I've noticed throughout the yrs no matter which team we are playing, our defense finds a way to make the opposing QB look like he's been doing the job for yrs. WR are wide open short, over the middle or along the side lines. Then it got me thinking, for the most part, our WR are rarely wide open, with the exception of the TE over the middle for 7 yds, or if we count the RB coming out of the back field to catch for 5 yds. Our most always seem to be under duress most routes they run. This could be because of a lot of things, mostly, they are poor route runners, or conversely, our defense sucks at pass rushing and covering. I think back to the Cardinals game, which contributed greatly to deluding us that this team could be a contender, when if memory serves, even their third string WR was unstoppable. If that game was a quarter longer the cards could have taken it.
I saw coles, cotchery and clowney all beat the coverage on deep routes yesterday. The passes were ALL under thrown.
from my seat (in my living room) coles was under thrown a couple times but was in front of his man by a step. The interception was tipped, but the WR was double covered. The 4th and 4 bomb was also into double coverage. I thinking more along the nobody on my screen until after the WR catches the ball, like it was for the Pats, cards and even the Bills last week. Our WR never seem to get away from their guys.
Off the top of my head I remember Clowney and Coles each having 2-3 steps on a fly pattern that was severely under thrown. Both should have been TD's.
Our WRs have gotten separation this year. It's just that it's either resulted in a catch, a penalty against us, an INT, or a drop. And the good one...a catch...seemed to happen way less often than the bad ones. I think Coles played himself off of the '09 team with his drops this year, but he'll probably be back as long as he keeps his mouth shut. We just need someone with size that's a legit threat. Keller can grow into that, but I'd still feel more comfortable with a play making talent too. Problem with WR's is that they take years to develop....Charger fans have been waiting years to see Vincent Jackson become the WR he's been this year. Still, if we can add a big, fast motherfucker I'd be happy. And I'd really like to see Stuckey get the ball more. This guy knows how to make plays. He's got the same tough attitude Coles and Cotchery have when they're going well.
While these are all valid points, we still don't have that game-breaking WR. I know coles USED to be that guy but we dont have a Steve Smith, Santana Moss (although we could have if chad didn't need his "best friend " back) , Plaxico , or a Randy Moss type. Hopefully Clowney can contribute next year along with Marcus Henry. Henry has a Plaxico look to him that could really open up our playbook with some fades and jump balls.
Indeed. Favre makes all those throws 90% of the time. I don't know if it was weather, the lack of rhythm or momentum on offense, or the fact that those were one of the few times the WR's actually got any space between the DB's. But he definitely missed some huge oppurtunities yesterday. Sucks that he finally makes a great throw and LC drops it too. But we should've never been in that position in the first place.
BS, our route combinations suck and our WR are never open. Weren't last year, aren't this year. Last year it was because the ball was so slow getting to the WR. This year it is Favre and the WR. Look at the saints, they pull guys off the street and guys are open all the time. It is a crappy scheme.
From what I've seen all season, it's quite easy to cover our WRs because most of our passing game is based around the line of scrimmage to 5 yards down the field. Every now and again we go for a 10 yard+ throw on 3rd and long(when we decide not to run.) So basically our receivers end up being heavily covered. When we actually do throw down the field, we have so few plays and I'm guessing little practice of actually doing such a revolutionary thing our opponents know exactly where we're going to pass. Just look at the stats they show of Favre throwing over 15 yards every game. There'd be no reason to send the other team our playbook because after the Denver game, every team in the league knows how to play us. Now, why teams find it easy to pass on us. Of course we send 3 guys at the QB most of the time but also we're playing one of the worst inside zone schemes I've ever seen. Basically our coverage attempts to box-in the receiver but they stand so far off, he makes an easy catch in triple and even quadruple zone coverage everytime.
Our WRs don't get wide open like how hte OP is saying. I'm not talking about getting a step on someone, there hsould be plays where there is someone wide open like the Arizona game. If you saw the Miami game on Sunday you know what I"m talking about. Chad had so many plays where he'd get the ball and 2 seconds later someone would be wide open. We don't get those plays for whatever reason, coaching or the WR's suck. The commentator on Sunday said it, the Jets WR were getting no seperation. He is in a better position to judge because he can see the whole field unlike us. We def need some easy passes for first downs next year. A new coaching staff is what it will probably take.
The route combinations do suck. We rarely use timing patterns (I saw one curl by Coles last game, no other timing patterns the whole game) and it's nothing but chickens running around with their heads cut off. Routes are supposed to DO SOMETHING. A WR running a post over a 10 & out by the TE to isolate the safety on one of them. Curls with flags to force the outside CB to pick a receiver. SOMETHING. ANYTHING but the chickens without heads routine.
He isn't their 3rd string WR....he is their slotback. Would you call Welker a 3rd string WR? No, he is a starter and a major part of the offense. Stokely was not a 3rd stringer for the Colts, he was a slotback as well. There's a difference. As for the reason that other teams' WRs are wide open, I believe that our system is faulty. Our blitzes are basic and probably didn't change much throughout the season. In addition to that, the coverages need to change even though the same blitz may be called. Blame has to fall on the players as well, but the more consistent defensive teams in the league do not have the talent was have and are still very successful. In terms of our WRs, we probably don't have a straight-down-the-field king of threat. What he have are a couple quick and nimble wideouts that will get you 10 yards on a hitch pass. However, when you rely on that, everyone in the stadium knows what's coming and not even Barry Sanders would be able to negotiate the sideline and 6 guys coming at him when starting flat-footed. There are ways to get guys like Coles and Cotch open deep though. For example, send 3 guys deep and 1 medium instead of 1 short, 1 medium, and 1 deep. Don't let the safety know who to go and cover until the ball is already in the air! I also think Favre stares guys down on deep plays....you need the QB to scan a little, Manning-style. We could also use play action more. When you have the AFC's leading rusher, a hell of alot can come off of PA, and it should be part of the gameplan from the first drive. When you have Coles, Cotchery, Keller, Washington and Stuckey...I mean, give me a break here....run a play action pass and 3 of them could be covered and if any one of those guys is still open, he can do some damage. The problem, we don't have those kinds of plays, and Brett would probably throw to the first guy he saw.
Favre has the emotional life of a woman. When he cares about something he will try harder and act better than a man would, but when he doesn't care he is lazier and more coldly indifferent than a man would be.
