Have him line up as the slot receiver on one play, then go straight into the wildcat before the defense can bring in subs. It would be especially effective if we get 9 yards on 2nd and 10, for example. Half of the effectiveness of the wildcat is that the defensive personnel is typically unsuited to stop it when it's there. In a no-huddle, this would be the case virtually every time. Can you imagine him running the wildcat against a nickel defense? He'd get 10 yards every time. The only reason I can think of that we don't do this is because he's not as good a WR. Sad.
The other reason is probably directly related to the one you offered, which is that being the case, bringing him in as a wideout can alert the other team to the prospect that the ensuing down would be as you suggest. Not that this means it is not a good idea - perhaps the Jets might try this at a critical moment, but I don't think it is a sequence that can be used that often.
Yea, he just needs to become a better receiver to make this work. He's one of the few guys on the team that can consistently make someone miss. Actually, if he were just a little bit better RB,WR or QB, he would be soooo much more useful. Unfortunately, he's just a little short in each area, but at least he's good enough at all 3 to have carved out a nice role for himself.
Good pickup lines are like Brad Smith. You wanna use him all the time but you realize the whole reason he’s effective is using him occasionally at the right place, right time.
what else do you want the guy to do? hes used as a gunner,kickoff defend guy, kick returner, wr, rushes the ball, and can throw it.
i like the option play better. they know its coming but its one of those plays thats really hard to stop and smith knows how to run it and we block it well
Isn't someone going to create the "Make Brad Smith a backup QB' thread? Or does this count as that? He's a great utility player but FAR from being our biggest weapon. Holmes is our biggest weapon. Even missing 4 game his stats were very close to Braylon's. Brad does provide a spark here and there though, which is exactly what he's meant to do.
This I like- Brad drops back to pass, Smith is running down the sideline, BS is ready for the screen but not Brad launches a 80 yard bomb to Smith and it's complete!! Wonderful blocking by the Brad's up front.
Except Holmes has NOT been a consistent weapon this year (he has the potential to be our biggest weapon). Smith has been - on special teams and in his limited snaps. Outside of the 2 minute drill, the Jet offense has NOT been in a rhythm this year. Consistency and rhythm mean a lot - the OP's (me) underlying comment is what needs to happen to get this team into an offensive flow. I'm just not confident that our CS is able to make the tweaks to maximize our talent. If Holmes was our biggest weapon, we wouldn't have the offensive struggles that we have had.
I like this idea, but as someone said above we'd only be able to use it sparingly in a game. I'm not sure how unstopable this would be against a nickle, either. If Sanchez stays on the field as a WR, there wouldn't really be a need to keep a defender on him. That guy can move into the box to help defend against the run.
