Why NFL Teams Should Use the Lateral More

And go for 2 by way of rush

Absolutely

@JakeRabadi Oh man if you search my username and "Hook and Ladder" you will see I have strong opinions on what a dedicated lateral play set could look like.

@JakeRabadi Please link thanks 😎

@JakeRabadi I couldn't find as many older ones as u thought, I may have responded to video without using phrase "hook and ladder" by here are the rantings I could find

You are quickly becoming one of my favorite accounts to follow.

Thanks a lot!

Like everything else (the wildcat, tush push, etc..) whoever does this first will dominate but eventually defences will adapt and it'll be useless. Who's gonna be brave enough to be first?

I don’t think it’s that simple to gameplan for. Also, if they have to gameplan for it, that’s an advantage for offense. How about fake laterals ? You wouldn’t spam it but it could be very effective once or twice a game.

Agreed, it won't be easy to game plan for but I figured you only need to increase the risk a little for the offence to get cold feet. Getting stuffed on a wildcat play is no big deal. An Intercepted lateral for a TD will make you question some things

The other thing is that if you create a threat of the lateral, you create more open space for whoever has the ball now that defenders have to cover other possible receivers

For sure! I think it can have secondary benefits

Agreed for the most part in theory, but have to assume that lateral success rate would drop when it becomes more frequently used. Especially if a specific team or coach was having success with it. Sample size is just too small to try to conclude it definitively would help long run. Laterals lost would increase, avg result would decrease. Really uncorrelated prior, but in Rugby about 85% of laterals are competed and you could argue it is easier in rugby than the NFL.

The bar is currently once every 6 seasons, so even if a team used it 6 times per season it would probably confer an advantage

You would have to think guys like Johnson and Shanahan have heavily looked into this. 100% agree there is a spot for it in the NFL, but the margins are a lot smaller than the data is showing so far.

They tend to use it on plays they need it the most. It’s a money play for them that they hold up their sleeve

Wrote this piece a few years ago. Wholeheartedly agree!

I think on of the reasons for success is because of how infrequent the plays are actually called. It reminds that in college, on-side kicks are successful 60% of the time when the teams kicking on-side have the lead

Yes, the same is true with play action or running on 2 point conversions. But there’s currently alpha there

laterals are the future as I've often said

@PFTCommenter as a long time supporter of designed downfield laterals i feel like this is right up your alley

Do not let Ben Johnson see this video

Been saying for years how much laterals need to be added back to the gameplan. A much riskier (higher reward) lateral is the ball carrier pitching it before being tackled to a trailing teammate. So many times a teammate is standing idly by when a player gets tackled

This was cool. Thank you for sharing.

Thanks Eric!

I always presumed it was too high risk. Rugby players spend their whole lives passing sideways or backwards and still drop it far more regularly than the average NFL coach would want.

Anyone not following @EaglesXsandOs is missing out on some amazing insights.

@JakeRabadi Love this! Been wondering what the data looks like for laterals and why teams don’t use it more. Especially on 3rd and long situations, I think it could be even better on an EPA basis vs. falling short of the sticks and punting.

@JoshQueipo_NFL This is used extensively in flag football, especially across the field laterals. Boys are playing flag football at an all time high through 8th grade, and I suspect as more of these kids play high school football, it will be incorporated more over the coming years.

Man your Eagles already did that Tush Push bullshit. Nobody tryna see laterals all the time to further turn it to some rugby shit

It's a grossly underused strategy, even in desperate situations where the risk of a lateral is usually minimal or non-existent.

Laterals and 2 qb system 🙏

@JeremyWGR

Tyjae Spears showed this weekend why they don't. It's the risk of another ball in the air, while defensive players are charging towards the catcher. Just another possible drop. I also wouldn't trust guys not to lateral forwards resulting in more fumbles.

Interesting thought experiment but anyone that’s ever played football before knows why incorporating laterals into the gameplan is not a good idea

Not sure Ben Johnson or Kyle Shanahan would agree

I haven’t seen either coach drum up a play that incorporated laterals(not in a kickoff) that wasn’t a hook n ladder but feel free to prove me wrong

@PFTCommenter was first on the take

I don't even need to watch the video to answer this question. Hint: It's related to the reason why teams often punt the ball away on 4th and 3.

If it's schemed up & practiced, I'll bet it results in some big plays. That said, the primary reason they're so successful is because the defense overcommits to the ball carrier. If defenses start preparing for laterals, the success rate will drop and the risk factor will go up.

And then non lateral plays and fakes would be more effective

Cause it’s not in the script