If we cut Jake

Yes, yes it certainly did do that.

 

They're not doing anything substantially different from what they did last season. No one is repeating Seattle's strategy of using a LB to manhandle Smith at the line, and people were already rolling safeties to that side last year. The difference between then and now is that Jake couldn't complete a pass to him even if the defense was still standing on the sidelines.

Look, I don't know why Jake has completely lost his accuracy and I wish it hadn't happened, but it has, and QBs generally don't just get that back.

 

It's not just sacks. How many times is the QB pressured or hurried. How many times is he knocked down? Jake has made a lot of throws (and bad ones at that) with DL or LB's in his face or wrapped around his legs. Sacks aren't the whole story.

 

Actually in a separate thread I already addressed the fact that we've caused far more QB hurries on opposing quarterbacks than opposing defenses have registered on ours.

 

In Indy's case at least, much better OL. Both teams have lots of weapons. But then, we do too. It's the OL more than anything (which I've been saying for far too long, damn them).

 

I don`t want your head to pop off your neck on this one, so let me go through it carefully for you.

When we lost our prized FA center and our starter at LT, it forced us to move things around on this line. That has led to (at critical times) pressure on the QB. Not constant sacks, but pressure.

But here`s where losing Wharton/Hartwig has hurt us...you ready?

The running game. We have two exceptional backs, and no holes to run through. We also refuse to implement the screen game. Those two factors reflect the truth: QB will spend (and they have) the majority of games compensating for those voids.

That (and the health of our two corners) have been the two primary reasons for our 6-8 record.

 

Yes. We have generated pressure.

My main point w/the o-line is that the injuries further crippled the already fuck-tarded state of our running game.

 

I also pointed out in a recent thread that the percentage of our third downs between 3 and 8 yards has remained more or less constant since 2003. It's slightly higher this year than last, but not as high as in 2004. Seriously, I've gone through all the statistics and all the interpretations. The difference between then and now is that Jake has gone from being frustrating to inept.

 

Collin, I understood exactly what your opinion is concerning Jake and your opinion that he is now damaged goods and should be cut loose. I was not talking about his mechanics and trying to rebuild his entire throwing motion. I was referring in large part to trying to correct the guys bad habits which have gotten worse this year, such as: Neglecting to setup prior to throws which IMO has a ton to do with his accuracy problems . . . And remembering to simply hold onto the damn ball securely when he’s dodging and scrambling . .. And holding onto the ball too long when he could check down more quickly. OR just teaching him to throw the ball OOB when time is up. How ‘bout not locking onto his primary, or staring down his target? These flaws are far from “not correctable” and Jake is still more than capable of being an effective NFL QB . . . But that is just MY “opinion". I’m no QB coach (and I’d have to guess that neither are you) but drills and reps of what he SHOULD be doing could go a long way to helping in those areas. Yeah, there is undoubtedly a big psychological element to correcting many of Jakes flaws but it CAN be done with the right guy helping him to improve . . . The trick would be to find that guy. Will our headstrong staff who trusts and commits to a fault even begin to search for a personal coach to help Jake get better? Probably not, but I don’t want to just throw in the towel on Delhomme, or just sit by while our FO just plays the same old annoying ass busted record “It is what it is” .. . “It is what it is” . . . “It is what it is” . . . “It is what it is”

 

The running game has been disappointing all year. I'm not fooled by the Rams or Saints game, because you should have success against those teams. When Fox hired Henning, I don't think the agenda was to have an average-below average ranking. This has to get better for us. The only reason we got by last year was because of an insane year from Steve Smith.

The poor running game shouldn't force Jake to make the wrong throw at the wrong time, though. Maybe the 3rd down numbers wouldn't be quite as bad, but I don't think there's any way to prove that.