Run, Pass, Option (RPO) Offense: Panthers Lead the Way

[Yardbird]

Nice analysis of modern Run-Pass Option (RPO) offensive schemes. It's a BR article--I know, I know--but Sobleski's writing here is well informed and he supports his points. It mentions that Chiefs & Bengals use the RPO, but features Cam and Panthers featured as the apex predators everyone keeps an eye on. Lots of good stuff for those interested in a technical football read.

An excerpt:

The Carolina Panthers, Kansas City Chiefs and Cincinnati Bengals were the biggest proponents of RPOs this past season.

The reasoning behind Carolina's offensive design is obvious: Cam Newton is an unstoppable dual-threat quarterback. The reigning MVP allows offensive coordinator Mike Shula to branch out with some of the league's most creative play-calling.

For example, two designed RPOs are shown below, yet each is quite different in how it attacks the opposing defense...

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2642541-are-rpos-the-next-big-thing-to-hit-nfl-offenses

Didn't see this posted anywhere and figured it made for some informative reading this time of year. Enjoy.

[SCP]

Let's hope Shula continues to evolve and stay a step ahead. 

[Kevin Greene]

I hope Cam can continue to make most everything Shula calls gameday look good.

[lightsout]

I was taught in high school and hold to it to this day, at any level of football: a play with 2 or more options is better than any one play with only one option. Make the defense pick what they want to take away, and take what they leave you. Even if it's only 4 yards, three 4 yard gains is all you need on any set of downs. Cam will continue to light defenses up and there's really nothing anybody can do about it as long as our OL blocks.

 

What a time to be alive, boys and girls.

[The Huddler]

i am a man not a boy

[KB_fan]

Interesting read.  Thanks for posting it.

[d-dave]

What I find interesting is how NFL offenses are better able to adjust and tailor their styles to suit their players way better than they did 10 years ago.  Like everyone ran a similar offense, and now they finally realized, "Hey, I can do what my players do best!"

With my dynamic athletes creating match up issues both on the edges and as QBs, things are very different.  That's great.  Having a guy like Cam who can break a defense with his legs and his arm is going to help us for years, even when he's not a primary rushing target.

Also, since defenders are getting faster, offenses have to try to fool them and create openings for their players.

[caatfan]

What happened to 'Shula sucks and he needs to go'? The Huddle can't be wrong, right?

I see 'know it all Dilfer' is sticking his foot in his mouth again. 

"love RPO's as change up, but as base you will never get fullness from QB"

Never say never Trent.

[KB_fan]

36 minutes ago, caatfan said:

What happened to 'Shula sucks and he needs to go'? The Huddle can't be wrong, right?

It is UTTERLY AMAZING what a 17-2 season and a trip to the Super Bowl has done to transform the Huddle, at least as in regard to comments about Shula.

I hardly recognize this as the message board I joined a year ago!

[caatfan]

7 minutes ago, KB_fan said:

It is UTTERLY AMAZING what a 17-2 season and a trip to the Super Bowl has done to transform the Huddle, at least as in regard to comments about Shula.

I hardly recognize this as the message board I joined a year ago!

The parts look a lot more solid when the whole machine is running well. 

[panthers55]

9 hours ago, SCP said:

Let's hope Shula continues to evolve and stay a step ahead. 

It isnt Shula evolving it is how much Cam continues to learn and evolve. As Cam has improved and grown so did the offense. Shula is dependent on Cam to read the various options and make the right play.  Any OC can get real creative drawing things up on paper but getting the offense to do it and having the personnel is much harder.

[Yardbird]

13 minutes ago, panthers55 said:

Any OC can get real creative drawing things up on paper but getting the offense to do it and having the personnel is much harder.

Great point. It's easy to interpret the on the field output as representing the coach's vision. But there is interplay between what is drawn up and the players' ability to execute. And vice-versa--when players execute effectively, more nuance and sophistication can be reliably added to the playbook. That's what makes Cam so fun to watch. He's expanding his mental game as much as his development physically and fundamentally.

[panthers55]

1 hour ago, KB_fan said:

It is UTTERLY AMAZING what a 17-2 season and a trip to the Super Bowl has done to transform the Huddle, at least as in regard to comments about Shula.

I hardly recognize this as the message board I joined a year ago!

I think the Huddle has begun to give up the preconceived biases and ideas that colored their perception about our offense and Shula.  Knowledgeable folks have learned that a successful offense needs a good OC and good players who take what is in the playbook and execute on the field. The process is synergistic. As Cam improves, Shula can expand and improve the offense.  As Shula gives Cam more options and allows him to make the decisions, Cam takes the offense to an ever higher level which allows Shula to be even more creative.

Sure there are posters who think that Shula hasnt changed and Cam is the one who makes Shula look good and takes his bad play calling and bails him out all the time. But as the evidence to the contrary becomes overwhelming, they stand out as lone dissenters with an agenda instead of the mainstream.  

[SCP]

4 hours ago, panthers55 said:

It isnt Shula evolving it is how much Cam continues to learn and evolve. As Cam has improved and grown so did the offense. Shula is dependent on Cam to read the various options and make the right play.  Any OC can get real creative drawing things up on paper but getting the offense to do it and having the personnel is much harder.

I was going to rip Shula but I made an attempt to speak highly of him. I think Cam has made Mike. Kuechly has also made McDermott IMO.  Just like Tom Brady has made a few OCs. The players make the coach 85% of the time.  Yes there is a synergy between the two components of an offense but a coach is going to be hard pressed to do anything without the Jimmy's and the Joe's