I'm especially obsessive about 'shoulda woulda coulda', so last super bowl was worth about 4 months of misery, including waking up in the middle of the night and thinking about different outcomes and how many other playcalls could have potentially worked. That being said, obviously today was a train wreck in the beginning. But when the momentum train came back around our way and hope sprang up, there was one play that kinda told that little voice in my head that we were doomed:
The sack.
Long ago i learned to accept Russ much in the same fashion cowboys fans have to accept romo. you're going to get phenomenal plays that you wouldn't even possibly get from other qb's. at the same time, you're going to get an occasional brain-hurter, where you just put your head in your lap and cry "whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy". When i see the Radish forum explode on Russ, i just get a good laugh because they haven't come to terms with it the way i have.
Also, i've always played receiver and safety, so quarterback reads were always really difficult for me. i completely understand why only a select few can operate efficiently at the pro level as a qb. with everything going on in the trenches, reading coverages and selecting the optimal throw just seems incredibly difficult to me at times.
But today, at one of the most critical times, it wasn't hard.
It was simple. Almost rudimentary.
I think Charlie Whitehurst could have made the throw.
The pocket broke down, but carolina efficiently boxed Russ in. The only lane available was quickly filled.
But it was filled by a corner, who WAS covering marshawn lynch.
Even before Norman made the break for the sack, Lynch had a step on him. Then, when Norman abandoned his coverage and gambled for the sack, Lynch was there, (open). Russ just went in defensive mode, which would have been a great decision in a one score game. in this game, at that moment, you cannot under any circumstance let that happen. In fact I don't understand why not just heave it downfield fifty yards. 3rd and 25 will not be converted anyways against that team, so a pick is just a decent punt, and there's always a chance that your downfield receiver can either come up with it or at least knock it down for an incomplete pass. The sack was the ONE thing we could not afford, and in fact, if i'm not mistaken wouldn't we have actually benefited from an intention grounding? Wouldn't intentional grounding have only cost ten yards?
**disclaimer** If lynch would have sat down, it would have been easier for Russ to execute and possibly pull the trigger. as soon as lynch saw or sensed norman peel, he should have sat down instead of continuing to drag across.
but regardless of a completion to lynch, that is exactly the kind of read that russ needs to make to avoid these kinds of sacks. even to the extent that seeing an area near a receiver like that gives you an opportunity to quick release it into the dirt anywhere nearby, it HAS to be done.
This was the drive of the fake punt. Mathematically, at least in my head, that drive was too critical to not come away with three points minimum. but the sack made it completely impossible to even consider any option besides punt.
Next year Russ HAS to figure these things out in order to bring us back to the promised land. It seems like the worst or closest games we play involve these kinds of plays and/or the intentional groundings (or close calls). We gotta figure out how to have checkdowns in place where Russ can just put it in the dirt IMO.
The sack.
Long ago i learned to accept Russ much in the same fashion cowboys fans have to accept romo. you're going to get phenomenal plays that you wouldn't even possibly get from other qb's. at the same time, you're going to get an occasional brain-hurter, where you just put your head in your lap and cry "whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy". When i see the Radish forum explode on Russ, i just get a good laugh because they haven't come to terms with it the way i have.
Also, i've always played receiver and safety, so quarterback reads were always really difficult for me. i completely understand why only a select few can operate efficiently at the pro level as a qb. with everything going on in the trenches, reading coverages and selecting the optimal throw just seems incredibly difficult to me at times.
But today, at one of the most critical times, it wasn't hard.
It was simple. Almost rudimentary.
I think Charlie Whitehurst could have made the throw.
The pocket broke down, but carolina efficiently boxed Russ in. The only lane available was quickly filled.
But it was filled by a corner, who WAS covering marshawn lynch.
Even before Norman made the break for the sack, Lynch had a step on him. Then, when Norman abandoned his coverage and gambled for the sack, Lynch was there, (open). Russ just went in defensive mode, which would have been a great decision in a one score game. in this game, at that moment, you cannot under any circumstance let that happen. In fact I don't understand why not just heave it downfield fifty yards. 3rd and 25 will not be converted anyways against that team, so a pick is just a decent punt, and there's always a chance that your downfield receiver can either come up with it or at least knock it down for an incomplete pass. The sack was the ONE thing we could not afford, and in fact, if i'm not mistaken wouldn't we have actually benefited from an intention grounding? Wouldn't intentional grounding have only cost ten yards?
**disclaimer** If lynch would have sat down, it would have been easier for Russ to execute and possibly pull the trigger. as soon as lynch saw or sensed norman peel, he should have sat down instead of continuing to drag across.
but regardless of a completion to lynch, that is exactly the kind of read that russ needs to make to avoid these kinds of sacks. even to the extent that seeing an area near a receiver like that gives you an opportunity to quick release it into the dirt anywhere nearby, it HAS to be done.
This was the drive of the fake punt. Mathematically, at least in my head, that drive was too critical to not come away with three points minimum. but the sack made it completely impossible to even consider any option besides punt.
Next year Russ HAS to figure these things out in order to bring us back to the promised land. It seems like the worst or closest games we play involve these kinds of plays and/or the intentional groundings (or close calls). We gotta figure out how to have checkdowns in place where Russ can just put it in the dirt IMO.
