takeitdown

Yeah, it's why mismatch guys inside are such a big deal. Tall slots, Rangy tight ends, shifty backs...they all can make hay inside, where a 10 yard pass only needs to travel 15 yards, instead of where 10 yard pass needs to travel 40. You need to control the middle of the field one way or another.

It's more just common sense. You get a player to fill in if your starter gets hurt, and you hope he's good enough. You're always trying to prepare with at least a decent guy at any spot where there's a likelihood of a vet leaving. I don't know that this guy is up to that level, but that's the aim when you backfill behind a leaving player.

Julio has a more pass friendly era to play in, which gives him an advantage. Rice had a new offensive system when defenses weren't yet accustomed to how to stop it, which gives him a big advantage. Hard to really compare across eras, especially if one is with a new system. Rice played in the equivalent of being in Shanahan's system every year of his career (but even moreso since defenses weren't even used to the concept at the beginning.) Hard to argue against Rice as the GOAT wrt production.

Yep. And a couple years ago we had a high priced corner, strong vet corner, emerging DT, young phenom LB, Pro Bowl SS, Top 10 DE pick. That looks like a defense that should be good. But nah.

It's pretty amazing how consistently bad our 3rd down D is. Ugly.

Saying "I'd never look at what the other team is bad at" I'm hoping is a misquote or something. That's the whole point of what you do as an OC. Take what you're good at, and what the defense is bad and, and marry them. Do as many things you're good at and they're bad at as possible. Asinine.

OL was rough in pass pro last year, and all around. A bit surprised by the stat though, because doesn't Ryan normally perform well when hurried? I mean we shouldn't rely on it and should give him blocking, but I wonder if his really lower grade when pressured means we should have had more route options to go to quickly.

Agree in theory. But a slightly underthrown fade is one of the easier INTs. I was meaning an out near the sideline, thrown up high. Generally you're talking about a ball that is caught, or is tipped out of bounds. The main downside is depending on route depth, the QB has to release the ball a little later on a "zip thrown" out, whereas on a fade, the ball comes out nearly immediately.

1) Think he would do just as well with an out. 2) Actually think fade is one of Julio's weakest. The best guys for that have great air body control and are contested catch fiends. Calvin, Moss, Larry Fitz, Hopkins...those guys are all great at 50/50 balls. 50/50 balls are Julio's weakest part of his game. He's a great receiver, but that's not his great trait.

Yeah, I was going to say I buy that if he had kept a top 10 defense. The way around being a great strategist is if you have a user friendly low cost (draft position) style of play and you can spot talent to fit it. If Quinn had been able to do this on D, then he'd be good enough to be a solid coach. But he has been obviously unable to do that. Seattle has completely retooled and remained good on D, while we've never really been able to create a solid D. I just don't see what the special thing is that he brings.

Yeah, it's not just a jump ball. It's one of the toughest routes to throw as a QB, and the WR has to buy a lot of space from the sideline. If you want to do a jump ball, just have your man run and out and put it up high. Same thing accomplished, way easier throw and catch.

Yeah, you use the stats to validate or call into question your eyes. You may see that the stats show you should go for it on 4th down when you wouldn't normally. So then you go look at that more...film, tendencies, dig into the stats. Similar to when you see someone ran a slow 40...you go see if that's going to be a limitation. The numbers aren't the end all be all, but not paying them any attention is stupid and arrogant.

He isn't really a strategist. He doesn't figure out how to make his team take advantage of the other teams weaknesses, in general. Most the good coaches specialize in that. It's what gives their team a leg up each week. A slight advantage. Quinn seems to be a good leader of men, and that counts, but you need to be able to put them in the best position to succeed, and for that you need to be able to scheme around what the other team does (generally.) Seems like a likeable enough guy, but I'd be surprised if he ever becomes a top guy. Then again, I said the same about Tomlin.

Yeah, back before they had success rate or EPA, I was always in favor of median YPC. What was the number we could expect to hit generally. That way you know if your guy is normally getting 4 yards, or normally getting under 2.

If Ridley can get consistent hands and make the contested catches, he'll take a huge step. He's got the shimmy down.