Do You Believe in Bubbles?
I ask you because the quick WR Screen as an extension of the run game is critical to the success of the "spread" offense. WR screens are the simplest way to "spread" the defense. But what makes them successful.
Here are 3 things I consider essential to making them work (the fundamentals of the WR screen, if you will):
1. Ball Out Fast: any quick WR screen that takes awhile to get there is doomed to fail. If the QB doesn't get the ball out like the ball is on fire and burning his hand then the WR rarely has a chance. The QB must have a grip-it-and-rip-it mentality. Forget laces, forget meshing with the RB, forget a good spiral — get the ball to the WR as fast as possible. A benefit to getting the ball out fast (beyond getting the ball in a position to get up the field faster) is that the defensive look doesn't have to be wide open.
Meaning:
When the QB is able to get the ball out fast (ball placement is critical — if the ball is behind the WR, regardless of how fast it got there — the play is dead), then you can get away with throwing the ball even if an overhang is playing in the middle, not committing to the run or pass.
Now why is this important?
(see the third point for my working answer)
2. Get Upfield Fast: Just as important as the QB getting the ball out fast is the WR getting upfield as fast as possible. This fundamental is the conundrum that bubble screens present. The WR is moving backwards and then forward. The idea is to get him a running start upfield but he is still isn't beyond the LOS. This is a problem.
If you're throwing bubbles, but the WR is taking forever to get beyond the LOS and working through a (probably) not-so-great WR block, then the point of the play is defeated. I'm really not sure the defense cares so much if you're spreading them out to throw below the LOS. WR blocking is such a key to the play (though not in the big 3 discussed here...as you'll see at the end). So the bubble is not ideal at helping the WR get upfield as fast as possible unless you have a speedster and excellent WR blocks.
But there is another way that gets the ball upfield fast and doesn't rely on WR blocking (revealed at the end of this email in video link).
3. Relentless: Third on this list but perhaps the most important. Let me explain: nothing spreads the defense more than relentless WR screens. What I mean by relentless is that the QB rips it even against non-ideal looks.
He has to have the mindset that if they D gives him even a hint of an opportunity, he's going to take it. Otherwise, the defense can live in both worlds — they can place an overhang "out there" and force the throw and fit late. Though the fit is "late" the overhang often gets to the LOS to stop the run by the time the ball carrier gets there or for a minimal gain (below 4 yards).
The quick screen exists to open the run game though. We don't want the run game to live like that if we're throwing screens. They need to open up big lanes for the run game by removing people from the fit, not only making them late. Late is good, but can you do it another way?
I think yes — relentless throwing of the screen gets in the head of the defense. In my opinion, you want the DC to try to fix the problem by matching numbers. Meaning, you put 3 WRs out there, he'll match. But if you're willing to throw against that if you've got space, then the DC will have to adjust 1 of 2 ways: play plus 1 (usually 2 high which is better for the run game) or he'll have to play man (which you have to be able to beat if you want to go far in life).
Both should be good for the offense — if you're forcing a defense to play man and you can't find a matchup or creating a bust then you'll have a hard time beating anyone.
Okay, I'll stop here, I've perhaps said more than I know. These are observations from watching a particular type of screen that seems superior than any I've ever seen.
Here's a clip of it and it shows all 3 of these things working together:
Emory Wilhite