ThomasRoane

RG III was so awkward trying to get down. I always had this vision of a crash test dummy flying thru a windshield. Hmm, wonder if they could rework that to look more like a hive with bees flying all over. I'd definitely be wearing that. My son bought me a Heinicke jersey for the KC game. It's the throwback color scheme. LOL I hope I'm not jinxing the kid!

Yep; quick game has been killing us since Tampa. I'm sure the coaches and FO were aware and tried to upgrade the secondary. Not enough obviously. Start bringing up guys from the PS if you have to. Even if it just pushes the better players. And for God sakes keep Collin off the field! Do it for him for pity's sake! He's getting victimized out there. It's almost cruel now.

Honestly I'm fine with Holcomb and Davis. Most teams are in a 4-2-5 for the majority of the game. I'm excited to see what they can do together.

True and yet there's more to it than just running your route. A good receiver absolutely must give the DB a good stem. In other words, make that DB think that the route is going deep or inside. You use everything you can. Head, lean, feet, etc. to make that DB react and think "oh crap, he's going deep or he's running a skinny post!" The best receivers will make the DB flip his hips. It's game over then no matter what. That takes a lot of work as a receiver. The goal for my receivers is to make the first 3 yards look the same whether you're running a fade, slant, shallow, speedout, bench, etc. A db that is forced to guess is a defeated DB. That's why McLaurin has become so good. He is in that DB's head. Now, a couple more things about out routes. You have a speedout that is basically about 5 yards deep. Gone are the days when you watch a receiver get to his first landmark, shuffle his feet, and then cut. DB's have become too quick and the really good ones can flip their hips and back again before you can defeat them. So, on that speedout, you have to really bend that thing inside but at the same time there can be no loss of momentum. I do drills to make sure that every cleat is in the ground because at that speed receivers have a tendency to slip and fall - see Ryan Grant; the king of falling. The ball should be coming out as the receiver is coming out of his stem/bend. Allowing him to run away from the defender. A bench route is pretty much the same concept only it's going to take longer to develop. The route distance varies. This is your 3rd and 8+ route. The receiver must get beyond the sticks; at least a couple yards. Usually, there is some kind of combo involved here; depending on the coverage. If it's man, then the primary is lined up inside while a burner like Scary Terry clears out. The QB can throw the fade if the outside receiver is even. If it's cover two with a DB covering flat then usually you have a route to hold that DB down. Like a back or TE on an arrow route (straight angle to outside) or a very shallow speedout, flair, etc. Then the QB wants to beat that safety with a hole shot up the sideline. Now, that primary inside receiver must stress the safety and make him think he's running a seam or a post to keep him leveraged inside. Regardless though, the receiver absolutely, positively MUST get beyond the sticks and then bend that baby to the marker so that either he gets the ball or nobody does. Making the defender come thru his body (for the DPI) is the key here.

Not crazy at all. One of our most effective coaching points to our receivers was for them to "get friendly" with the QB. Give the QB a good target away from the defender. I always wanted my receivers to be like good, active basketball players. Don't stand there clapping your hands for a pass. A defender can easily get in the lane and intercept. Keep moving at all times. Make sure your QB has a good, clear lane to your jersey number. This isn't just a TH issue. Look at the very best receivers. Like Hopkins. They attack the ball!

I believe that TH will continue to improve his knowledge of NFL defenses and how Turner is looking to attack defensive schemes. We all know TH is smart. I believe @KDawg would agree though that there is no substitute for game reps. In that respect, TH is still a baby-faced rookie. He can overcome a lot of physical deficiencies with gameday experience. I believe he's already ahead of Carr's timeline. Dunno if anyone caught the pregame but there was a lot of talk about Carr and how he used to check the line to see what was going on rather than keeping eyes downfield. (This was RG III's downfall as well) TH already keeps his head up. He just needs to take the next step to knowing what the Defense is up to so he can deliver the ball on schedule. That will mitigate some of his arm strength issues. Also, his feet and foundation will get more steady as he grows more comfortable throwing from the pocket. The coaching staff and FO can really help TH with a strong running game. Arm strength isn't no where near as important when you run play action. Without a good running game though, you can't be effective with play action. I know this is wishful thinking, but I can't stop wondering what the team could be if they could keep TH on a discount (knowing other staffs may like him but not love him). Then spread that $ around on above average OLine and playmakers.

Every time I yell for the team to replace the kicker I think about Graham Gano. How we mocked him as "oh no" Gano! Now look at him, one of the very best. I tend to agree with Rivera. Play it out. If pulls out of the slump then great. If not, replace him next year. He's not that far off. And every miss is strangely to the right.

Agreed. If the job is still his at the end of the year then he will calm his feet and that will translate to better accuracy and velocity. There's still probably a ceiling that is lower than top tier QBs, but he can maximize what he does have with game reps and confidence. (He does jump around a lot in the pocket and he pats the ball. Get rid of both of those habits. They're wasted motions and cost precious tenths of seconds.) He's still relatively young as a starter and the game will slow down for him eventually. (Scary that it hasn't yet and he's still producing.) He'll start seeing what the defense is doing faster and that will help him to throw players open and manipulate coverage. That said, I would really love to see him maximize all the other little mental things that make an NFL QB that much better. Mastering protections, presnap adjustments, using different cadence to keep dline on their heels, moving defenders with his facemask (they can't see eyes from that far), etc. He's supersmart and if I were his friend I'd encourage him to maximize every mental part of his game. That is what makes #17 so much fun to root for! He's never satisfied.

Since Joey T. Most posters are probably too young to remember. Joey T may have had to look of a hollywood playboy QB but he was gutsy as hell and a fierce competitor.

His style reminds me of a basketball player who just has the ugliest form on his shot. You look at him and think there's no way this player should be on the court. Yet the guy has a big heart and just find ways to manufacture points with smarts, hustle, and grit. That's who TH is on a football field. Rarely looks pretty but damn if he doesn't find a way to make things happen.

@mistertim Thanks! I appreciate the link. Hope you don't take any of my posts personal. They're not meant to be. Still respect you man. Hmm 62.1 is in yellow so I'm guessing not great? Not surprised about pass pro though. He's one nasty dude there. I mean that as a compliment too. He crushes people. That said, give him a little help on run blocking with the center. Once he gets a handle on his guy it's all over. He just needs some help with those quick DTs.

On pass-pro, I really like Flowers. I seriously don't believe he's whiffing on purpose. He's a big dude. It's hard for him to get low enough when the DLine is going to submarine or can just shoot the gap. I put that more on the Oline coach. If my Center doesn't have a man heads up then I'd be telling him to help Flowers immediately. I think there was one occasion where we ran to the right and it looked like the coach was expecting Flowers to reach block on his play side (to the right) gap. That's a big ask for a big guy like that. If the Oline coach can give him a little help he'll be fine. I'd like to see TH become more Rodgers and Newton like with his cadence. A good cadence where you get the DL to jump a few times really goes a long way towards helping your Oline out. That's something TH can master. Those little things, if added up, can help make up for other deficiencies that he has. (Note for the record: I'm fully admitting that TH does not have an NFL arm)

No doubt. The coaches are ultimately responsible for the product on the field. Have the guts to make the tough calls. That's why they're millionaires. I always felt like my job as a coach was to put my best 11 on the field (of course you can substitute based on the situation) but generally get your best 11 on the field. Scheme them up to maximize their strengths and minimize their weaknesses. Have to instill confidence in what you're doing as well. If you don't believe in it and are constantly changing then the players won't believe in what you're doing either.

In other words, we need better players. Not across the board. But there are a couple who are glaring weaknesses.

They did play man more often yesterday. The problem is their best Man corner (WJ III) is logging too many DPIs. Needs to get his head around quicker. I liked seeing McTyer more. He's good in man coverage. Same issue though. If he gets his head around on one of those balls he has an easy pick.

Benching an underachieving, high priced Safety couldn't hurt. That would get the attention of many of the players. Letting Jamin Davis fight thru some growing pains would be for the long term. He's a special athlete. Fuller played better. I wouldn't mind seeing Forrest back in the lineup from IR. I can't remember for sure but I don't think BSJ was on the field. Was he hurt or something? Hope he wasn't a healthy scratch. Unless it was for discipline. I think he can develop into a really good corner.

Anyone have a PFF account? I'll bet Flowers grade on run blocking is not very good.

Nope, go back and look at short yardage plays. Always Flowers that fails. True confession, I have Gibson on my fantasy team. So I pay extra special attention on short yardage. Flowers is huge. I don't think he wants to get beat. He's just slow off the ball and that gets him in trouble on those short yardage deals. That said, he's an animal on pass pro. I have seen him de-cleat several pass rushers and blitzers. Next year, I believe the FO will be in the market for a LG. Hell, if Scherff can't stay healthy maybe two!

You just made me sick to my stomach! What if they don't feel like they have anyone better to put on the field!?!? If that's the case, they're screwed!

The Chargers DL had no concern whatsoever for his mobility either. People talk about the OLine playing better. I wonder if maybe it's the fear of TH using his legs that is making it seem as if they're playing better. I'm sure they've cleaned up a few things but DCs can't just send bodies at TH. His legs are his super power. He can make them pay for it. His timely scrambles kept the offense in the game yesterday. I know for sure that Flowers is horrible at run blocking. Damn he sucks! Not bad on pass pro but whenever we're in short yardage it's always his man who makes the play.

I agree with your assessment. I'm not sure how much freedom JDR has. If I'm him, then I'm telling RR that it's past time watching the same players make the same mistakes (or unable to do their jobs) over and over. Forget salary and name recognition. The best 11 need to be on the field. Period. Then? If there still aren't results. You move on from JDR.

The problem I have Captain Obvious is that no one here has been posting "wow! did you see that 20 yard out that TH threw on a rope?!?!" The same posters keep beating the same dead horse over and over. If feels like you're talking down to us. Like we don't have eyes or this is the first time we've ever watched someone trying to play QB in the NFL. We know his shortcomings. We don't care! We're not dreaming about going to the Super Bowl with TH. Hell, we're not even looking passed the Saints!!! We're just trying to enjoy what little success we've been given and we don't need you guys going "yeah..but" all the time. It's tiresome and played out. We're going to enjoy this ride as long as it lasts. Which is probably not long based on the history of this franchise. Then, wallow in the mud with the rest of you discussing the futility of rooting for this franchise.

And if he's as smart financially as he is in the classroom, he'll retire from the NFL as a multi-millionaire. Not bad for a kid sleeping on his sisters couch last year.

And he wouldn't be playing for the WFT and we'd be watching Kyle Allen struggle.

The way you over analyze TH comes across as if he's the only thing holding this team back. When the honest truth is that he's the only reason most of us aren't changing channels during the game! Aside from Carter's TD, TH is literally involved in virtually every other highlight we've seen this year. He's not the reason the defense is God awful and our kicker needs his leg calibrated. If not for TH, the WFT is 0 - 4 with no hope for the rest of the season and picking first in a draft year where the crop of QBs seems to be very average. Newsflash. We're not stupid. We know he doesn't fit your idea of what a franchise QB looks like. We don't care! We're enjoying the ride while it lasts. There haven't been many rides to enjoy since Gibbs 1.0.