I sometimes wonder if every backup QB in this offense is doomed. It seems to be one of the harder offenses to run. Aaron Rodgers said it was, so I’d take his word for it. He said it is nothing like the West Coast offense and it puts a lot on the QB. Does playing the role of the next opponents QB, every week, really prepare a QB to run a more technical offense like McVay’s? Goff started and he struggled with it at times.
Yeah it has all the functionality of the standard WCO with the aggressive downfield approach that stretches the defense, which to some extent can make up for the run game. Given that the run game will suck the ILBs and safeties up and give the QB room to operate, stretching the field can have a similar effect but the QB has to be able to make those throws plus hold on to the ball longer, which puts a ton of pressure on the QB and the pass protectors (just the WCO you can cut some corners on the line with the ball coming out fast).
It's a weird combination of elements I think. Potent but risky because McVay and Snead have allowed the run game to falter so often since Gurley fell out. And that faltering has mainly been due to talent in the backfield, as well as its availability and the inability of the depth to take up the slack. This season is simply yet another example of that. Same thing every season without fail. Same could be said of the line, where they have been hit and miss and better than they have with the backfield, but only marginally so.
Also I think McVay is hard on his QBs. Probably the most demanding out there in the play designers. On the flipside of all this you're still better off with him than many other play designers. It's just that QBing for him is a bit of a hotseat.
