A poker player with a tell is an easy target for opponents. So too are offensive lineman.
Vikings left tackle Bryant McKinnie(notes) was evidently tipping his team’s play selection on Sunday night against the Arizona Cardinals, according to NFL-great-turned-analyst Tony Boselli, who mentioned it on Westwood One’s radio broadcast of the game.
Dan Patrick recounted Boselli’s observation on his radio show earlier in the week (quote courtesy Vikings Now):
“Boselli points out that (left tackle) Bryant McKinnie of the Vikings, he said that the Cardinals know when they’re going to pass because of his leg. He would have one of his legs back a little bit further. … He said they know what’s going to happen because they’re looking at his feet and they can tell when it’s a run and when it’s a pass.”
I’m skeptical. This isn’t to doubt whether the story is true, but I think it’s a total stretch to credit the Cardinals’ victory to the manner in which Bryant McKinnie lines up. First of all, the defense has its play called well before the Vikings line up. They could theoretically audible once McKinnie gets set, but it would seem unlikely that he’d be giving away his tell that early in the play clock. Arizona was dropping eight defenders into coverage often, it’s hard to believe it was because of McKinnie’s leg and not a pre-determined gameplan.
Another hole in the tale of “tell as doom”: How many Arizona players can realistically see the position of the left tackle’s foot in the five seconds the Vikings are lined up for the snap? Five, tops? The two guys on the other side of the defensive line wouldn’t be able to see and neither would any linebacker, corner or safety on that side of the field. There’s a clear advantage in a defensive end going up against McKinnie to know that information, but that’s far different from the entire Cards defense.
The biggest question I have is how much of an advantage it even is to know what’s coming. A good defensive coordinator should be guessing correctly in terms of pass or run, what, 75 percent of the time? The Vikings play calls aren’t exactly rocket science. They tend to run Peterson on first and second down to set up deep Favre passes. When the Cards took the deep ball away, Favre got flustered and tried to work the ol’ gunslinger magic by forcing the ball into spots.
Joe Bugel, the famed Washington Washington Football Team offensive line coach, is fond of saying that a good offense could tell the defense what’s coming on every play and still be able to execute. That’s what the game is about, execution.
If Bryant McKinnie is tipping the plays, he needs to correct this immediately. But if he did, on Sunday night at least, the Vikings had much bigger problems than that.
according to yahoo.com
