Weinke's field vision...or lack thereof?

In light of CW's benching, I've started to think about some reasons he might be struggling. So far, (please correct me if I'm wrong) these seem to be some consistent observations popping up on the subject:

1) Weinke tends to lock onto one target.

2) Weinke can't find Wesley Walls over the middle or in the end zone to save his life.

3) Weinke rarely wants to throw more than 8 yards downfield, even in this new offense.

4) Weinke prefers the shotgun formation because it allows him 'to see the field better'.

I'm starting to be seriously concerned that maybe his field vision is either physically or otherwise not what it needs to be for him to be successful. If he is unable to pick out a receiver out of the corner of his eye without getting radar lock, or if he can't spot a 6'5" tight end in traffic, there may be something wrong.

Granted, most modern NFL offenses are based on timing routes, and even Steve Young once admitted that half the time he never saw the WR he was throwing to. Walsh and Rice just told him to 'throw it right there'. But if he can't see downfield, it would explain his propensity to dump off to his backs in the flat, and hit the others in 5 to 7 yard comeback routes, hooks and quick outs.

*P.S.-if this is painfully obvious, I apologize. I haven't read anyone making it a prime issue, and I live in California--I haven't seen a televised game in over a year. Hard to pick up on the details over the internet feeds.

 

um, 14 completed passes in the Dallas game for 101 yards. throw out the 31 yard TD and you got 13 for 70 yards. add in the NE game and you have14 for 73 yards. that equates to right at 5 yards a pass. what did you say? 5-7 yards. seems you're pretty much right on. wouldn't think vision would be a problem if you're only throwing 5 yard passes.

i have wondered if maybe he's got a stiff neck (he does have a nasty looking scar on the back of his neck) and that effects his ability to see the field -- particularly to the left since his setup is the right. it often has seemed to me that he doesn't even look to see if the receiver is open when he goes to his left.

 

The scar is from neck surgery he had in college. A year or two before he won the Heissman.

 

i didn't watch him in college. was he able to throw to his left then?

 

He threw downfield more in college. No, he's never been consistently accurate, particuarly to his left.

He has a tendancy to lock on a guy. The WCO may have fucked his progressions up.

 

i dunno. it just seems to me that he doesn't lock in on a receiver when he goes to his left. it's like he just turns and starts throwing without haing a clue if the receiver is open or where he should be.

 

I think Fox said that after reviewing tapes from college and last year that he made a decision. Must have seen some things in the tapes.

 

Well, Henning said the same thing, and the decision was to not draft Harrington.

I think we may be overanalyzing this. Weinke struggled the last two games, even though it's preseason, he just did not do what Fox wanted.

 

That's the point I was trying to make. Maybe he's afraid/uncomfortable throwing any deeper than that. He's done it, (and seemingly well in college) but I don't know if downfield is still his preferred range. If it is a problem for him, it may not even be an eye problem. It may be a matter of being over conservative (making absolutely sure his receiver is open), or not being able to read NFL secondary schemes well enough. Maybe a lack of confidence in his receiving corps, which would explain Moose, but not Walls. I don't know. Maybe we are over-analyzing this thing.

 

well, Chuck Howard said that some Panthers were noting anonymously that Weinke really wasn't up on the playbook, and that Fox had quizzed him on the book and Weinke was having trouble.

I don't know why he's having trouble, but he shouldn't be. That's a clear reason to drop him from the starting lineup, and yeah, it's legit.