Spin Doctor":165hquje said:First of all, being a good pocket passer is not "standing flat footed in the pocket". There is a lot going on there at the highest level of pocket passing. If a Quarterback is just standing there flat footed they are going to get Carr'd. Pocket manipulation is about setting up blocks and making subtle little movements to avoid pass rushers. This is how an immobile QB such as Brady or old man Manning bought time and beat pass rushers. The second component is the pre-snap read. This is where QB's make adjustments, and survey the field to see if they see openings. The next skill in a pocket passers repertoire is what many refer to as "throwing their guy open". You rely on your WR to run a good route, and you throw to where your receiver is going to be. If you get the proper read on the defense during the presnap this is very hard to defend against. This is how QB's like Brady are consistently able to elevate even mediocre WR's. The last and most important skill is the internal clock. A QB has to feel when pressure is bearing down on them if they want to be a successful pocket passer. If things get dicey either you default to your checkdown, run if you have a lane to do so, or throw the ball away.Sgt Largent":165hquje said:Wilson's biggest problem is coaches and fans that can't accept the way he plays the game. Hopefully we will win this week by a score of 20 stay in the pockets to 10 stay in the pockets.
Do I wish Wilson would develop his presnap read ability and ability to throw with more anticipation based off of those reads? Sure. Due to his history of being able to extend plays, with his (elusiveness and quickness, not speed), he tends to gravitate towards seeing a fully open target as opposed to throwing to spots earlier in the down based on coverage and looks. Things that guys like Brady and Rodgers are very proficient at. He also shies away from the check down a little too often because of this play extending ability.
This absolute obsession with demanding he stand flat footed in the pocket "like all the good ones" is specifically robbing him of what makes him different (and better than a lot of other guys in the league). If I were working with him, I'd be moving his ass all over the place, while specifically working on breaking his habit of turning his back while moving. That's usually where he goes wrong, missing guys while scrambling because he dips deep instead of lateral or forward movement creating his time. If you want him in the pocket, foolishly robbing him of one of his special gifts, start hiring West Coast Coordinators, not play action guys. Need more coaches that coach the man, not their "system".
Without rewatching the game, I think I saw 2?, read option looks, one very specifically that I remember put him in a staring contest with the chubbiest Outside Linebacker on Denver's squad. He so thoroughly stuffed the ball in the RB's gut that I have no question it was a "read look" and not a "read check". That's a piss poor way to utilize a man of his ability.
My highschool mediocrity at the QB position back in the day taught me this, at 6' 3" plus, and taller than most all of my linemen, I still needed vision lanes and even then, some throws are purely trust, in your presnap read and in your receiver getting to his spot. The only QB's in the NFL that see it all must be genetically related to snails. Humans typically aren't known to be gifted with eye stalks. In those moments of blindness, I sure wished my cement feet worked a little better than they did...
P.S. ..and where in the hell are the RPO's. Carson Wentz can do it but not Wilson? NOBODY would be more suited, but POCKET! RUN BALL! THROW DEEP! ....sigh
Russell Wilson has failed to develop most of these skills throughout his career. He doesn't know how to move around in the pocket, and often times he walks himself into sacks. I've seen him try to pull his patented spin move in the pocket with no pressure on him, effectively walking himself into a sack. If he has room to step up, or take a running lane he tends to just hang 10+ yards away from his lineman which leads for an easier angle for pass rushers to take on Wilson. I've seen a few times where Duane Brown was yelling at Russ last season when he was first on the team. He makes life really hard on his blockers. Wilson waits until his receivers have two steps on a guy before he releases the ball, and he is very hesitant to throw one on one jump balls to even his biggest playmakers. The thing is most disconcerting is his lack of pre-snap control. He doesn't change plays often, he just kind of looks like he is there.
So why is this stuff important for Russ, he's been getting by just fine, right? WRONG. Last season Wilson was ineffective for three whole quarters. He was non-existent. You can't do that in the NFL and expect good results. He won us many games, but this whole "we win the game in the fourth quarter mantra" lost us many winnable games as well. In the NFL if you want an offense that isn't a burden you have to convert third downs and do the little things. Wilson has not been able to do this consistently throughout his career. His game is still VERY unpolished, Wilson is a player that is mostly operating off of instinct.
Wilson needs to start trying to refine this ability if he wants to have a long NFL career. He is entering an age where players start to slow down, and injuries start to mount. It will happen one day where he will be slower, and he won't be as agile as he once was. One injury could change how he plays, and approaches the game. If he is forced to hang in the pocket like most guys his career will be over unless he adapts. There will come a time where he needs to reinvent himself as a passer, and I for one am glad Schottenheimer recognizes this.
I've been seeing regression ever since 2015. He's looking more hesitant, and more gun shy, his mechanics are really inconsistent now, and it looks like he is in his own head. I think the combo of poor line play and Carroll's idiotic scheme is really getting to him. Carroll has been a boat anchor in regards to his development as a QB. Carroll really needs to take a step back and let those that specialize in offense do their work. We are not setting our QB up for success with this type of scheme.
AMEN. Your post should be stickied so all the other Pollyannas can get up to speed on reality. We didn't make two Super Bowls because of RW but in spite of him. Now that the remarkable supporting cast has gone away RW's inability to further develop his basic QB abilities are more fully exposed.
Mark my words (and I'm working on about 97.86% accuracy at this point) if the team does not rebound within the next few games the anti-Wilson grumbles are going to go up in volume big time.
I don't want to see it get to that point. I would like RW to have a chance to prove himself without the specter of what is now a very tired/predictable and more often than not losing coaching scheme via Pete Carroll.
Pete should go before Russell Wilson.