Hero complexes, preservation and learning from Eli

Not to sound like a dick, but football is a violent sport. It sounds like you have a problem with the violence.

But there is known-knowns and violence and unknown-unknown flukes. Fluke avoidance is hard(Aaron Rogers) and running into brick wall is a near guaranteed issue especially for QB. Technically, falling is a technique and I thought Tua was taking judo to learn how to crumple. This was just suicidal

there is a technique to giving yourself up, whether it is sliding, diving to the ground, rolling. There are some qb's who are built like tanks such as Lamar or Allen that can probably go head to head with DE's. Most can't.

Someone on here yesterday I think said that there should be a portion of OTA's devoted to teaching qb's to slide feet first. May not be a bad suggestion.

If he cared only about his health, he would likely be retired already, but if he's only looking at it through the lens of wanting to be a hero for the Dolphins, he basically jeopardized his availability to his teammates for this season and beyond for an extra yard.

are starting to teach QBs. It leads to more yards and (usually) less bodily damage than what can happen when you slide.

Tua was unfortunate last night; he really needed to just get down earlier instead of throw himself into Hamlin

First game back after knee surgery, in the preseason no less, he's flushed and almost to the sideline, and makes a point of challenging a linebacker rather than stepping OB and gets obliterated.

It can't be explained with a logical mind. It's all ego and a big chip on the shoulder nurtured by years of hyper-competitive environments. Some just can't make the smart choice, and it's not just football.

Eli's quick turn to take the shots on the back of his shoulder must have been inspired by Ali-Foreman, imho.

their competitive natures kick in, sometimes at the worst moments. That's how Jones hurt his neck twice. He could have avoided the contact but didn't.

...nobody who watched the 2013 Giants imagines that he was immune to shellshock. Say what you will about Ben McAdoo. He probably extended Eli's career by retooling the offense to get the ball out of Manning's hand faster.

Another key to Eli's longevity - and his similarly immobile brother's - was that the risk/reward ratio for them straying from the pocket was so unfavorable that they were seldom tempted to make a play with their feet. They also learned from the example of their father, a mobile QB who was fortunate to get out of New Orleans alive after a decade+ of playing futile heroball for the hapless Saints.

because the game has changed.

Go back to the 1970's. Back then, you had QB's that for the most part handed off to their running backs. Bob Griese, a Super Bowl QB for the Dophins, average SEVENTEEN attempts (or less!) per game!!

Tua,in 2023 averaged THIRTY TWO attempts per game!! So, over the course of a season, QB's today get hit nearly twice as much as they used to get hit, because they are dropping back more.

The gradual change from a running based league, which started from the merger of the AFL teams, to rule changes in the 70's which took away a DB's ability to contact WR's all through their routes, to the changes made in the last 10 years or so where DB's can hardly sniff a WR without a flag, resulted in more scoring...but made the running game obsolete.

You can score faster with a high power passing attack. But the flip side is your QB gets hit more. QB's that are more mobile get hit more as well. Defenses have adjusted, and know they have to attack the QB to stop offenses, instead of attacking RB's.

So, QB's get hit more. If they are escape artists, or big physical specimens (Josh Allen), they can get away with it for a time. But if they aren't, they will get injured more often. In Tua's case, he's not a big guy, and he should not try to run the ball like he's Josh Allen.

When a Big guy hits a Small guy, the Big guy will win 100% of the time. The NFL is making bank because people love more scoring (see Fantasy)...but the resulting injuries to QB's are a result of the changes they made to get that scoring.

Looking at the old Lawrence Taylor years their pads were enormous. If I look at players now their pads are awfully small has the technology changed or is mobility more important than actual organ preservation than actual organ preservation?
Also I have read that the overemphasis on muscle building creates a huge differential between muscle and joints and connective tissue. And there's no amount of weight lifting that's going to help that. Brady ended up working on his mobility over his last few years. So he was more pliable.

He already had the first down by at least 5 yards. Seemed unnecessary and he didn't even try to juke Damar into falling. He did a total header


In comment 16607972 widmerseyebrow said:

Quote:

If he cared only about his health, he would likely be retired already, but if he's only looking at it through the lens of wanting to be a hero for the Dolphins, he basically jeopardized his availability to his teammates for this season and beyond for an extra yard.

In comment 16608201 WestCoastGMan said:

Quote:

Looking at the old Lawrence Taylor years their pads were enormous. If I look at players now their pads are awfully small has the technology changed or is mobility more important than actual organ preservation than actual organ preservation? Also I have read that the overemphasis on muscle building creates a huge differential between muscle and joints and connective tissue. And there's no amount of weight lifting that's going to help that. Brady ended up working on his mobility over his last few years. So he was more pliable.

pads are smaller for mobility. No one wants to wear huge pads that slow them down or make them less mobile. Barley anyone wears knee or thigh pads, they make no difference anyway.