I've always been hesitant at ranking Quarterbacks. In the NFL the ranking at the top has revolved around Brees/Manning/Brady/Rodgers. To me those 4 are a blend of technique/ability while fitting in a scheme that complimented them. A lot of what separates these 4 are not only ability but outside factors like scheme/coaches/organization.
The thing these 4 Quarterbacks have in common is they all played on controlled-passing offenses. This offense has many labels...in a nutshell all of the offenses are timed-intermediate passing offenses. All 4 have good physical ability, but there is better physical ability on other NFL rosters. Although all 4 are different in their technique, all have efficient motions that lend itself well with the offenses they play in.
That's an example of why I am so hesitant to give rankings. If you were to ask me who I thought was the best Quarterback (factoring age/potential) in the NFL was...my answer would be Joe Flacco. Flacco will never match the numbers of the four mentioned above, because his offense isn't conducive for those numbers. My preference is a running team, and in my opinion Flacco has the best skill set in the NFL to compliment that.
Although I feel Brady and co. are at the top of their games. I like the power arms and power running. I'll always side with the big arm that can execute in that style of offense. That's where my ranking wouldn't match most other rankings. To me the offense a Quarterback plays in or translates to, effect the way I rank.
In baseball Randy Johnson and Greg Maddux played the same position, but were as different as can be. One was about power in Jackson (similar to Flacco, Stafford, BigBen) while the other in Maddux was about control (similar to Rodgers, Brees, Manning). All have elements of control and power, while all make every throw in the route tree. But all of them have pronounced skills.
Rankings for me when it's close, comes down to a matter of preference. I can't argue with Brees and co. or Flacco anymore than I could Johnson or Maddux. I believe a vertical passing game requires a higher degree of difficulty than the horizontal game. I think finding a QB that can execute a vertical game is rarer to find than one that can operate a horizontal one. But that's my preference.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Pioli's good in my book...for now
Prior to the season and still today...I feel the Kansas City Chiefs still have one of the better rosters in the NFL. Though I didn't predict a 1-3 record through 4 games, watching the games my opinion on this team hasn't changed. That opinion in a nutshell...Pioli has built a good roster...Crennel trains defensive players well and schematically among the best...and the team is collectively the best roster we've had in years.
The way I grade Pioli is in April after free agency and the draft. I think he did very well acquiring talent in free agency. I didn't like the draft but I got it...for the most part these 2012 draft picks are the future. What I have is a difference in opinion on how the draft should've been approached. I felt that drafting guys with the ability to contribute was important, not stockpiling guys for contributions after this year.
The only fireable offense for Pioli is his handling of 2009. I don't even hold that sentiment. The problem that I had was Hunt and Pioli dragging their feet on Herm, the coaching search, Chan Gailey, (eventually) Haley, (by all accounts) Cassel. I am still not sure what happened...every indication hints to Pioli not being prepared for this position from Day 1. 2009 for the Chiefs was a wasted season, the choice is do you move past it?
Since 2010 I haven't agreed with the draft strategy but for the most part the players I understood. Eric Berry removed the images of Miles Austin getting famous at the expense of Mike Brown. Arenas and McCluster all but removed the memories that were Bobby Wade as our returner. Houston made Vrabel a distant memory, while Baldwin/(free agent)Breaston did the same to rent-a-player Chris Chambers. The moves since 2010 have made us a better team.
The issue that I have with Pioli is why does he continue to let an awful 2009 off-season haunt this team in 2012? Cassel shortcomings were never really an issue until now. Until now this team had a lot of issues and Cassel was just one of them. To me Pioli can't move this team forward until he moves on from that 2009 off-season entirely.
Saying that...I can't call for the mans head. I watched Jimmy Raye send Bam Morris/Greg Hill on dives for what seemed like an entire game. I watched Eric Warfield and Dexter McCleon get roasted week after week by opposing offenses. I seen the Trezelle Jenkins picked by CP in the first along with Ryan Sims. I love the Chiefs alumni but this team hasn't gotten bad overnight, and we still haven't won a playoff game going on two decades. Trust me we can do a lot worse than Pioli.
This isn't meant to defend Pioli, but it's meant to provide both sides of the coin. Yes, Scott Pioli has made mistakes. But since 2009 none of his mistakes are close to fireable offenses. In 2013 with one pick at the QB position, nearly all of his mistakes are erased. Given the make-up of the roster I'm willing to see if he is ready to move on. Until then, I won't back down from the idea that Pioli is the right GM for this job in Kansas City.
The way I grade Pioli is in April after free agency and the draft. I think he did very well acquiring talent in free agency. I didn't like the draft but I got it...for the most part these 2012 draft picks are the future. What I have is a difference in opinion on how the draft should've been approached. I felt that drafting guys with the ability to contribute was important, not stockpiling guys for contributions after this year.
The only fireable offense for Pioli is his handling of 2009. I don't even hold that sentiment. The problem that I had was Hunt and Pioli dragging their feet on Herm, the coaching search, Chan Gailey, (eventually) Haley, (by all accounts) Cassel. I am still not sure what happened...every indication hints to Pioli not being prepared for this position from Day 1. 2009 for the Chiefs was a wasted season, the choice is do you move past it?
Since 2010 I haven't agreed with the draft strategy but for the most part the players I understood. Eric Berry removed the images of Miles Austin getting famous at the expense of Mike Brown. Arenas and McCluster all but removed the memories that were Bobby Wade as our returner. Houston made Vrabel a distant memory, while Baldwin/(free agent)Breaston did the same to rent-a-player Chris Chambers. The moves since 2010 have made us a better team.
The issue that I have with Pioli is why does he continue to let an awful 2009 off-season haunt this team in 2012? Cassel shortcomings were never really an issue until now. Until now this team had a lot of issues and Cassel was just one of them. To me Pioli can't move this team forward until he moves on from that 2009 off-season entirely.
Saying that...I can't call for the mans head. I watched Jimmy Raye send Bam Morris/Greg Hill on dives for what seemed like an entire game. I watched Eric Warfield and Dexter McCleon get roasted week after week by opposing offenses. I seen the Trezelle Jenkins picked by CP in the first along with Ryan Sims. I love the Chiefs alumni but this team hasn't gotten bad overnight, and we still haven't won a playoff game going on two decades. Trust me we can do a lot worse than Pioli.
This isn't meant to defend Pioli, but it's meant to provide both sides of the coin. Yes, Scott Pioli has made mistakes. But since 2009 none of his mistakes are close to fireable offenses. In 2013 with one pick at the QB position, nearly all of his mistakes are erased. Given the make-up of the roster I'm willing to see if he is ready to move on. Until then, I won't back down from the idea that Pioli is the right GM for this job in Kansas City.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Chiefs: Brady Quinn Mechanics
The conversation for the Chiefs is the Quarterback. I'll preface everything by saying this isn't about the angle of Brady Quinn getting playing time. With Quinn being in the conversation in Kansas City. Thought I would provide my thoughts on him as a player.
Footwork is always thrown around when talking about sports. In basketball Ray Allen is regarded as one of the premier shooters. His "stroke" often gets praised as the sweetest in the game. What makes Ray Allen is his incredible base and ability to generate power to his shot as a shooter. Because of this Ray Allen doesn't need as much range in the upper body to compensate for power. So much force is generated by lower body all Ray Allen has to do is compensate for accuracy.
This principle is no different when evaluating any sport. How a player physically accounts for power and accuracy is often paramount in Quarterback play. Peyton Manning looks awful dropping and throwing. The quirk with Manning is establishing a base quickly. For a big guy he takes short strides, making him appear clumsy.
What Manning does is move in a way that his feet are always in position to deliver the ball. Because the way Manning establish his base, he can account for a lot of power. Peyton Manning doesn't have a lot of "arm talent". Like a great shooter in basketball, Manning establishes a great base where he generates power. The accuracy is the byproduct. Similar to Ray Allen...so much force is generated in balance from lower body...upper body can compensate more for accuracy.
I reference those two players mechanics to contrast how Brady Quinn accounts for power. Unlike the two mentioned above, Quinn rarely establishes a base. Quinn is a strong kid and can generate plenty of force, but without balance that force hinders accuracy. With Quinn the mechanic is a simple fix. Essentially the flawed mechanic is in how he generates power.
With Manning/Allen their bodies move in unison. When the feet begin to generate force the arm is moving right along with it. With Quinn it's more sequential. When the feet begin to generate force, the hips follows, then the shoulder and arm. The quirk that bothers me follows.
While the body is transferring force the arm is in motion. With Quinn the arm starts with the feet, but the arm moves backwards. Unlike Manning/Allen who have little to no negative motion. With Manning his arm is moving up and over the top. With Quinn it's moving back then forward effecting his release point.
Quinn's arm rarely gets extended, by the time the momentum is there to make the pass...Quinn has little time moving arm forward. While at camp the trajectory of his passes were all the same. Because of the release point/extension/reduced forward motion Quinn is very limited in the types of passes he can make.
In baseball there is the pitcher that throws 90mph fast ball but has little versatility with other throws. In a nutshell that is Brady Quinn. His "fastball" isn't good enough to overcome his lack of versatility as a passer. Quinn has little control of the ball because of his flawed mechanic.
Quinn has been on 6 teams in 3 years...there are reasons a 1st round pick is being let go. When I say Quinn shouldn't start, it's not because he's the back-up. It's because he has more limitations passing the ball than Matt Cassel. To me it's as simple as that.
Footwork is always thrown around when talking about sports. In basketball Ray Allen is regarded as one of the premier shooters. His "stroke" often gets praised as the sweetest in the game. What makes Ray Allen is his incredible base and ability to generate power to his shot as a shooter. Because of this Ray Allen doesn't need as much range in the upper body to compensate for power. So much force is generated by lower body all Ray Allen has to do is compensate for accuracy.
This principle is no different when evaluating any sport. How a player physically accounts for power and accuracy is often paramount in Quarterback play. Peyton Manning looks awful dropping and throwing. The quirk with Manning is establishing a base quickly. For a big guy he takes short strides, making him appear clumsy.
What Manning does is move in a way that his feet are always in position to deliver the ball. Because the way Manning establish his base, he can account for a lot of power. Peyton Manning doesn't have a lot of "arm talent". Like a great shooter in basketball, Manning establishes a great base where he generates power. The accuracy is the byproduct. Similar to Ray Allen...so much force is generated in balance from lower body...upper body can compensate more for accuracy.
I reference those two players mechanics to contrast how Brady Quinn accounts for power. Unlike the two mentioned above, Quinn rarely establishes a base. Quinn is a strong kid and can generate plenty of force, but without balance that force hinders accuracy. With Quinn the mechanic is a simple fix. Essentially the flawed mechanic is in how he generates power.
With Manning/Allen their bodies move in unison. When the feet begin to generate force the arm is moving right along with it. With Quinn it's more sequential. When the feet begin to generate force, the hips follows, then the shoulder and arm. The quirk that bothers me follows.
While the body is transferring force the arm is in motion. With Quinn the arm starts with the feet, but the arm moves backwards. Unlike Manning/Allen who have little to no negative motion. With Manning his arm is moving up and over the top. With Quinn it's moving back then forward effecting his release point.
Quinn's arm rarely gets extended, by the time the momentum is there to make the pass...Quinn has little time moving arm forward. While at camp the trajectory of his passes were all the same. Because of the release point/extension/reduced forward motion Quinn is very limited in the types of passes he can make.
In baseball there is the pitcher that throws 90mph fast ball but has little versatility with other throws. In a nutshell that is Brady Quinn. His "fastball" isn't good enough to overcome his lack of versatility as a passer. Quinn has little control of the ball because of his flawed mechanic.
Quinn has been on 6 teams in 3 years...there are reasons a 1st round pick is being let go. When I say Quinn shouldn't start, it's not because he's the back-up. It's because he has more limitations passing the ball than Matt Cassel. To me it's as simple as that.
Coaching Matt Cassel
When I was at training camp one thing I wanted to see with the Quarterbacks was specific. For Cassel I wanted to see him throwing vertically. I felt with the wide receivers we had, that it was necessary for Cassel to make his mistakes with the new scheme there. Problem was I became frustrated watching him.
He would target our slots in the flats v. man, and hit the TE up the seam/post v. Cover 2. His play had me frustrated because this year was about growth for Matt Cassel. But during camp he threw mostly the same routes he always had success with. The same slant he beat Vikings/Indy cover 2, he beat at practice. Most of the routes v. certain coverages were throws that he had always had success with.
At rare points did we work the packages and throws that Cassel has always struggled with. The timing and touch to throw a 9 route vs. man/cover 2 never got the needed reps. The offense Daboll runs requires the ability to throw vertical. So far most of the problems Cassel is having are due to him and the coaching staff taking the time and preparations to familiarize themselves with it.
The problem with being a successful running team, is that defenses will adjust to that. It takes numbers in football to run. Teams that describe themselves as running teams have to adjust their personnel accordingly. They are likely, as is the case in Kansas City to carry more TE's/FB's/RB's than teams that considering themselves passing teams.
By having more TE's/Backs they face adjustments for opposing defenses. The defense typically adds a linebacker or defensive lineman. These numbers in the run game effects the passing game, how it applies to Kansas City...
The Chiefs by bringing more numbers (defenders) in the box...the openings in the passing game become vertical. With the middle of the field covered by alignment, the natural passing lanes are in favor of the split ends. Which is in contrast to spread/horizontal passing schemes which spreads defenders across the field opening up the middle. Giving a West Coast system easier/more reads in passing game.
The traditional successful running teams like the Steelers, and Ravens have prototypes for their system. Schematically the big arm is needed more so than the more mechanical QB's in Rodgers/Brees/Peyton who depend on quickness and options. True running teams are going to be limited in their options in the passing game.
With the running teams that bring defenders up, having a big arm to back them up compliments a strong running team. That defense in theory should have to worry about run fills and getting beat vertically. Currently the Chiefs don't do that to defenses, because Cassel doesn't do that to defenses.
Cassel having a big arm would be great, but he doesn't need one. Kurt Warner built a Hall of Fame career simply by having great timing on his throws. The thing that separates Kyle Orton from Matt Cassel is timing. Timing partly attributed to playing at Purdue, but Orton threw receivers open...Cassel mostly throws to open receivers.
What made me frustrated as I left camp was the praise Daboll was putting on Cassel. Right then I saw a coach that was satisfied with a Quarterback that wasn't growing as a passer. The mistakes that are happening right now are a byproduct of that moment and moments like them.
We have an owner, GM, coaches that are satisfied with this flawed passer not growing. It's good that they want him to play better. But show it! Make Cassel throw the flag under the safety and over the corner every fricken time until he commands that throw. Make Cassel throw a post inside the free safety on cover 3 until he commands it.
Matt Cassel can drive a throw, he can throw for touch...but he isn't a passer. Steve Young once said the difference between him and Mike Vick was thousands of reps at BYU. Cassel needs to get back every rep that he lost at USC. We can't four years in have Cassel learning on the job.
He would target our slots in the flats v. man, and hit the TE up the seam/post v. Cover 2. His play had me frustrated because this year was about growth for Matt Cassel. But during camp he threw mostly the same routes he always had success with. The same slant he beat Vikings/Indy cover 2, he beat at practice. Most of the routes v. certain coverages were throws that he had always had success with.
At rare points did we work the packages and throws that Cassel has always struggled with. The timing and touch to throw a 9 route vs. man/cover 2 never got the needed reps. The offense Daboll runs requires the ability to throw vertical. So far most of the problems Cassel is having are due to him and the coaching staff taking the time and preparations to familiarize themselves with it.
The problem with being a successful running team, is that defenses will adjust to that. It takes numbers in football to run. Teams that describe themselves as running teams have to adjust their personnel accordingly. They are likely, as is the case in Kansas City to carry more TE's/FB's/RB's than teams that considering themselves passing teams.
By having more TE's/Backs they face adjustments for opposing defenses. The defense typically adds a linebacker or defensive lineman. These numbers in the run game effects the passing game, how it applies to Kansas City...
The Chiefs by bringing more numbers (defenders) in the box...the openings in the passing game become vertical. With the middle of the field covered by alignment, the natural passing lanes are in favor of the split ends. Which is in contrast to spread/horizontal passing schemes which spreads defenders across the field opening up the middle. Giving a West Coast system easier/more reads in passing game.
The traditional successful running teams like the Steelers, and Ravens have prototypes for their system. Schematically the big arm is needed more so than the more mechanical QB's in Rodgers/Brees/Peyton who depend on quickness and options. True running teams are going to be limited in their options in the passing game.
With the running teams that bring defenders up, having a big arm to back them up compliments a strong running team. That defense in theory should have to worry about run fills and getting beat vertically. Currently the Chiefs don't do that to defenses, because Cassel doesn't do that to defenses.
Cassel having a big arm would be great, but he doesn't need one. Kurt Warner built a Hall of Fame career simply by having great timing on his throws. The thing that separates Kyle Orton from Matt Cassel is timing. Timing partly attributed to playing at Purdue, but Orton threw receivers open...Cassel mostly throws to open receivers.
What made me frustrated as I left camp was the praise Daboll was putting on Cassel. Right then I saw a coach that was satisfied with a Quarterback that wasn't growing as a passer. The mistakes that are happening right now are a byproduct of that moment and moments like them.
We have an owner, GM, coaches that are satisfied with this flawed passer not growing. It's good that they want him to play better. But show it! Make Cassel throw the flag under the safety and over the corner every fricken time until he commands that throw. Make Cassel throw a post inside the free safety on cover 3 until he commands it.
Matt Cassel can drive a throw, he can throw for touch...but he isn't a passer. Steve Young once said the difference between him and Mike Vick was thousands of reps at BYU. Cassel needs to get back every rep that he lost at USC. We can't four years in have Cassel learning on the job.
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