The Doucet fall...

[RedViper]

Not a clutch player. This game and the drop in the Dallas game. You just can't go to this guy when the game is on the line. JJ Arrington trying to pick up one yard against Sean Taylor. Same thing, this is a play you'll remember years from now. Not a clutch player.

 

[JeffGollin]

What I want to know is (1) how does Early deal with the adversity? and (2) whether the Cardinals cut him some slack for "being unlucky."

Does anyone think that Fitz - if something like that happened - wouldn't spend hour after hour after practice working on his footwork and mentally preparing himself to guard against that happening in the future (ever)?

Think Early will show that sort of commitment?

As one pro player liked to say: "The harder I work, the luckier I get."

My point: This isn't the first time, Early has failed to make a makable play. It's cost us W's. He needs to improve his "batting average" considerably on those plays in order to be trusted, and that involves harder work on his part.

 

[seesred]

Early did what he was supposed to do. It was a hot read and his job was to find some open space and stand there. The ball was thrown as if he were still running a route. Early tried to ajust. It would have been very hard for anyone to do that. It was a bad pass to a open WR in the right spot.

As for Skelton he showed why in his second year he is not ready. It was fun watching the fourth quarter, it was an eye nopening watching the other three.

GBR
40

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I know I'm gonna grilled & flamed on this one...but please go back & watch the play in slow-mo. I just saw it replayed on NFL Network & think part of the problem was the throw. I know you guys are already laughing & screaming...but wait. Yeah sure Doucet slowed down & didnt continue upfield, but Skelton was hurried & had to move to his right causing the throw to be thrown a second late. Instead of the ball being thrown at Early or inside of a wide open WR, the throw was oustide & on his left causing him to turn & trip.

Watch it again guys without hatred towards Early & I think you might agree. An inaccurate throw that by John IMO. Hell, I'm not even sure Doucet would've even caught it anyways given the throw. Fire away & grill me!!!

Cardinals post game basically said it was a really bad throw coupled by a bad adjustment by the wide receiver.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Perfect throw and totally catchable if he just runs like he should and doesn't back pedal.

No one from the Cardinals team agrees with that. He was high and to the side.

 

[Cardiac]

Skelton threw the ball where there wasn't a defender. He lofted it and Early had plenty of time to adjust. Yes the ball could have been thrown better but end result of the play is on Early.

 

[82CardsGrad]

Skelton threw the ball where there wasn't a defender. He lofted it and Early had plenty of time to adjust. Yes the ball could have been thrown better but end result of the play is on Early.

This... Doucet... Uggghhhhhhhhh........

 

[az240zz]

I don't think that play was the only bad one.
WE Sucked for 3 quarters offensively. Props to the defense for playing their asses off.

I don't think Doucet will be here next year. Just hasn't made enough plays.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

That play is on Doucet only, he stoped his route when 99.99% of QBs would anticipate the WR continuing on into the Endzone...

 

[Early]

We can tell your bias from your screen name, man. Bottom line: the throw was in a place that he could EASILY have gotten to, had he not played the WR position on that play with as much agility as I have. Read that as no agility at all.

My name is Early too. He is not the only one on this planet with that particular name. Besides, that is personal and completely irrelevant for this discussion about football. All people should be able to post their opinion on football, no matter the name.

It was a hot read and that is why Doucet turned around. It was an all out blitz and if there was no more time and Doucet didn't adjust and turned around, then and only then it would have been his fault. He did the right thing, he saw the all out blitz and that he was left alone and changed his route into a different, much faster route to account for the blitz. It would have been a huge mistake if he didn't stop and turned around. It was a good read by Doucet. He did his assignment.

It is Skelton that didn't change the throw into the hot read. 100 % his fault. In addition you can't ask a player to stop and look back for football and than go deep to the original route with timing. Of course he lost the balanced in trying to do that, can't expect him to be able to manage two completely different routes at same time.

Skelton is a horrible QB and the Cardinals must look for someone else than him and Kolb if they want to contend.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

.

It was a hot read and that is why Doucet turned around. It was an all out blitz and if there was no more time and Doucet didn't adjust and turned around, then and only then it would have been his fault. He did the right thing, he saw the all out blitz and that he was left alone and changed his route into a different, much faster route to account for the blitz. It would have been a huge mistake if he didn't stop and turned around. It was a good read by Doucet. He did his assignment.

.

I am sorry, but Skelton spotted Doucet wide as Doucet put up the mailbox. Here are some screen stills, I don't see why any QB would expect the receiver to stop his route short when its obvious he has a clear path to 6.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Early did what he was supposed to do. It was a hot read and his job was to find some open space and stand there. The ball was thrown as if he were still running a route. Early tried to ajust. It would have been very hard for anyone to do that. It was a bad pass to a open WR in the right spot.

As for Skelton he showed why in his second year he is not ready. It was fun watching the fourth quarter, it was an eye nopening watching the other three.

GBR
40

this

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

This throw occurs just after Doucet's mailbox went up and as he crossed past the 9 yard line:

 

[Jetstream Green]

the still shot of it does nothing for me...since Skelton holds the ball forever and a lot happened before he let it go,...like Doucet going about finishing a route that Skelton thought was a different route. Only Skelton and Doucet really know what that route was...This is what I would like to see out of our young QB, say it was his fault like many vet QBs do regardless if they really mean it, so that the load of pressure on the guy blamed by the majority (being Doucet in this case) is lessen in order to help Early in the next game because Skelton will have to depend on Doucet against the Seahawks.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

Here is where Doucet is already falling down because he cut his route short (there in zero reason in that situation when its clear your QB has already spotted you with wide path to the endzone) I am sorry but this is clearly on Doucet.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

the still shot of it does nothing for me...since Skelton holds the ball forever and a lot happened before he let it go,...like Doucet going about finishing a route that Skelton thought was a different route. Only Skelton and Doucet really know what that route was...This is what I would like to see out of our young QB, say it was his fault like many vet QBs do regardless if they really mean it, so that the load of pressure on the guy blamed by the majority (being Doucet in this case) is lessen in order to help Early in the next game because Skelton will have to depend on Doucet against the Seahawks.

How is Skelton going to hold on to the ball alot when the blitz is in his face? Skelton makes the throw less than a 1/2 second after he spots Doucet.

 

[Early]

I am sorry, but Skelton spotted Doucet wide as Doucet put up the mailbox. Here are some screen stills, I don't see why any QB would expect the receiver to stop his route short when its obvious he has a clear path to 6.

So he has to look back at the pocket half way down the field and find Skelton and know that the 6 man blitz he saw at the LOS at the time he left the LOS, was going to be picked up perfectly for his deep route to be developed? Of course, that is now possible to do when you run down the field. It is possible to have a snapshot of it from top of the stadium, but not when your run routes. Then you need to have eyes on back of your head to see this kind of information.

Doucet knew that it was a 6 man rush, he knew that Cards had 5 blockers to account for those 6 rushers. He also was able to see that next to him Fitz was doubled and of course he was able to see that nobody was covering him. With that information it is his job as WR to change his route and stop and take the hot read. It is the only correct thing to do. There is no way he is able to see that Skelton in fact has the time for the deep original route. Is this what you expect? It is not possible to do that on the field. Either you run your original route or option of it or you change into the hot read depending on the information you get.

And he gets the TD no matter what. With the hot route, it's still a TD.

With the information Doucet had the way that play developed, he did the right thing. And Skelton should have known that his route has changed because of the way the play has developed. It's not Madden, many plays in NFL are full of options and reads depending on how the plays develop. Both QB's and WR's have to do them constantly and Skelton just doesn't get it, in this situation or most others, he just has very very poor understanding of the game, both his offense and defenses.

 

[LoyaltyisaCurse]

So he has to look back at the pocket half way down the field and find Skelton and know that the 6 man blitz he saw at the LOS at the time he left the LOS, was going to be picked up perfectly for his deep route to be developed? Of course, that is now possible to do when you run down the field. It is possible to have a snapshot of it from top of the stadium, but not when your run routes. Then you need to have eyes on back of your head to see this kind of information.

Doucet knew that it was a 6 man rush, he knew that Cards had 5 blockers to account for those 6 rushers. He also was able to see that next to him Fitz was doubled and of course he was able to see that nobody was covering him. With that information it is his job as WR to change his route and stop and take the hot read. It is the only correct thing to do. There is no way he is able to see that Skelton in fact has the time for the deep original route. Is this what you expect? It is not possible to do that on the field. Either you run your original route or option of it or you change into the hot read depending on the information you get.

And he gets the TD no matter what. With the hot route, it's still a TD.

With the information Doucet had the way that play developed, he did the right thing. And Skelton should have known that his route has changed because of the way the play has developed. It's not Madden, many plays in NFL are full of options and reads depending on how the plays develop. Both QB's and WR's have to do them constantly and Skelton just doesn't get it, in this situation or most others, he just has very very poor understanding of the game, both his offense and defenses.

His job is to get to the endzone with a clear path: Elementary football. EDIT: There was no need for Doucet to look back at the pocket; that is why he put up the mailbox, he Knew as soon as the saftey bit and doubled Fitz he was wide, WIDE open; hence the mailbox.

 

[Early]

His job is to get to the endzone with a clear path: Elementary football.

Hot reads is indeed very elementary. It is Skelton who doesn't know that WR's need to change their routes according to situation. In fact, he is so bad in understanding the game of football that the SF DC didn't want to disguise the coverages - because Skelton didn't even read defenses.

He has such a low understanding of the game and that is number 1 reason that he is struggling so much and that his team lost this game. The offense and defense has so much potential, if the Cards just had a mediocre QB this year, they would have been ready for playoffs right now.

 

[Early]

His job is to get to the endzone with a clear path: Elementary football. EDIT: There was no need for Doucet to look back at the pocket; that is why he put up the mailbox, he Knew as soon as the saftey bit and doubled Fitz he was wide, WIDE open; hence the mailbox.

It's 6 against 5, an all out blitz. Bengals have 5 man in coverage. He should have been sacked for the deep ball to develop. He needs to change his route before his QB is sacked. It can't be more elementary than that. There is only one thing to do in that situation, if he doesn't turn around it's a dead play in most cases.

 

[Chris_Sanders]

Again, this was discussed heavily in the Cardinals post game and all the people that played football basically said it was a terrible throw but one Early should get to.

Skelton was supposed to throw it shorter, which Doucet was expecting. However, Skelton is always off high when pressured.

Doucet lost his footing while trying to adjust.

Should he have made that play? Absolutely.

Is Skelton also at fault for not putting the ball where he should? Absolutely.

 

[Jetstream Green]

Again, this was discussed heavily in the Cardinals post game and all the people that played football basically said it was a terrible throw but one Early should get to.

Skelton was supposed to throw it shorter, which Doucet was expecting. However, Skelton is always off high when pressured.

Doucet lost his footing while trying to adjust.

Should he have made that play? Absolutely.

Is Skelton also at fault for not putting the ball where he should? Absolutely.

in all this, it covers both sides of it...and as accurate as one can explain it... I tend to waver to Early's defense more than Skelton based on how Skelton played the whole game...we will never know unless we are Skelton and Doucet. All I know is that Skelton put us in Plummerisque mode at that moment, coming back from a hole he dug early on. I would like to keep both players going into next year

 

[Jetstream Green]

Alright, I went the extra mile and threw frisbee with my lab. The pup adjusted on every over throw with ease and never tripped. So I can safely say the blame is all on Doucet lol

 

[AsUpRoDiGy]

Alright, I went the extra mile and threw frisbee with my lab. The pup adjusted on every over throw with ease and never tripped. So I can safely say the blame is all on Doucet lol

That's unfair. The lab has 4 legs!

 

[Jetstream Green]

so did Early once he fell to the turf, no excuse haha