What does McCown have to do over the next 4 games to be the guy for next year?

[Lomax to Green 84]

I honestly don't know. Does he need to go 4-0 and get us into the playoffs? Does he need to go 3-1? Will 2-2 get it done?

What the hell is Green looking for in McCown. He made the statement early in the year that Josh didn't need win games. He just needed to manage the game or as he put it "drive the car". No McCown didn't put up monster numbers but through the first 9 games of the year we were remarkably competitive considering where we were at last year.

I am as guilty as the next when it comes to being critical of McCown, but when I look back at our first 9 games and compare it to what we had to see the last 3 games with King and Navarre at the helm, this team was light years ahead with McCown and his boring/mistake free brand of football.

Think back 3-4 years ago. We would have been going nuts if Plummer had been able to go 9 games and only throw 4 interceptions!! The Cards with McCown at the helm were winning with defense, turnovers, keeping the game close and winning in the 4th quarter, and no mistakes. Not exactly the formula for highlight reel material, but we were a team that could compete with anyone on any given day.

Knowing what I know about Dennis Green, here is what I think McCown needs to do to have any chance of being the starter come next season:

1. He must throw downfield with accuracy.

2. He must throw for at least 250 yards 3 out of the 4 games.

3. He must lead this team to at least 3 wins in the last 4 games.

4. He needs to lead this team to at least 21 points in each of the last 4 games.

Anything short of that and I think Denny will be scouring the free agent and waiver wire and McCown will be gone.

 

[BradMannTX]

1) 4-0 record
2) 65% completion %
3) 3+ TDs per game
4) <1.5 INTs per game
5) 250+ ypg
6) run when it's there
7) don't run when receivers open
8) be more aggressive with passing decisions

 

[Cheesebeef]

Holian - in all your "reasons" for why we were winning games - you forgot one crucial detail - the team rushed for over a hundred yards and even had two Hundred yard rushing games by Emmitt - that's been the key missing ingredient on Offense - not McCown. We wouldn't be winging the ball all over the place if Emmitt was in there (save that horrid game against Carolina - but we got down 14-0 on the road and I think DG panicked).

I think he has to throw for 250 - with at least a TD per game and lead them to a 3-1 finish to get a real shot next year - and even if he doesn - are we setting ourselves up to have a Matt Hasselback type qb who routinely used to come in the second half of Seahag seasons and light it up only to be dissapointing for the most part when it really counts?

The QB situation will without a doubt be the most interesting thing to watch us work on for the rest of the year and into the offseason. RB doesn't take brain surgery to figure out - the options out there in FA and the draft seem to be endless, but QB is a whole other beast all together.

 

[Rats]

1. He must throw downfield with accuracy.

2. He must throw for at least 250 yards 3 out of the 4 games.

3. He must lead this team to at least 3 wins in the last 4 games.

4. He needs to lead this team to at least 21 points in each of the last 4 games.

Anything short of that and I think Denny will be scouring the free agent and waiver wire and McCown will be gone.

He has to win the 3 home games and show that he can throw accuratly. He needs to show that if his line blocks like they did last week for Navarre that he can step up in the pocket and complete passes. He has shown how tough he is. He has shown his desire to compete. He needs results in the home games and he should be brought back next year to compete. He should not be handed the starting job like this year. The Road game would be icing if the team plays huge but they have to do well offensivly in the home games IMO. Good Question Holian

 

[SECTION 11]

He needs to show that if his line blocks like they did last week for Navarre that he can step up in the pocket and complete passes.

I think Navarre made the pass protection look good.
He drops back, he fires.

Remember he was supposed to get killed?
Lack of mobility? Bah.

 

[conraddobler]

I think Navarre made the pass protection look good.
He drops back, he fires.

Remember he was supposed to get killed?
Lack of mobility? Bah.

He did nothing but three step drops and fire by design. You can't throw downfield on three step drops.

They gameplanned around his lack of mobility and that might work for one or two games but not a whole season.

He also fired it to the wrong guys twice the other two were deflections due to his weird sidearm delivery.

 

[SECTION 11]

He did nothing but three step drops and fire by design. You can't throw downfield on three step drops.

Nah, he went downfield more than any game we've seen this season. He missed. Not surprised.

He's the best QB on the roster, easily.

 

[Russ Smith]

Break Marino's record before Peyton Manning does.

 

[Duckjake]

Nah, he went downfield more than any game we've seen this season. He missed. Not surprised.

He's the best QB on the roster, easily.

I agree. So Navarres being criticized for being good at throwing off the 3 step drop?

Besides other teams have been killing the Cards with 3 step drops for years.

 

[gamebird98]

That QB doesn't exist.

1) 4-0 record
2) 65% completion %
3) 3+ TDs per game
4) <1.5 INTs per game
5) 250+ ypg
6) run when it's there
7) don't run when receivers open
8) be more aggressive with passing decisions

 

[CardNots]

I think Navarre made the pass protection look good.
He drops back, he fires.

Remember he was supposed to get killed?
Lack of mobility? Bah.

Yep, love those 4 interceptions. You are correct in he did get rid of the ball quickly which is one thing McCown does not do.

I get tired of hearing how well the line blocked for Navarre. Wasn't the case at all. Three step drops and let it fly was why the OL looked good.

The question I have is this, was this dictated by the coaches? Why don't they let McCown do this?

 

[BradMannTX]

That QB doesn't exist.

PRECISELY.

 

[D-Dogg]

Nah, he went downfield more than any game we've seen this season. He missed. Not surprised.

He's the best QB on the roster, easily.

 

[D-Dogg]

Yep, love those 4 interceptions. You are correct in he did get rid of the ball quickly which is one thing McCown does not do.

I get tired of hearing how well the line blocked for Navarre. Wasn't the case at all. Three step drops and let it fly was why the OL looked good.

The question I have is this, was this dictated by the coaches? Why don't they let McCown do this?

Because that's not exactly how it went down. Navarre hangs in the pocket, and sidestepped the rush.

Both Josh and Queen get jackrabbit feet and hop out of the pocket at the first hint of danger.

 

[Russ Smith]

Nah, he went downfield more than any game we've seen this season. He missed. Not surprised.

He's the best QB on the roster, easily.

I didn't see or hear the game but per STATS Navarre threw 15 passes over 10 yards and completed only 1, the TD pass to Jones. He was 13-16 1-10 yards and 4-9 on passes thrown behind the line which I assume includes batted down passes. The funny thing is all the scouting reports on Navarre said he struggles with short passing and is better throwing downfield, we saw the exact opposite.

He threw 7 balls over 20 yards which I would say is more than a typical McCown game but not any more than King threw.

Too bad he got hurt it would have been nice to see him healthy a full game or two to really gauge him. Hard to know how much of the 4 picks was bad reads, and how much was his injury.

 

[Walter Mitchell]

IMO, he needs to get his old fire and his feet moving this time around. He's got to bring energy and enthusiasm to the position. Why he's been so lethargic and passive, is a real mystery.

 

[cards 24-7-365]

He has to throw a game winning TD on the last play of the game to knock Tampa out of the wild card spot.

 

[SECTION 11]

He has to throw a game winning TD on the last play of the game to knock Tampa out of the wild card spot.

awesome

:notworthy

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

1. He must throw downfield with accuracy.

2. He must throw for at least 250 yards 3 out of the 4 games.

3. He must lead this team to at least 3 wins in the last 4 games.

4. He needs to lead this team to at least 21 points in each of the last 4 games.

QUOTE]

i agree with these. i also think he needs to keep the turnovers to a minimum. one per game is acceptable at this juncture if he's leading drives resulting in 21 points (note, this does NOT include defensive or special teams scores - josh must actually have a hand in the scoring drive).

he's gotta show a propensity to use his weapons.

he's gotta burn the blitz a few times. he's also gotta use those wheels. god gave you a gift boy, use it.

 

[Ouchie-Z-Clown]

Because that's not exactly how it went down. Navarre hangs in the pocket, and sidestepped the rush.

Both Josh and Queen get jackrabbit feet and hop out of the pocket at the first hint of danger.

bingo! pocket presence. in that regard (and that regard only mind you) he reminded me of brady. maybe they're really good at teaching that at michigan?

 

[Cheesebeef]

The question I have is this, was this dictated by the coaches? Why don't they let McCown do this?

they did - but McCown either wouldn't throw the ball on the three step drop - or he would drop 13 steps back and thus the pass blocking would crumble.

 

[cdex99]

Bottom line: He has to play lights out! 300 yards, multiple TD's, little to no TO's. He's got to be almost perfect. I know he can do this. I just hope he knows too.

 

[Pariah]

Bottom line: He has to play lights out! 300 yards, multiple TD's, little to no TO's. He's got to be almost perfect. I know he can do this. I just hope he knows too.

What makes you think, or know, he can do that?

 

[cdex99]

What makes you think, or know, he can do that?

What I saw last year and, at times, this year. I guess I just have faith in my QB. A lame answer but an answer none the less.

 

[conraddobler]

Find the little black tube of film from the Bidwills stadium finally got passed party.

I hear unspeakable things happend with ice cream. That's Josh's ticket to a long term career in Cardinal land.