There's very little read option in the NFL. It's a read-option look with predetermined aim. Basically a different type of play fake. But very effective because of all the separation it enables. Defenders freezing and uncertain. As much as I love a college team like Stanford, their style creates congestion. Against equal talent the congestion often fails when the splits are nearly non-existent and the short yardage plays blown up. That happened in the Rose Bowl against Michigan State and last weekend against USC.
The read option designs at any level abuse weak and moderate defenses because it essentially widens the field and extends the play due to all the hesitation. The extra few feet are there and extra half second is there. Top attacking defenses that get penetration don't have nearly as much trouble with it. That linebacker off the edge is not going to stop. He's hitting somebody and more often than not it will hurt, either the play or the player. Force the offense to consistently make the correct call.
Satele didn't suddenly become a powerful effective drive blocker. He looked very good for the bulk of the game last week because the inside read plays to his strengths, especially when the opponent is sitting back as New England was. Absorbing instead of dictating. I was annoyed that we got away from those plays for seemingly no reason. Why pass to Lamar Miller on two consecutive plays deep in Patriot territory instead of forcing them to defend the inside read?
Kaepernick is the only NFL quarterback who is a legit run option out of that scheme. Two of his strides are enough to circle the perimeter and create a dangerous play. Everybody else is ducking and sliding. Wilson runs more bootlegs than read option. He gets a few vital yards then ho-hum takes a seat.
The designs work in the NFL because those inside read running plays have the league on its heels. There's more room than rightfully should be there, given the bulk of the linemen. Consequently the play fakes work and suddenly the quarterback is dropping into a clean pocket, the defenders briefly paralyzed. Does anyone actually believe our offensive linemen are as good as they looked last week? As I posted in preseason, this type of offense won't work against everyone but we aren't in a position to care about the handful of defenses that might abuse us.
It's basically a bully offense, but one that came around at the perfect time, with very few premier defenses and an emphasis on offense in general, along with rules changes coddling the offense.
In the NFL there are a heck of a lot more option routes on pass plays than true option of run or pass.
