DougDew

This isn't that complicated. The author is wrong. Frank's play calling cannot stifle BYs improvisation. The definition of improvisation is when the performer doesn't have a script, or throws away the script. What's in the script doesn't matter at that point. The script is irrelevant. The stifling of the improvisation is due to the performers own hesitance, confidence, talents, experience, etc. Its dumb to blame it on the script writer.

Other factors, like his last last three QBs aren't good enough to be in the NFL, and his current QB wasn't any better than Stetson Bennett in college.

No, I'm not ignoring anything just to see it how I want. The LT failing is an execution problem. I get that. I never said it was the play call that failed. I said the out of structure improvising is caused by a failed play....not a failed play CALL. The structured play losing its structure causes the need to improvise. The out-of-structure improvising is first created by a failed in-structure play...unless possibly the play being a one read and go...about 2.5 seconds worth of structure to the play to begin with.. And NO OC wants or intends a called play to lose its structure. The only thing you've cited to support the notion that ...play CALLING limits BY's improvisation....is too many screen passes. I'll wager that if Frank calls 50% fewer screen passes from here on out, it won't impact BY's ability to outrun a sack and fling a strong pass and look like the player the pundits thought they saw in Alabama. I would say that its BYs current/rookie hesitance, non elite NFL quickness, and non elite NFL arm strength are the reasons why he is looking the way he is looking. I'm sure that Frank would appreciate BY improvising successfully. I doubt that Reich is stifling him, as the author suggests.

I read the article as the author criticizing the play calling because it limits improvisation. By definition, a play call is, in itself, structure. A QB is not supposed to improvise...no player is...within the structure of a play call. Players are supposed to do their duties. If the author is specifically talking about not calling enough plays that give BY options, like Reich doesn't call enough RPOs to maximize BYs freedom, fine, but he could have said that simply. Its like Young isn't playing in the NFL anywhere close to how he played at Bama...having success improvising at the college level like Mahomes and Rogers do in the NFL......and the author is blaming Reich for it. By the same logic, I guess Saban is a genius by how well he could get BY to play out of structure during a game.

Of course, the solution would be to move Smith to RG, French to C, and have Freeland start at RT when he is good enough. Hopefully he will not be a liability as a starting RT in a few months. Then, draft another mid round OT as the backup/developmental swing tackle. Since we got lucky with getting an immediate starting caliber LT with a 3rd round pick, it allows Ballard to direct first round capital for a receiver this draft. If we're not stubborn about letting Freeland develop into that RT, then we don't have to waste a high round pick on an olineman when our skilled positions are still average/below average.

"Worst roster in the league" sounds more like hyperbole than a serious description. But if you are implying to yourself its a serious thought that is shared by most critics of the roster, that's on you.

This article is simply feeding a bias. It takes a narrative that is accepted fact (Frank sucks) and backs into examples and logic that supports the original narrative. It praises QBs like Rogers and Mahomes for creating plays out of structure....IOW, when the play breaks down, they create on their own. So, they get praise BECAUSE GB and KC called play that sucked, and they made lemonade out of lemons. But somehow, Reich's sucky play calling is making the play break down in a certain way that Young can't scramble and create. By definition, in all cases, the called play (in structure) MUST break down BEFORE the out of structure success can even happen...so how can a play call be stifling a QBs creativity out of structure? LOL. I guess Nathaniel Hackett and Eric Bienemy should be praised for "allowing" Rogers and Mahomes to take off and make something when their original play call failed.....and since AR and PM do that a lot, a lot of plays Hackett and Bienemy called must have sucked.

I've watched the better part of 2 CAR games, and that is exactly what it looks like. For all of those things he was supposed to have that made up for his lack of physical talent and athletic traits, there are signs that those things are not good enough.....at least not in the short/medium term that you'd want to trade up from 9 to get him. He's playing slow/hesitant, like he's having trouble finding the receivers...not seeing the entire field (and I mean physically).

The chicken or the egg? Which is it now, the QB is good but the receivers suck. I thought we had a great WR room, making "Frank's" QBs even better than they were. Now its the other way around, LOL. To have some consistent data, what is Minshew's completion percentage with the same group?

There are also nuances with this. Some receivers have a larger catch radii and are elite. The elite ones will catch those balls, while the others just get their hands on it. The elite receivers help QBs have better completion percentages. I've been asking for better receivers for about 7 years now, but I also don't think a QB should need to have receivers with a great catch radius to get a decent completion percentage. The Pierce and Granson drops last game would be drops to any NFL receiver other than elite catchers, IMO.

Yeah, I don't get it either. You weren't passing judgement after 4 games. You were talking about conditions in the future. You've been right about stuff for three years, the three years you've been constantly singled out as having the wrong take. Its like criticizing the Moose is just a habit that can't be broken. I guess making up stuff you didn't even say is easier than breaking the habit.

Which is why "athleticism" in a QB only really matters when its used as escapability. If a QB who can throw like Stroud can also extend the play 75% of the time when needed, that passing yardage will advance the offense twice as effectively as the runner who can extend plays 90% when needed. And stay healthier...most likely. My numbers being a guess of course.

Accuracy was a known issue. All QBs have drops that weigh down their percentages. Sure, some more than others. I think he needs to be mid-league in accuracy to be considered a playoff quality QB.

Superman did an analysis of Young during the draft process and stated that Young: does not possess GREAT speed or athleticism, does not possess an elite arm, and accuracy was not elite. And, IIRC, Young never threw or ran in the predraft process, only weighed and measured. He was pretty much anointed the number one pick for weeks. I don't blame him for riding the hype and not testing. He had pre-draft red flags all over the place for being too small and not being close to a superior NFL athlete by any measure (while another guy got whaled on for putting mayonnaise in his coffee on his personal time). Young's got huge bust potential, and always had it.

This post is spot on. Every word. Can't believe it hasn't gotten more likes so far.

Well, if you're going to be that way.. How are you telling yourself that "MOST people who complain about the roster say it's "the worst roster in the league". I check this board every day for the past "couple of years", and I've never seen that written more than once or twice. Could it be that you are exaggerating so your point looks better? Barney would do stuff like that.

Sorry, not following because our record now is about what it has been...with the same coach for a long time....except for Saturday. We were always about 500 with Reich. I didn't catch where you were talking about what others were complaining about. Can you explain again?

As Reich said, we need two receivers and a TE. Pittman may be one. Ogletree may be the TE. There are too many questions about our offensive skilled positions to say that any skilled position is what it should be. There are flashes, but none are really there yet.

How are you telling yourself that? We're .500 now. We've been about .500 for seven years. A little better with a competent Rivers, a lot worse with an incompetent Ryan.

Lots of new players and lots of younger players with another year of development. Last year the entire team knew that the offense was not competitive because of the quarterbacking, and that gets reflected in the quality of play. Hence the exceptionally bad record last season. It feels like a typical near 500 season under Ballard until the talent at the important positions start to emerge/be drafted. Yawn.

How did Freeland do against LAR?

How do we know it injury related? Maybe he just sucks playing anything other than WILL in Flus' defense.

Yes, he can claim to have an Andy Luck sore leg that doctors can't find, and sit on the bench. Unfortunately for the Colts, they did set a precedent when they paid Lucks contract when the doctors could not confirm an injury, so it would seem the Colts would be the last team to say anything about JT doing that. I think the rules regarding this is based upon the assumption that the player wants to play, and that the team wants him to play. Both a player or a team could play the system if they had bad motivations. It cuts both ways....SS could persistently say that JT isn't practicing well enough, never activate him, then the cheap contract would roll over and the Colts would have the benefit of JT on his rookie deal for one more season....when they may be more interested in winning games than this season. The rules are written with such big loopholes that either side can run through because the rules assume PUP is an amicable thing. If I understand the rules correctly.

There was a discussion about this a few pages back, but I believe the gist of it is that once JT comes off of PUP AND is activated for any game the remainder of the season, he becomes a FA. The number of plays he plays is not relevant. Releasing from PUP means that he is healthy. Its assumed that a healthy player wants to play and a HC wants to play a healthy player. So if JT dogs during practice, never gets in game shape, SS can simply leave him inactive for the games, and then his contract would roll over to next year. There is an incentive for JT to practice well enough to be considered for activation in the eyes of SS.

It can't, the thread would die. This thread has been responsible for probably 50% of the clicks the past 2 months.