The "Swinging Gate" Play

[jtex316]

That play and that entire sequence (including the time out called after the Redskins showed this "package") was quite possibly the worst play in the history of the National Football League. I don't even understand the formation, let alone what it was trying to accomplish, let alone that it was on 4th down and a time out had been previously called because this formation was shown.

The end result of that play was mind-boggling at least and it should single-handidly cost Ray Sherman and any other bingo-parlor employees posing as NFL head coaches their jobs this instant.

The kicker went in motion, the ball was snapped to the punter, there was an immediate 3 on 0 free full on pass rush to the QB, the punter throws the ball into SEXTUPLE COVERAGE, and the Giants player returns it 55 yards the other direction.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-cant-miss-plays/09000d5d8152ba5d/WK-15-Can-t-Miss-Play-Silly-Skins-tricks-are-for-kids

I can't even wrap my head around the decision-making process behind calling this play or any detail about it - especially after the team lined-up for it and the Giants saw it and called a Timeout.

Can someone name a worse attempt at an NFL play than that?

[Brian Fein]

I still struggle to figure out what the point of that play was.  Did they really think that the PUNTER would be able to get an accurate pass off with NO protection?  Did they expect that they entire Giants' defense would go with the motion?  All you have to do to blow up that play is leave 2 guys on the line...

It made no sense.  I think they were trying to focus the defense on the far left, and have the center run out to the right for the quick pass and thereby free roam to the end zone.  However, the center didn't get out of his formation quickly enough and the Giants rushed three guys, and had 3 LB's in coverage...so the play got blown up. 

It might have been improved if they left one blocker in to help, but I still don't think it would have worked.

After watching it a few more times, they were trying to take advantage of defensive out of position.  The play works when the defense goes in motion with the offense, but the Giants only sent 5 DB's in motion with 7 Redskins, and the 6 "big guys" stayed with the center.  I think this is what blew up the play.

[dolphins4life]

When I was a kicker in high school, we ran the swinging gate, but we never had that kind of a play called.

It didn't even make sense to call it.  Kick the FG, and you go in down 24-3 and get the ball to start the second half.

[Brian Fein]

3 points when you're down by 24 is worth a risk.  however, once the giants called timeout, they should have just kicked it.

[Dave Gray]

It's too bad that this play was such a turd.  It was so bad that I don't even understand how its supposed to work.

[Tepop84]

It's too bad that this play was such a turd.  It was so bad that I don't even understand how its supposed to work.

In high school a team used to run that play and the center would pitch it to a player that was behind the shifted line. and he would run it.

[BigDaddyFin]

Swinging gate is the ancestral forerunner of the run and shoot.  I don't know if I still have the book but it's the same coach who invented it.  The problem with the play is that the punter threw the ball up for grabs and there was actually a guy open. 

Thus what happens when your punter is the holder and the fake is on. 

The guy snapping the ball is eligibile because he's the last guy on the end of the line same reason some recievers line up on the line of scrimmage and some line up a yard in the backfield. 

You move your 5 blockers, TE, recievers and both RB's (assuming a traditional offense in a group with both wr's at each end and both running backs directly behind them. 

The QB/new guy throwing the ball has the option to throw out of it the same as he would from anything else. 

If the center has half a brain, he can snap the ball to the running back lined up behind everybody and it's just like a normal running play. 

[dolphins4life]

Here's how my team ran it:

You have a center, holder, and kicker at the normal spot.  You have the line to the left, with the two end blockers behind them.

The coach holds up fingers to call the play.

1 = move the gate over
2 = snap it to the wingback and he runs
3 = snap to the wingback, who passes

There were others, but I forget

After 1 and the gate moves

1 and 1 = kick it
1 and 2 = fake PAT pass

I'll try to post a video of how we ran some of the plays

[jtex316]

I still don't get it. It looks like it was a gimmick play even in High School.

Here were the end results of that play:

1. A three on none, full-frontal pass rush on the quarterback
2. A quarterback throwing a jump-ball into not double or triple coverage - SIX defensive player coverage!
3. A 55-yard INT return

[Dave Gray]

You can't judge a play solely on one result.

I think what caused problems here is that:
1) The Redskins suck, and 24 points down isn't the time to pull gimmicks.
2) The Giants called a timeout to prepare for the play.

[jtex316]

I'm not judging the play based on th result. The play design is terribly flawed pre-snap. You can't just bunch everyone like that and not leave enough people to cover the 3 down linemen who are going to sack the shit out of the pass thrower. It doesn't even give enough time for whatever shenanigans they have going on to even develop.

But the result was completely disastrous.

[Brian Fein]

^^this is true.  Whatever gimmick the play is supposed to be should develop in less than 1.2 seconds, because that's how long it'll be before the punter/holder/QB will be on his back. The whole play banks on the defense being confused, and something as simple as a timeout blows up then entire play.

[Tepop84]

^^this is true.  Whatever gimmick the play is supposed to be should develop in less than 1.2 seconds, because that's how long it'll be before the punter/holder/QB will be on his back. The whole play banks on the defense being confused, and something as simple as a timeout blows up then entire play.

once again with 3 people in his face, the center should have snapped it to the player being moved lineman, not the stupid holder.

[ethurst22]

I am still laughing over this play! It was insane!

I just hope it doesn't give Dan Henning any bright ideas in the red zone this weekend.

This play would have had a 60-40 chance of working if they would have left more blockers on the line of scrimmage, split two wide out and run the punter into the flat.

What was the OC and Zorn thinking about? Did they think that the defense was gonna count 1 Mississippi, 2, Mississippi before bum rushing the kicker?

The happiest guy on the planet at that time had to be their ex-kicker Shawn Sushiam (or whatever his name is). He was probably thinking "that could have been me that got my ass crunched by a grand total of 900 pounds worth of lineman on my ass".

This wasn't a trick play. It was a sucker play and the Skins' turned out to be suckers! Even Gruden was trying so hard to stop from laughing. During commercial break, he probably was rolling in the broadcast booth.

Jim Zorn, great QB, Good OC, horrible head coach.

You're fired.