Well we may not be THAT far apart but I definitely do have a different perspective… 3 of those four stats are pretty much dead on mid-pack but my issue is that I think the stats are misleading in that way too much of them were accumulated in garbage time…in the 4th quarter when we were down by two or more scores and the defenses absolutely let up and gave up the underneath. I know you went and broke down blitz rates and such but honestly just watch the games and you can see it…the defenses let up in the 4th and Fields took what the D gave him and the stats are padded. It’s not a coincidence that he can suck for three quarters and then all of a sudden turn it on in the 4th quarter…that’s happened because defenses are letting it happen. Funny but the QBR stat is 22nd and that feels more like the eye test. So to me, he is a bottom third QB…yes better than the absolute dogshit 32nd rankings we got used to with trash like Zach, but not better by much. I disagree that his kind of play can get you into the playoffs…maybe as like a 9-8 wildcard if the standings fall that way…but he is not leading a team to the playoffs. And I have a hard time seeing him win a playoff game. He’s just not good enough. So in short, yeah I guess it’s better than what we’ve had before, but not by much, and I have no expectations that he can improve like Sam did…he’s been exactly the same dude this year that he’s been his whole career. This is not a player ascending…this is a player being exactly who he’s always been. I just don’t think you can teach accuracy, or touch, or pocket presence all that much…those things, the ability to see the field and understand what ALL of the receivers are doing, and the ability to throw the receiver open instead of waiting for him to get himself open and only then throwing it…those things are kind of innate. A player either IS a QB or he’s NOT. Too many athletic kids are being put at the QB position in college and they are just allowed to use their god given talent to run around and throw bombs…shit Fields did this at Ohio State…most of his highlights were him running around for 45 seconds and making a throw to an NFL quality receiver who had 4 yards of separation all while Fields had literally no one in his face. That works in college. Doesn’t work in the pros. He’s not the only kid like that it just seems like that’s the way college ball is these days….and these kids are athletic, but they are not QBs. Too many of them anyway. So our perspectives are different…I don’t think you can win with him…he holds the ball too long and screws up the OL timing…leads to too many holding calls…the offense does not function smoothly with him at the controls. Just watch the games and you can see the kind of struggle we have just finding and hitting open guys. Other QBs make it look easy. Fields makes it look very hard (and of course our old friend Zach made it look nearly impossible). Anyway…it’s fine…we can agree to disagree…I 100% expect us to have a new QB next year, and I’d be pretty damn pissed if our plan is to roll out Fields again next year. I will literally write the year off if we go into the season with AG trotting Fields out there for week 1.
Every team gets garbage time advantages in statistics. They just tell a different story if the team wins a lot and by a lot.
EPA and PFF are designed to factor the defenses faced, but I don't think we are going to change each other minds on this. I have a few things to let you consider. - Over the last decade we had plenty of garbage time play. Yet none of the other QBs came even close in any of these stats to what Fields did so far. I do not think it is fair to say it is better, but not by much. It is better by A LOT. - You are not seeing the difference because the team sucks ass with shit coaching. Garbage time comes early mostly because we are fumbling every game after 90 yards drive about to score, fumbling on returns instead of having extra possessions and conceding too many penalties, and the defense is atrocious excrement which stinks straight up and never gets a TO on top of it. I watched Lawrence play this year, he is same or worse than Fields. But other areas of the team are good, coaching is good, and they can win. Lawrence does not have to lift the team. But take him out and put #32 guy, like we had all this time until now, and it will be much harder. - If we ever get a good coach and good defense, you can win with mid QB starter. 14 teams make play-offs. You have 16th QB and good defense and STs, and you can make play-offs. Maybe even go on a run. I want to start there. But I do not want to get QB #32 again, which is most likely what awaits us post Fields. I am good to draft a QB with the top pick if there is some special talent in the draft. But I do not want to give up average QB and get #32. If we do it I want above average guy.
