How to Utilize the Screen Like Drew Brees

Drew Brees went from a quarterback that not many schools wanted to recruit out of high school to an all-pro in the National Football League by making the correct play almost every time. He was not the tallest, fastest or strongest quarterback but he used his mind to play the game better than most everyone else on the field did. One play that exemplifies this is the screen pass.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

1. Be as accurate as possible with your throw on the screen. In the 2006 season, Drew Brees threw only 44 passes the entire season that rated as poor or uncatchable. On the screen pass, there are many other defenders in the area so accuracy is of utmost importance.
2. Bait the opposing defense into rushing at you as you throw the pass just over their outstretch hands. In a screen, it is imperative that the defenders believe it is normal pass play. Once they run up field, as you throw the screen pass behind them. Drew Brees is known for his patience and guile as a quarterback. He will wait until the last possible second before releasing the football for a big play.
3. Throw the football with the proper height and trajectory to complete the screen pass. Despite being shorter in stature than most professional quarterbacks are, Drew Brees uses the correct passing angles to get the football over oncoming defenders and safely into the hands of the receiver. If a person throws a screen pass too flat it will almost certainly fall incomplete after a defender knocks the pass to the ground.
4. Use the pass fake to get the defenders off balance. If the defenders are in position to defend the screen pass, fake like you are going to throw a pass to get the defenders to move or jump. Drew Brees uses the ball fake to perfection on the screen. Sometimes he will fake a pass to the other side of the field and then pivot back the other direction for an open screen pass. Just remember that the ball is your friend and use that football to confuse and confound the defense like Drew Brees.