Hey 19...(for Steely John, not Steely Dan)

[Krangodnzr]

Mitch, you do know "Steely Dan" is an old English term for *****....

So then that means a "Steely John" must be a *********...

 

[bg7brd]

I really liked what I seen in Big Red, all things considered. I have high hopes for him. Good size, good arm, great pocket awareness. His accuracy needs to improve and I think it will when the game slows down for him. It was hard to get a real gage on him with the rest of the O playing the way it did. It would be nice to get him another OTA and training camp before the start of the season.

 

[Mitch]

I really liked what I seen in Big Red, all things considered. I have high hopes for him. Good size, good arm, great pocket awareness. His accuracy needs to improve and I think it will when the game slows down for him. It was hard to get a real gage on him with the rest of the O playing the way it did. It would be nice to get him another OTA and training camp before the start of the season.

Big Red!
What a perfect nickname for Skelton!

Great stuff, bg7brd!

Here's to Clem Kadiddlehopper!

 

[Mitch]

Mitch,

Have you consulted with Tango to come up with this? Just kidding, I agree with a lot of what you said.

Skelton showed some promise, but I'm afraid he was struggling with one of the more difficult parts of playing QB: Having the innate ability to go through progressions quickly and find the open man. IMO he was below average in this facet, though he is above average (pocket awareness) in some aspects.

Krang:

The fact that Big Red came into his first week as starter with no reps with the first team mitigates whatever struggles he had going through his progressions. Imagine how difficult it was just to get the plays straight and know his primary WR on each play.

Going through progressions is tough on any QB---especially when the speed of the game is so blazing fast.

The great news is---Big Red did not panic---he stayed strong in the pocket and did his best to let the play develop.

 

[Stout]

Ddin't Jake start out pretty good? I remember the comments about how good he was in the huddle his first year and how he got the offense to follow him in the comeback win in Philadelphia.

How many rookie quarterbacks won more than half of their starts last year?

I was at that game in Philly. Thank goodness I was sitting in the lower level. They were mocking me, but gently, in the first half. They let me sneak out without swearing or bodily harm after the comeback win.

 

[NeverSayDieFan]

Re: Big Bad John or Big Red Skelton..

The best is yet to come. Anyone who puts a spike in the Cowboys' heart is golden! GO CARDS!

 

[john h]

19 Skelton, John, QB, (6-5, 244, 2, Fordham).

Hey 19,

You were one of the very few bright spots during what was an agonizing season. You made the last four games interesting and fun to watch and I cannot thank you enough for that. Here are the aspects about your game that I believe make you stand out:

* your size and big-time arm

* your surprising mobility

* your calm under pressure

* your fearlessness (you are the first rookie Cardinal QB I have ever seen who did not look like a deer in the headlights in his first few games and I have been a Cardinals' fan since 1963---I cannot tell you how pleasantly surprised and impressed I was with this---especially under the circumstances of having no reps with the first team prior to your first week as starter).

* your ability to throw tight spirals into small windows

* your skill at laying the deep balls up there with good touch and air time (but don't be afraid at times---when called for---to throw the deeper passes on a rope---I thought you could have on a couple of occasions to Breaston).

* your penchant for leading your receivers both left and right---especially to the left, which is the one of the bigger challenges for right armed QBs (This, ironically, is what led to several of the drops---because the other QBs were not leading the WRs nearly as well and thus the WRs started slowing their routes in the event that the ball would be thrown directly at or behind them).

* your strength in bull-rushing the ball ahead on QB sneaks on 3rds and short and to plunge the ball into the end zone in the red zone.

Here are the areas I hope you work quickly to improve: (basically areas that all young NFL QBs need to focus on)

* chemistry and timing with your WRs

* getting the ball out faster when called for

* following your progressions

* reading the defenses accurately and quickly

John, I admire the way you handled yourself at the end of the season. It showed me a great deal about your character when you said you were not happy about being pulled in the last game and that you want a legitimate chance to compete for the starting job this year.

I believe that you not only deserve that opportunity, I believe that regardless of what veteran QB the Cardinals sign that you can win the starting job sooner rather than later.

But, you will likely need two main things for that to happen: (1) a continuation of your fast learning curve---which students at Fordham are famous for; (2) a willingness to accept Coach Whisenhunt's exacting manner and impatience in dealing with QBs---and use this as a motivator the way Kurt Warner did. Once you win Whiz over, you are golden.

Have you thought about sitting down with Kurt Warner? I imagine he would be happy to share his thoughts with you about his keys to the following:

* how to run and take command of Whiz's offense

* when to audible

* how to know, spot and hit your "hot" reads

* how to develop chemistry with #11, #15 and #80 and what their preferences and quirks are

* effective game preparation

* how to attack the Rams, Seahawks and 49ers

* how and why he and the offense became so productive and efficient in the red zone

* what it takes to establish trust with Whiz and Miller

* what he looks for when he breaks down film

Hopefully you and Warner can have a few tape sessions. Absorb as much as you can, John. Once you learn these keys, I like your chances a lot. It's because of you that I have no interest in drafting a QB early in this year's draft. I think you can be better than all of this year's top prospects---and with 4 games already under your belt, which incuded that stunning comeback win over the Cowboys on Christmas night (the happiest moments of this season on the happiest day of all)---you are already miles ahead of them.

Don't buy into the "Skelton is a project" rhetoric. Last year, sure. This year, no way. I wish you all the carpe diem, diligence and resolve you need in order to win the starting job. It is my hope that you will be our QB for many, many years to come.

Hey 19...please make this year "a wonderful thing!"

Sincerely yours,

Mitch

Mitch you got to be related to this guy---- Are you by chance going to be his new agent?

 

[BigRedArk]

I really liked what I seen in Big Red, all things considered. I have high hopes for him. Good size, good arm, great pocket awareness. His accuracy needs to improve and I think it will when the game slows down for him. It was hard to get a real gage on him with the rest of the O playing the way it did. It would be nice to get him another OTA and training camp before the start of the season.

How come I didn't think of that?

 

[Krangodnzr]

Krang:

The fact that Big Red came into his first week as starter with no reps with the first team mitigates whatever struggles he had going through his progressions. Imagine how difficult it was just to get the plays straight and know his primary WR on each play.

Going through progressions is tough on any QB---especially when the speed of the game is so blazing fast.

The great news is---Big Red did not panic---he stayed strong in the pocket and did his best to let the play develop.

I agree, which is why I'm content NOT drafting any QB if we add a veteran.

If we don't add a solid veteran, I'd seriously think about drafting a QB in the first round. I don't like it one bit, but we have to add talent to QB if we are going to turn this around. I can deal with a 5-11 or 7-9 season if we have a young QB who is improving, but with just John Skelton I'd be pretty leery.

That's not a knock on Skelton, he's just not as developed as a big college QB and he may never "get it".

 

[Hypothesis]

Sign Bulger or Volek to both compete with Skelton for the #1, and to mentor him.

Draft Stanzi in the 4th and let him sit and develop as the #3.

I like Skelton and think he's going to turn out to be a very good QB, but he's still going to need some time to develop. An experienced vet like Bulger or Volek, who may not be the most productive QBs in the league, but have more than enough knowledge about the X's and O's and what defenses are trying to do, would greatly help Skelton a long. Wouldn't hurt that they would at worst make a good #2 QB. I doubt Whis will sign anyone and hand them the starting job and I think he'll make that clear up front to any QB he interviews.

 

[Duckjake]

Big Red!
What a perfect nickname for Skelton!

Great stuff, bg7brd!

Here's to Clem Kadiddlehopper!

Sorry but Big Red is not a great nickname because that's the name of our goofy Mascot.

 

[jefftheshark]

Sorry but Big Red is not a great nickname because that's the name of our goofy Mascot.

I'd rather see the goofy mascot playing QB than The Vibrator (just goin' with the "Steely Dan" thing).

From what I've seen with the t-shirt giveaways, he's got a cannon for a wing.

JTS