Thoughts on why Chase in the backfield never works but Deebo in the backfield does?

[Housh]

The main criticism of these looks is that we always give it Chase. Which is valid. We do appear to give the ball to Chase alot in these split backfield looks.



I agree with this and i agreed before that horrendous play VS the 49ers. It seems as if we’re doing it not to throw the D off but instead to get Chase a touch.

When Chase is in the backfield everyone knows we aren’t running him up the middle. So if you are gonna put Chase in the backfield i suggest doing it from the pistol where Chase lines up right behind Joe. At least at that point teams have to be ready to defend left and right both inside and outside. If you go a formation where Chase is to the left or right then everyone knows which way he’s likely to run.


It may be interesting to discuss why when we do it, it barely works but when the 49ers put Deebo back there, it’s usually a good play.

Is Deebo just a better runner?

Does Shanahan just call these plays in better spots?

Is the 49ers o line just better?

Do teams fear CMC so much they guard these formations differently than they guard our Chase in the backfield formations?


What you guys think?

I personally think there’s no reason to add these looks to the offense unless you are going to run a RB screen out of them 90% of the time. If we run Mixon and Chase in the backfield and motion Jamarr away from the direction the screen is going, i don’t see that ever being a bad play unless a defender gets lucky and reads it. So i like the formation but not if we’re actually giving it to Chase.

[WeezyBengal]

They used Chase as a decoy on these looks more than once in the 49ers game and gave it to Mixon with a lot of success.

If they continue to run the ball well with Mixon, especially out of these looks, the plays to Chase will start to open up. Being able to run the ball well out of these looks and keep the defenses guessing on who is getting the ball (mixon or chase) is the key - its why the 49ers have more success with it than us.

[jj22]

I don't think they are committed to giving the ball to Chase out of the backfield like they are Deebo. It feels like they just give it to him here and there to keep the defense honest, but the playcalls that have him back there usually is meant to open something else up.

It has to be believable that the playcall is meant for him, so they give it to him here and there just for the sake of making sure they defense thinks it's possible.

[*ochocincos*]

It's all about how often that different player in the backfield actually gets the ball or not.
If they rarely/never actually get the ball, the defense isn't going to worry about them.
If they always get the ball, the defense will hone in on that player.
So the team has to balance giving that player the ball vs using as a decoy.
Also the player has to be effective in the play call too, otherwise it also won't really matter much.

[*rfaulk34*]

(10-31-2023, 11:20 AM)Housh Wrote: The main criticism of these looks is that we always give it Chase. Which is valid. We do appear to give the ball to Chase alot in these split backfield looks.



I agree with this and i agreed before that horrendous play VS the 49ers. It seems as if we’re doing it not to throw the D off but instead to get Chase a touch.

When Chase is in the backfield everyone knows we aren’t running him up the middle. So if you are gonna put Chase in the backfield i suggest doing it from the pistol where Chase lines up right behind Joe. At least at that point teams have to be ready to defend left and right both inside and outside. If you go a formation where Chase is to the left or right then everyone knows which way he’s likely to run.


It may be interesting to discuss why when we do it, it barely works but when the 49ers put Deebo back there, it’s usually a good play.

Is Deebo just a better runner?

Does Shanahan just call these plays in better spots?

Is the 49ers o line just better?

Do teams fear CMC so much they guard these formations differently than they guard our Chase in the backfield formations?


What you guys think?

I personally think there’s no reason to add these looks to the offense unless you are going to run a RB screen out of them 90% of the time. If we run Mixon and Chase in the backfield and motion Jamarr away from the direction the screen is going, i don’t see that ever being a bad play unless a defender gets lucky and reads it. So i like the formation but not if we’re actually giving it to Chase.

Deebo is a better runner and harder to tackle. He's more like a big running back than Chase is, about 15lbs heavier. 

[SunsetBengal]

(10-31-2023, 11:29 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: They used Chase as a decoy on these looks more than once in the 49ers game and gave it to Mixon with a lot of success.

^This is correct.  The Bengals lured the 49ers defense into ignoring the inside run by setting them up with the jet sweep a couple of times early in the game.  So, it is not that Chase in the backfield doesn't work, as the OP might suggest, it's just that it's a bit more nuanced in the Bengals offense.

[740Bengal]

Because we do some bland outside toss or sweep....Romo touched on this, made a lot of sense. Captain Zac Obvious in these situations, other than that he actually called a great game Sunday.

[*Nate (formerly eliminate08)*]

It sure didn't work on that one play lol

But as Weezy said, it opened up the run game for Mixon later on with a few of these plays. Also Shanahan is a genius on these
types of plays, Deebo is more of a RB than Chase is and McCaffrey gets a ton of attention, more than Mixon gets. Great game
by Mixon though have to say, best I have seen him run the ball since the Panthers game last year easily.

[*pally*]

There was something about that play that seemed to be telegraphed. Chase has been in the backfield before and it seemed fairly benign or normal. But even before it was run, I said that they were giving it to Chase. Maybe it was the way he was standing but something seemed off from the minute they lined up. But, if I could see it, no wonder the 49ers did.

[THE PISTONS]

(10-31-2023, 12:24 PM)ochocincos Wrote: It's all about how often that different player in the backfield actually gets the ball or not.
If they rarely/never actually get the ball, the defense isn't going to worry about them.
If they always get the ball, the defense will hone in on that player.
So the team has to balance giving that player the ball vs using as a decoy.
Also the player has to be effective in the play call too, otherwise it also won't really matter much.

Yep. When Chase is back there, he gets it.

There's lots of times Deebo is back there where he doesn't.