What is Isabella's football IQ...

[gbrim21]

If not for being drafted in the 2nd round he wouldn't have made the squad, as evidenced by Pharoah playing ahead of him and Pharoah being a guy we cut.

I don't blame Keim for this one. Kliff was jonesing hard for Isabella and claimed he "makes us better right now." Keim got his coach a WR coach felt fit his scheme. As we've suspected with the BA days, Keim seems to give his coaches a lot of say in who they draft. I was praying AJ Brown fell to us, and when he didn't I was praying for Metcalf. Oh well. We're Cards fans, we're used to being disappointed.

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[SoonerLou]

If not for being drafted in the 2nd round he wouldn't have made the squad, as evidenced by Pharoah playing ahead of him and Pharoah being a guy we cut.

I don't blame Keim for this one. Kliff was jonesing hard for Isabella and claimed he "makes us better right now." Keim got his coach a WR coach felt fit his scheme. As we've suspected with the BA days, Keim seems to give his coaches a lot of say in who they draft. I was praying AJ Brown fell to us, and when he didn't I was praying for Metcalf. Oh well. We're Cards fans, we're used to being disappointed.

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I think Kliff saw former Texas Tech guys Amendola and Welker in him. Difference is those guys were natural route runners.

Now I still do believe Isabella has big potential (4.31 is 4.31)

He just seems like a guy you take in the 5th or 6th round.

The thing I'm most shocked about is the lack of suddeness. Showed up in the return game and the few times he's caught/ran with the ball. He looks like a track guy. Not a football guy...yet.

I just hope he's a guy that can be developed into a legit WR. Guys like Tavon Austin, DeAnthony Thomas, etc just never figured it out.

 

[SoonerLou]

So the Raiders are featuring Renfrow throughout the entire game and we still have Isabella on a pitch count (according to Kliff?)

I don't get it.

Hoping he's just playing possum with the Bucs.

 

[Zeem_Freeze]

the coaches need to get over his body catching

 

[PACardsFan]

the coaches need to get over his body catching

I so agree with this. For many decades, there were plenty of great body catchers in the NFL. Some of them are in the HOF. I've yet to see him drop one, so until that happens, let the kid catch it however he wants. I can't imagine he has big hands, so why emphasize using them. I'm in my 60's, and I was a WR back in my day. Back then, I still remember my coaches screaming "look it into your body". And I didn't drop many, if any. It wasn't the NFL, and I get that, but smaller, faster guys, shouldn't rely on their small hands entirely. That's a recipe for disaster. Until he starts dropping balls, leave him the f alone. AND PLAY HIS A$$!!

 

[Russ Smith]

I so agree with this. For many decades, there were plenty of great body catchers in the NFL. Some of them are in the HOF. I've yet to see him drop one, so until that happens, let the kid catch it however he wants. I can't imagine he has big hands, so why emphasize using them. I'm in my 60's, and I was a WR back in my day. Back then, I still remember my coaches screaming "look it into your body". And I didn't drop many, if any. It wasn't the NFL, and I get that, but smaller, faster guys, shouldn't rely on their small hands entirely. That's a recipe for disaster. Until he starts dropping balls, leave him the f alone. AND PLAY HIS A$$!!

The thing with body catching in the NFL is it greatly increases the chance you don't catch it cleanly and it gets knocked out, or you barely catch it get hit and fumble. They teach you to catch it with your hands and then snatch it in and cradle it, he cradles it from the beginning. their concern IMO is ball security after the ball gets there more than just catching.

I would add from the little we've seen he seems to have short arms and if you watch the tape from college you damn near never see him reach up and snag one so he has a much smaller catch radius than a typical NFL wr. it can be improved you hope but as someone else said he really looks like a track guy trying to play football which is odd because interviews say he's been playing his whole life.

I want to see more I like the speed.

 

[PACardsFan]

The thing with body catching in the NFL is it greatly increases the chance you don't catch it cleanly and it gets knocked out, or you barely catch it get hit and fumble. They teach you to catch it with your hands and then snatch it in and cradle it, he cradles it from the beginning. their concern IMO is ball security after the ball gets there more than just catching.

I would add from the little we've seen he seems to have short arms and if you watch the tape from college you damn near never see him reach up and snag one so he has a much smaller catch radius than a typical NFL wr. it can be improved you hope but as someone else said he really looks like a track guy trying to play football which is odd because interviews say he's been playing his whole life.

I want to see more I like the speed.

There are always certain mechanics in any sport that are generally, but not always adhered to. Whether it's hitting a baseball, catching a football, or hitting a golf ball. Isabella played 4 years of HS & 4 years of college football. I'm sure that KK watched many, many tapes of him before so adamantly wanting to draft him in the 2nd round. Did he fumble a lot in HS & college? Probably not. He hasn't dropped or fumbled anything to date in preseason or actual NFL games. Granted, we as fans, don't have visibility to what's happening in practice. And it's there where KK has his reservations possibly. But shame on him if he didn't see all that well before drafting him. I've seen him make 2 long plays now, one in the preseason, and one last week. On a weak WR team, you HAVE to give this kid opportunities. God help us if we drafted a WR in the 2nd round, if he to that point, had only shown track star abilities.

 

[SoonerLou]

The thing with body catching in the NFL is it greatly increases the chance you don't catch it cleanly and it gets knocked out, or you barely catch it get hit and fumble. They teach you to catch it with your hands and then snatch it in and cradle it, he cradles it from the beginning. their concern IMO is ball security after the ball gets there more than just catching.

I would add from the little we've seen he seems to have short arms and if you watch the tape from college you damn near never see him reach up and snag one so he has a much smaller catch radius than a typical NFL wr. it can be improved you hope but as someone else said he really looks like a track guy trying to play football which is odd because interviews say he's been playing his whole life.

I want to see more I like the speed.

The thing is....Keim/Kliff knew that. He's not going to get longer arms, he's not going to get bigger hands, etc. Now its about making the best use of his skills as you can.

 

[AZCrazy]

Guys from smaller schools need more time to get up to NFL speed. It's been 8 games. I expect we'll be seeing a lot more of Isabella, Keeshawn, and eventually Butler, when the team grows a bit more into the offense. The entire squad is learning on the fly, with rookies at HC and QB. It'll be okay. Fitz, Kirk, and DJ will still be the primary receiving options for this season.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I am going to say that Andy has some rare instincts...... Here is why:

On his long TD catch in the preseason, he made some savvy adjustments with his positioning while the ball was in the air. Subtly shielding the CB out of a position to catch or impede the balls path into his body for the catch.

He did something similar on the TD pass last week. If you notice, on the cross, when the laser beam fired from high atop Mt. Olympus was in the air, he opened up his body, and moved away from the CB defending him. it was super subtle, but allowed for another yard or two of space to be created and for him to make another body catch. The defender did help Andy out by making the the wrong call and going for the ball, by creating a pass break-up but the throw was just too damn magical.

What both of these mid throw adjustments did, was set him up for the RAC opportunity. In throw one, he put the CB off balance a bit while not causing an OPI call. On throw two, he moved far enough away that he couldn't be pushed out of bounds by the defender.

I would also urge everyone to look at the game he had versus Georgia in college. That long play he had (flea-flicker IIRC) was sneaky in how he positioned himself while the ball was in the air as well.

So does he have a high football IQ? Yes IMO.

Does he still need a lot of work? Hell yes. But the kid can be special. He and Hakeem are on my deep bench in my dynasty league.

 

[Russ Smith]

Yeah I want to see him play more too I'm just saying I suspect the body catching is part of it. I also again don't think Kyler really trusts him we've seen him be open and not get the ball when Kyler had to see him. I suspect some of that is trust too, not knowing if I put the ball here will he actually come back to the ball or will he stay where he is as the DB closes and picks it? My guess is there are things like that happening in practice that have contributed to his lack of PT, that he doesn't yet do things as well as say Keesean does even though he's much faster and potentially a more dangerous threat.

 

[Russ Smith]

Just to be clear I am still very hopefully for Isabella but people do have to realize to date he's been a very big disappointment. Remember draft guru Gil Brandt of all people picked Andy to be the best rookie WR in the NFL this year, combination of fit in the system and type of talent he saw. Several other NFL expert types made similar comments this guy is going to be an instant impact guy in that offense. We have seen flashes and hopefully he gets there but for him to be on the field so infrequently is absolutely not what the plan was.

 

[dreamcastrocks]

I think the body catching issue is overblown. I don't think he has the playbook down. Nothing else makes sense.

 

[juza76]

I so agree with this. For many decades, there were plenty of great body catchers in the NFL. Some of them are in the HOF. I've yet to see him drop one, so until that happens, let the kid catch it however he wants. I can't imagine he has big hands, so why emphasize using them. I'm in my 60's, and I was a WR back in my day. Back then, I still remember my coaches screaming "look it into your body". And I didn't drop many, if any. It wasn't the NFL, and I get that, but smaller, faster guys, shouldn't rely on their small hands entirely. That's a recipe for disaster. Until he starts dropping balls, leave him the f alone. AND PLAY HIS A$$!!

Using the body to help you catching the ball is a big issue for a small guy especially if one of his strength should be making yards after the catch

 

[THESMEL]

He’s got a fast iq

 

[Jetstream Green]

After the Niner game, again I ask what's Isabella's football IQ... because there is nothing wrong with his athletic ability

 

[splitsecond]

Well if you have heard him talk he sounds like he doesn't have much normal IQ, so make your inferences there I suppose.

 

[juza76]

Well if you have heard him talk he sounds like he doesn't have much normal IQ, so make your inferences there I suppose.

I think he is too much shy so it looks like this

 

[Jetstream Green]

Guy does not expect a back shoulder pass on his route where is the only place a QB can put the ball safely to his advantage and then he cannot get off the field knowing his place

 

[Chopper0080]

Guy does not expect a back shoulder pass on his route where is the only place a QB can put the ball safely to his advantage and then he cannot get off the field knowing his place

I don't think he recognized the pressure and that he needed to cut his route short. This is where Kingsbury inadvertently hindered Isabella's development. Having Isabella take reps in the slot where he was never going to play stunted his reps outside where he needed to get experience with Murray to handle these situations.

 

[SoonerLou]

I don't think he recognized the pressure and that he needed to cut his route short. This is where Kingsbury inadvertently hindered Isabella's development. Having Isabella take reps in the slot where he was never going to play stunted his reps outside where he needed to get experience with Murray to handle these situations.

Yea if they wanted a slot WR they probably could have targeted Hunter Renfrow later in the draft (while still getting Isabella)

Kid is making plays for the Raiders.

 

[Chopper0080]

Yea if they wanted a slot WR they probably could have targeted Hunter Renfrow later in the draft (while still getting Isabella)

Kid is making plays for the Raiders.

I just think between Fitz and Kirk there was zero chance that any rookie would come in and force one of them to move outside.

 

[Cardsfaninlouky]

Guy does not expect a back shoulder pass on his route where is the only place a QB can put the ball safely to his advantage and then he cannot get off the field knowing his place

If they know he doesn't have a very high football IQ then why not tell him in the huddle what he's supposed to do on that play? Seems simple enough to me. Eventually he will learn the system.

 

[kerouac9]

If they know he doesn't have a very high football IQ then why not tell him in the huddle what he's supposed to do on that play? Seems simple enough to me. Eventually he will learn the system.

Because there are three to five different things he can do on each play, depending on the coverage and other things. Everyone has a job to do on the field, and none of them are making sure Rook knows what he's supposed to be doing.

Isabella was the only member of the WR room who apparently skipped out on the Lakers game.

 

[Chopper0080]

Because there are three to five different things he can do on each play, depending on the coverage and other things. Everyone has a job to do on the field, and none of them are making sure Rook knows what he's supposed to be doing.

Isabella was the only member of the WR room who apparently skipped out on the Lakers game.

Stuff like this is so weird to me. Hopefully he just had a prior commitment conflict.