How can Fields floor be so low when he has improved EVERY YEAR and has an elite trait for fall back on?
Nice to say and nice to hear…but it also doesn’t hide the fact that for whatever reason, Ben didn’t take Tanner to be HIS OC in Chicago…would be interesting to hear why he didn’t take a familiar guy that he’s worked with and speaks highly of with him…
Patrick Ramsay could also throw the ball 70 yards. Means nothing if it doesn't land where it's supposed to. That's the most frustrating part of Fields... he has every physical trait to be Lamar Jackson or even a Josh Allen. He's got nothing between the ears. And that's something you can only coach up to an extent.
thats an asshole comment. Fields is not dumb. He is smart enough and actually finished his degree unlike most of the players in the league. Do you have any kind of basis for the "nothing between the ears" comment?
It's commentary on his ability to read the field and process coverage which has been something he's been hammered for his whole career.
ESPN reporter disagrees on that assessment of "nothing between the ears" anyway: "Talked to multiple personnel execs who expressed zero surprise at #Jets giving Justin Fields two year-$40M deal. He’s smart, a hard worker and athletic enough to run. #Steelers coaches very tangibly improved his footwork and taught him how to see the field better. I’m told Steelers’ offer didn’t guarantee any money after first year." Aditi Kinkhabawala ESPN
It's very simple: Engstrand got a better offer. He calls his own offense now with Glenn. With Ben he doesn't. Glenn simply had a better offer.
I mean it's great that they taught him how to see the field better, doesn't mean he actually did. The Steelers film is not as kind as people want to believe it is when it comes to seeing the field. Forgive me for not assuming the Jets of all franchises can make it happen. I will be thrilled if I'm wrong.
This is something that is being perpetuated in the NFL these days. Anthony Richardson comes to mind. All the physical ability in the world yet can't run an NFL offense. The 180 degree opposite is a guy like Purdy. Pedestrian physical skills yet runs Shanahan's NFL offense like he was born into it. This topic is as close to a "text book" example as to "brain over brawn" when it comes to the position. Every once in a while you get both physical specimen with the mental makeup. Usually it's one or the other.
Yeah, you need both to be great. If you have the mental part down, then you need at least adequate physical skills to play the position well. But if you have great physical skills but not the mental aspect down, I don’t know that there is a good track record of success in “coaching them up”. I see Fields as a very good athlete, and in college, he was able to create because (a) he had a very good OL keeping him clean, and (b) he could run around enough to wait for receivers to come open and then (c) had a strong enough arm to get the ball there once he saw it. But in the NFL, defenses are better, bigger, faster, he doesn’t have the same protection from his OL, the receivers won’t be getting as open, and the DBs close on the ball much faster … it’s hard for that style of play to carryover. Which is why I am not super high on Fields…I just don’t think he reads the field and the coverage well, and he doesn’t process fast enough. I get that this may be improved upon with good coaching, but I don’t know if it can be improved enough to be an above average QB. Same with Zach. All the physical tools, but lacking in the mental aspect. Don’t expect either guy to become a top QB. I would love to see it happen with Fields, but I’m skeptical.
Yup. I'm SUPER hopeful. If this kid can "get it" then the team is set for a decade or more, FINALLY! It does happen, though, all the time in the NFL. A kid gets on the "right" team and everything clicks. It's just not a common thing to happen to the Jets. The last time a vet came in and the team was worth anything, for more than a one year flash, was Testaverde. Shame is we got him so late in his career and he couldn't stay healthy. Only got 3 "good" years out of him to be honest.
“Nothing between the ears”?!?! https://bvmsports.com/2023/02/02/smartest-nfl-qbs-in-the-nfc-by-gpa-degree-wonderlic-score/4/
Fields doesn’t have difficulty reading defenses. He struggles with trusting his eyes and pulling the trigger. The remedy for that is not “between the ears”.
Again, at no point was this commentary on his IQ or GPA Not trusting your eyes is absolutely a mental aspect of the game.
Many cite the speed of the game being too fast as the main reason Fields holds on to ball #SlowProcessor. He is routinely at the bottom of the league in time to throw. I wonder if this holds true for the other 2024 basement dwellers in this category. Sam Darnold 3.14 Lamar Jackson 3.08 Jalen Hurts 3.13 Justin Fields 3.04* *Note: Lowest of his career and has gone down every year he’s been in the league.
I would associate that with balls and courage and not the brain. Jameis trusts his eyes to the tune of 30 picks one year. I think having the trust of your head coach to allow you to “play quarterback” to quote AG, can help a young QB gain the confidence needed to trust his eyes more and not be so worried about making mistakes.
its an indication that he has at least something between his ears though. He'd just let it fly if he didnt.
