AgentDib":yaqptzok said:
Mick063":yaqptzok said:
Every quarterback worth his salt will give his receiver a chance to make a play if he is singled up. Every time a quarterback reads the coverage, he is looking for a receiver singled up. Every time a quarterback looks off a safety, he is attempting to put a receiver in single coverage.
I agree that we want those one on one situations but it's a lot more complicated than you make it sound. Do you think Austin Davis is going to be throwing at Quick every time Sherman is in solo coverage on him, regardless of how open Quick is? Of course not.
Consider some of those QB-receiver combos where you know the QB is going to be pulling the trigger a lot if he sees that receiver in single coverage. They tend to either be receivers who create separation with speed/length to give the QB an opportunity to put the ball where only they can catch it ('12 Sidney Rice), or they tend to be physical receivers who will come down with the ball in traffic even if the defender gets his hand on it ('13 Golden Tate).
Who is that receiver for us? Percy Harvin if we send him on a route eventually. Beyond that, RW probably shouldn't be throwing to receivers if they aren't open, and "open" is a nebulous concept. Our receivers had a chance to make a handful of contested catches vs. the Cowboys and they came down with none of them, so it isn't at all clear that we just need to increase the attempts.
Kearse has demonstrated a large catch radius. He goes after the ball at the high point very well.
Seattle has time invested in a speedy tight end. Perhaps he isn't up to snuff?
Harvin is too busy catching passes at the line of scrimmage, in Bevel's obsessed pursuit of YAC plays, for us to truly know if he can consistently beat single coverage downfield. Personally, I believe if DJax or Hilton can do it, then so can Percy.
There is an ultra quick rookie receiver that is largely inactive. At the very least, he could be drawing a safety deep to clear room for Baldwin underneath.
So this isn't all on Russell. He isn't put into the best situation to succeed. Regardless, he isn't challenging the coverage nearly as much as he should. The rules are designed to let it rip. He isn't doing it. At the very least, Seattle could get 1-3 more interference calls a game for first downs. Such is the modern NFL as demonstrated lately by the best secondary in football.
This isn't black or white. It isn't all or nothing. There are many times when Russell correctly doesn't pull the trigger. There are many other times when he should pull the trigger and does not. Earlier in the season, before the Dallas debacle, Kurt Warner spelled it out rather convincingly, showing video of Russell declining to pull the trigger when the play was there, instead tucking the ball and running (albeit for acceptable yardage I will concede). Perhaps the constant practicing against the Seattle secondary on "Turnover Thursday" has him gun shy. Perhaps his own secondary has made him lose confidence in his receivers to make a play.
All I know is that a NFL quarterback can't make a living waiting for receivers to get wide open. It just doesn't happen enough. It is why Aaron Rogers throws the back shoulder fade, a play designed for covered receivers, and a staple of his passing diet. It is why Bret Farve threw a few interceptions....all the way to the Hall of Fame. The best of the best know there is risk involved, but they are good enough, and confident enough to stick the ball in there. They trust their receivers can get the job done.
