DeAnna
Just A Face in The Crowd
THIS is dumb.
Not all football players have the ambition and drive to digest their playbook in a week. That's why they fail.
Peter King Doing A Two-Part Series On Palmer/BA On Weds/Thu
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THIS is dumb.
Not all football players have the ambition and drive to digest their playbook in a week. That's why they fail.
kerouac9
Klowned by Keim
It doesn't have anything to do with "drive and ambition" — that's their JOB. If you draft or sign a player who can't digest the playbook in a week, you're a terrible GM and coach. THAT'S something that you can coach/scout/interview to pre-qualify.
1) No one makes it to the NFL level without wild drive and ambition through every level. I don't care what your job is, you didn't get to an elite level without drive and ambition.
2) College kids have to do the same thing at their level and still need to at least qualify to stay academically eligible. I don't know if you've ever worked with a D-1 scholarship athlete, but their work/study schedule is INTENSE.
crisper57
Open the Roof!
College kids do a fraction of the preparation that pro's do. Especially with the spread/hurry-up offenses prevailing that level, the emphasis is on running the the same plays over-and-over and overwhelming defenders with the sheer number of snaps they have to play.
Contrast that with a pro playbook that has 170 plays that change from week-to-week. It is like night and day for QB's coming into the League from those types of programs. I don't know how you can weigh a QB's ability to make that step vs the talent they show on film. I think most GM's draft the talent and then hope the capacity for the playbook follows.
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man, we are getting A LOT of love right now. Better not lay an ishburger on National TV this week.
kerouac9
Klowned by Keim
What's the "talent they show on film" in the context of the simplified offensive and defensive schemes that you describe, though — particularly when it comes to the quarterback position.
Yes, college kids have a fraction of the complexity, but they also have a fraction of the time. Also, coaches like the Chip Kelly and Andy Reid run "execution" offenses that have a much smaller number of individual plays that actually are deployable in a large number of personnel and formation groupings.
Again, if you give me 170 plays, 4 days, and nothing else to do, I'm going to have them down pretty cold. Maybe you can't recall 90 facts that you've been working on since July if you have a full week to do it — maybe that seems like an impossible task to you.
Being able to thread a football through two linebackers and on the back shoulder of a wide receiver who's running 18 inches ahead of a corner? That's something that I couldn't do no matter how much time you gave me.
And that's something that no one can know about a college prospect, because they are in a simplified offense and the players around them aren't as good.
This story is certainly cool, but the difference between a top quarterback and John Skelton isn't "want to." That's foolishness.
Phenomenal write up. So interesting to see all the preparation, planning and study that goes into a game plan.
Nice to read some top notch reporting and behind the scenes access of our little team here in the desert.
Nice to read some top notch reporting and behind the scenes access of our little team here in the desert.
kerouac9
Klowned by Keim
Phenomenal write up. So interesting to see all the preparation, planning and study that goes into a game plan.
Nice to read some top notch reporting and behind the scenes access of our little team here in the desert.
100% this. I don't know if it's because Mark Dalton is running things, but the last few years the Cards' national profile has stepped up to the next level. Not only has the team roped in Peter King, but Robert Mays (formerly of Grantland) had great access to the team, as well.
82CardsGrad
7 x 70
This excerpt from Part 2 really reinforces what some of us are saying. Study and preparation are great, and yeah I'm sure there are QBs in the NFL who could be more successful if they worked harder. But when it comes down to it in an NFL game with the speed and the 9000 other factors, some QB's have "it" and some dont.
"But Palmer had to fight the wind constantly, and it changed the way he threw the ball as the game progressed; the fact that he conquered the swirling winds to throw for 374 yards and four touchdowns tells me he’s not a robot or a football wonk beholden to his study materials—he’s a smart guy who knows how to adjust to the prevailing conditions of the day."
Preparation is great, but its who has the instinct and ability to adjust on the fly that sets apart the good from the great.
"But Palmer had to fight the wind constantly, and it changed the way he threw the ball as the game progressed; the fact that he conquered the swirling winds to throw for 374 yards and four touchdowns tells me he’s not a robot or a football wonk beholden to his study materials—he’s a smart guy who knows how to adjust to the prevailing conditions of the day."
Preparation is great, but its who has the instinct and ability to adjust on the fly that sets apart the good from the great.
CardsSunsDbacks
Not So Skeptical
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I agree that the problem for young QBs trying to succeed isn't so much about work ethic (for most anyways), but more so in their ability/inability to make "all the throws" and also their ability to process what they are seeing at full speed in a real game. I'm sure there are a ton of "busts" that were drafted high in the first round that put in all the work necessary throughout the offseason and the week prior to the game, but still were unable to perform come game time.
OmeneX
\m/___\m/
Good stuff. I was checking some other teams boards for my fantasy lineup this week, and those boards had also posted up these articles about our Cards.
Well written.
Well written.
Cardiac
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Plummer, Johnny FB and J. Russell all say HI!
FArting
Lopes Up!
good read
really enjoyed the detail that goes into preparing for a game
really enjoyed the detail that goes into preparing for a game
cardfaninfl
Demographically significant
Pistol Strong Left Stack Act 6 Y Cross Divide. Perfect play, perfect practice, perfect defense, perfect situational timing... and the wind carries the ball inches from Fitz's grasp.
That would destroy me psychologically and haunt me for the rest of the game. Amazing they can just huddle-up and move onto the next play.
This was the most enjoyable read about football in a very long time.
That would destroy me psychologically and haunt me for the rest of the game. Amazing they can just huddle-up and move onto the next play.
This was the most enjoyable read about football in a very long time.
Chaz
observationist
Great article by Mr. King I really enjoyed it.
In regard to the discussion about preparation and knowledge of the plays I am reminded of an interview with with Trent Dilfer on local radio last year before the second Seattle game. What stuck out to me and stuck with me was him talking about quarterbacks in the NFL and the term game manager and how much of every quarterbacks job is to be a game manager. He estimated 85% of the job is just learning the plays, variations, personnel and and getting the offense lined up properly, another 10% was the pre snap and post snap reads, and the final factor that separates the good from the great is the decision making under pressure and ball placement.
The really great quarterbacks excel at that final bit but all quarterbacks have to be game managers.
How I found this relevant is that without the work all week and the study you can't even get to Ryan Lindley level in the NFL. Some players may have outstanding arm strength or ability to throw a football in a bucket or through a tire consistently but if they don't put in the mental work during the week they don't really stand a chance in this league.
In regard to the discussion about preparation and knowledge of the plays I am reminded of an interview with with Trent Dilfer on local radio last year before the second Seattle game. What stuck out to me and stuck with me was him talking about quarterbacks in the NFL and the term game manager and how much of every quarterbacks job is to be a game manager. He estimated 85% of the job is just learning the plays, variations, personnel and and getting the offense lined up properly, another 10% was the pre snap and post snap reads, and the final factor that separates the good from the great is the decision making under pressure and ball placement.
The really great quarterbacks excel at that final bit but all quarterbacks have to be game managers.
How I found this relevant is that without the work all week and the study you can't even get to Ryan Lindley level in the NFL. Some players may have outstanding arm strength or ability to throw a football in a bucket or through a tire consistently but if they don't put in the mental work during the week they don't really stand a chance in this league.
