I listened to BBKL this morning and it seemed every caller was complaining about how the new offense did not fit Eli because he is not as mobile as Aaron Rodgers. While this is clearly true,Eli is hardly a feet cemented to the ground statue. Eli moves around in the pocket extremely well and does a very good job avoiding the rush. He was sacked 39 times last season, which was a career high. If not for his pocket awareness and ability to move within the pocket that number could easily have been doubled. Eli will never be a running QB but he doesn't have to be in order to run WHAT WE THINK this new offense is going to be.So many people are assuming that the new offense will be a carbon copy of what they run in GB and are trying to match our players to the guys over there. Thankfully I don't think the coaches are looking at it like that and they are creating a playbook based on the talent and skills of the players here.
personally I think Eli is going to excel in this new offense just as he did in the old offense. Protect him and run the right routes for him and we should have a top 10 offense again.
I think Eli will be fine with that after he gets his confidence in the system, I think the pass catchers will be faster and the ball will get there. He wont be aaron rodgers but you'd be foolish not to think the offense will be in a better position this year.
and, look at it like this - he can't possibly do any worse than last year.
Aaron Rodgers on the otherhand is very mobile and his greatest skill may be his ability to throw dimes on the run.
I love Eli and I do expect him to bounceback in this offense, but there are definitely questions about how his mediocre mobility will play in McAdoo's offense that relied so heavily on Rodgers' mobility.
and also one of the main reasons he has never missed a game
the idea that Eli should learn to take sacks was one of the most misguided i have heard. Every time a QB is sacked, there is a chance he gets injured.
doesn't matter how good you are if you are watching the game in street clothes
Where Rodgers is superior is using his legs to make first downs when nobody is open. But those are unplanned plays. In other words, they are not part of the gameplan or designed. They are just spontaneous creative plays on Rodger's part. That's why when Rodgers is healthy, he is better than Eli. But Eli is not as likely to get injured
As Mara said last year ... the offense was broke ... broke because linemen were askedto hold pass blocks longer than they were able to ... broke because WR's were asked to make decisions about routes beyond their capabilities of reading the defense ... etc.
It would be ludicrous to think that after last year we'd ask Eli - our franchise QB ... to run an offense which needs talents he's weak on to run ... that would be an offense that is even more broke than last year's ...
I am sure however the new offense develops ... it will use Eli's skills not make him do things he's not good at ...
As Mara said last year ... the offense was broke ... broke because linemen were askedto hold pass blocks longer than they were able to ... broke because WR's were asked to make decisions about routes beyond their capabilities of reading the defense ... etc.
It would be ludicrous to think that after last year we'd ask Eli - our franchise QB ... to run an offense which needs talents he's weak on to run ... that would be an offense that is even more broke than last year's ...
I am sure however the new offense develops ... it will use Eli's skills not make him do things he's not good at ...
JINXED!!
He moves well enough, but on a scale of 1-32 of NFL QBs, he's certainly much closer to least mobile than most mobile.
As noted, his pre-snap reads and pocket presence are what enable him to elude the rush. It's certainly not his being nimble.
2) Mobility is more about running with the ball and/or throwing on the run. Eli sucks at both. Even in designed rollouts, the Giants have run more of a moving pocket with him rolling and stopping than trying to throw while moving.
3) You don't have to be mobile to run the West Coast offense. If anything, I think it is less a requirement. Most important is command of the offense and quick decision making. These are 2 areas I have no doubt Eli will excel at.
4) Also, the lack of WR options should cut down on all the miscommunications between Eli and the WRs drastically.
5) The Giants now have a number of WRs actually well suited for this offense for a variety of reasons. They are either big and can control the physical matchup, or speedy and elusive, or precise route runners, or excellent after the catch, or a combination. I honestly think the combination of Eli at the helm and the WR corps we have can be deadly.
Eli has excellent pocket awareness and is able to move in and out of the pocket to buy time to make a throw. To me, that it all the mobility a QB needs.
Personally, the thought has crossed my mind. But as others have mentioned, I think MaCadoo will develop the right compliment of plays that he believes Eli can run properly.
McAdoo has designed a play book that is built around players' strengths, while masking their weaknesses. Anything less and this guy would not be a coach in the NFL.
Manning to Boss 2008 versus the steelers
Manning to Bradshaw 2011 San Fran
Manning to Manningham 2011 SB