I know, I know WGAF??? I signed up for Twitter ten years ago but recently started actually using it. Thought this tweet with pro's discussing the play was pretty cool. Read it or don't! Tweet link - ( New Window )
This is not a criticism of Eli...
M.S. : 9:25 am : link : reply
...who, incidentally, I believe will light it up this season with better protection, but there are more athletic QBs in the NFL who -- under the exact same circumstances -- make an athletic move; get out of all that shit; and find a soft area from which to throw the ball. Just watch Sam Darnold, for example.
Did you just use Darnold as an example of a QB who "under the exact same circumstances -- make an athletic move"??
Based on the 60 snaps or so he's played in the NFL??
I'm pretty sure on plays like that, there aren't many QB's who are going to avoid two rushers who are unblocked and "find a soft spot". Most are actually going to do what eli did and throw to the hot route.
But let it not go unnoticed that after one game Darnold is being used as an example of something??? WTF??
I think he might be referring to the Jet's offensive line, which is supposed to be worse then ours.
RE: RE: If your accounting for a QB to take into consideration Â
a tipped ball, then frankly there isnt much more to talk about. At ZERO time in any QBs career do they worry about a ball being tipped when throwing. Its not their job.
If it was a clean throw and the defender jumped it, fine. But we are talking about a tipped pass. Thats not on the QB nor will it EVER be.
Yes, everyone who disagrees with you is not worth your time because they are obviously stupid. Sorry to have wasted your time, Einstein.
Great response, but what I said is absolutely true. A QB never account for a tipped ball when throwing. As a matter of fact, Ill take it a step further and hope a QB never looks at the DL when making a throw - I rather his eyes downfield making reads and trying to find an open WR.
The over analyzation of a tipped ball is something I thought I'd never see, but I was wrong.
...who, incidentally, I believe will light it up this season with better protection, but there are more athletic QBs in the NFL who -- under the exact same circumstances -- make an athletic move; get out of all that shit; and find a soft area from which to throw the ball. Just watch Sam Darnold, for example.
But that ain't Eli, certainly not after 14 years in the NFL. He's gonna stay pretty much planted the vast majority of the time.
That said, I still believe Eli can be very efficient and effective sliding around in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. But that is predicated on his O-line giving him a little space in which to breath.
In fact, I think many of us (including me) have long forgotten that Eli can be rather clever within the pocket. But there are no fucking spaces in the pocket for Eli to squeeze into given the long-term chronic issues up front!!!
Hopefully this year will be a little different.
You just described Eli's biggest flaw as of right now.
He needs everything to be perfect in front of him, to be efficient.
He just can't navigate the pocket as well as he used too.
Another myth perpetuated on here: Eli does not or ever has, require(d) “everything” to be perfect in front of him. He just needs REASONABLE protection
...who, incidentally, I believe will light it up this season with better protection, but there are more athletic QBs in the NFL who -- under the exact same circumstances -- make an athletic move; get out of all that shit; and find a soft area from which to throw the ball. Just watch Sam Darnold, for example.
But that ain't Eli, certainly not after 14 years in the NFL. He's gonna stay pretty much planted the vast majority of the time.
That said, I still believe Eli can be very efficient and effective sliding around in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. But that is predicated on his O-line giving him a little space in which to breath.
In fact, I think many of us (including me) have long forgotten that Eli can be rather clever within the pocket. But there are no fucking spaces in the pocket for Eli to squeeze into given the long-term chronic issues up front!!!
Hopefully this year will be a little different.
You just described Eli's biggest flaw as of right now.
He needs everything to be perfect in front of him, to be efficient.
He just can't navigate the pocket as well as he used too.
Another myth perpetuated on here: Eli does not or ever has, require(d) “everything” to be perfect in front of him. He just needs REASONABLE protection
The days of reasonable protection being good enough are long over.
Take the last Superbowl season, our offensive consisted of 2011 Offensive Line: LT -- Will Beatty/Diehl; Left Guard -- Diehl/Kevin Boothe/Mitch Petrus; Center -- David Baas/Boothe; RT -- Snee; RT -- McKenzie
Not really the best in starting line in the world, but Eli made shit happen all by himself that entire year. He willed us to win games in the 4th quarter that year.
If you don't think Eli is a little less spry then he used to be, you need to take off the Eli colored glasses.
its exactly what the Defense wants and expects when they play the Giants, especially in 4QTR crunch time.
Offensive lineman that not only are easily confused but are not athletic enough to remedy the situation. Rookie running backs that aren't experienced yet in recognizing such situations. And lastly, a QB that has shown plenty of carelessness with the ball in panic situations.
Chalk up it up to Jags doing what ever other team does and will do, but the $20M guy has got to eat that ball and live for another play in a tight 4qtr game...
RE: RE: RE: If your accounting for a QB to take into consideration Â
a tipped ball, then frankly there isnt much more to talk about. At ZERO time in any QBs career do they worry about a ball being tipped when throwing. Its not their job.
If it was a clean throw and the defender jumped it, fine. But we are talking about a tipped pass. Thats not on the QB nor will it EVER be.
Yes, everyone who disagrees with you is not worth your time because they are obviously stupid. Sorry to have wasted your time, Einstein.
Great response, but what I said is absolutely true. A QB never account for a tipped ball when throwing. As a matter of fact, Ill take it a step further and hope a QB never looks at the DL when making a throw - I rather his eyes downfield making reads and trying to find an open WR.
The over analyzation of a tipped ball is something I thought I'd never see, but I was wrong.
So you have never heard the concept of throwing lanes discussed? Or when coaches and QBs talk about finding throwing lanes, they don't understand football as well as you?
Nobody said every tipped pass is on the QB. Most aren't.
But to say that every tipped ball is someone else's fault but the QB is ridiculous.
I'm a huge fan and will never take for granted the 2 Super Bowl wins. They supersede everything else.
But as a fan who has seen every play Eli has ever run for the Giants let's face it he's a turnover machine, always has been. Part of the reason he's lasted 15 years is because he avoids big hits at all costs. Sometimes that means ducking his head and tossing the ball like an UDFA after 15 years.
This is not a secret to opposing teams. However it's a crime against humanity that Eli has had to play behind Ereck Flowers going on 4 seasons now with no end in sight and the new RG stinks too.
If the protection call was to have Flowers pick up the blitz, then that's a major screw up. That is a nonsensical protection. Flowers should ALWAYS be 1v1 against the DE. Omameh has to read the blitz and slide over to pick it up, in which case Halapio has to pick up the DT. As it is, Halapio should be looking right to see if he can help... Its 4 against 2 on the left!
I find it extremely hard to believe that the protection call was to make Flowers have a duel read there. Eli is a veteran, I gotta believe he would have overridden the line call and changed it.
So IMHO, Flowers made a huge mental error here by biting on the fake blitz. That LB was never his man to pick up. He should be 100% focused on the DE. Link - ( New Window )
Protection works inside out. There was no mental error. Flowers has to take the man on the shortest route to the QB, the LB coming from the inside gap. That is the way pass pro works.
It was a great play design by the Jags.
I understand how protection works... And I understand that when there are more rushers than blockers you have to protect inside out.
But... There are supposed to be protection schemes... Calls at the line. Halapio AND Eli have to recognize that it makes absolutely no sense to have 4vs2 on the left and have 2vs3 on the right.
Halapio and Eli have to make the right call there which is to slide protection right. In the case where you slide right, Halapio gets the DT, Omameh the inside blitzing LB, and Flowers is still on the DE. That is the correct line call.
Now its possible that they screwed up the line call. In which case that's on Halapio and Eli. I find it hard to believe both F'ed up that call. But hey... Maybe they did...
Occam's Razor: The simplest solution is likely the correct one. 1 player that has a history of F'ing these things up, vs. 2 players F'ing, with one of them being a 14 year veteran... I think it's more likely Flowers messed up.
RE: RE: RE: I broke this play down on another thread Â
Occam's Razor: The simplest solution is likely the correct one. 1 player that has a history of F'ing these things up, vs. 2 players F'ing, with one of them being a 14 year veteran... I think it's more likely Flowers messed up.
That is great - except if Eli missed the change of protection call (which he may have), that is on Eli, not Flowers. And IIRC, the LB came at the snap or disguised well enough that Eli did not see it. So again, Flowers must do what he was trained to do, take the inside threat 1st.
But given the obvious issues upfront, isn't it fair to expect the quarterback play to be more conservative ( especially in close games) as a matter of preparation?
Its not an unusual request. But maybe he thought a WR was open? No one can say for certainty, even Eli himself, when that situation arises.
Last year he was chastized by a lot of people for falling down when he felt pressure against Detroit when in reality it wasnt there. He gets ripped on for not stepping into throws. He is considered to have happy feet if he gives up on a play and throws it away.
It just seems like whenever there is a negative play, there is always a reason to bash him. You know when to bash him? When he missed OBJ for a 35 yard TD in the 3rd quarter. Thats a legitimate gripe. He missed a throw.
My point is if the ball was tipped and fell to the ground, no one would be saying anything. But since it took a fluke bounce off a defenders hand and landed to a JAX guy - it gets over scrutinized.
C’mon dude. Over scrutinized? It was a shitty, ill-advised throw. Being pressured is not an excuse to make that throw. He panicked.
Are fans wrong for pointing out Eli feels phantom pressure? For falling down when a hint of pressure comes? For growing annoyed at our then 36 year old qb having poor footwork? Sometimes, he threw it away because he had too. Sometimes, he panicked.
Some on this website adopt a mob mentality when people criticize Eli. Why? Most concerns i’ve read are completely valid. Is it all of his fault? No. The line has been bad. Lines have been bad all over the league. Is that an excuse for quarterbacks to play afraid? Its a physical game, you have to be able to deliver some throws when taking a hit. If Eli can’t do that, why is out there?
But given the obvious issues upfront, isn't it fair to expect the quarterback play to be more conservative ( especially in close games) as a matter of preparation?
Its not an unusual request. But maybe he thought a WR was open? No one can say for certainty, even Eli himself, when that situation arises.
Last year he was chastized by a lot of people for falling down when he felt pressure against Detroit when in reality it wasnt there. He gets ripped on for not stepping into throws. He is considered to have happy feet if he gives up on a play and throws it away.
It just seems like whenever there is a negative play, there is always a reason to bash him. You know when to bash him? When he missed OBJ for a 35 yard TD in the 3rd quarter. Thats a legitimate gripe. He missed a throw.
My point is if the ball was tipped and fell to the ground, no one would be saying anything. But since it took a fluke bounce off a defenders hand and landed to a JAX guy - it gets over scrutinized.
C’mon dude. Over scrutinized? It was a shitty, ill-advised throw. Being pressured is not an excuse to make that throw. He panicked.
Are fans wrong for pointing out Eli feels phantom pressure? For falling down when a hint of pressure comes? For growing annoyed at our then 36 year old qb having poor footwork? Sometimes, he threw it away because he had too. Sometimes, he panicked.
Some on this website adopt a mob mentality when people criticize Eli. Why? Most concerns i’ve read are completely valid. Is it all of his fault? No. The line has been bad. Lines have been bad all over the league. Is that an excuse for quarterbacks to play afraid? Its a physical game, you have to be able to deliver some throws when taking a hit. If Eli can’t do that, why is out there?
This is a bullshit post from someone who does nothing but criticize Eli. When someone refutes that Eli didnt do something wrong, this is a go to post. Waaa Waa. Not ONE person said Eli was great. A lot of Eli fans have openly admitted he blew throws during the game especially the TD pass to Beckham in the 3rd.
But its the same song and dance that about mob mentality that just gets old. We are talking about a tipped fucking pass when two defensive lineman were basically unblocked. If the ball falls to the ground - no one talks about it. If the pass is knocked down or incomplete - no one talks about it.
He was hit and hurried for most of the game and made a lot of good throws. This one was unfortunate. He didnt panic, he wasnt scared. Its amazing that after the game Eli still gets the most shit towards him while the OLine couldnt run or pass block ALL game.
And no, not all the OLines around the league are this bad. Not even close. There are a few that are this bad. I love how you talk like Eli is afraid. Because I am sure you have the ball to stand in while getting smashed or hurried every play. Some tough MMQBs here at BBI.
of why there can be no reasonable discussion on this site about Eli. There will always be a subset of posters who come on to throw blame at him for everything, and another subset who will come on to explain that nothing was actually his fault at all. Anyone with an opinion between the two goal posts will simply get exhausted and move on.
until people used the "mob mentality" phrase that makes no sense. Or use this line when they didnt agree with an opinion.
Quote:
Yes, everyone who disagrees with you is not worth your time because they are obviously stupid. Sorry to have wasted your time, Einstein.
Saying that if you dont see something eye to eye isnt worth the discussion because you will never agree deserved such a wonderful response, right? This is Eli's threads are awful because if you disagree with someone who said he does something wrong - these are the typical responses you get.
But given the obvious issues upfront, isn't it fair to expect the quarterback play to be more conservative ( especially in close games) as a matter of preparation?
Its not an unusual request. But maybe he thought a WR was open? No one can say for certainty, even Eli himself, when that situation arises.
Last year he was chastized by a lot of people for falling down when he felt pressure against Detroit when in reality it wasnt there. He gets ripped on for not stepping into throws. He is considered to have happy feet if he gives up on a play and throws it away.
It just seems like whenever there is a negative play, there is always a reason to bash him. You know when to bash him? When he missed OBJ for a 35 yard TD in the 3rd quarter. Thats a legitimate gripe. He missed a throw.
My point is if the ball was tipped and fell to the ground, no one would be saying anything. But since it took a fluke bounce off a defenders hand and landed to a JAX guy - it gets over scrutinized.
C’mon dude. Over scrutinized? It was a shitty, ill-advised throw. Being pressured is not an excuse to make that throw. He panicked.
Are fans wrong for pointing out Eli feels phantom pressure? For falling down when a hint of pressure comes? For growing annoyed at our then 36 year old qb having poor footwork? Sometimes, he threw it away because he had too. Sometimes, he panicked.
Some on this website adopt a mob mentality when people criticize Eli. Why? Most concerns i’ve read are completely valid. Is it all of his fault? No. The line has been bad. Lines have been bad all over the league. Is that an excuse for quarterbacks to play afraid? Its a physical game, you have to be able to deliver some throws when taking a hit. If Eli can’t do that, why is out there?
This is a bullshit post from someone who does nothing but criticize Eli. When someone refutes that Eli didnt do something wrong, this is a go to post. Waaa Waa. Not ONE person said Eli was great. A lot of Eli fans have openly admitted he blew throws during the game especially the TD pass to Beckham in the 3rd.
But its the same song and dance that about mob mentality that just gets old. We are talking about a tipped fucking pass when two defensive lineman were basically unblocked. If the ball falls to the ground - no one talks about it. If the pass is knocked down or incomplete - no one talks about it.
He was hit and hurried for most of the game and made a lot of good throws. This one was unfortunate. He didnt panic, he wasnt scared. Its amazing that after the game Eli still gets the most shit towards him while the OLine couldnt run or pass block ALL game.
And no, not all the OLines around the league are this bad. Not even close. There are a few that are this bad. I love how you talk like Eli is afraid. Because I am sure you have the ball to stand in while getting smashed or hurried every play. Some tough MMQBs here at BBI.
Did i hurt your feelings? What about my post is bullshit? I do nothing but criticize Eli? False. I expect a big year out of him. I still think he is capable of being a good quarterback. My eyes tell me a lot of plays are because of poor protection, but some plays are on Eli. I never said all offensive lines are bad, but offensive line play is down across the league. Can't argue that. I don't see this team stumbling upon an elite offensive line the next few years. Eli will have to either play better (which i believe he can) or we need to consider finding a quarterback with some more mobility to mitigate the disaster that is our offensive line.
You admitted he missed throws. Guess what? If he hits those throws we probably win. Does that mean he played terribly? of course not. Does that mean he played good enough? no. Seems like a common theme with this team the past couple of years - we fail to execute on crucial plays that decide the game. If the tipped ball hit the ground it wouldn't matter? If my aunt had a dick she'd be my uncle. It was a bad throw. He panicked on that throw.
Eli gets most of the shit? Where dude? I've only read a few people here offer criticism and when they do, they are usually called haters or it automatically means they don't recognize how poor our line is. It is allowed to be both.
You exemplify the exact kind of person i am referring to. I made some legitimate points - you answered by calling my post bullshit and then you close it up by stating i am a MMQB. Is that not what we're all doing?
You pay me Eli's salary, yeah i'll stand back there.
until people used the "mob mentality" phrase that makes no sense. Or use this line when they didnt agree with an opinion.
Quote:
Yes, everyone who disagrees with you is not worth your time because they are obviously stupid. Sorry to have wasted your time, Einstein.
Saying that if you dont see something eye to eye isnt worth the discussion because you will never agree deserved such a wonderful response, right? This is Eli's threads are awful because if you disagree with someone who said he does something wrong - these are the typical responses you get.
And if you disagree with someone whose backing him up, your post is called bullshit and you are a MMQB. A bit hypocritical, no?
Is used way too often here. No one was getting on anyone for their opinions. But they don’t have to agree with it. But it doesn’t stop people from saying it all the time here and it’s annoying.
Yeah, this is some great stuff people should want to read. Again, MMQB at its finest. Calling players “afraid” and stating they would have no problem doing their job... yeah sure.
This is just stupid at this point. Always remember the people who say they are objective and bring up legitimate points are usually wrong.
People it was a tipped pass. Never seen so much analysis of a play that no one know how it would turn out.
Yeah, this is some great stuff people should want to read. Again, MMQB at its finest. Calling players “afraid” and stating they would have no problem doing their job... yeah sure.
This is just stupid at this point. Always remember the people who say they are objective and bring up legitimate points are usually wrong.
People it was a tipped pass. Never seen so much analysis of a play that no one know how it would turn out.
"always remember people who say they are objective and bring up legitimate points are usually wrong" How did you come about that information? You still have not brought up any counter points btw. Care to have an actual conversation on the topic? We both know i never said i would have no problem doing his job, but please keep going.
He kept pushing his man outside and Eli was still able to step up into the pocket. Common place thing in the NFL.
The breakdown is really Omameh. He gets abused like a rag dog by Jones (95). And that abuse is occurring simultaneously while Eli is stepping into the pocket. The icing on the cake for Jones is then creating the deflection.
At that point, it's classic Eli - he's trying to make a play with far too much risk. And the gamble fails big time...
To recap, for me, mild blame on Flowers, bigger blame on Omameh for horrible technique, and then biggest blame for Eli taking too much risk...
Tipped passes are rare, and so are interceptions from tipped passes.
This is from 2012 in discussing Watt's insane season of batting passes.
In 2012, there were a total of 373 tipped balls. Per PFR, in 2012, there were 17,788 pass attempts. So, in 2012, only 2% of all passes were even tipped.
Now, many will reasonably point to the fact that only short-to-medium passes that aren't thrown with arc are going to be tipped. Many will also say that throws under duress are also more likely to be tipped then when a QB can survey the field. That is true. But the fact remains that passes are not tipped very often.
Even more to the point, when passes are tipped, they are rarely intercepted. Using data from 2008-2012, only 5.9% of tipped passes were intercepted (111/1883)
I have no idea what rate at which tipped passes that are intercepted are returned for touchdowns, but I imagine that is low, too.
real time, my buddy said "You know there are going to be morons who will pounce and blame Eli for that throw" and we both said that the missed opportunities to Beckham were much more in his control.
And that's pretty much what happened. He also made a great point (he's in Atlanta) - saying that Falcons fans love the whole Matty Ice moniker and feel he gives them a chance to win any game while our own fans go out of their way to shit on Eli.
He's not even a poster on BBI - but he nailed that one dead on.
RE: People are over-inflating the risk of Eli's throw there Â
Tipped passes are rare, and so are interceptions from tipped passes.
I'm calling the throw risky because Eli has a collapsing pocket, a man bearing down on him, he's locked in on his first read from the snap, and he's throwing into traffic.
of why there can be no reasonable discussion on this site about Eli. There will always be a subset of posters who come on to throw blame at him for everything, and another subset who will come on to explain that nothing was actually his fault at all. Anyone with an opinion between the two goal posts will simply get exhausted and move on.
It's worse than that - if you say anything bad about Eli's play now, it somehow invalidates all of the years that Eli has played here, as if all quarterbacks are ageless and their play never drops off (or does so at exactly the same rate).
Eli was never the most athletic guy, and he's older now. Maybe it's not all on the OL.
Living in ATL i can tell you flat out that since their Super Bowl Â
debacle, last years playoff loss vs Eagles and then last Thursday nights disappointment, that Falcon fans are not buying up too many Matty Ice jerseys...
debacle, last years playoff loss vs Eagles and then last Thursday nights disappointment, that Falcon fans are not buying up too many Matty Ice jerseys...
He is getting criticism just like Eli does...
Ryan really needed that SB W to cement his bust in Canton. Despite some terrific regular seasons he's put together over the years - and an MVP - I'm not sure he's quite there yet without another big playoff run or MVP-type regular season.
If the ball wasn't tipped at the line he likely would have still picked it off with Barkley coming towards him across the middle.
As mentioned it was a great defensive play by the Jags, terrible protection assignments by the line, while also being a very poor decision for Eli to try and make that throw.
If the ball wasn't tipped at the line he likely would have still picked it off with Barkley coming towards him across the middle.
As mentioned it was a great defensive play by the Jags, terrible protection assignments by the line, while also being a very poor decision for Eli to try and make that throw.
Spot on with your first paragraph. I had an argument the other day with McL on this. He was actually trying to sell me that SB was breaking off his route to run a go and that’s where Eli was throwing. And, this is the kicker, it was going to be an easy TD.
The only reason Barkley starts to break back is because he sees the ball deflected, not because of some cleverly designed play...
real time, my buddy said "You know there are going to be morons who will pounce and blame Eli for that throw" and we both said that the missed opportunities to Beckham were much more in his control.
And that's pretty much what happened. He also made a great point (he's in Atlanta) - saying that Falcons fans love the whole Matty Ice moniker and feel he gives them a chance to win any game while our own fans go out of their way to shit on Eli.
He's not even a poster on BBI - but he nailed that one dead on.
a tipped ball, then frankly there isnt much more to talk about. At ZERO time in any QBs career do they worry about a ball being tipped when throwing. Its not their job.
If it was a clean throw and the defender jumped it, fine. But we are talking about a tipped pass. Thats not on the QB nor will it EVER be.
Yes, everyone who disagrees with you is not worth your time because they are obviously stupid. Sorry to have wasted your time, Einstein.
Great response, but what I said is absolutely true. A QB never account for a tipped ball when throwing. As a matter of fact, Ill take it a step further and hope a QB never looks at the DL when making a throw - I rather his eyes downfield making reads and trying to find an open WR.
The over analyzation of a tipped ball is something I thought I'd never see, but I was wrong.
While they don't worry about tipped balls, QB's are taught to make sure they have a passing lane before throwing.
RE: RE: Myles Jack #44 was in really good position on that play Â
If the ball wasn't tipped at the line he likely would have still picked it off with Barkley coming towards him across the middle.
As mentioned it was a great defensive play by the Jags, terrible protection assignments by the line, while also being a very poor decision for Eli to try and make that throw.
Spot on with your first paragraph. I had an argument the other day with McL on this. He was actually trying to sell me that SB was breaking off his route to run a go and that’s where Eli was throwing. And, this is the kicker, it was going to be an easy TD.
The only reason Barkley starts to break back is because he sees the ball deflected, not because of some cleverly designed play...
Wrong bw, Barkley is breaking BEFORE the throw. Whats more is you have to think about overall play design. all the other eligible receivers were bunching left... Wayyyy too much traffic for any throw. It makes no sense to send arkley into all that traffic, when you have created wide open green on the right. As I said before, i bet we see this play again and it goes over the top to Barkley who is the primary on the play.
In the conversation on twitter, some of them recognized the same thing.
RE: RE: RE: Myles Jack #44 was in really good position on that play Â
Wrong bw, Barkley is breaking BEFORE the throw. Whats more is you have to think about overall play design. all the other eligible receivers were bunching left... Wayyyy too much traffic for any throw. It makes no sense to send arkley into all that traffic, when you have created wide open green on the right. As I said before, i bet we see this play again and it goes over the top to Barkley who is the primary on the play.
In the conversation on twitter, some of them recognized the same thing.
Look at Eli’s release. He’s attempting to throw the ball with authority. He’s coming down and through ball. That’s the required throw for those in routes. Hard and with zip.
If he was attempting to throw the go, the ball when have been released higher with more finesse and arc. And look where and how Jones deflects the ball - it’s basically helmet high and with his inside hand.
That doesn't mean that the play design was to bunch everything left. The play design was to break the pattern up and out to the right.
Eli may have panicked and made a boneheaded throw... Or maybe his arm was hit. But, from certain angles you can see that he took something off the throw. He was *NOT* throwing a missile.
Here is what you suggest the play design is...
Everything is bunching to the middle/left. That makes no sense. Way too easy to defend.
But instead if Barkley break right and up, then he is 1v1 the linebacker who he is already past. The Safety may have an angle. But *IF* the play doesn't break down, and Eli has the time/room to make the throw, there is a potential big play here.
This play design makes a hell of a lot more sense.
A variation of this would be to just run Barkley on a Wheel to the right. But the play design HAS to be to get Barkley in that vacated space to the right.
the ~\ shows the TE blocking down on the DE and leaking left.
Remember the defense is a base 4-3-4 man coverage with a single high safety, and the SS moving up to play slot corner. Th LCB has Beckham and using outside leverage. The LOLB has Ellison the TE. The RCB has Latimer. The ROLB has Barkley (after a fake blitz). Barkley's initial route seems to run right at the MLB (makes no sense, it essentially creates double coverage on Barkley).
The play was for Barkley to get behind the ROLB, and run AWAY from the MLB. Run to all the daylight created by Latimer taking the RCB with him.
Quote:
This is not a criticism of Eli...
M.S. : 9:25 am : link : reply
...who, incidentally, I believe will light it up this season with better protection, but there are more athletic QBs in the NFL who -- under the exact same circumstances -- make an athletic move; get out of all that shit; and find a soft area from which to throw the ball. Just watch Sam Darnold, for example.
Did you just use Darnold as an example of a QB who "under the exact same circumstances -- make an athletic move"??
Based on the 60 snaps or so he's played in the NFL??
I'm pretty sure on plays like that, there aren't many QB's who are going to avoid two rushers who are unblocked and "find a soft spot". Most are actually going to do what eli did and throw to the hot route.
But let it not go unnoticed that after one game Darnold is being used as an example of something??? WTF??
I think he might be referring to the Jet's offensive line, which is supposed to be worse then ours.
Quote:
a tipped ball, then frankly there isnt much more to talk about. At ZERO time in any QBs career do they worry about a ball being tipped when throwing. Its not their job.
If it was a clean throw and the defender jumped it, fine. But we are talking about a tipped pass. Thats not on the QB nor will it EVER be.
Yes, everyone who disagrees with you is not worth your time because they are obviously stupid. Sorry to have wasted your time, Einstein.
Great response, but what I said is absolutely true. A QB never account for a tipped ball when throwing. As a matter of fact, Ill take it a step further and hope a QB never looks at the DL when making a throw - I rather his eyes downfield making reads and trying to find an open WR.
The over analyzation of a tipped ball is something I thought I'd never see, but I was wrong.
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...who, incidentally, I believe will light it up this season with better protection, but there are more athletic QBs in the NFL who -- under the exact same circumstances -- make an athletic move; get out of all that shit; and find a soft area from which to throw the ball. Just watch Sam Darnold, for example.
But that ain't Eli, certainly not after 14 years in the NFL. He's gonna stay pretty much planted the vast majority of the time.
That said, I still believe Eli can be very efficient and effective sliding around in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. But that is predicated on his O-line giving him a little space in which to breath.
In fact, I think many of us (including me) have long forgotten that Eli can be rather clever within the pocket. But there are no fucking spaces in the pocket for Eli to squeeze into given the long-term chronic issues up front!!!
Hopefully this year will be a little different.
You just described Eli's biggest flaw as of right now.
He needs everything to be perfect in front of him, to be efficient.
He just can't navigate the pocket as well as he used too.
Another myth perpetuated on here: Eli does not or ever has, require(d) “everything” to be perfect in front of him. He just needs REASONABLE protection
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In comment 14073521 M.S. said:
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...who, incidentally, I believe will light it up this season with better protection, but there are more athletic QBs in the NFL who -- under the exact same circumstances -- make an athletic move; get out of all that shit; and find a soft area from which to throw the ball. Just watch Sam Darnold, for example.
But that ain't Eli, certainly not after 14 years in the NFL. He's gonna stay pretty much planted the vast majority of the time.
That said, I still believe Eli can be very efficient and effective sliding around in the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield. But that is predicated on his O-line giving him a little space in which to breath.
In fact, I think many of us (including me) have long forgotten that Eli can be rather clever within the pocket. But there are no fucking spaces in the pocket for Eli to squeeze into given the long-term chronic issues up front!!!
Hopefully this year will be a little different.
You just described Eli's biggest flaw as of right now.
He needs everything to be perfect in front of him, to be efficient.
He just can't navigate the pocket as well as he used too.
Another myth perpetuated on here: Eli does not or ever has, require(d) “everything” to be perfect in front of him. He just needs REASONABLE protection
The days of reasonable protection being good enough are long over.
Take the last Superbowl season, our offensive consisted of 2011 Offensive Line: LT -- Will Beatty/Diehl; Left Guard -- Diehl/Kevin Boothe/Mitch Petrus; Center -- David Baas/Boothe; RT -- Snee; RT -- McKenzie
Not really the best in starting line in the world, but Eli made shit happen all by himself that entire year. He willed us to win games in the 4th quarter that year.
If you don't think Eli is a little less spry then he used to be, you need to take off the Eli colored glasses.
Offensive lineman that not only are easily confused but are not athletic enough to remedy the situation. Rookie running backs that aren't experienced yet in recognizing such situations. And lastly, a QB that has shown plenty of carelessness with the ball in panic situations.
Chalk up it up to Jags doing what ever other team does and will do, but the $20M guy has got to eat that ball and live for another play in a tight 4qtr game...
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In comment 14073561 dep026 said:
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a tipped ball, then frankly there isnt much more to talk about. At ZERO time in any QBs career do they worry about a ball being tipped when throwing. Its not their job.
If it was a clean throw and the defender jumped it, fine. But we are talking about a tipped pass. Thats not on the QB nor will it EVER be.
Yes, everyone who disagrees with you is not worth your time because they are obviously stupid. Sorry to have wasted your time, Einstein.
Great response, but what I said is absolutely true. A QB never account for a tipped ball when throwing. As a matter of fact, Ill take it a step further and hope a QB never looks at the DL when making a throw - I rather his eyes downfield making reads and trying to find an open WR.
The over analyzation of a tipped ball is something I thought I'd never see, but I was wrong.
So you have never heard the concept of throwing lanes discussed? Or when coaches and QBs talk about finding throwing lanes, they don't understand football as well as you?
Nobody said every tipped pass is on the QB. Most aren't.
But to say that every tipped ball is someone else's fault but the QB is ridiculous.
Like I said, no QB ever makes a throw worrying about it getting tipped.
But as a fan who has seen every play Eli has ever run for the Giants let's face it he's a turnover machine, always has been. Part of the reason he's lasted 15 years is because he avoids big hits at all costs. Sometimes that means ducking his head and tossing the ball like an UDFA after 15 years.
This is not a secret to opposing teams. However it's a crime against humanity that Eli has had to play behind Ereck Flowers going on 4 seasons now with no end in sight and the new RG stinks too.
Like I said, no QB ever makes a throw worrying about it getting tipped.
Nobody, but nobody was as bad as Phil Simms with tipped passes..
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If the protection call was to have Flowers pick up the blitz, then that's a major screw up. That is a nonsensical protection. Flowers should ALWAYS be 1v1 against the DE. Omameh has to read the blitz and slide over to pick it up, in which case Halapio has to pick up the DT. As it is, Halapio should be looking right to see if he can help... Its 4 against 2 on the left!
I find it extremely hard to believe that the protection call was to make Flowers have a duel read there. Eli is a veteran, I gotta believe he would have overridden the line call and changed it.
So IMHO, Flowers made a huge mental error here by biting on the fake blitz. That LB was never his man to pick up. He should be 100% focused on the DE. Link - ( New Window )
Protection works inside out. There was no mental error. Flowers has to take the man on the shortest route to the QB, the LB coming from the inside gap. That is the way pass pro works.
It was a great play design by the Jags.
I understand how protection works... And I understand that when there are more rushers than blockers you have to protect inside out.
But... There are supposed to be protection schemes... Calls at the line. Halapio AND Eli have to recognize that it makes absolutely no sense to have 4vs2 on the left and have 2vs3 on the right.
Halapio and Eli have to make the right call there which is to slide protection right. In the case where you slide right, Halapio gets the DT, Omameh the inside blitzing LB, and Flowers is still on the DE. That is the correct line call.
Now its possible that they screwed up the line call. In which case that's on Halapio and Eli. I find it hard to believe both F'ed up that call. But hey... Maybe they did...
Occam's Razor: The simplest solution is likely the correct one. 1 player that has a history of F'ing these things up, vs. 2 players F'ing, with one of them being a 14 year veteran... I think it's more likely Flowers messed up.
Occam's Razor: The simplest solution is likely the correct one. 1 player that has a history of F'ing these things up, vs. 2 players F'ing, with one of them being a 14 year veteran... I think it's more likely Flowers messed up.
That is great - except if Eli missed the change of protection call (which he may have), that is on Eli, not Flowers. And IIRC, the LB came at the snap or disguised well enough that Eli did not see it. So again, Flowers must do what he was trained to do, take the inside threat 1st.
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But given the obvious issues upfront, isn't it fair to expect the quarterback play to be more conservative ( especially in close games) as a matter of preparation?
Its not an unusual request. But maybe he thought a WR was open? No one can say for certainty, even Eli himself, when that situation arises.
Last year he was chastized by a lot of people for falling down when he felt pressure against Detroit when in reality it wasnt there. He gets ripped on for not stepping into throws. He is considered to have happy feet if he gives up on a play and throws it away.
It just seems like whenever there is a negative play, there is always a reason to bash him. You know when to bash him? When he missed OBJ for a 35 yard TD in the 3rd quarter. Thats a legitimate gripe. He missed a throw.
My point is if the ball was tipped and fell to the ground, no one would be saying anything. But since it took a fluke bounce off a defenders hand and landed to a JAX guy - it gets over scrutinized.
C’mon dude. Over scrutinized? It was a shitty, ill-advised throw. Being pressured is not an excuse to make that throw. He panicked.
Are fans wrong for pointing out Eli feels phantom pressure? For falling down when a hint of pressure comes? For growing annoyed at our then 36 year old qb having poor footwork? Sometimes, he threw it away because he had too. Sometimes, he panicked.
Some on this website adopt a mob mentality when people criticize Eli. Why? Most concerns i’ve read are completely valid. Is it all of his fault? No. The line has been bad. Lines have been bad all over the league. Is that an excuse for quarterbacks to play afraid? Its a physical game, you have to be able to deliver some throws when taking a hit. If Eli can’t do that, why is out there?
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In comment 14073475 christian said:
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But given the obvious issues upfront, isn't it fair to expect the quarterback play to be more conservative ( especially in close games) as a matter of preparation?
Its not an unusual request. But maybe he thought a WR was open? No one can say for certainty, even Eli himself, when that situation arises.
Last year he was chastized by a lot of people for falling down when he felt pressure against Detroit when in reality it wasnt there. He gets ripped on for not stepping into throws. He is considered to have happy feet if he gives up on a play and throws it away.
It just seems like whenever there is a negative play, there is always a reason to bash him. You know when to bash him? When he missed OBJ for a 35 yard TD in the 3rd quarter. Thats a legitimate gripe. He missed a throw.
My point is if the ball was tipped and fell to the ground, no one would be saying anything. But since it took a fluke bounce off a defenders hand and landed to a JAX guy - it gets over scrutinized.
C’mon dude. Over scrutinized? It was a shitty, ill-advised throw. Being pressured is not an excuse to make that throw. He panicked.
Are fans wrong for pointing out Eli feels phantom pressure? For falling down when a hint of pressure comes? For growing annoyed at our then 36 year old qb having poor footwork? Sometimes, he threw it away because he had too. Sometimes, he panicked.
Some on this website adopt a mob mentality when people criticize Eli. Why? Most concerns i’ve read are completely valid. Is it all of his fault? No. The line has been bad. Lines have been bad all over the league. Is that an excuse for quarterbacks to play afraid? Its a physical game, you have to be able to deliver some throws when taking a hit. If Eli can’t do that, why is out there?
This is a bullshit post from someone who does nothing but criticize Eli. When someone refutes that Eli didnt do something wrong, this is a go to post. Waaa Waa. Not ONE person said Eli was great. A lot of Eli fans have openly admitted he blew throws during the game especially the TD pass to Beckham in the 3rd.
But its the same song and dance that about mob mentality that just gets old. We are talking about a tipped fucking pass when two defensive lineman were basically unblocked. If the ball falls to the ground - no one talks about it. If the pass is knocked down or incomplete - no one talks about it.
He was hit and hurried for most of the game and made a lot of good throws. This one was unfortunate. He didnt panic, he wasnt scared. Its amazing that after the game Eli still gets the most shit towards him while the OLine couldnt run or pass block ALL game.
And no, not all the OLines around the league are this bad. Not even close. There are a few that are this bad. I love how you talk like Eli is afraid. Because I am sure you have the ball to stand in while getting smashed or hurried every play. Some tough MMQBs here at BBI.
Yes, everyone who disagrees with you is not worth your time because they are obviously stupid. Sorry to have wasted your time, Einstein.
Saying that if you dont see something eye to eye isnt worth the discussion because you will never agree deserved such a wonderful response, right? This is Eli's threads are awful because if you disagree with someone who said he does something wrong - these are the typical responses you get.
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In comment 14073483 dep026 said:
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In comment 14073475 christian said:
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But given the obvious issues upfront, isn't it fair to expect the quarterback play to be more conservative ( especially in close games) as a matter of preparation?
Its not an unusual request. But maybe he thought a WR was open? No one can say for certainty, even Eli himself, when that situation arises.
Last year he was chastized by a lot of people for falling down when he felt pressure against Detroit when in reality it wasnt there. He gets ripped on for not stepping into throws. He is considered to have happy feet if he gives up on a play and throws it away.
It just seems like whenever there is a negative play, there is always a reason to bash him. You know when to bash him? When he missed OBJ for a 35 yard TD in the 3rd quarter. Thats a legitimate gripe. He missed a throw.
My point is if the ball was tipped and fell to the ground, no one would be saying anything. But since it took a fluke bounce off a defenders hand and landed to a JAX guy - it gets over scrutinized.
C’mon dude. Over scrutinized? It was a shitty, ill-advised throw. Being pressured is not an excuse to make that throw. He panicked.
Are fans wrong for pointing out Eli feels phantom pressure? For falling down when a hint of pressure comes? For growing annoyed at our then 36 year old qb having poor footwork? Sometimes, he threw it away because he had too. Sometimes, he panicked.
Some on this website adopt a mob mentality when people criticize Eli. Why? Most concerns i’ve read are completely valid. Is it all of his fault? No. The line has been bad. Lines have been bad all over the league. Is that an excuse for quarterbacks to play afraid? Its a physical game, you have to be able to deliver some throws when taking a hit. If Eli can’t do that, why is out there?
This is a bullshit post from someone who does nothing but criticize Eli. When someone refutes that Eli didnt do something wrong, this is a go to post. Waaa Waa. Not ONE person said Eli was great. A lot of Eli fans have openly admitted he blew throws during the game especially the TD pass to Beckham in the 3rd.
But its the same song and dance that about mob mentality that just gets old. We are talking about a tipped fucking pass when two defensive lineman were basically unblocked. If the ball falls to the ground - no one talks about it. If the pass is knocked down or incomplete - no one talks about it.
He was hit and hurried for most of the game and made a lot of good throws. This one was unfortunate. He didnt panic, he wasnt scared. Its amazing that after the game Eli still gets the most shit towards him while the OLine couldnt run or pass block ALL game.
And no, not all the OLines around the league are this bad. Not even close. There are a few that are this bad. I love how you talk like Eli is afraid. Because I am sure you have the ball to stand in while getting smashed or hurried every play. Some tough MMQBs here at BBI.
Did i hurt your feelings? What about my post is bullshit? I do nothing but criticize Eli? False. I expect a big year out of him. I still think he is capable of being a good quarterback. My eyes tell me a lot of plays are because of poor protection, but some plays are on Eli. I never said all offensive lines are bad, but offensive line play is down across the league. Can't argue that. I don't see this team stumbling upon an elite offensive line the next few years. Eli will have to either play better (which i believe he can) or we need to consider finding a quarterback with some more mobility to mitigate the disaster that is our offensive line.
You admitted he missed throws. Guess what? If he hits those throws we probably win. Does that mean he played terribly? of course not. Does that mean he played good enough? no. Seems like a common theme with this team the past couple of years - we fail to execute on crucial plays that decide the game. If the tipped ball hit the ground it wouldn't matter? If my aunt had a dick she'd be my uncle. It was a bad throw. He panicked on that throw.
Eli gets most of the shit? Where dude? I've only read a few people here offer criticism and when they do, they are usually called haters or it automatically means they don't recognize how poor our line is. It is allowed to be both.
You exemplify the exact kind of person i am referring to. I made some legitimate points - you answered by calling my post bullshit and then you close it up by stating i am a MMQB. Is that not what we're all doing?
You pay me Eli's salary, yeah i'll stand back there.
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Yes, everyone who disagrees with you is not worth your time because they are obviously stupid. Sorry to have wasted your time, Einstein.
Saying that if you dont see something eye to eye isnt worth the discussion because you will never agree deserved such a wonderful response, right? This is Eli's threads are awful because if you disagree with someone who said he does something wrong - these are the typical responses you get.
And if you disagree with someone whose backing him up, your post is called bullshit and you are a MMQB. A bit hypocritical, no?
This is just stupid at this point. Always remember the people who say they are objective and bring up legitimate points are usually wrong.
People it was a tipped pass. Never seen so much analysis of a play that no one know how it would turn out.
This is just stupid at this point. Always remember the people who say they are objective and bring up legitimate points are usually wrong.
People it was a tipped pass. Never seen so much analysis of a play that no one know how it would turn out.
"always remember people who say they are objective and bring up legitimate points are usually wrong" How did you come about that information? You still have not brought up any counter points btw. Care to have an actual conversation on the topic? We both know i never said i would have no problem doing his job, but please keep going.
The breakdown is really Omameh. He gets abused like a rag dog by Jones (95). And that abuse is occurring simultaneously while Eli is stepping into the pocket. The icing on the cake for Jones is then creating the deflection.
At that point, it's classic Eli - he's trying to make a play with far too much risk. And the gamble fails big time...
To recap, for me, mild blame on Flowers, bigger blame on Omameh for horrible technique, and then biggest blame for Eli taking too much risk...
This is from 2012 in discussing Watt's insane season of batting passes.
In 2012, there were a total of 373 tipped balls. Per PFR, in 2012, there were 17,788 pass attempts. So, in 2012, only 2% of all passes were even tipped.
Now, many will reasonably point to the fact that only short-to-medium passes that aren't thrown with arc are going to be tipped. Many will also say that throws under duress are also more likely to be tipped then when a QB can survey the field. That is true. But the fact remains that passes are not tipped very often.
Even more to the point, when passes are tipped, they are rarely intercepted. Using data from 2008-2012, only 5.9% of tipped passes were intercepted (111/1883)
I have no idea what rate at which tipped passes that are intercepted are returned for touchdowns, but I imagine that is low, too.
(Sources:
https://www.footballoutsiders.com/stat-analysis/2013/watt-happens-look-tipped-passes
https://www.pro-football-reference.com/years/2012/index.htm)
And that's pretty much what happened. He also made a great point (he's in Atlanta) - saying that Falcons fans love the whole Matty Ice moniker and feel he gives them a chance to win any game while our own fans go out of their way to shit on Eli.
He's not even a poster on BBI - but he nailed that one dead on.
I'm calling the throw risky because Eli has a collapsing pocket, a man bearing down on him, he's locked in on his first read from the snap, and he's throwing into traffic.
The tip is just a by-product of a bad decision.
When he avoids the rush, but the ball is tipped then it's a stupid play.
The play is basically the same. The only difference is the result.
No, it's a lucky play.
It's worse than that - if you say anything bad about Eli's play now, it somehow invalidates all of the years that Eli has played here, as if all quarterbacks are ageless and their play never drops off (or does so at exactly the same rate).
Eli was never the most athletic guy, and he's older now. Maybe it's not all on the OL.
He is getting criticism just like Eli does...
Jones, entering his seventh season as a Falcon, landed at the No. 9 spot and was also the best selling jersey in the state of Georgia.
Ryan, the League’s reigning MVP Ryan, ranked No. 19 on May’s top selling jerseys list.
From May of last year - ( New Window )
He is getting ripped on a regular basis here...just like our guy when you don't throw TDs...
He is getting criticism just like Eli does...
Ryan really needed that SB W to cement his bust in Canton. Despite some terrific regular seasons he's put together over the years - and an MVP - I'm not sure he's quite there yet without another big playoff run or MVP-type regular season.
Can't do that.
As mentioned it was a great defensive play by the Jags, terrible protection assignments by the line, while also being a very poor decision for Eli to try and make that throw.
And when this team falls behind by 2 scores its game-over...
As mentioned it was a great defensive play by the Jags, terrible protection assignments by the line, while also being a very poor decision for Eli to try and make that throw.
Spot on with your first paragraph. I had an argument the other day with McL on this. He was actually trying to sell me that SB was breaking off his route to run a go and that’s where Eli was throwing. And, this is the kicker, it was going to be an easy TD.
The only reason Barkley starts to break back is because he sees the ball deflected, not because of some cleverly designed play...
And that's pretty much what happened. He also made a great point (he's in Atlanta) - saying that Falcons fans love the whole Matty Ice moniker and feel he gives them a chance to win any game while our own fans go out of their way to shit on Eli.
He's not even a poster on BBI - but he nailed that one dead on.
I call bullshit...
You have a buddy?
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In comment 14073561 dep026 said:
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a tipped ball, then frankly there isnt much more to talk about. At ZERO time in any QBs career do they worry about a ball being tipped when throwing. Its not their job.
If it was a clean throw and the defender jumped it, fine. But we are talking about a tipped pass. Thats not on the QB nor will it EVER be.
Yes, everyone who disagrees with you is not worth your time because they are obviously stupid. Sorry to have wasted your time, Einstein.
Great response, but what I said is absolutely true. A QB never account for a tipped ball when throwing. As a matter of fact, Ill take it a step further and hope a QB never looks at the DL when making a throw - I rather his eyes downfield making reads and trying to find an open WR.
The over analyzation of a tipped ball is something I thought I'd never see, but I was wrong.
While they don't worry about tipped balls, QB's are taught to make sure they have a passing lane before throwing.
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If the ball wasn't tipped at the line he likely would have still picked it off with Barkley coming towards him across the middle.
As mentioned it was a great defensive play by the Jags, terrible protection assignments by the line, while also being a very poor decision for Eli to try and make that throw.
Spot on with your first paragraph. I had an argument the other day with McL on this. He was actually trying to sell me that SB was breaking off his route to run a go and that’s where Eli was throwing. And, this is the kicker, it was going to be an easy TD.
The only reason Barkley starts to break back is because he sees the ball deflected, not because of some cleverly designed play...
Wrong bw, Barkley is breaking BEFORE the throw. Whats more is you have to think about overall play design. all the other eligible receivers were bunching left... Wayyyy too much traffic for any throw. It makes no sense to send arkley into all that traffic, when you have created wide open green on the right. As I said before, i bet we see this play again and it goes over the top to Barkley who is the primary on the play.
In the conversation on twitter, some of them recognized the same thing.
Wrong bw, Barkley is breaking BEFORE the throw. Whats more is you have to think about overall play design. all the other eligible receivers were bunching left... Wayyyy too much traffic for any throw. It makes no sense to send arkley into all that traffic, when you have created wide open green on the right. As I said before, i bet we see this play again and it goes over the top to Barkley who is the primary on the play.
In the conversation on twitter, some of them recognized the same thing.
Look at Eli’s release. He’s attempting to throw the ball with authority. He’s coming down and through ball. That’s the required throw for those in routes. Hard and with zip.
If he was attempting to throw the go, the ball when have been released higher with more finesse and arc. And look where and how Jones deflects the ball - it’s basically helmet high and with his inside hand.
That doesn't mean that the play design was to bunch everything left. The play design was to break the pattern up and out to the right.
Eli may have panicked and made a boneheaded throw... Or maybe his arm was hit. But, from certain angles you can see that he took something off the throw. He was *NOT* throwing a missile.
Here is what you suggest the play design is...
Everything is bunching to the middle/left. That makes no sense. Way too easy to defend.
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..O.....|.....|..O..O..O..O..O...|.........O
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But instead if Barkley break right and up, then he is 1v1 the linebacker who he is already past. The Safety may have an angle. But *IF* the play doesn't break down, and Eli has the time/room to make the throw, there is a potential big play here.
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..O.....|.....|..O..O..O..O..O...|.........O
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This play design makes a hell of a lot more sense.
A variation of this would be to just run Barkley on a Wheel to the right. But the play design HAS to be to get Barkley in that vacated space to the right.
the ~\ shows the TE blocking down on the DE and leaking left.
Remember the defense is a base 4-3-4 man coverage with a single high safety, and the SS moving up to play slot corner. Th LCB has Beckham and using outside leverage. The LOLB has Ellison the TE. The RCB has Latimer. The ROLB has Barkley (after a fake blitz). Barkley's initial route seems to run right at the MLB (makes no sense, it essentially creates double coverage on Barkley).
The play was for Barkley to get behind the ROLB, and run AWAY from the MLB. Run to all the daylight created by Latimer taking the RCB with him.