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A look at the upcoming week in the NFL, from the players on the field to the fans in the stands
06 Jan 2006
Too Deep Zone: The Big Jaworski
by Mike Tanier
Football paradise is tucked away in a nondescript corporate park in Mount Laurel, New Jersey. That's where NFL Films headquarters is located, and where some of the most innovative football programming is produced. It's the home of the NFL Network, and it's where one of our favorite shows -- NFL Matchup, featuring Ron Jaworski and Merril Hoge -- is developed each week.
Few outsiders ever venture to NFL Films. But last Tuesday, two Outsiders had an all-access pass to watch as Jaworski and the Matchup team studied film and pre-produced the show. Aaron Schatz and I spent a whole day watching tape and talking to the man many of us think is the most insightful commentator in the mainstream football media.
Football Film Central
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| Emmys, available in the NFL Films gift shop for $5.99. They've got plenty. |
The first things visitors see when they enter the NFL Films lobby are the Emmys: dozens of them, lined up in an enormous trophy case. Beyond the trophies, everything is football. The NFL Network plays constantly on high-def televisions throughout the complex. The walls are lined with artwork and framed newspaper headlines celebrating the game's past and present. Even the trays in the cafeteria are decorated with reprints of old football cards. The two-story facility houses offices, studios, and a massive film editing center.
Matchup is taped on Friday, but the show is developed in Ron Jaworski's second-floor office on Tuesday. His nameplate reads Ron Jaworski -- Kansas City Chiefs, but the office is filled with reminders of his Philadelphia football past (pictures with local legends Tug McGraw and Julius Erving) and present (a pennant for the AFL's Philadelphia Soul). The office contains several computer consoles and lots of chairs, but Jaws does most of his work in front of a large television equipped with a high-tech tape player.
Jaws is intense and animated on screen, but in person he's laid back. He watches game film with his feet up, rewinding the footage with a remote control and highlighting the action with a laser pointer. Producer Greg Cosell is at his side throughout the process; writers/editors Brett Mucklow, Nick Murphy, and Luke Hadden are on hand, along with Associate Producer Greg Smith, to serve as spotters and to take notes during what Cosell calls Jaworski's "stream of consciousness."
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| The Dude abides. |
Merril Hoge is not present. He telecommutes from his home in West Virginia; there, he breaks down film and sends Cosell detailed notes about what he plans to cover. Cosell and Jaws have been reviewing notes and stats from the previous week's games to determine the Week 17 storylines for NFL Matchup. The success of the Cowboys' running game against the Panthers (and the Panthers' defensive problems) tops their priority list. Cosell finds the game film of the Cowboys offense and the official play-by-play of the game, and the study session begins.
The game film is spliced so that every Cowboys offensive play can be seen from two angles: sideline and end zone. (There are three tapes per game: each team on offense, and a third with all special teams plays.) Between each play, a shot of the scoreboard indicates the score, down and distance. The two angles allow Jaws, Cosell, and their crew to see everything: the formations, the blocking patterns, the pass routes, and the coverage schemes.
Jaws watches a play, rewinds, and watches again. As he breaks down the Cowboys offense, he sometimes scrutinizes mundane three-yard runs five or six times from each angle. His comments are funny, off the cuff, and sometimes a little blue; Matchup's gentle rapprochements ("he has to seal that edge more effectively") are far less gentle during the film breakdown.
Cosell screened the footage on Monday, and he also read the local Dallas and Carolina newspapers for insights into the game. The show's staff knows that Dan Morgan was hurt early in the game and that Julius Peppers said in postgame interviews that players blew assignments. Cosell and the spotters offer observations and insights as Jaws rewinds and replays. Aaron and I chime in once in a while. Sometimes, we even offer something useful.
Pictures Don't Lie
The behind-the-center camera angle and the rewind button lay football's intricacies bare. The chaos we see in the stands or on television is suddenly organized and orchestrated. After several replays, we can see double-teams and combo blocks, with linemen peeling off to hammer linebackers. Defenders peek into the backfield, overrun gaps, or drop into zones. Defensive slants and offensive traps are precise and choreographed. Every off-tackle run can be broken down into myriad components: adjustments, battles, defeats, mistakes.
As the Cowboys execute their offense, the Matchup team watches guard Larry Allen manhandle Panthers defensive tackle Jordan Carstens on play after play. They watch the Panthers switch to defensive line slants to protect Carstens and fill gaps. We see overload blitzes as the Panthers attack Cowboys right tackle Rob Petitti, who doesn't have a prayer of stopping Julius Peppers. The Cowboys counter by putting Dan Campbell and Jason Witten on one side of the formation.
Jaws isn't scouting individual players or breaking down individual plays. He's looking for storylines. Cosell and Jaworski agree that the Cowboys are executing a very simple offense in an effort to protect Drew Bledsoe and wear down the Panthers defense. That plan becomes more effective after Morgan gets hurt. On Julius Jones' long second quarter run, we can see miscommunication among the Panthers defenders; fullback Lousaka Polite goes in motion, but no defender adjusts as Chris Draft (Morgan's backup) and other defenders point and argue just before the snap. Jaws orders that the play be marked as a possible Matchup entry.
In the fourth quarter, the Cowboys line up with two wide receivers to the left of the formation, two tight ends to the right. What's interesting is that the ball is aligned on the left hashmark: Terry Glenn and Keyshawn Johnson are on the short side of the field, with little room to maneuver. Why didn't Cowboys coordinator Sean Payton flip the formation? The answer is simple: the two tight ends are on the right to protect Petitti. Sure enough, both stay in to block while Glenn runs an out 'n' up and Keyshawn a dig route. The routes are difficult to execute on the crowded left side of the formation, but a Panthers defender drops too deeply into his zone, and Drew Bledsoe rifles a perfect pass to Keyshawn.
That play is highlighted on the show the next weekend; it demonstrates the basic adjustments that teams make to cover their weaknesses, and it shows how committed the Cowboys are to protecting their strong-armed passer.
Thinking Fan's Television
NFL Matchup first aired on ESPN in 1984, during the network's CFL and women's volleyball era. Back then, it was Monday Night Matchup, hosted by Chris Berman. Allie Sherman, the Giants coach in the 1960s, provided the analysis, along with NFL Films head Steve Sabol. Zenith was the sponsor. The show used television tape back then; game film didn't arrive until 1994.
Jaworski came aboard in 1990, and with Jaws came the show's signature X's and O's style. The hosts have changed -- Chris Myers, Mark Malone, Suzy Kolber, and now Sal Palantonio -- along with the analysts, who included everyone from Phil Simms to Charles Mann until Merril Hoge joined the team in 1997. But most fans tune in to watch Jaworski break down film.
Cosell has seen the sports marketplace change during his years with the program. The Internet has changed fan expectations for a pregame show. "We have to give people something they can't get anyplace else," he says. Other football programs have resorted to gimmicks, from comedians to cute weatherbabes, as fans now reach for the mouse to get the information that Brent Musburger and Irv Cross once provided. But Matchup is the only place to find in-depth analysis of football tactics.
For Jaworski and Cosell, Matchup is clearly a labor of love. They don't have many positive things to say about other pregame shows, which are marred by an info-tainment mentality. Jaws dutifully does sideline reporting for ESPN, but he has turned down opportunities to do color commentary in the past (he is in the booth for some Eagles preseason games). He has also turned down some coaching jobs. Cosell produces other shows for NFL Films, including the Greatest Games series, and does some analysis for independent scouting services. But Matchup is their chance to really study the game and educate fans.
"Fans have access to results," Jaworski says, noting that talk radio callers assume that every bad play on the field results from a bad coaching decision. Matchup gives fans access to something else; serious fans enjoy thirty minutes of commentary that cuts through the cliches and explains the specifics of why plays and game plans succeed or fail.
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| From left: Aaron Schatz, Ron Jaworski, Mike Tanier, Greg Cosell. |
Primitive Football
Smashmouth football ruled in Week 16. After watching the Cowboys film, the Matchup team switches to the Giants-Redskins game. Like the Cowboys, the Redskins like to run the ball and provide extra protection for their quarterback. Jaws will make a comment about the Giants defense for the show. "I think it's fair to say that the Giants play outstanding 'team' defense," Cosell offers after we watch the Redskins get stuffed several times. Jaws agrees. Cosell also takes note of Giants linebacker Nick Greisen, who makes several outstanding plays throughout the game.
Mistakes were rare but calamitous for the Giants defense against the Redskins. We review Santana Moss' second quarter touchdown several times. Free safety Brent Alexander steps up to cover a tight end when it seems obvious that he should be helping Will Allen against Moss. Cosell is curious if Curtis Deloatch made a mistake; after the touchdown, he appears to be pointing and discussing something with Allen in the endzone. After a dozen replays, it's clear that Deloatch was responsible for Clinton Portis, then turned and hustled when he saw that Allen was beaten. Jaws wonders about Alexander's responsibilities on the play; before lunch, he leaves a message with Giants defensive coordinator Tim Lewis to see if the coach is willing to talk about what happened. This is the kind of play where coaches film is necessary. On television, it looks like Will Allen is at fault, but the all-22 film shows that blame is a bit more complex.
The Moss touchdown won't be featured on NFL Matchup because it's not indicative of what the Giants normally do. Instead, Jaws focuses on the play in which Mark Brunell was injured. The Giants blitz with two linebackers, but when the Redskins counter with max protection, two more defenders attack Brunell. Nose tackle Fred Robbins can be seen crossing his blocker's face, forcing a double team. Alexander, blitzing because of the extra protection, attacks Portis' left shoulder. Another linebacker attacks the guard's right shoulder, creating a big lane for Greisen that leads right to Brunell. It's a perfect example of Cosell's team defense concept: Robbins and Alexander sacrifice themselves for Greisen, and everyone stays in his lane.
The Redskins offense is followed by the Bucs offense as the day-long session rolls on. Again, power running is the theme. The Bucs use two or three tight ends on every play. Jaws is impressed by the fact that Jon Gruden, a pass-oriented coach, has embraced "primitive" offense out of necessity. He's also impressed by Cadillac Williams, and by Chris Simms, who Jaws says "has matured more in every game." And while it's clear that neither Tampa tackle is effective as a pass blocker, he notes that the Bucs line is effective when blocking straight ahead and double-teaming defenders.
At one point, Michael Pittman takes a handoff on third-and-2, but gains just one yard. Rewinding the tape, Jaws shows us a clear space on the outside; one move to the right, and Pittman could have broken free for a huge gain. "He might still be running right now," says Jaws, "and those little things in a game make the difference."
It's also interesting to see that Joe Gibbs and Jon Gruden, even when playing power football, get creative with formations. Washington runs one play that starts as a four-man I-formation before Chris Cooley motions out, leaving the usual QB-FB-HB setup. Tampa Bay runs a play with an inverted wishbone that has Joey Galloway at the halfback position.
Stats and Scouting
While watching the Bucs footage, Jaws asks a spotter to find out how many times Cadillac rushed for four or more yards. The answer confirms that the Bucs are efficiently overwhelming the Falcons offense. The "four or more yards" figure is similar to Football Outsiders' Success Rate stat, and it shows that the Matchup team often uses statistics in conjunction with film study.
Jaws and Cosell are skeptical about the way statistics are usually used in football commentary. They are as frustrated as any FO reader when they hear the old standard that "the team is 15-0 when such-'n'-such gains 100 yards." They agree in principle with many of FO's statistical discoveries, like the fact that total fumbles are a more relevant stat for an offense or player than fumbles lost.
After watching the Tampa offense, Jaws and the crew begin to break down the Tampa defense. During the changeover, Aaron and I discuss some new statistics for the site and/or Pro Football Prospectus 2006. One basic plan involves separating defensive tackles into tackles against the run and the pass, allowing readers to determine whether a cornerback like Ronde Barber is stepping up in run support or bringing down receivers after catches.
| Cornerbacks with Most Run Plays, 2005 | |||
| Player | Team | Run Plays |
Stop Rate |
| R.Barber | TB | 48 | 63% |
| R.Hill | OAK | 42 | 62% |
| N.Clements | BUF | 33 | 36% |
| D.Robinson | HOU | 32 | 53% |
| T.McGee | BUF | 32 | 41% |
| S.Spencer | SF | 31 | 42% |
The suggestion grabs Jaworski's attention. "You can do that?" he asks. He thinks it would be a great analytical tool; too often, he says, a defensive back with high tackle totals is called a "great tackler" when he's really a guy who cannot cover his receivers. We make plans to send the breakdowns to Jaws and Cosell, then watch as Barber makes several plays in run support.
Watching Michael
The Week 17 NFL Matchup has taken shape by the time Jaws starts reviewing the Bucs defense and Falcons offense. His three segments are being written and edited. Luke Hadden -- a former inside linebacker and team captain at the University of Pennsylvania -- sits at a computer console splicing footage and adding graphics. Jaws is watching the Tampa defense so he can add a comment to Hoge's film analysis, but he's also doing us a favor by devoting some extra attention to a player named Michael Vick.
Jaworski isn't impressed with Vick's development. He shows us why on Vick's very first pass. It's a quick toss into the flat to Warrick Dunn, a throw that anyone can execute. But Vick makes a mistake on the play: instead of dropping straight back, he shuffles a foot or two to his left. Left tackle Kevin Shaffer is grappling with Simeon Rice and trying to form a pocket, but Vick's bad drop leads him straight into Rice's path. Vick gets the pass off and gains a few yards, but he made the play more difficult because of a mechanical flaw.
Jaworski and Cosell scoff at the notion that Vick is in the wrong offensive system. "The problem isn't that Atlanta's offense is founded on timing and rhythm," says Cosell. "Every passing game is founded on timing and rhythm." They watch as the Falcons call several designed bootlegs for Vick. "I have no problem with that," Jaworski says of the plays that exploit Vick's speed. We also see several rollouts; on one occasion, Cosell notes that Vick is "too flat" when rolling out, making it easy for defenders to spy him while remaining in zones. And he looks to run too quickly; on one play, Alge Crumpler is open in the middle but Vick has already pulled the ball down and gone into what Cosell calls "action figure mode."
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| Putting the show together. |
Jaws and Cosell note that Michael Jenkins and Roddy White don't always run great routes, but they are not the problem either. Vick's inconsistency is clearly the result of bad mechanics. He plays well against the Bucs, and Jaworski demonstrates several well-executed throws. But there are frequent lapses, and it's clear that Vick sometimes switches into scramble mode when he isn't in any great danger. Worst of all, we watch as Vick ends a run by landing on the grass knee-and-helmet first instead of sliding. The Falcons franchise risks injury even when he's not hit by a defender.
"Great mechanics have to be second nature," Cosell explains, recounting a story of how Joe Montana would still work on his drops and footwork when he was playing for the Chiefs. The three most fundamentally sound quarterbacks in the league, according to Jaworski, are Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, and Carson Palmer (not necessarily in that order). The fear for a player like Vick, Cosell explains, is that an injury will take away his elite athleticism before he figures out what he has to do to be a great quarterback.
Knowing What We Don't Know
The film session breaks at 5 p.m. Aaron and I retreat to Ponzio's in Brooklawn for dinner. We haven't just learned about how NFL Matchup is produced, nor have we simply scooped up tidbits about NFC playoff teams to ladle into Fox Rundown or New York Sun game previews. We've followed along as two football lifers scrutinized game film at the highest level. It was educational the way getting tossed into the deep end of the pool is educational. We both know more, and we know that we don't know much more.
And both Cosell and Jaws caution us that for all of their expertise, they only watch a small percentage of the available game film. NFL coaches analyze opponents by watching five or six weeks of film. Their assistants edit the tape so that coordinators can watch every first-and-10, every third-and-1, every shotgun play. We focused on players like Carstens or Greisen for a few plays; an NFL assistant or senior scout would watch every snap. The amount of information is staggering and humbling.
But we feel vindicated that we are on the right track. Football Outsiders and NFL Matchup are two sides of the same coin. Jaws, Hoge, and Cosell go deep into the film. We go deep into the numbers. But both of us offer "something you can't get anywhere else," a view of the game that makes us appreciate it that much more.
BTW, send all instructions on proper use of a digital camera directly to my email address
This was a fascinating read, but it omitted one important point: Jaws and Suzy Kolber both sound the same when speaking.
Excellent article. I wish NFL Network would devote some time to showing games on coaches' tape during the week. And wouldn't it be nice if just one game on Sunday Ticket used the end zone coach's camera as a primary gameview and had a couple of former coordinators breaking down the replays?
Thank you.
Nice piece Jaworski is one of my favorite football personalities. You guys are lucky :)
Great article. And great statistics on Ronde Barber supporting what MDS wrote yesterday.
Drool...
Congrats guys... thanks for the write-up.
Great stuff. One thing it makes clear is that pro football is incredibly complicated, and even the professional analysts (with full staffs) don't have time to pay attention to everything that matters on every play of every game.
This sounds like a decent argument to be made to people who argue that "statistics don't mean anything" or "aren't as good as just watching the game": Even if that was true, there's simply too much going on to catch all of it by just watching the games, so the stats help summarize it and make it interpretable.
It's kind of like public opinion polling. Sure, you'd learn more by hanging around with every single American citizen than you would by asking them simple poll questions about their opinions, but nobody has time for that, so stats are the best available option.
Again, great piece. Here's one vote for more hard-core analysis and less weatherbabes and warmed-over comedians on NFL shows.
Thank you. Outstanding piece.
Ha ha! Now it is Giants fans turn to be infuriated by the curse of "Burnt" Alexander!
This was a really great piece. One thing I liked was how receptive the Matchup folks seem to be to new and useful stats, like tackles vs. run and pass. That, I think, is the mark of someone who knows what they're doing.
Wonderful piece, and it indicates how daunting a task it is to truly understand what is happening in these games. When one grasps how the QB's drop, or the running back's split-second decision results in sacks, hurries , no-gainers, or long-gainers, evaluating offensive line play takes on a whole 'nother level of complexity. How it often goes unoticed when defensive linemen create sacks for their teammates is an example of how player evaluations can get so far off the mark. Not measuring the difference between a cb who comes up and makes a great tackle on a sweep, with a cb who makes a tackle after his receiver just caught a 15 yard out, leads to all sorts of misimpressions.
The problem is that there are only 24 hours in a day, and unless one is getting paid several hundred thousand dollars a year to evaluate games in minute detail, it is almost impossible to find the time to process all the information. Hell, even when one is getting paid several hundred thousand, or a few million, a year to truly understand what is happening, too many of these guys become strangers to their families in the process of trying to get their arms around it.
"...too often, he says, a defensive back with high tackle totals is called a “great tackler� when he’s really a guy who cannot cover his receivers."
THANK YOU. It's astonishing how few "expert" analysts understand that.
Great piece.
I agree with you Ted, but one thing this piece indicates to me as well is how difficult it is to come up with metrics that actually are useful. If we are trying to determine which offensive line is pass blocking well, but the QB's drop mechanics heavily influence the the outcomes which are used to measure pass blocking performance, well, geez, this really is getting complicated. FO has it it's work cut out, those lucky devils.
I'm very impressed and very jealous. Great stuff.
Great stuff!
Again, great piece. Here’s one vote for more hard-core analysis and less weatherbabes
What about hard-core analysis by weather-babes?
So jealous.
Nice piece. I think if one of the networks would turn their Sunday pre-game show into a hard-core 90-minute x's and o's show instead of the fluff and flash they have now, they'd get great numbers. They might even make Terry Bradshaw watchable.
Who exactly watches an NFL pregame show for those stupid canned interviews or Thurston Long?
I guesss there must be casual fans out there who follow their team but don't really know football. Afterall, the Jets still sell tickets.
Actually, Suzy Kolber sounds just like Adam Schefter.
Possible article of the year, guys. Great, great stuff. Jaws is one of the few remaining holdouts against the "Let's Paint ESPN Stupid!" movement. I always enjoy watching him break down film and this was a fascinating behind-the-scenes.
You wouldn't go wrong re-printing this in PFP 2k6.
How about hardcore by weatherbabes...
About 7 years ago, during a previous career (though still a football fanatic), I had the opportunity to visit the NFL films facility (still have my t shirt and hat!).
I even caught a glimpse of the back of Steve Sabol’s head while touring the main building.
I was simply overwhelmed by the film storage room. An air conditioned, warehouse with catwalks and thousands of cans of film. I think they were still downloading their film library to a digital database at that point. My mind trembled at the thought of all of the passes, catches, blocks and tackles contained therein.
Yes, the EMMYs are all over the walls. It's like someone was giving them out for free and NFL Films was always first on line—yes, reality’s a little different from that.
As I was in the film production business, I learned the NFL Films approach to FILMING football games and how they escalated their manpower and efforts until the culmination that is the Super Bowl.
But, you guys actually sat with Jaws while he broke down gamefilm??? Sigh.
This website attracts people who’ve been waking up early on Sunday to watch Matchup (or formerly “Edge� NFL Matchup and so on) for years. I’m sure we’re all very impressed.
This is a GREAT piece. Thanks, you guys.
Nice article guys! How did the opportunity present itself? Did you contatct NFL Films or ESPN or someone else...?
*sniff* I don't get NFL network. *sniff*
I hate most of the crap in the pregame shows, but Kenny Mayne is usually outstanding. I wish I had taped the Burger King segment.
Hey guys, just wanted to say that this is a great article (although I think Hoge might've been given more credit - no penalty for telecommuting!), and it's exactly what makes this site much more than just geeked-out statistical analysis (which, while good, is not always what I want to read on my lunch break).
My first post on this site was (paraphrasing): "Thank you guys for giving me huge doses of what I used to only get from Jaws a half an hour a week." Needless to say, I think FO + NFL Matchup is a perfect pairing, and I'm sooooo jealous.
I remember a great episode just after the Patriots beat the Rams in the 2002 Super Bowl about how Jaworski broke down how the Patriots contained the Rams' offense--- his was the first report I'd heard that they focused on containing and hitting Marshall Faulk every play they could until he just wore down. (And incidentally, probably explains why Faulk didn't carry the ball too often- if they were paying that much attention to him, the thinking goes, then SOMEONE had to be open on the receiving end. They just never found the rhythm till the fourth quarter.)
None of this cliche-riddened blathering 'analysis' from other football shows- these guys actually -show- you how it works. And that's much appreciated.
One thing had me pondering, though- the Matchup guys get different game film than what we get to see on TV with more angles to observe.
Were there anything in the gamefilms that's not normally available to you guys that might indicate tweaks in how to improve DVOA? I can't help but wonder sometimes if DVOA would be better if you could get ahold of enough film to be able to further refine it to compare if a team goes to zone coverage or man-to-man (and the offensive equivalents of those), and how they'd do in that situation. I imagine going man-to-man in a nickel defense, versus zone coverage in a nickel defense, would be able to help quantify just how much depth a team really has, or how much it's the talent, and how much is the scheme.
Was Jaws reviewing gamefilm on analog tape?
Any ideas on what equipment today's NFL coaches use, whether the film is converted and stored digitally, etc.? Seems like they would have to, to be able to sort plays by down and distance.
Awesome. Thanks for the peak inside guys. Wish I could have been there.
Wow, so cool. I'd like to offer my services as a cameraman next time you go on one of these field-trips. One question, though. Did you get a chance to mention the game-charting project? I'd be interested to know what they would think about an endeavor that's in many ways inspired by NFL Matchup.
RE # 28
AS far as the second query is concerned, at least some teams digitize footage of every play. The plays are then parsed by down/distance, pass, run, formation, etc.
Criteria can be entered into a team's database, such as(hypothetically): "Indianapolis, 3rd/long, single back/Strong right" and the coordinator will analyze the tendencies of Peyton & co. from there.
It's fascinating. I've seen it elsewhere on TV and there was a NY Times article about it (THEIR OWN DEVICES; A Coach's Rise, Plotted at the Keyboard) in 8/2004.
And I'd imagine it would be easier to identify who's on the field every play from coaches' film than it is from TV, which one of the charters said is impossible.
Great piece, guys, and congratulations on the site becoming big enough to where you can swing stuff like this. Wonderful to see.
Best. Field Trip. Ever. Any chance you guys get Jaws to write articles for the site, a la every snap counts?
Digital Camera? I thought you used a camera phone. A first generation camera phone.
Anyhoo great article, but I just had one lingering question: Did Jaws ever hear back on who blew their assignment on the Moss td?
This was, without question, my favorite article in the history of FO.com. You lucky, lucky bastards.
Plus, you know, it really brought the room together.
#32: Trust me, it's sometimes impossible to determine the number of a TACKLER on a play, let alone all 22 men. I would guess that, on average, at least half the men ont he field (for both teams) are unidentifiable.
This was like watching somebody else's vacation movies. From the time they went to a really cool place like an exotic island that has subsequently sunk to the ocean floor, and the weather was perfect, and I'll never, ever get to go. Never. Ever. No way.
Thanks for the insight. I'll just go home and shoot my TV now. What's the point? Life is all so meaningless if I can't watch a game with Jaws.....
28 and 31,
Back in 1989, we broke down the tape of all games for computer input. For each play, we had yard line, down and distance, hash, formation, shift or motion by type, defensive front, stunts, blitz, coverage, play, result, etc.
We had just started using VCRs. Before, we used film and had to do cut-ups splicing by hand.
Eight VCRs were part of the computer set up. A game tape would roll and each of the 8 cut-up copies would turn on or off depending on the relevant criteria requested (e.g. red zone, third and short, man coverage, bear front, blitz, whatever). Thus, the computer created the cut up "reels" (now tapes) that used to be done by hand.
I am sure that the computerized tape process has moved light years ahead in the last 17 years.
I stopped watching NFL Matchup this year. It used to be my favorite show. They used to break down lots of real plays and did an amazing job ast describing what was really happening. Nowadays, the EA sponsorship means they use video game plays instead or real plays. They *could* use the video game to do interesting things -- like show what could happen if X adjustment didn't happen, or if some other defense was called, but currently is just stupid TV.
Nice write-up. thanks
Just a daydream, really.
As TV-in-general approaches one channel for every hair on your head, imagine if the games were broadcast on an "entertainment" channel and a "true fans" channel. "Entertainment" channels would be the current TV broadcast. "True Fan" would be a broadcast by an unobtrusive announcer and true (and unbiased) analysis by a color guy who was not locked into the "story" of the game - created before one down was played. Halftime shows would be breakdowns of plays from coach's film. No bands, no bimbos, no bluster. Even if Sunday ticket was $500 for this package it would be worth it.
Don't laugh. In Europe, where people are crazy for Formula One car racing, every lap of every race is bradcast on 6 channels, accounting for differnt languages, different race views, etc. There is even one channel that has only in-car footage. And, surely, the NFL can do better than F1, right?
Huh, I didn't realize Burnt Alexander was still "playing"...
re 31, 28, 38
I think that if FO could ever get the two way film (sideline and all-22) for every season, the way we look at football stats can be totally transformed and improved... but that would take tons of computers and video and so much stuff so unless someone at FO wins the lottery, that might be a little far off.
Great article guys, great article!
Re: #39
I hear you. I've also been watching much less of Matchup the past couple of years. Between the stupid video game garbage and the contrived yelling between Jaws and Hodge, the show has definitely gone downhill in the past two or three years. :(
SUGGESTION FOR ESPN Maybe switch NFL Live and NFL Matchup, because people would rather hear Ron Jaworski and Merril Hoge earlier so that they can turn off the TV when the genius himself, Sean Salisbury, speaks.
Speaking of the "genius", did Sean Salisbury ever do a stint as a Battlebots commentator? I know Tim Green (a terrible analyst -- does he still do games for Fox?) did.
Question:
Did you guys have any time to cruise around in Jaws' car and listen to some CCR? Or go bowling with Walter?
I'm just curious, that's all.
Fantastic piece. Boy, was that good.
FO and Matchup go together like fat crayons on freshly painted walls.
Then, three posters enter, start trashing the place saying: "We don't believe in analysis." "Yea, we are true fans."
46, yes that is how he got to begin in TV I believe as a commentator for battling robots. As you can see, that barely lasted..
I hope that Thor reads this article about Vick and his wideouts!
I'd pay an extra G a season for sunday ticket with just the wide angles. (see #41)
Why bother watching if you're just going to get a close up of the ball-carrier?
I just want to say, if the game charters ever got access to this kind of material, it would completely revolutionize FO. Imagine being able to chart... I don't know, every possible minutia of a play. Actual line play - not TV feed, but an accurate look behind the center. Routes. Actually being able to see if a receiver is running his route or not. Man coverage. Zone coverage. Zone blitz. Stunts. Oh man...
It would take about 10 minutes per play to really, really chart it, but it would be SO worth it. Oh man, the posibilities...
I'd pay whatever amount of money to get game film, even on a crappy Internet stream. Oh man... You guys are so very, very lucky.
Did anyone say anything about the astute analysis of Suzy Kolber when she fills in on the show? She would certainly be much better sitting in Merril's seat. Are the writers/producers a total patriarchy or do they seem to be receptive to the idea of a female analyst?
I don't like when there is a good thread going with many pertinent questions directed at Aaron and company and they don't respond at all.
Adam, come on, do you expect "Aaron and company" to answer the subserviant classes? They're out there to increase their fame and fortune, not to cater to you're stupid inquiries. Poor, unfortunate Adam, wise up.
just a guess, but they may have been busy working all weekend.
Judging by this weekend's game I think the answer to my question (#35) is Burnt Alexander.
How cool would it be to be able to get the coach's film? Attention directv and sunday ticket... I would pay an extra $100 to watch that view, on shortcuts
I don't get matchup here in Canada ,occasionally I'll see Jaworski on PTI but that's it, and I've never seen the type of tape described.
I do know that TV broadcasts show only a fraction of what I want to see.
I have a PVR so I can do a little analysis of what is broadcast and I should admit it often takes me a few replays to figure out what really happened on a play but that's what makes it fascinating.
I would estimate that in a three hour broadcast there is, at most, 12 minutes of action.
When there is action there are 22 people moving at once and a lot of interesting stuff is never even shown.
It is sad that this information is available and so rarely used on TV broadcasts.
Why don't we at least see an all 22 before every snap?
Why don't we see these angles automatically after a big play?
Is this tape independent and seperate from the broadcasts?
I believe most of this sites readers would appreciate more tape and less 'story' and opinion in broadcasts but I have no idea how this might happen.
I can see the case for a 'premium' channel that broadcasts games with a maximum of information, people like us will pay if we can, but I can't see how that could happen with the money that is paid for broadcast rights. The networks that pay billions for the NFL aren't looking to service niche markets and the money they pay means they won't let anyone else do it either.
So how do we get the networks to do a better job when their business model seems to be accessable to everyone (I think that's where the human interest bullshit comes from),lowest common denominater, mass market?
I don't know.
So many good ideas and themes on this thread. I'll start with the obligatory "great piece" and "I'm jealous." Jaws and Cosell get it, and they're fascinating to listen to.
I am fairly confident we're not far away from a day where we'll get the full picture, or access to the full picture, somehow, someway. In the meantime, I'm curious (and this might be described all over the site) how much better high-def is than what the traditional view gives us. How much of the snapshot is viewable? I wonder if I should get wired that way or just wait it out until a better day comes.
If I start ranting about ESPN I'll never stop. Sean Salisbury drives me nuts and you can't get away from him. Mike Ditka is such a terrible analyst you wonder how he ever was a head coach in the modern NFL. Michael Irvin is the worst of the lot, the poster child of the new breed of broadcaster that values decibel levels over a cohesive argument. Tom Jackson seems like a decent guy and he meshes well with Boomer but he's so cliche driven and I don't feel his analysis is modern or open-minded in the slightest. The game has changed some in 30 years, TJ! Trey Wingo's smugness has grated on me all year. This is just a partial list . . . sigh.
I few other things on the wish list: I wish the Matchup show were an hour long at minimum . . . I wish Cosell's insight were around more often in raw form; he did a radio gig on Sirius this past season (20 minutes a week) that was tremendous . . . I wish anyone who trotted out the "100 yard rushing-team wins" crapola would spontaneously combust . . . I'd like to get Diet Pepsi Machine and Guiness-Brilliant removed from my TV airwaves forever (98 percent of the beer ads could go, not that I have any problem with the product itself).
Anyway, thanks for sharing the field trip, guys. Loved it.
Interesting that in the list of NFL Matchup hosts, the inimitable Stuart Scott wasn't mentioned.
I recall finding NFL Matchup early and thinking it was one of the best football programs ever - then one season I turned in and saw Stuart running the place and was instantly turned off. Jaworski seemed much more laid back before working with Scott, and he's been much more animated on-camera ever since. I can't help but think those points are connected.
Great, great article.
Stuart Scott is the worst of the worst of the worst. He might even be worse than that. Sthick Center. Ugh.
In your Fox Sports article, "Divisional Rundown", you said, "the Colts have a solid run defense." In case you don't know, the Colts have one of the worst run defenses in the NFL. They allowed 4.4 yds per carry.
Re: Too Deep Zone: The Big Jaworski
This is great for the "real" NFL fans out there, I really wish that the NFL would pick their heads up and realize how much some fans are into the X's and O's of the game. I was also wondering if there is any way to convert a normal game to a different camera angle so you can see all 22 players on the field. I love Matchup and the game of football. Wish I could've been there, must have been pretty cool...
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