Kolb back to a new and improved Cardinal team

[PACardsFan]

People keep hoping to fit a round peg into a square hole.

Everyone should simply compare every QB on our roster to Kurt Warner and then realize how stupid our FO and coaches are.

No one on our roster SINCE Warner was even remotely LIKE Warner.

I can't believe that no one sees this, it's so freaking obvious it's frightening.

Dree Brees is like Warner, Chase Daniel is like Warner, this is why both of them play for the Saints who run a similar offense to us.

See that's how that works, you get the QB's who can run it and collect them, you don't try and run a Warner offense with a DA....that's about the dumbest thing I've ever seen.

Matt wasn't like Warner but he's more like him than DA was, and anyone who ever thought DA could ever run that offense should be fired now, right now, immediately cause they are that dumb.

So how does Kolb seem like Warner?

They both have dark hair?

They are about the same height?

Maybe their bowling averages are the same?

GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR, the stupid that oozes from this team is overwhelming at times.

Not so fast my friend! It's possible to fit a round peg into a square hole. It's much tougher trying to fit a square peg into a round hole! There's NO doubt that the Cardinals should have been more proactive in having a replacement in mind for Warner. Honestly, I think Whiz thought he'd get another season or 2 out of Warner. When that didn't happen, we were doomed. Whiz KNEW Leinart wasn't the answer & was grasping at straws with DA. Once you're in a desperate situation at QB, usually only bad things can happen. Kolb will never be Warner, but it's too soon to say that he can't develop into a decent QB.

 

[PACardsFan]

You are right on the money.

I knew it was essential last Spring. That's why I kept saying we needed Colt McCoy who was very similar to Warner in College.

It is also why some of us were criticizing the front office for bringing in Kolb and not adjusting the offense to make his transition easier.

McCoy hasn't exactly been the answer for the Browns. I could understand bringing him in as the QBOF, but we wouldn't have fared any better with him as our starter THIS year. Warner was more a gunslinger. I like McCoy, but he's a far cry from Warner in that respect.

 

[Duckjake]

McCoy hasn't exactly been the answer for the Browns. I could understand bringing him in as the QBOF, but we wouldn't have fared any better with him as our starter THIS year. Warner was more a gunslinger. I like McCoy, but he's a far cry from Warner in that respect.

McCoy is extremely accurate and smart and not afraid in the pocket and played on a team at Texas that had no running game and so threw the ball all the time.

The Browns have no weapons on offense. McCoy has completed over 65% of his passes in half his games in Cleveland and had two games in the last 3 weeks with over 70% completion rate at over 8 yards per attempt. He's sort of the opposite of what we normally hear about a player, he'd be better in Arizona.

Remember this would be his second year in Arizona if we could have drafted him. So I think we would have fared better this year with him as a starter.

Oh wait. He'd have had a year with our coaches. So maybe not.

 

[Darkside]

I remember the blindside QB hits Kolb was taking, I remember the defense was melting down with K9's favorite corpse "running" it from the field. I recall triple coverage on Fitz and no use of the run game to help out. Playaction pass? Will Kolb benefit from these things, will the Cardinals benefit having Kolb in there?

I say yes, I hope Whiz doesn't hang him out there in the spread the whole game because then he is pretty much on his own. Like all the other QBs minus our audible-superbowl.

Kolb will be playing a much tougher team this week, so everybody can slide that one into whatever side of the arguement they kick it on. Beanie might be banged up (after 228, I aint tripping), I hope Whiz continues to be creative and consistent with the ground game.

This defense has taken over games now, more names than a hippie wants to type. Kolb's best game was his first game (like everybody else the last couple years), let's hope the QB coach spent the last month messing up Skelton's mechanics so Kolb could get a break.

5 bucks says Beanie and Kolb are questionable all week, but I bet they both play vs dattass. To all the Kolb-kickers, foot in mouth tastes extra bad when when you've put said foot up some one's ass. (that should rile them up!)

Kolb is going to make a comeback the last half of the season (don't call it a comeback, I been here for years, rockin' my peers...sorry, old song). Riding the pine had to help him. Just watching Skelton scoot up in the pocket to freedom (to make a pass) had to help him. Fact is, Kolb can't play much worse. I really expect him to step up these final games and prove he's worth the money.

 

[desertdawg]

Why not change the offense to match the skills of the QB?

This team needs to run more, do more play action. IMO we are thinking of Fitz too much. Wide receiver can much more easily adapt to different offenses than QB's and offensive lines can.

^This^

If Whiz runs the same playcall style again this week, Kolb might not get the all out bumrush every other play, our spread is like an open QB buffet to the rest of the NFL's defenses. Ground and pound, play action, control the clock, let the defense do their thing. Romo is Mr friggin December, but when he gets rattled he blows chunks, Horton needs to get after him.

 

[Darkside]

Disagree about changing schemes or our offense to match personnel. Yes, they did it in Denver, but they aren't going anywhere, let's get real. Whisenhunt is trying to build a team that will suffice for years, not some one-hit pony offense, tailored around one guy, that will maybe last all of one year and lead to nothing. Total joke. You don't change a whole offensive scheme to fit one player, that's ridiculous and stupid. If there's one guy on your offense not getting it, you replace that guy, not the whole scheme. Denver is doomed for failure, we are built for long term success. I get as frustrated as anyone, but Whis wants a team built for success in the long term. Perrenial playoff teams, that's what Whis wants.

Whis is going to run the same playstyle this week as last week, that's the system, and it's what we do, like it or not. The only part, so far, not working in this system is the QB. Guys are running open. The system works. The QB doesn't work so much however.

 

[Duckjake]

Disagree about changing schemes or our offense to match personnel. Yes, they did it in Denver, but they aren't going anywhere, let's get real. Whisenhunt is trying to build a team that will suffice for years, not some one-hit pony offense, tailored around one guy, that will maybe last all of one year and lead to nothing. Total joke. You don't change a whole offensive scheme to fit one player, that's ridiculous and stupid. If there's one guy on your offense not getting it, you replace that guy, not the whole scheme. Denver is doomed for failure, we are built for long term success. I get as frustrated as anyone, but Whis wants a team built for success in the long term. Perrenial playoff teams, that's what Whis wants.

Whis is going to run the same playstyle this week as last week, that's the system, and it's what we do, like it or not. The only part, so far, not working in this system is the QB. Guys are running open. The system works. The QB doesn't work so much however.

Nobody's talking about the Cardinals running the wishbone. We're talking about doing what Horton did with the defense and adjusting the scheme to give the players a better chance at success.

Sadly in the NFL you try to wait 2-3 years while everybody gets it and put up 5-11 and 6-10 seasons in the process you're not building a team for long term success you're building a team for your successor.

 

[nashman]

Darkside did you just start watching this week? Because this past win was not the system he has been trying to run not sure what your trying to say? But let's get one thing straight if his so called system is the one flushing QB's left and right it is damn well a terrible system. If your so called system calls for a hof qb to even remotely be able to operate it...then that systems blows and is in no way built for continued success as you put it. If we ran the ball like we finally did on Sunday at any other point this year Kolb would not have been running for his life all season!

 

[conraddobler]

Darkside did you just start watching this week? Because this past win was not the system he has been trying to run not sure what your trying to say? But let's get one thing straight if his so called system is the one flushing QB's left and right it is damn well a terrible system. If your so called system calls for a hof qb to even remotely be able to operate it...then that systems blows and is in no way built for continued success as you put it. If we ran the ball like we finally did on Sunday at any other point this year Kolb would not have been running for his life all season!

+1

We're quietly building a dominant defense, we should be fine with a standard run first play action offense.

It's not that tuff and as a bonus our O line is a lot better at run blocking than pass blocking.

Our QB's will have the luxury of not being killed a half second after the snap and the defense is forced to be honest.

Yeah it's boring but it wins.

There's also nothing wrong with designing plays that take into account your QB is a rookie now, just build the pump fake into the damn play, pump fake to Larry, the entire defense will bite and go deep to the other side on a go route.

You do this instead of trusting that your rookie QB will know enough to do this on his own, just tell him what to do, you'll lose the ability to have him actually diagnose if it's going to work during the play but on the flipside if you do this well enough you'll be pretty sure it'll work anyhow.

So build the entire play script into practice, practice it then do about 5 to 10 of these in a game where the situation calls for it, build the play the way it SHOULD go then have him execute the script instead of relying on him to know exactly what to do, dumb it down.

The only things he'll need to know you can give him with motion, if he sees the guy following the back in motion it's man, if not it's zone, have him and everyone else do one thing for zone, one thing for man.

Build in the safety lookoff into the play if you need one, don't rely on him to do it, build it into the play, he'll eventually learn to do it but if he's locking on, force him off that, don't let him lock in, build in a first look the other way.

Eliminate the reads, one read and go, that's what almost EVERYONE else does with a rookie QB, they certainly don't try and run an offense designed for Kurt Warner with a rookie QB, that's as dumb as it gets.

 

[Darkside]

I have to add, once you do what John Fox did and change everything for Tebow, you can't go back to your favorite schemes and plans and whatever. You can't go back. Because once you've changed, there's a perception, among players and fans, that you didn't believe in it that much to begin with, that it's up for changing at any time. There's no turning back. I know fans love Tebow and John Fox deserves credit for getting the guy some wins, but it isn't a solution, it isn't a map for long term success. John Fox been in this game a long time, and he scrapped all his schemes and plans to accommodate Tebow. He'll lose his job before Tebow. You cannot weaken, either you believe in your schemes or you don't.

Great coaches, I mean really great, we're talking Lombardi, Landry, etc, they had schemes, and they believed in them. I have no problem with Whisenhunt having his own schemes and playbooks and believing in them. No problem whatsoever. That's what HOF coaches do. When Landry instituted a 4-3 defense for the first time, when he invented it, players had no clue what he was doing, they were lost and they thought he was lost. I've heard tons of interviews from players of both Landry and Lombardi say they were so lost, confused, just decimated, and then one day, bam, it all made sense and suddenly they're in the SB and tough for the next 5 years. It does happen. When innovations in the game happen, nobody recognizes it until after.

I really have a lot of admiration for a coach like Whisenhunt, devising his own schemes and playcalls and audibles and all of it. Takes courage. He could change the game, or people like you can laugh at him, or b*tch incessantly, but one thing he didn't do is take another scheme or offense, like so many coaches do, and just roll with that.

Some coaches think they can coach players up, and they use old, tired schemes. Our coach, and a few others, have their own schemes and plans, and take their lumps (but how little credit they get when they get to the SB). I'd rather have a coach like ours, quite frankly. I would bet there's less than 5 coaches in the NFL that have their own schemes, plans, formations, and situational adjustments. Whis is one of them. I'd bet Belichek and Brady are another. Maybe the Saints. Sean Payton had some schemes from way back. But for the most part, as much as some of you hate Whisenhunt, at least he has his own schemes. Ya'll bitch that he's predictable. But dudes are running open. Not so predictable when it's pass after pass, then the D looks stupid. He also runs different sets and calls out of the same formations. Whis also uses motion in those formations. There's a lot he does (even screen passes) out of the formations that everyone says is the same. It's really not, it's meant to look the same.

 

[Darkside]

Darkside did you just start watching this week? Because this past win was not the system he has been trying to run not sure what your trying to say? But let's get one thing straight if his so called system is the one flushing QB's left and right it is damn well a terrible system. If your so called system calls for a hof qb to even remotely be able to operate it...then that systems blows and is in no way built for continued success as you put it. If we ran the ball like we finally did on Sunday at any other point this year Kolb would not have been running for his life all season!

Your attempted insult aside, last week was an anomaly. First time all year we've run more than pass. It's part of the system, as I said in my last post. They can run just about anything out of it. That's the whole point.

As far as QB's flushing left and right...I didn't see Skelton doing that as much as Kolb. When you're scared, and skittish you're going to run. Left and right is preferable to backward, which is mostly what he did.

It doesn't require a HOF QB to run, it requires someone competent. We've had no one even close to competent in here besides Kurt Warner. Name another dude you consider competent? One guy man, one!??

Your argument is totally ridic. The system doesn't blow, it's the system that has allowed us to win the few games we have. The games we've lost are on players. Players play games, not coaches. It's only because of Whis's system that we've even been in games. Our young/new players have choked, every time (mostly early in the season).

 

[Darkside]

Nobody's talking about the Cardinals running the wishbone. We're talking about doing what Horton did with the defense and adjusting the scheme to give the players a better chance at success.

Sadly in the NFL you try to wait 2-3 years while everybody gets it and put up 5-11 and 6-10 seasons in the process you're not building a team for long term success you're building a team for your successor.

Again I disagree. As far as our offense goes, guys are running open, and the scheme is therefore working, and until you can get someone in there to hit those open guys you keep trying. That has a better chance of working than changing everything, your entire scheme and philosophy, to fit one player.

 

[Cheesebeef]

I have to add, once you do what John Fox did and change everything for Tebow, you can't go back to your favorite schemes and plans and whatever. You can't go back. Because once you've changed, there's a perception, among players and fans, that you didn't believe in it that much to begin with, that it's up for changing at any time. There's no turning back. I know fans love Tebow and John Fox deserves credit for getting the guy some wins, but it isn't a solution, it isn't a map for long term success. John Fox been in this game a long time, and he scrapped all his schemes and plans to accommodate Tebow. He'll lose his job before Tebow. You cannot weaken, either you believe in your schemes or you don't.

Great coaches, I mean really great, we're talking Lombardi, Landry, etc, they had schemes, and they believed in them. I have no problem with Whisenhunt having his own schemes and playbooks and believing in them. No problem whatsoever. That's what HOF coaches do. When Landry instituted a 4-3 defense for the first time, when he invented it, players had no clue what he was doing, they were lost and they thought he was lost. I've heard tons of interviews from players of both Landry and Lombardi say they were so lost, confused, just decimated, and then one day, bam, it all made sense and suddenly they're in the SB and tough for the next 5 years. It does happen. When innovations in the game happen, nobody recognizes it until after.

I really have a lot of admiration for a coach like Whisenhunt, devising his own schemes and playcalls and audibles and all of it. Takes courage. He could change the game, or people like you can laugh at him, or b*tch incessantly, but one thing he didn't do is take another scheme or offense, like so many coaches do, and just roll with that.

Some coaches think they can coach players up, and they use old, tired schemes. Our coach, and a few others, have their own schemes and plans, and take their lumps (but how little credit they get when they get to the SB). I'd rather have a coach like ours, quite frankly. I would bet there's less than 5 coaches in the NFL that have their own schemes, plans, formations, and situational adjustments. Whis is one of them. I'd bet Belichek and Brady are another. Maybe the Saints. Sean Payton had some schemes from way back. But for the most part, as much as some of you hate Whisenhunt, at least he has his own schemes. Ya'll bitch that he's predictable. But dudes are running open. Not so predictable when it's pass after pass, then the D looks stupid. He also runs different sets and calls out of the same formations. Whis also uses motion in those formations. There's a lot he does (even screen passes) out of the formations that everyone says is the same. It's really not, it's meant to look the same.

boy do I think this is completely wrong. The best coaches ADJUST. Look at what the Pats did when Belichek first got a hold of them versus what they do now. it's a completely different game-plan because he's got completely different personnel... and that's WITH the same QB.

Look at what Tomlin's done. They were a smash-mouth football team and now they're a pretty wide open passing attack... and that's WITH the same QB.

Look at what Lovie Smith had done with the Bears, going from an ultra-conservative game-plan to bringing in Mike Martz with new personnel and somehow, someway, he's had the Bears in the playoff race almost every year for the last 7 years.

You either adjust or you die in this league, especially when personnel changes. The idea that Wiz has to stick to his "system" when it's failed miserably with 6 of 7 QBs he's brought in doesn't make much sense to me. I have no problem with the mentality of if ain't broke, don't fix it, but Wiz's "system" has been broken for two years. If he doesn't fix it, he'll be out of a job as he should be.

 

[Darkside]

Give me a break, Mike Tomlin and Bill Belichek didn't suddenly change coaching schemes. Bill Belichek been the same coach as he was in Cleveland when they sucked. Lovie Smith been coach of a great defense for his entire tenure, but he didn't change much with Cutler and Martz. It wasn't like they're the Rams offense of old, give me a break; Martz is over-rated, totally, coaching Falk, Warner, Bruce, Holt. Any of us could come up with schemes for those dudes.

 

[Cheesebeef]

Give me a break, Mike Tomlin and Bill Belichek didn't suddenly change coaching schemes. Bill Belichek been the same coach as he was in Cleveland when they sucked.

do you not watch football? the offense that Tomlin and Bellicheck have installed on their teams now are NOTHING like the offenses they had when they first took their jobs. The above shows such a lack of knowledge outside the Cardinals it's galling.

I mean... seriously... how can someone say Belicheck, who's first couple Super Bowl teams HEAVILY relied on the run and now HEAVILY rely on the pass didn't change coaching schemes?

Lovie Smith been coach of a great defense for his entire tenure, but he didn't change much with Cutler and Martz. It wasn't like they're the Rams offense of old, give me a break; Martz is over-rated, totally, coaching Falk, Warner, Bruce, Holt. Any of us could come up with schemes for those dudes.

LOL... okay. A) I never said the Bears are the Rams offense of old so try not and put words in my mouth because you're argument is so out of wack, but they put much more trust into Cutler than they ever did with Orton or any other horrid QB Lovie's had because that's what good coaches do. They adjust to the talent they're given.

and again... Wiz hasn't proven he's got a system... Wiz seemingly caught lightning in a bottle with Warner who found the fountain of youth and his "system" has been horrific ever since.

 

[Darkside]

do you not watch football? the offense that Tomlin and Bellicheck have installed on their teams now are NOTHING like the offenses they had when they first took their jobs. The above shows such a lack of knowledge outside the Cardinals it's galling.

I mean... seriously... how can someone say Belicheck, who's first couple Super Bowl teams HEAVILY relied on the run and now HEAVILY rely on the pass didn't change coaching schemes?



LOL... okay. A) I never said the Bears are the Rams offense of old so try not and put words in my mouth because you're argument is so out of wack, but they put much more trust into Cutler than they ever did with Orton or any other horrid QB Lovie's had because that's what good coaches do. They adjust to the talent they're given.

and again... Wiz hasn't proven he's got a system... Wiz seemingly caught lightning in a bottle with Warner who found the fountain of youth and his "system" has been horrific ever since.

If you really think Tomlin and Belicheck installed running offenses ever you're insane. And I mean ever. Even the Pats early SB's had more to do with Brady and little to do with the run. One thing I do love about the Pats, is that they will hit you in spots with the run. But they were never predicated on it, nor were the Steelers under Tomlin. Under Tomlin, and Ben, they've done nothing but pass. No clue what you're talking about. Pass, pass, pass. They beat us in the SB passing. They've continued passing. Tomlin didn't change anything. They aren't the Jerome Bettis Steelers, they're Tomlin's big Ben passing offense, so I have no clue what you mean. You're just talking nonsense now.

 

[THESMEL]

Kolb might have caught up, at least caught his breath on the bench, this could be a good thing in the long run. now if they could just share the load with the run game, Like we should have every game for our entire 100+ year history.

Max protect 50% of the time and build Kolb's confidence, don't push the limits until the offense is establish. i have NO FAITH in Whiz and Miller to do this,

In Whiz I hope.

 

[Duckjake]

Again I disagree. As far as our offense goes, guys are running open, and the scheme is therefore working, and until you can get someone in there to hit those open guys you keep trying. That has a better chance of working than changing everything, your entire scheme and philosophy, to fit one player.

Sorry but your idea is a recipe for the unemployment line. Run the same scheme no matter what? What if you can never get the guy who can hit those supposedly open receivers? While you are running your casting call for QBs you'll keep going 5-11 and 6-10 until you get fired. It happens all the time in the NFL.

And AGAIN we are talking about making adjustments to the scheme to better fit the most important position on the field not putting in a completely different offense like they did in Denver. I don't know why you have locked onto that radical change as if it is what we want for Arizona.

The Cards made an adjustment to their offense just last Sunday and it resulted in a record rushing day for Wells and a victory.

 

[JC_AZ]

Which is worse, Kolb's boneheaded sacks or Skelton's boneheaded INT's? (Seriously, I am asking. Both have cost us loads of points.)

Footwork has been pretty terrible for all our QB's. This is a recurring theme in the Whiz system for some reason. Even Warner had a time where he had to rework his steps.

I am ready to see Kolb step back in and take the reins. I love Skelton. He is a great backup QB in that he can take over and we know his starts are not automatic losses. But until he develops a little more accuracy with his throws, he needs to remain a backup.

I think Skelton's accuracy got much worse once he became the starter and Chris Miller started "fixing his delivery and footwork"...they all (ML, KK, JS) got to this level by having some skill set that warranted being drafted...why is it they all apparently have bad mechanics (that made them successful in college) and once they are "coached up" to make the Miller-Whiz-defined changes... they suck? I see a correlation...

 

[kerouac9]

If you really think Tomlin and Belicheck installed running offenses ever you're insane. And I mean ever. Even the Pats early SB's had more to do with Brady and little to do with the run. One thing I do love about the Pats, is that they will hit you in spots with the run. But they were never predicated on it, nor were the Steelers under Tomlin. Under Tomlin, and Ben, they've done nothing but pass. No clue what you're talking about. Pass, pass, pass. They beat us in the SB passing. They've continued passing. Tomlin didn't change anything. They aren't the Jerome Bettis Steelers, they're Tomlin's big Ben passing offense, so I have no clue what you mean. You're just talking nonsense now.

Give Darkside a break. Clearly he just started watching football in 2007. He doesn't remember Corey Dillon and that the Pats have always utilized massive TE sets that featured receiving TEs.

 

[Cheesebeef]

If you really think Tomlin and Belicheck installed running offenses ever you're insane. And I mean ever.

you're totally right... Tomlin's first Steelers team that ran for 2168 yards and averaged 135 per game for the third best rushing attack in the game while having the 22nd ranked passing attack in the league means he NEVER installed a running offense. And I mean NEVER.

And the Pats... when did you start watching football dude?

You are so out of your league talking out of your butt it's not even funny. In 2001, they had the league's 13th best rushing offense and 22nd best passing offense. In 2004, the had the league's 7th best rushing attack and 11th best passing attack. Why? Because Belichek doesn't stay strict to his system. He adjusts to the players he has around him, like good coaches do. And now? He's pretty much all pass, all the time. He's coached his differently pretty much every year he's been there.

I mean, did you not see how he adjusted his offense once he lost Brady and brought in Cassel. Did he keep trying to score 37 ppg, winging the ball every time they had it? No, he played conservative, ran the ball and protected his QB.

Even the Pats early SB's had more to do with Brady and little to do with the run. One thing I do love about the Pats, is that they will hit you in spots with the run. But they were never predicated on it, nor were the Steelers under Tomlin. Under Tomlin, and Ben, they've done nothing but pass.
No clue what you're talking about.

LOL. You're making yourself look less and less knoweldgeable about the history of the game with each corresponding post... doesn't do a lot to bolster your arguments when the evidence you give to back them up is pretty much completely wrong.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Give Darkside a break. Clearly he just started watching football in 2007. He doesn't remember Corey Dillon and that the Pats have always utilized massive TE sets that featured receiving TEs.

LOL!!!

 

[desertdawg]

Whis is going to run the same playstyle this week as last week, that's the system, and it's what we do, like it or not.
I really hope Whiz runs the same playstyle as last week.
Last week's play style was unlike any other I've seen in the Whiz era. I loved it, gave Coach a game ball for it in a different thread.

The only part, so far, not working in this system is the QB.
I think you mean QBs (plural), we've had guys that can sit in the pocket, we've had accurate guys come in, quick release dudes, former pro-bowlers, Heisman trophy winners, midgets with small hands, deep tossers, arena ball cats, but the 2 games that we have actually ran the ball, consistently, with a lead blocker (Kolb's first game against the panthers, and Skelton's against the Lambs), our lack of QB talent didn't sink our battleship. Time of possession didn't paralyze us. Defense chills instead of going marathon mode. Cam Newton had a record day for a rookie, a gazillion yards, but we didn't lose that game, even though our defense looked pathetic. Kolb had a good game when we ran the rock.

Guys are running open.
Your right, right through some nice wholes from our very own O-line...Beanie, Hyphen, I think I even saw Chester's old ass move the chains. It also opens up our receivers too.


The system works.
Last week was sweet but it was definitely different.

The QB doesn't work so much however.
(plural)

Can we just quit calling it the system already and call it the spread, or shotgun spread? That's what Whiz has done for years now, it's why folk's in here post the definition of insanity constantly. Chopped liver sittiing 4 yards back, with no time to make it happen.

Warner was flukeville, gave Whiz a liscense to go spread all the time while thin at O-line. Grimm even almost looked good. With Q and Fitz competing for catches and sharing the double coverages, yeah that was nice but it's time to move on. The only way to get Fitz the ball now is to not throw it to him every play.