See, I respectfully disagree.
Well then you're dead to me.
Maybe we're talking about different things. When I say "develop a QB" what I mean is to take a college QB or a journeyman QB with raw talent and develop that talent into a pure NFL thrower...a guy who delivers the ball when it matters. McNair never became that. I don't hold that against him cuz that's not what Fisher asked him to do and it's not what nearly won them a Super Bowl...but...he wasn't a pure thrower in that sense. And it's possible to be that AND be mobile. I'm not saying purity lies in the pocket.
Yeah, we're probably talking about different things then. You're drilling down to a specific trait in a QB by saying development means molding a QB into a pocket passer. So if that's the case, then guys like Tarkenton, to McNair, all the way on down to Wilson, didn't have to be developed because they had that extra dimension? Or they didn't need 'as much' development? I'm unsure of what your point is regarding McNair's talents. Almost seems like Fisher deserves no credit for McNair's success. And if that's the case, then no mobile QBs can credit their head coaches.
So, for all the antipathy for Belichick, I think Matt Cassell's season is undervalued, Brady's development is GROSSLY underestimated and people forget how well Bledsoe was playing prior to his injury and Brady taking over. That was in no small part...Belichick. I don't like giving him much credit, but credit where it's due. Also, under Belichick, Testaverde had his best years and revived his career toward the end. It made some wonder if he'd had that all along, "what could have been?" And that staff in Cleveland (what became Baltimore) essentially was a soon to be All-Star cast of coaching that was on the cusp of getting a ton of things right.
Why is Cassell's season undervalued? I said he had a season equal to what you'd expect from Bradford and the rest of the team had a hand in his winning record. You cannot deny that if you look at it closely and objectively. And Bledsoe was
not playing well prior to Brady taking over. He actually had his best years under Parcells and Carroll. And Testaverde's best season (statistically) was under Marchibroda while his best W/L record was under Parcells. Didn't matter who his coach was, he was just a good QB who could thrive under different conditions if those conditions were ripe. So ultimately, who developed him? Ray Perkins? lol. See, here's the thing. If mobile QBs are exempt from the QB development rule as it pertains to a Head Coach's hand in it, then wouldn't the same hold true for talented pocket passers as well? I mean, what if Brady was just that good coming out, and Belichick had no hand in it (like your Fisher/McNair comparison)? What if Brady's just that cerebral and works harder than anyone else? What if it was just the right time, right place, right system, and right infusion of talent on an annual basis? Can't rule that out, can you?
And honestly, looking at this disaster of an offensive scheme and the complete lack of development of ANY of the QBs under Fisher's watch since he came to the Rams, even if we "gave him McNair", which I'm not want to do, even if we did... and? I'm not sure how that helps him in 2016 with two young QBs who he and his staff seem to have no idea how to develop.
I knew we would ultimately land here. I won't allow you to toss out McNair, since that's the ONLY rookie QB of his choosing, and he had success with that choice. He went to the playoffs 4 times with that choice, and he put a team around him that would allow him to thrive. He didn't
choose to have Bradford blow out his knees and be saddled with guys like Clemens, Davis, Hill, et al. Now we're in 2016, with the 2nd rookie QB of his choosing, 3 games in, and he's already failed at developing Goff? Without looking, tell me when McNair started. Okay, now look. Did it matter that it took that long for him to start, when ultimately they were in a Super Bowl together and almost beat arguably the most potent team of all time? And if Fisher/Goff get into the Super Bowl together in the next couple of years, would Fisher get any credit for that, or is it because Goff is just that talented?
I can tell you that under this CBA, you've got to be a stone idiot to spend a 7th round pick to trade for a guy as your backup and THEN use up a ton of reps having him and another guy fight over the damn backup job, thereby ensuring that the rookie you spent the 3rd round pick on gets virtually zero reps. That...is head-shakingly idiotic and I just can't wrap my head around that kind of thinking. They knew Keenum. They wanted him. They Traded for him. But they still wanted him to earn the backup job enough to NOT develop their rookie???? Who, at the time may have been the future if Nick Foles didn't work out?
All of Houston's QBs fell into a hole that year, so they had to steal Case from our practice squad. He was on the PS because they had to make room for Mark Barron and Foles was slated as the starter anyway. He was in camp for a couple of months, but it was enough to make an impression on the coaches to want him back. And thankfully they did, because he stabilized the QB position for us last year in the back stretch of the season after Foles failed. You can toss all rules out the window when your starter (Bradford) can't stay on the field and you need to find a replacement on an annual basis. Mannion got his reps, but he didn't show enough to supplant either Foles early on, or Keenum down the stretch. He's getting the reps a backup QB should get, and now he has to beat out Goff (which he isn't). Keenum
earned the starting job. I happen to subscribe to that method of advancement in the league.
I'm just not buying it. And even if it were given to me, I wouldn't take it. Cuz like I said, even if I just acquiesce on McNair, it doesn't change anything about Fisher's Rams tenure which is what concerns me. And his decisions, especially in the last few seasons have been just...bad with respect to the QB position. Downright bad.
Naw. His LUCK has been bad with the QB position since he got here. He didn't injure Bradford. Or re-injure Bradford. But he did draft Goff, so that book is far from closed.
