Sponsor
Columns
Crystal Ball - HEAP'S LAW OF MOTION
Versatile TE is the X-factor in Ravens new look offense
Enlarge Text
Decrease Text
Print this Article
send this article to a friend
comment
Add This
bookmark
facebook
twitter
rss
Posted On: 6/10/07
Written By:
While Steve McNair is the epicenter of the offense, and Wills McGahee is the shiny new toy that the offensive coaches get the chance to show off, Todd Heap remains the man in motion.
Whether he shifts out of a three-point stance into a two-point receiver stance, or moves from one side of the formation to the other, or reverses course into the backfield as an H-back, defenses must take notice of where the tight end is located.
Depending on what type of defensive formation is on the field, Heap can be used by offensive coordinators Rick Neuheisel and Brian Billick as the point man to attack that particular look.
“They have to pick their poison when Heap moves around and lines up in different locations,” Neuheisel said. “Because if they don’t give him the credit he deserves by putting a great cover guy over on him, then we are going to exploit that look.”
For instance, if a safety drops into the box on first-down to hug the line-of-scrimmage, Heap can be moved off the line and into the slot to either draw out a linebacker or force the safety to reposition himself back onto his normal landmark to check the middle.
If the Ravens line up in a three-receiver set, Heap can act as the fourth receiver working from the inside. More often than not, with the formation spread and three receivers drawing a secondary’s attention, Heap will face man-to-man coverage against a linebacker or a safety, which is exactly the type of match-up that the offensive coaches are looking to exploit.
The formation of choice that Baltimore turns to in order to take advantage of Heap’s pass-catching skills is a variation of a one-wide alignment. When there is only one receiver on the field, Heap can be counted on to split out wide.
“Todd lined up at receiver somewhere between 10 and 20 times last year,” Neuheisel said. “We look to flex him, see if we can get a safety over top of him. If we get a corner over top of him, we know we’ll have match-up advantages elsewhere.”
Given Heap’s ability to function as an outside target, the coaches can be more creative in using their offensive chess pieces out of these one-wide sets. The most common single receiver formation includes two tight ends and two backs. If the Ravens want to out-muscle a defensive front, it can give a “full house” look, which is when three tailbacks are positioned in the backfield, while one tight and one receiver are flanked out wide.
However, what may end up being the most used package – especially when the offense is trying to move the chains within close quarters – is the three tight, one back and one wide formation.
“When we put three tight ends in the game with one receiver, that is our heavy personnel group. We also do it in “jumbo,” when we get close to the goal line,” Neuheisel elaborated.
A “jumbo” set consists of two fullbacks and one tailback in the backfield along with a tight end and a receiver. However, the Ravens can add their own twist to this front by lining up Heap and H-back Daniel Wilcox as the fullbacks in the backfield, as either player has the ability to motion out, while the other can stay in the backfield to block or peel out as an outlet receiver.
On that note, Heap will have the opportunity to serve as a safety valve option running out of the backfield and out of his traditional tight end spot off of the left or right side.
Specifically, there may be instances when the offense shows an empty look with four receivers off the line and Heap positioned next to a tackle. When Heap is in this role, he cannot be dismissed by the defense as a potential target of McNair, even when it appears that he is only in to block. Heap can always be used as a chip blocker – a pass-catcher who lays an initial block and then quickly releases into the open field.
The possibilities are endless. Ultimately, whether the offense bulks up or spreads out, they can execute either look, because Heap is the ultimate X Factor as a wide receiver, H-back and tight end extraordinaire.
Just don’t expect him to stay still in any of these positions before the ball is snapped.
Post your comment
«Go back to the previous page.
Enlarge Text
Decrease Text
Print this Article
send this article to a friend
Add This
bookmark
facebook
twitter
rss
Posted On: 6/10/07
Written By:
Sponsor
Polls
Press Feeds
Check us out on Twitter
- 5/21/12: All things considered is pot smoking in the #NFL really all that bad?: http://t.co/YAlJtg7s
- 5/20/12: Has the #NFL gone up in smoke?: http://t.co/FnR2tMLi
- 5/18/12: Happy 75th B-day Brooks Robinson. Remarkable in all ways. Thanks Brooks & thanks #RoyFirestone for this great tribute: http://t.co/72tSgefo
- 5/18/12: Why Foster, McCoy and Rice are equals and should be paid accordingly: http://t.co/Q1R93XNe
- 5/18/12: @theNFLchick A little birdie told me your season might start in June @BmoreChix
View all tweets & follow us!
E-News
Sign up for Email Alerts and get the best deals and news in your inbox.
Copyright © 2012 24x7 Network, LLC, All Rights Reserved
Website Design by D3Corp Ocean City Maryland
Website Design by D3Corp Ocean City Maryland