Reading is Fundamental

Ever since NFL teams came up with the brilliant idea to adopt the read option as part of their offensive repertoires, defenses across the league have had fits in trying to stop it.

Ask the Green Bay Packers.

Photo Courtesy of the Green Bay Press-Gazette

They've probably been visiting colleges all summer long trying to figure out how to scheme against this read option that San Francisco uses with Colin Kaepernick (as seen above). According to an ESPN.com report, the rules on the read option allows defenders to come after the quarterback as if he is a live runner until he is clearly out of the play...or somethng to that effect.

49ers head coach Jim Harbaugh disagrees.

I believe that when a quarterback is handing a ball off or faking a ball -- in the read-option case, he's reading on an option play and he's as defenseless as a quarterback who's in the act of throwing.

Here's my problem with this. A team could essentially run the read option all day long in an effort to possibly draw a penalty if he is protected under the rules the way Harbaugh envisions them. You already think officials are making the game softer? Add this rule and you may as well put those "no contact" color jerseys on the signal callers. As an NFL player, you know you're going to take hits...whether you're ready for it or not. Running the read option just puts the quarterback in a position where he either has to make something happen, let the running back take the handoff or take the hit. That's part of this violent game.

Yeah, I know the league is about protecting the stars and the skill players in light of all the recent evidence shown about all the physical damage that happens because of the game. But that begs the question of where the line will be drawn. You can't draw it there because you're taking away something from the defense and giving the offense an even greater advantage.

Make no mistake about it. If there is a game that I'm definitely looking forward to seeing, it's the Green Bay-San Francisco game. There are so many different elements (including this one) that will make it a great game. Don't be surprised to see things get a little heated during this game. Don't be surprised to see these two teams in the playoffs again either.