Fitz and Skelton

[Russ Smith]

First off thrilled at the win 8-8 so much more fun than 7-9.

Fitz is insane that last catch is just so typical of him, unreal. I would say a conservative estimate is about 25% of Skelton's passing yards today are directly attributable to Fitz, plays that other WR's on this team simply can't make. He's making Skelton look better than he is, not that he doesn't make all QB's look better but with Skelton it's really obvious.

Now for the kicker, Skelton is in my opinion going to take a year or more off Larry's career if he doesn't improve, all the damn high throws and throws behind on crossing patters leave Larry exposed to big hits and force him to make leaping and diving catches game after game. You can see it every game Fitz gets up and has that what the hell is wrong with this guy look on his face. He's such a competitor he still lays out for the team, but if Skelton can't get more accurate he's going to shorten the career of the best WR in the history of this franchise.

 

[LarryStalling]

not sure about that Russ. Fitz, I believe, had a career season with all of the passes he caught this year.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Agree on all points, Russ.

 

[Mainstreet]

I don't see why Skelton cannot continually improve going into next season which is only his third season. Besides, I worry about Kolb and the concussion problems.

 

[Russ Smith]

not sure about that Russ. Fitz, I believe, had a career season with all of the passes he caught this year.

Of course he did SKelton throws to him on every down just about, as did Kolb and we threw the ball alot. I think Fitz is playing the best ball of his career right now. The point is, all the insane catches he has to make because SKelton is so inaccurate are going to shorten his career, he's getting hit too much.

 

[Russ Smith]

I don't see why Skelton cannot continually improve going into next season which is only his third season. Besides, I worry about Kolb and the concussion problems.

I am VERY worried about Kolb's health. I'm just sayign if Skelton doesn't get better at not throwing high so much, he's going to put Fitz' health in jeopardy he does it every game.

 

[Phrazbit]

Oh give me a freakin break. Yes, he makes Skelton look better, the only QB he couldnt make look better is probably Anderson because Fitz cant jump 30 feet high. But Fitz also bailed out Kolb on several occasions. Fitz caught multiple lame ducks Kolb threw against double or triple coverage.

Skelton is not good but he has the arm and the pocket mobility to make big plays, part of the reason Fitz exploded towards the end of year is because Skelton gave him the opportunity to make big plays. He wasnt getting those chances with Kolb and his 5 yard out routes and sacks.

Neither QB is good, but to rip Skelton basically for trusting Fitz is absurd. If Kolb were playing then Fitz would probably get less bruises... because he would get less than half of the opportunity to make plays.

 

[john h]

First off thrilled at the win 8-8 so much more fun than 7-9.

Fitz is insane that last catch is just so typical of him, unreal. I would say a conservative estimate is about 25% of Skelton's passing yards today are directly attributable to Fitz, plays that other WR's on this team simply can't make. He's making Skelton look better than he is, not that he doesn't make all QB's look better but with Skelton it's really obvious.

Now for the kicker, Skelton is in my opinion going to take a year or more off Larry's career if he doesn't improve, all the damn high throws and throws behind on crossing patters leave Larry exposed to big hits and force him to make leaping and diving catches game after game. You can see it every game Fitz gets up and has that what the hell is wrong with this guy look on his face. He's such a competitor he still lays out for the team, but if Skelton can't get more accurate he's going to shorten the career of the best WR in the history of this franchise.

If Skelton throws that balll at the end much closer to Larry it may have been knocked down. Skelton has shown me he certainly deserves to compete for the starting job next year. I think the question become do the Cards pay Kolb the 26 million next year or let him go. That backup for GB who threw for 426 yds and 6 TDs today becomes a FA this year. You can bet some teams will be looking at him.

 

[john h]

not sure about that Russ. Fitz, I believe, had a career season with all of the passes he caught this year.

Where is that crazy guy who yesterday posted Fitz is over rated? Since that post he has been named as am all pro for about 7 years in a row and made some more remarkable catches. To me he remains the greatest Card receiver of all time and certainly not overrated

 

[Mainstreet]

I am VERY worried about Kolb's health. I'm just sayign if Skelton doesn't get better at not throwing high so much, he's going to put Fitz' health in jeopardy he does it every game.

Your point is well taken about Fitz. However, I do not see Skelton as a finished product. My thoughts always wonder to how good he can be. IMO, Skelton has a huge upside. I guess time will only tell for sure.

 

[Russ Smith]

Oh give me a freakin break. Yes, he makes Skelton look better, the only QB he couldnt make look better is probably Anderson because Fitz cant jump 30 feet high. But Fitz also bailed out Kolb on several occasions. Fitz caught multiple lame ducks Kolb threw against double or triple coverage.

Skelton is not good but he has the arm and the pocket mobility to make big plays, part of the reason Fitz exploded towards the end of year is because Skelton gave him the opportunity to make big plays. He wasnt getting those chances with Kolb and his 5 yard out routes and sacks.

Neither QB is good, but to rip Skelton basically for trusting Fitz is absurd. If Kolb were playing then Fitz would probably get less bruises... because he would get less than half of the opportunity to make plays.

Good thing I took you off ignore you seem to have really changed.

Let's see I covered the first paragraph when i said Fitz makes everyone look better that throws to him. So your first paragraph was completely worthless only there to take a shot at Kolb.

Fitz had 2 100 yard games early and a 98 yard game in games Kolb started. He averaged just about 5 catches per game from Kolb, and just about 5 catches per game from Skelton. And that's without Kolb having the benefit of a full season to really grasp the offense, because he couldn't stay healthy.

Skelton threw more TD passes to Fitz, a quick glance looks like YPC were about the same with both guys.

My point is not that Kolb is a great QB and Skelton sucks, it's that Skelton constantly hangs the receivers out to dry and because he throws to Fitz so much, he's going to cut his career short if he doesn't improve in that area. Not that it's ok he nearly got Roberts head taken off today or that he has been leading guys into potential knockout hits over the middle game after game, the point is the key guy on this team is Fitz and you don't want him constantly getting drilled because of high or inaccurate throws.

I hope Skelton can get better but he's actually been throwing high more not less in recent starts IMHO. Fitz is so good he catches many of them anyways. There are clearly things to like about Skelton but the reality is one of if not the worst traits to have in a QB is missing high, it leads to INT"s, and it gets your WR's injured. HOpefully it's a mechanical thing they can fix because if it's not, I think we'll be having this same debate next year do the good things about Skelton offset the fact he's endangering our best player 5-6 times a game with high throws.

 

[Duckjake]

Your point is well taken about Fitz. However, I do not see Skelton as a finished product. My thoughts always wonder to how good he can be. IMO, Skelton has a huge upside. I guess time will only tell for sure.

While Skelator's throws may shorten the Alien's career the reason that John throws the ball where he does is because of Fitzgerald. In Skelton's first action this season he threw a ball away toward Larry in the endzone. If John had thrown it high Fitz probably would have caught it for a TD. Skelton heard that as soon as he got back to the bench. There were even comments to that effect in the game thread here on ASFN. Ever since then Skelator has been throwing high.

People need to give Skelton a break. Fitz even made Warner better. Larry IS AN ALIEN!

As an aside: We were watching NFL Redzone today during the early games and some WR made a great catch and the announcer said that it was one of the best catches of the year. My daughter looked at me and said "Dad, Fitzgerald makes catches like that every week.."

 

[Lomax to Green 84]

Where is that crazy guy who yesterday posted Fitz is over rated? Since that post he has been named as am all pro for about 7 years in a row and made some more remarkable catches. To me he remains the greatest Card receiver of all time and certainly not overrated

I posted that over 4 years ago!! Someone decided to bump it a couple of weeks ago.

 

[kerouac9]

I'm going to take Russ's post to not be an attack on Skelton even though it reads like that.

I will instead believe that Russ means that Larry Fitzgerald really deserves a better quarterback. With a legit starter--or even a Matt Cassell type--an 1600 or even 1800 yard season would be possible.

We don't appear to have such a QB on the roster right now.

 

[MrYeahBut]

Ever since then Skelator has been throwing high.

People need to give Skelton a break. Fitz even made Warner better. Larry IS AN ALIEN!

Jake, I never figured out this year why the fade in the endzone never seemed to even be tried. I mean, Fitz is the master at it. Just a headscratcher to me.

 

[PJ1]

Agree with Russ on this point. Not a receiver in the league that could have done what Fitz did with the Skelton throws today. Skelton does not have the accuracy to be considered the starter without question right now. If Fitz didn't make the miraculous catches Skelton would be getting ripped to shreds right now.

Further some good throws would have led to real big plays as laying out for these balls prevents yac. These high throws and throwing to receivers and getting them blasted is an issue. Just as much as it was when DA was doing his thing.

I sincerely hope they can coach the high throws and poor accuracy out of him.

 

[WarnerHOF]

Jake, I never figured out this year why the fade in the endzone never seemed to even be tried. I mean, Fitz is the master at it. Just a headscratcher to me.

Because the throw requires too much touch and accuracy.

 

[Duckjake]

Jake, I never figured out this year why the fade in the endzone never seemed to even be tried. I mean, Fitz is the master at it. Just a headscratcher to me.

Good point. Don't remember seeing that much at all this season. It's not like it's easy to defend. Heck Pittsburgh ran the dang fade two times in a row in the SB and the Cards couldn't defend it. Only had to run it again because the WR dropped the first one.

 

[juza76]

I'm going to take Russ's post to not be an attack on Skelton even though it reads like that.

I will instead believe that Russ means that Larry Fitzgerald really deserves a better quarterback. With a legit starter--or even a Matt Cassell type--an 1600 or even 1800 yard season would be possible.

We don't appear to have such a QB on the roster right now.

Came on be' seriuos about cassel. He had 3 good wrs and he was terrible . Fitz makes everybody looks better except leinhart and anderson.skelton will be' good.the injury talking is just because today seattle played dirty and phisycal against him

 

[Phrazbit]

Jake, I never figured out this year why the fade in the endzone never seemed to even be tried. I mean, Fitz is the master at it. Just a headscratcher to me.

Its a really hard throw to make. Probably the only QB we have used the last 2 years capable of that throw would have been Max Hall... but only because everything he threw was basically a lob-fade.

 

[Duckjake]

Its a really hard throw to make. Probably the only QB we have used the last 2 years capable of that throw would have been Max Hall... but only because everything he threw was basically a lob-fade.

No it isn't. See my reference to the Cards v Steelers SB. Arizona couldn't defend it two plays in a row.

 

[CatBoxBackFan]

Fitz was taken to the training room to get x rays for possible fractured ribs,punctured lung.Both negative.

 

[ajcardfan]

For all the talk about how WRs can't impact the game enough to spend big money on ---- horse hockey. Fitz is worth every damn penny he got, if not more.

Fitz absolutely willed the Cardinals to victory today. He took some vicious hits to do it, Skelton can't thank him enough.

 

[27Veer]

I think Kolb and Skelton are projects. Getting a long off season for both of them will help them improve technique. My son is a trainer with one of the pro teams and he doesn't believe for a second Kolb will make it through the season next year without an injury. I personally hope both of them recuperate and train hard with Larry and ALL of the receivers. (Hear that Early D.)

 

[JeffGollin]

Your point is well taken about Fitz. However, I do not see Skelton as a finished product. My thoughts always wonder to how good he can be. IMO, Skelton has a huge upside. I guess time will only tell for sure.

Biggest area of improvement was in sensing pressure (I.e. the eyes-in-the-back-of-the-head factor). Skelton's sixth sense seemed a lot better this afternoon.