DA through the eyes of a rational Browns fan

[PACardsFan]

The company I work for is headquartered in Akron, OH, so I know quite a few Browns fans. I avoided the rabid ones that I know, and instead reached out to someone who is an extremely intelligent guy with a vast understanding of the game of football. His take on DA:
1. Extremely likeable guy (opposite of Leinart). Coaches and players loved this guy. Very tough, no excuses, will NOT throw teamates under the bus. As a fan, you REALLY wanted this kid to do well.

2. Threw the ball down the field better than anyone in Browns history (He's been a Browns fan since 1960). Some drives he looked like an Elway clone. Unfortunately, most drives involve a 3rd & 4..............then he's in trouble. Passes behind the receiver that get tipped for INT's. Balls thrown with absolutely no touch at all. It's extremely frustrating, because if someone could help this guy on the short ones, he would be a stud.

I'm sure Whiz watches this guy throw the ball downfield & salivates. Bottom line, can Whiz help this guy with the short ones? No one knows for sure, but probably not.

 

[DemsMyBoys]

Very interesting. Thanks PA!

 

[D-Dogg]

Sounds exactly like the book on DA from around the league in general, and from what I've seen/heard on my own.

Incredibly frustrating to watch because a) has great talent and arm strength and b) he's a genuine guy who you want to succeed.

 

[b8rtm8nn]

Well - I have liked his interviews during this process and have been attracted to his energy when he is the QB. So, what the hell, let's see what he can do...

I mean, seriously, I've been a Cards fan for 12 years and there was absolutly no logic involved in following the team, U just got excited seeing them play terribly while I was in Phoenix, plus I came fro St Louis and had some delusional crap in my head about there football dominance when I was 5.

 

[MadCardDisease]

We just need to make sure on 3rd and 4 we get a false start by one of our tackles, which shouldn't be hard. Then we will be in 3rd and 9 and all is good.

 

[TheHopToad]

So there you go! Just platoon DA and Leinart. Use DA to throw the longball, and bring in Matt on short yardage "checkdown" situations that he is good at.

Problem solved!

 

[b8rtm8nn]

So there you go! Just platoon DA and Leinart. Use DA to throw the longball, and bring in Matt on short yardage "checkdown" situations that he is good at.

Problem solved!

Fits Coach's MO of bring Kurt in to run the 2-minute also

 

[dreamcastrocks]

3rd & 4 is not a horrible position to be in.

 

[Garthshort]

I love to watch DA throw the ball, a thing of beauty, imo. The results usually aren't as beautiful, but hope (for improvement) springs eternal.

 

[CaptTurbo]

3rd & 4 is not a horrible position to be in.

It is for DA.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

It is for DA.

I sure as hell hope not.

 

[nashman]

If DA is the starter Leinart is NOT on the team this whole platooning thing is in the past, Matt will not be here to back up DA....NOT GONNA HAPPEN!

 

[dylanbw]

The company I work for is headquartered in Akron, OH, so I know quite a few Browns fans. I avoided the rabid ones that I know, and instead reached out to someone who is an extremely intelligent guy with a vast understanding of the game of football. His take on DA:
1. Extremely likeable guy (opposite of Leinart). Coaches and players loved this guy. Very tough, no excuses, will NOT throw teamates under the bus. As a fan, you REALLY wanted this kid to do well.

2. Threw the ball down the field better than anyone in Browns history (He's been a Browns fan since 1960). Some drives he looked like an Elway clone. Unfortunately, most drives involve a 3rd & 4..............then he's in trouble. Passes behind the receiver that get tipped for INT's. Balls thrown with absolutely no touch at all. It's extremely frustrating, because if someone could help this guy on the short ones, he would be a stud.

I'm sure Whiz watches this guy throw the ball downfield & salivates. Bottom line, can Whiz help this guy with the short ones? No one knows for sure, but probably not.

No doubt about the big time arm, and fearless in the face of the rush....but did he mention anything about the locking on to one receiver, and not going through his progressions? seems like that is a bit of an issue....

 

[LarryStalling]

No doubt about the big time arm, and fearless in the face of the rush....but did he mention anything about the locking on to one receiver, and not going through his progressions? seems like that is a bit of an issue....

I sure hope he learns the Fitzgerald rules. Someone posted those somewhere and I thought they were hilarious.

 

[Spielman]

Bottom line, can Whiz help this guy with the short ones? No one knows for sure, but probably not.

Has anyone ever in NFL history shown as little accuracy as Anderson has over as long as he has and then rebounded to be a reasonably accurate passer?

The best comp I can think of is Steve Young, and the comparison isn't that strong because Young didn't play as much as Anderson has before he improved, and because completion percentages were so much lower around the league in the 1980s that Young's completion percentages were actually not that bad. (Young had Cmp%+'s of 88, 95, 96 and 95 before blowing up. Anderson's lifetime Cmp%+ is an atrocious 74.)

Has anyone else improved from being terribly inaccurate early in their career to decent later? Not a sarcastic question, I'm genuinely interested.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Great driver of the ball; less than stellar mid irons; horrible short irons... and can't putt.

Everyone harkens to that year when he made a pile of $$$, and wonder if he can find that magic, again - with a new swing instructor, and short game guru.

Stays on Tour through invitations because tournament directors like the guy.

(In hockey we called these guys... "million dollar legs, two-cent coconut". Would make all the right moves heading to the net, and then fire the puck into the stands.)

 

[D-Dogg]

Has anyone ever in NFL history shown as little accuracy as Anderson has over as long as he has and then rebounded to be a reasonably accurate passer?

The best comp I can think of is Steve Young, and the comparison isn't that strong because Young didn't play as much as Anderson has before he improved, and because completion percentages were so much lower around the league in the 1980s that Young's completion percentages were actually not that bad. (Young had Cmp%+'s of 88, 95, 96 and 95 before blowing up. Anderson's lifetime Cmp%+ is an atrocious 74.)

Has anyone else improved from being terribly inaccurate early in their career to decent later? Not a sarcastic question, I'm genuinely interested.

those can't be completion percentages you reference, because they are all stellar. QB ranking maybe?

 

[Treefiddy]

We just need to make sure on 3rd and 4 we get a false start by one of our tackles, which shouldn't be hard. Then we will be in 3rd and 9 and all is good.

This is the first thought I had as well. Was even going to go as far as to suggest we find a way to get Pope back on the team.

 

[conraddobler]

His problem isn't unique, it's akin to hitting a curveball.

It's totally a function of how his brain processes motion and corrects for it, Warner was off the charts at this, thus the balls in stride to WR's going in a variety of directions.

It's also akin to wing shooting or shooting something running, I've seen great shots be absolutely befuddled by trying to hit a moving target.

When Jake went to the Bronco's all they did all the time was have the WR run stop routes so Jake could hit them.

Warner would of hit everyone in stride.

As far as I know it's not the most coachable trait out there.

It's self selected against for obvious reasons in QB's, it's amazing he's made it this far if it's a problem.

I can see where you'd be tempted to try, it's worth a few games to give it a shot, if he's losing a lot of games and once we're out of contention if that happens, bring in the rooks IMO.

If the coaches are watching.

Stick the kid on the skeet range and see how he does, make him do this for hours, it's IMO your best bet for getting this to click.

 

[Spielman]

those can't be completion percentages you reference, because they are all stellar. QB ranking maybe?

Cmp%+. Note the plus sign.

Cmp%+ and similar stats compare the QB to the league. You have a completion percentage of 60 in a league that also has a completion percentage of 60, your Cmp%+ is 100, indicating that you're league average.

Higher than 100 is better than the league, lower is worse. It's a quick way to compare players across eras, because stats move up or down because of schemes, and because of rule changes.

Young's early career Cmp%+ scores between 88 and 96 are worse than league average, but not horrifically so. Anderson's score of 74 is, by contrast, godawfully terrible.

 

[D-Dogg]

Cmp%+. Note the plus sign.

Cmp%+ and similar stats compare the QB to the league. You have a completion percentage of 60 in a league that also has a completion percentage of 60, your Cmp%+ is 100, indicating that you're league average.

Higher than 100 is better than the league, lower is worse. It's a quick way to compare players across eras, because stats move up or down because of schemes, and because of rule changes.

Young's early career Cmp%+ scores between 88 and 96 are worse than league average, but not horrifically so. Anderson's score of 74 is, by contrast, godawfully terrible.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[kerouac9]

The company I work for is headquartered in Akron, OH, so I know quite a few Browns fans. I avoided the rabid ones that I know, and instead reached out to someone who is an extremely intelligent guy with a vast understanding of the game of football. His take on DA:
1. Extremely likeable guy (opposite of Leinart). Coaches and players loved this guy. Very tough, no excuses, will NOT throw teamates under the bus. As a fan, you REALLY wanted this kid to do well.

2. Threw the ball down the field better than anyone in Browns history (He's been a Browns fan since 1960). Some drives he looked like an Elway clone. Unfortunately, most drives involve a 3rd & 4..............then he's in trouble. Passes behind the receiver that get tipped for INT's. Balls thrown with absolutely no touch at all. It's extremely frustrating, because if someone could help this guy on the short ones, he would be a stud.

I'm sure Whiz watches this guy throw the ball downfield & salivates. Bottom line, can Whiz help this guy with the short ones? No one knows for sure, but probably not.

This doesn't jibe with reports that Cleveland fans cheered when Anderson got injured and pulled from a game.

http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/blog/sh...on-to-Browns-fans-No-YOU-stink?urn=nfl-227127

"The fans are ruthless and don't deserve a winner. I will never forget getting cheered when I was injured.

"I know at times I wasn't great. I hope and pray I'm playing when my team comes to town and [we] roll them."