Guest Blog: Questions While Watching a Struggling Atlanta Falcons Team

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Editor’s Note: I’m totally late posting this. Web site needed some updates and I got behind. This post was written before the Falcons played without all 3 weapons in Jones, Snelling, and White.  Obviously, all of us Falcons fans are reeling over this season falling apart but can you imagine this happening your first season watching football? I feel bad lol. 

So the Falcons won against Tampa Bay! Which is a good thing because at this point we should be grateful for any win. At the same time Tampa has not won any games so far into the season so we should have won that game anyway. Then again the Falcons let the Jets beat them so… Well at this point anything happen. (Yes, that was shade)

But I’m not going to talk about that today. I actually want to talk about something else that has been bothering me for a long time. I want to talk about the plays. Whenever I catch a football game I always see people drawing X’s, O’s, and little lines on the screen but I’m often confused on why they need all that to make a play.  

Wait! Don’t leave yet. Hear me out before you leave.

What I’m about to say maybe a horrible comparison but I feel like this needs to be said.  I remember when I played basketball my coach told us that the fastest way to get down the court was to go straight. Don’t stop and collect two hundred, don’t go around everybody, just keep straight and you will make it to the to other side.

Does that concept not apply to football as well? Lately when I watch football games I’m confused as to why whoever is running the ball always seems to run around the defense instead of trying to run straight though. I mean wouldn’t it be quicker if they kept straight instead just running around one hundred other players?

Now of course I know whoever is running the ball can’t just straight up run through the defense like they aren’t going to hit. However if the offensive line has good blockers and the blockers actually do what they are supposed to do couldn’t that be possible to just run straight down the field?

Am I on to something or do I just sound like a complete idiot?  Please let me know.

I’ve asked others who have more football knowledge and I’ve been told that it is impossible. But is it really? Is it really impossible for blockers to do what they are suppose to do so the receiver or the quarter back can make it down the field? Is this concept really that simple?

 OR.

Are these plays necessary?