Wear the black hat one time

[Yamahopper]

Glad Bradford read this thread and came out and had a much better game. Your welcome Sam.
Were here for you anytime.

 

[-X-]

lol.

"I'll show those punk ass 'biatchersz' at ROD."

 

[Anonymous]

Moving Bradford around wouldn't get them the information they need to see who/where extra help is needed, or if those players can improve.

I know it's not exactly what you meant but getting Bradford killed won't get them the kind of information the team needs either. Maybe he didn't know Richardson would wiff that badly but really? What in his history tells anyone he wouldn't. I would say the odds were better that Sam wasn't safe behind him.

But that's from the fans' perspective, isn't it? I mean, Boudreau sees Richardson in practice almost daily. We see him, primarily, during games when he doesn't execute properly. Obviously, game play beats practice all to hell. And yet the coaches have to trust someone to play RT and they've chosen Richardson. I can only speculate why things have played out the way they have at RT or their logic in leaving Richardson alone on the end.

I'm with you on the results. I just wasn't as worried about Bradford's well-being. Not in the preseason.

I personally don't think it had anything to do with onfield performance. This summer Smith was simply not the "this guy suxx" OT as he is seen in the general view. He had actually improved and could have been decent, I think, if you;re just looking at his play.

I think they dumped him because it was an intangibles thing and had more to do with the kind of guy Boudreau wants on his OL than anything else.

So I don't think it's even what happened in practices. I think that Smith wasn't a Boudreau kinda guy for whatever reason and that was more important than any other consideration.

Sometimes when I say this stuff, a guy here or there will take it as a criticism of Boudreau. I don;t know why or how it gets taken that way. I'm a big fan of Boudreau.

So anyway I don't think performance in practice or the games determined this. I think Smith was better than he had been and he certainly was not outplayed by Richardson (a lot of observers think that btw). I think the real reason for dumping him had to do with Boudreau's assessment of the kind of guy he was--ie. maybe not aggressive enough, or something along those lines.

 

[RamFan503]

Moving Bradford around wouldn't get them the information they need to see who/where extra help is needed, or if those players can improve.

I know it's not exactly what you meant but getting Bradford killed won't get them the kind of information the team needs either. Maybe he didn't know Richardson would wiff that badly but really? What in his history tells anyone he wouldn't. I would say the odds were better that Sam wasn't safe behind him.

But that's from the fans' perspective, isn't it? I mean, Boudreau sees Richardson in practice almost daily. We see him, primarily, during games when he doesn't execute properly. Obviously, game play beats practice all to hell. And yet the coaches have to trust someone to play RT and they've chosen Richardson. I can only speculate why things have played out the way they have at RT or their logic in leaving Richardson alone on the end.

I'm with you on the results. I just wasn't as worried about Bradford's well-being. Not in the preseason.

I personally don't think it had anything to do with onfield performance. This summer Smith was simply not the "this guy suxx" OT as he is seen in the general view. He had actually improved and could have been decent, I think, if you;re just looking at his play.

I think they dumped him because it was an intangibles thing and had more to do with the kind of guy Boudreau wants on his OL than anything else.

So I don't think it's even what happened in practices. I think that Smith wasn't a Boudreau kinda guy for whatever reason and that was more important than any other consideration.

Sometimes when I say this stuff, a guy here or there will take it as a criticism of Boudreau. I don;t know why or how it gets taken that way. I'm a big fan of Boudreau.

So anyway I don't think performance in practice or the games determined this. I think Smith was better than he had been and he certainly was not outplayed by Richardson (a lot of observers think that btw). I think the real reason for dumping him had to do with Boudreau's assessment of the kind of guy he was--ie. maybe not aggressive enough, or something along those lines.

Not sure how Smith enters into this part of the convo. I think we were more talking about preparation and game planning in the pre-season and was that risking Sam's health. I wasn't referring to the odds of Sam being safe behind Richardson vs. Smith. I just didn't like the explanation of not game planning to account for the defenses that were thrown at us and in particular, the number of hits Sam took because of it.

 

[Anonymous]

Not sure how Smith enters into this part of the convo. I think we were more talking about preparation and game planning in the pre-season and was that risking Sam's health. I wasn't referring to the odds of Sam being safe behind Richardson vs. Smith. I just didn't like the explanation of not game planning to account for the defenses that were thrown at us and in particular, the number of hits Sam took because of it.

Oh I see. I see. I get the picture. You expect me to actually follow the conversation. And to get it. And to understand what it's about. And to know what people are saying,

 

[RamFan503]

Not sure how Smith enters into this part of the convo. I think we were more talking about preparation and game planning in the pre-season and was that risking Sam's health. I wasn't referring to the odds of Sam being safe behind Richardson vs. Smith. I just didn't like the explanation of not game planning to account for the defenses that were thrown at us and in particular, the number of hits Sam took because of it.

Oh I see. I see. I get the picture. You expect me to actually follow the conversation. And to get it. And to understand what it's about. And to know what people are saying,

The thought had crossed my mind - yes. :sly:

 

[Iron Lion]

As I've stated in the past, I think the bulk of Bradford's problems relate to accuracy. Not supporting cast, his demeanor, injuries, this or that, it's just passing accuracy.

For most players on the field, the thing they have that is an intangible that can't be improved with practice is speed. For a QB, that's arm strength. Accuracy, on the other hand (no pun intended), can be gained and lost, much like accuracy skills with a handgun.

The fact that passing accuracy is a degradable skill is extremely obvious in the cases of Carson Palmer and Donovan McNabb. Both QBs simply lost it, one because he was out of the game for a while and the other because of a lack of work ethic.

The fact that passing accuracy is a skill that can be improved is obvious in the case of my QB, Matthew Stafford. As a rookie he was inconsistent, but was able to make perfect throws at times. He clearly put a lot of his own personal unpaid time into this aspect of his game.

We cannot know if Bradford has been practicing his accuracy during the offseason or not. At least, we can't know right now. It will obviously become apparent around midway through the season. Just remember, Vince Young was also the Offensive Rookie of the Year... at this point he's probably going to end up on a VH1's "Where are they now?" or something.

 

[-X-]

As I've stated in the past, I think the bulk of Bradford's problems relate to accuracy. Not supporting cast, his demeanor, injuries, this or that, it's just passing accuracy.

For most players on the field, the thing they have that is an intangible that can't be improved with practice is speed. For a QB, that's arm strength. Accuracy, on the other hand (no pun intended), can be gained and lost, much like accuracy skills with a handgun.

The fact that passing accuracy is a degradable skill is extremely obvious in the cases of Carson Palmer and Donovan McNabb. Both QBs simply lost it, one because he was out of the game for a while and the other because of a lack of work ethic.

The fact that passing accuracy is a skill that can be improved is obvious in the case of my QB, Matthew Stafford. As a rookie he was inconsistent, but was able to make perfect throws at times. He clearly put a lot of his own personal unpaid time into this aspect of his game.

We cannot know if Bradford has been practicing his accuracy during the offseason or not. At least, we can't know right now. It will obviously become apparent around midway through the season. Just remember, Vince Young was also the Offensive Rookie of the Year... at this point he's probably going to end up on a VH1's "Where are they now?" or something.

How will we know if he's been practicing during the offseason midway through the season? Is that when reporters typically ask that question?

 

[bluecoconuts]

Sam Bradford is extremely accurate. Most of the time he misses it is because the receivers did the wrong thing (cut the wrong way, dropped the ball, etc). From watching his games that is the case. I'm not going to say he's perfect because he does let balls get away from him, but if he has the time he needs (which really isn't much) and a receiver who can do what he needs to do, he'd put up big numbers as well. There was a reason why he threw so many completions without an INT his rookie year (which is still a record), and why he was one of the last of the starting QB's to throw an interception last year (in fact his first interception came because Alexander fell down on his route so the ball went over him).

I'd bet my entire bank account that you give him a Calvin Johnson and enough time in the pocket, he'll throw for 5,000 yards too. He's able to drop the ball into extremely tight windows, he just needs receivers that can consistently come up with the ball.

Accuracy isn't my issue with him, not when receivers are dropping 5+ balls a night that hit them on the numbers.

 

[Faceplant]

Long ball accuracy is suspect, but overall Sam is VERY accurate. Not sure what our resident Lions fan is watching.

 

[Iron Lion]

Reason I question his accuracy is that he always puts too much emphasis on throwing it to where only the receiver can catch it to the point that no one can catch it. Often times he puts the ball in a spot where the receiver doesn't have time to turn and grab the ball. He should instead be putting it into tight windows, but he's not attempting to do that... he is instead going for the large safe zone, which limits his INTs but also limits the big play potential.

In the red zone, that large safe zone shrinks, and Bradford's TDs suffer as a result.

That is what I'm seeing. You can't just look at completion percentage or INTs. A ball can be caught and still be an inaccurate throw. NFL QBs are supposed to hit the receiver in a spot where they can catch it with minimal adjustment to the ball, and that is a very small window in many cases.

But as I said, accuracy can be improved.

 

[bluecoconuts]

He's able to fit into tight windows in the redzone as well. It just helps when receivers run the right route/catch the ball.

Last night for example, he missed a throw to Pettis. If you're just looking at it you're probably thinking "Man, Sam was way off" because he threw a few feet off to the side. But as Faulk pointed out, Sam did the right thing, Pettis pivoted to the inside on his curl instead of the outside, so the ball went wide.

There's a few times he's zinged the ball between two defenders in the endzone. His accuracy can always improve of course, but in terms of his "issues" that's pretty low on the list.

 

[Anonymous]

Reason I question his accuracy is that he always puts too much emphasis on throwing it to where only the receiver can catch it to the point that no one can catch it. Often times he puts the ball in a spot where the receiver doesn't have time to turn and grab the ball. He should instead be putting it into tight windows, but he's not attempting to do that... he is instead going for the large safe zone, which limits his INTs but also limits the big play potential.

In the red zone, that large safe zone shrinks, and Bradford's TDs suffer as a result.

That is what I'm seeing. You can't just look at completion percentage or INTs. A ball can be caught and still be an inaccurate throw. NFL QBs are supposed to hit the receiver in a spot where they can catch it with minimal adjustment to the ball, and that is a very small window in many cases.

But as I said, accuracy can be improved.

That sounds nothing remotely like the qb I have been watching for 2 years.

Yeah he has issue but not the ones you list there.

 

[Iron Lion]

Noted.