Giblien":j2inu9bm said:
hoxrox":j2inu9bm said:
#3 No rhythm passing game to speak of. This is an off season priority, IMO. Either call or install some plays that can get Russell in a rhythm. The backyard scrambling style isn't sustainable against good defenses who spy and contain well.
:13:
I Think we need to get some more quick passes a la 2005 Seahawks. IF we can execute some quick passes, it negates the blitz and makes this offense much more versatile.
TBF that's precisely what 5 yard slants were for, but he was missing them.
Just so I don't get falsely accused of "concern trolling" again, I'll preface with what I've said a bunch of times: I LOOOOOOOOOOOVE Wilson as a QB. He's my favorite of the five "next generation" QBs (Cam, Kap, RGIII, Luck, Russ). He's my second favorite QB to watch in the NFL (behind Rodgers), and one day, I expect him to be my favorite). He reminds me of Steve Young, who is my favorite QB of all time. Ok that said:
A) He's just not playing well and has been struggling with his accuracy, which has always been a little less consistent than is ideal (as was even noted by many last year and this pre-season). This is just to say I don't think there's anything "wrong" with him. All players, and young players in particular, have ups and downs. He's just been having a bit of a down spell, and I have no doubt whatsoever he'll be back up again (and maybe as soon as Sunday...).
B) Teams have adjusted to him. Wilson has a very good internal clock. Basically he has yet to develop the decision-making ability to match his internal clock; that's still coming though. Part of it is that while overall he's a very good QB, he's an EXCEPTIONALLY good QB out of the pocket. He's smart, he's accurate, he's patient, and he's improvisational out of the pocket. He's just a joy to watch. That said, with his good internal clock way too frequently he bails on the pocket at three seconds. Three seconds is decision time for a QB: he either has to bail on the pocket or step into it, as continuing to hang out "above" the pocket is a recipe for disaster. Wilson still has a strong preference for bailing on it. Part of that, I think, is because he's SO GOOD outside of the pocket, and part of that is just because he's young and still learning. People say it's a height thing. I think those people are categorically wrong (e.g. Brees and Young both did incredible damage within the pocket after the three second mark -- that's where Brees does his most damage -- and neither of them will ever be described as tall or of "prototypical" QB size either). What has happened is that defenses have caught on to this tendency, and have become incredibly more disciplined in their gaps while pass rushing, making sure not to overshoot and let Wilson get outside. You can't take everything away from him -- he's too good for that -- but you can work to minimize his opportunity to do what he's most comfortable with (and where he does the most damage), and that's what defenses have done. He'll still beat you, but if you don't maintain gap integrity (or even worse, go for the swim move over the outside shoulder of the tackle and get caught and pushed above the pocket) in the pass rush, he'll beat you over and over and over again.
In the long run, he might always struggle with his accuracy a bit, but every HOF QB has something they'll always struggle with a bit (e.g. Both Steve Young and Elway were like Russ and inconsistent with their accuracy -- all world for ten plays, and then way off for the next three; Marino and Brett both always struggled with their decision making). Where I think the real improvement will come is in taking his truly exceptional internal clock and learning to use it to make the decision between breaking away from the pocket and stepping into it. He does this some of course, but he'll get better. It's something that's teachable.
