Ok - let's talk about receivers for a minute. I know the OL isn't great and the WRs have dropped a few (dozen) passes, but on the subject of WRs:
I keep reading on the board that our receivers have no speed and can't get separation from DBs and people saying QBs can't complete passes because no one's open. I just don't buy it.
To me, the QB - WR hookup is 90% coaching and practice. You have some guys in D1 that have the speed to just run by DBs but with zones and cover-2 schemes, that's no guarantee anymore. Technique, timing and familiarity with the QB is key. Timing routes that are well executed are extremely difficult to defend - even when receivers have less speed than the DBs - they have such an advantage because they (supposedly) know where they'll be on the field and where the QB will throw.
So - I don't believe that receivers just "can't get open." If they're using shoulder, footwork and hip techniques to fool the DBs, if they don't telegraph their cuts, if they run each route like they deserve the ball and if they're making the same reads as the QB, they're impossible to cover on every play. If they're not doing those things then our coaches are doing a piss poor job preparing them.
And they obviously have been and the QB carousel makes that apparent. How could the timing and reads be consistent when four different guys are taking snaps during the game? It's crazy. I'm sure it is tempting for our WRs to not run routes with purpose on every play (since the ball rarely gets to where it's supposed to be) and to drop the ball when it does. But if we can't complete a 7 yard pass on a 3rd and 6 - I blame the ability of the coaches to provide a successful scheme where WRs and QBs know what the routes are and where the ball should be delivered.
I keep reading on the board that our receivers have no speed and can't get separation from DBs and people saying QBs can't complete passes because no one's open. I just don't buy it.
To me, the QB - WR hookup is 90% coaching and practice. You have some guys in D1 that have the speed to just run by DBs but with zones and cover-2 schemes, that's no guarantee anymore. Technique, timing and familiarity with the QB is key. Timing routes that are well executed are extremely difficult to defend - even when receivers have less speed than the DBs - they have such an advantage because they (supposedly) know where they'll be on the field and where the QB will throw.
So - I don't believe that receivers just "can't get open." If they're using shoulder, footwork and hip techniques to fool the DBs, if they don't telegraph their cuts, if they run each route like they deserve the ball and if they're making the same reads as the QB, they're impossible to cover on every play. If they're not doing those things then our coaches are doing a piss poor job preparing them.
And they obviously have been and the QB carousel makes that apparent. How could the timing and reads be consistent when four different guys are taking snaps during the game? It's crazy. I'm sure it is tempting for our WRs to not run routes with purpose on every play (since the ball rarely gets to where it's supposed to be) and to drop the ball when it does. But if we can't complete a 7 yard pass on a 3rd and 6 - I blame the ability of the coaches to provide a successful scheme where WRs and QBs know what the routes are and where the ball should be delivered.
