What do you guys think of this write up? First off a screen play is an outside behind the scrimmage pass play. It's designed to take advantage of aggressive defenses. It does this by allowing D-Linemen to penatrate and then throwing outside their penatration. The receiver can either be a running back (the traditional screen) or a wide receiver (the bubble screen).
Here is an animation of a bubble screen
http://static.espn.go.com/ncf/football101/BubbleScreen.swf
here is an animation of a traditional screen
http://static.espn.go.com/ncf/football101/SlowScreen.swf
Now here some links to some good articles covering the screen pass. Also I would love to get some input from some of the other Xs and Os guys
http://espn.go.com/ncf/columns/davie/1433797.html
http://www.footballoutsiders.com/2007/08/06/ramblings/strategy-minicamps/5260/
The first play is the one New England had so much success with this year. Outside receiver runs a quick slant (and the player defending him follows) and blocks on the player covering the inside receiver. This leaves the inside receiver space as he catches the ball.
Since the catch is behind the Line of Scrimmage, there is no pass interference against the outside receiver for blocking while the ball is in the air. (Someone check me on this.)
Bama,
I know that's the college rule, but I am not sure what it is in the pros.
Here is a nice video using Madden Football to illustrate a screen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfcMM2JWV6c
Here is a very simplified explanation, again using Madden:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfcMM2JWV6c
bgf, in college football, offensive players are allowed to block downfield while the ball is in the air if the ball is caught behind the line of scrimmage. In the NFL, you are not allowed to block downfield while the ball is in the air regardless of where it is caught.
I think the ESPN writeup is a good one which covers the basics common to most NFL teams.
With more teams playing a spread offense, we see more middle screen which is similar to the bubble screen, but instead of being executed to one side of the field or another, the receiver continues his route to the middle of the field and then follows his linemen up the middle of the field..
Some teams are good at running screens and others are not. Obviously, personnel may be a factor in it. I can't recall a time when the Giants ran more screens, with more success than during the brief time when Kurt Warner and Tiki Barber were paired in the Giants backfield. They continued to run them with Eli, but to a lesser extent, and after Tiki with even less frequency. But, whatever the personnel, the real key to success is having a commitment to it as an integral part of your offense. It takes a lot of practice for the players to be able to execute them well and with confidence, and for an OC to be comfortable incorporating them in his plan and in calling them.
Cheers!