Tag: nfl week 3 2020

With Jimmy Garoppolo injured, what can we expect from Nick Mullens?

The San Francisco 49ers are banged up and that includes Jimmy Garoppolo. What can they expect from Nick Mullens?

The situation is bleak for the defending NFC champion 49ers. Sure, they are enjoying a lovely week in West Virginia at The Greenbrier, a lovely resort and National Historic Landmark that has been a fixture in American life since the 1770s. Located on over 11,000 acres, the resort has a laundry list of amenities that would make anyone look into reserving a room. Yet the trip to the East Coast has come at a cost: The list of names currently injured reads like a Madden Ultimate Team. Nick Bosa. Raheem Mostert. Solomon Thomas. Tevin Coleman. George Kittle. Richard Sherman.

And quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo.

Head coach Kyle Shanahan did indicate to the media this week that Garoppolo’s high ankle sprain is not as severe as initially feared, but the signal-caller has yet to practice this week, making his status for Sunday against the New York Giants a question mark. Looming behind him on the depth chart? Nick Mullens.

If the backup is pressed into action Sunday, what can fans expect? Well, perhaps another quarterback in the Shanahan mold: Accurate, quick with his decisions and with the ability to manipulate defenders.

Back in 2018, Mullens made three starts for the 49ers in the wake of Garoppolo’s knee injury. San Francisco went 3-5 in those eight games, but Mullens comported himself well to the position, and Shanahan’s offense. Those traits are must-haves in this system, and this connection with Kittle from his first NFL start is a prime example. This is the pre-snap look at the play:

The route Mullens throws is that slant route to Kittle, who aligns as the inside trips receiver. The defender Mullens has to worry about the most is that linebacker, shaded in black. The linebacker facing this empty formation is taught first to open towards the three-receiver side and help to where the offense has numbers. So if Mullens is going to throw the slant, he has to do something about that defender:

Did you see his feet there? Mullens takes the shotgun snap and opens up to his right, looking at the two receiver side of the formation. The linebacker in response stays square, trying to gauge where the QB is going with the football. By doing this, Mullens occupies the linebacker and prevents him from cutting under Kittle’s route. That is all the space the QB needs to then flip his feet, hit the tight end in stride, and let him do the rest.

Mullens entered the second half of San Francisco’s game last week with the 49ers enjoying a 21-3 lead over the New York Jets. He still managed to complete 8 of 11 passes for 71 yards, and while he did throw an interception, his ability to manipulate defenders and anticipate throws was on display at MetLife Stadium.

On this completion, Mullens throws a dig route working from left to right. He opens to that side of the field, gets the hook defender to widen a bit, and then throws the dig route behind him for a big gain:

This play begins with play-action, which gets the hook defender – shaded in black – spinning a bit. After coming out of the fake Mullens flashes his eyes towards the left side of the formation. This further complicates life for that linebacker, who is in the process of recovering after biting down on the run fake. He sees Mullen’s eyes and as such bails out towards the sideline. That creates the window for the dig route, and Mullens then throws behind that linebacker, with anticipation, for the completion.

Then there is this completion, which serves as another example of Mullens manipulating an underneath defender with his eyes and then making an anticipation throw. Mullens freezes the linebacker in the middle of the field, and then throws this curl route away from that linebacker with anticipation, putting his receiver in position to pick up additional yardage after the reception:

Mullens holds that linebacker with his eyes, preventing him from getting an early break on the throw. Then he delivers the pass with anticipation, so when the receiver turns the football is on him. As argued earlier this week, YAC is a quarterback stat, and this play is another bit of evidence for that proposition.

Doug Pederson may be right when he says that there are no “layups” in the NFL. However, with his ability to move defenders with his eyes and make anticipation throws, Mullens is getting into the layup range with some of his passes. That could be critical to whether the 49ers can weather their current injury storm.

What is the problem with Carson Wentz?

Why is the Eagles quarterback struggling? Sometimes mechanics actually do matter.

Things look bleak right now in Philadelphia, and the misery centers upon one question: What is the problem with Carson Wentz?

The Eagles are 0-2 and much of the consternation focuses on Philadelphia’s quarterback. Concerns raised after Week 1 were brushed aside: Their offensive line was banged up. Washington Football Team has a tremendous defensive front.

Now, however, the questions are directed right at the quarterback. That has led to rumblings that perhaps Wentz is taking on too much at the line of scrimmage. There are also concerns regarding his decision-making, punctuated perhaps by an interception in the end zone on a throw intended for J.J. Arcega-Whiteside. Both Fran Duffy, who covers the Eagles for the team, and Benjamin Solak, who covers the team for Bleeding Green Nation, broke down that interception, which we will return to in a moment.

But inaccuracy issues are also plaguing the quarterback. That led to a testy exchange between head coach Doug Pederson and a reporter during a recent press conference:

JIMMY KEMPSKI: Hey, Doug. Carson had great protection all day, he wasn’t sacked, I think he only got knocked down once. I know you were asked Monday why he’s missing throws, and it’s an assortment of reasons. But some of the throws he’s missing are sort of like lay-ups. What could be the reason for some of those easier misses that he’s missing?

DOUG PEDERSON: Have you played quarterback in the National Football League?

KEMPSKI: I have not, Doug.

PEDERSON: Okay. They’re not lay-ups. There ain’t a throw out here that’s a lay-up. And so some of it is just timing with young guys. Some of it is just Carson being not accurate at that particular time. It could be that there’s a defensive guy that flashed a hand, and he’s got to change his arm angle in a split second. There’s all kinds of reasons for accuracy, and these are things we continue to work on, and will continue to work on for the entire season.

That prompted quite the rebuttal from the NFL Research Twitter account, with a thread highlighting passing numbers on Wentz, and Pederson himself:

That’s worth reading until the end.

But the NFL researchers are not alone in their assessment of Wentz. Both Mike Renner of Pro Football Focus and Steven Ruiz of For the Win put him under the microscope this week, coming to similar conclusions: Wentz is struggling.

So what is the issue?

From where I sit, it is his left leg.

(Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)

Take stock of Wentz’s left leg in that picture above. Knee flexed, toes pointed towards the target. Almost ideal.

Now let’s revisit that interception, previously references and broken down by both Fran Duffy and Benjamin Solak, among others. I put together another video breakdown of that play, with a focus on the mechanics:

I have long maintained the position that when it comes to quarterbacks, “mechanics don’t matter until they matter.” If the football is getting where it needs to be, when it needs to be there, the mechanics the passer uses to get the football there are not an issue.

But if the ball is not getting where it needs to be, when it needs to be there, and mechanics are the reason why, then we have a problem.

On this interception, Wentz locks that left leg, thanks to an extremely wide base and an over-stride with his front foot. What does this do? It causes a “break” in the chain between the upper body and the lower body. Steve Axman, who coached Troy Aikman in college and wrote the book on passing mechanics, outlined it this way:

…the front step is not a bit step…it must be short enough to force the upper torso to actually roll, or fall, over the all of the planted foot. Too big a front step forces the upper torso to position its weight toward the back foot, causing a “break” of the body at the hips. In essence, the hips and lower body are left behind as the upper torso snaps forward from the hips. This action either causes a release that is too high, thereby forcing the football to take off high, or a situation in which the football is pulled down low, thereby causing substantial loss of torque and power and a low throw.

Here, Wentz overstrides, locks up that front leg, and loses torque, power and velocity. That enables the defender to cut under the route.

But locking the front leg is not the only issue. Look at this play, with a focus on Wentz’s left foot:

Do you see the issue? Wentz basically steps with his foot almost parallel to the target, and not with his toes directed at his aiming point:

The pass is off target, outside of the frame of the receiver, and it falls incomplete.

Now, working through this game this might have been a one-ff. He had pressure, maybe he did not want to step into this throw with an offensive linemen getting dumped into his lap a bit, but then I saw this play, first pointed out by Solak on Twitter:

Same issue. Foot more parallel than pointed to the target, and the pass is off the mark and it falls incomplete.

The act of stepping in this manner has almost the same pass-action results as locking the front leg. Don’t believe me? Try it. Act out the throwing motion, only step with your foot parallel to your target, and not with the toes pointed at your aiming point. You’ll feel it immediately in that front hip, and you will feel that break in the throwing chain between the upper and the lower body.

Mechanics don’t matter until they matter. Right now, they seem to matter a great deal to Carson Wentz.

On the bright side? The issues might be fixable:

Whether Wentz gets the deliberate practice he needs might ultimately decide Philadelphia’s season.

Gardner Minshew and Laviska Shenault are two big reasons to watch Thursday Night Football

The two young offensive players, and their offensive coordinator’s designs, are making the Jaguars must-watch television.

I enter every single piece I write with a simple goal: To convince the reader of something. Whether it deals with a draft eligible quarterback, an offensive scheme, or the execution of a blitz, I want the reader to come away believing in what I have put in front of them. My goal here is the same. I want you to be excited to watch Thursday Night Football when you’re done reading.

This is not an easy task.

The jokes on Twitter and the snickering in living rooms began almost a week ago, when the promotions began airing for the Miami Dolphins and the Jacksonville Jaguars, our two teams set to square off tomorrow night. They were everywhere. Take a few minutes on Twitter or Google and search for yourself, but come on back here when you are done.

I’m here to tell you, this game is must-watch from where I sit.

It starts with Gardner Minshew.

The Jacksonville quarterback has become one of football’s more engaging personalities, but anyone who saw him during his draft process, particularly down at the Senior Bowl, could have seen this coming. Minshew quickly won over the football media world at his Media Day session, talking about playing for Mike Leach, the chip on his shoulder, and working progression reads in an Air Raid offense.

But beyond the persona there was something fascinating about Minshew on film, dating back to his time at Washington State under Leach. His footwork:

Air Raid quarterbacks are notorious for having footwork problems, particularly in their mastery of the pocket. Minshew defied that conventional wisdom. His ability to flow from read to read while keeping his feet under him, ready to throw, was more in line with your traditional dropback quarterbacks in “pro style offenses” – whatever that term means – than a Mike Leach Air Raid passer.

Through two games he has completed 49 of 65 passes (a completion percentage of 75.4%) and 512 yards, six touchdowns and two interceptions. His NFL passer rating of 115.7 is seventh in the league, and his touchdown passes tie him for second behind only Russell Wilson, and in a group that contains Aaron Rodgers and another scorching-hot quarterback, Josh Allen.

That footwork is a huge reason why Minshew is off to his hot start:

On those plays against the Tennessee Titans, you can see how Minshew’s footwork keeps him in position to be successful, even when responding to pressure from the defense. He keeps his feet under him, works through reads, and evades the pressure slightly, creating just enough space to get off a throw from the pocket.

His footwork also puts those around him in a position to be successful, particularly when it comes to accurate ball placement and how he manipulates defenders in the secondary:

Minshew’s quick and precise footwork sets up defenders in the secondary, but also enables him to put the ball where it needs to for his receivers to make plays after the catch.

One of those receivers? Rookie Laviska Shenault Jr.

Offensive coordinator Jay Gruden deserves a ton of credit not only for how he has put Minshew in position to be successful but also for how he has utilized the rookie wide receiver. Gruden has run a mixture of West Coast and Air Raid passing concepts to give Minshew some defined reads in the passing game, but he has also been very creative with Shenault. The rookie has been used on 74 offensive plays, and has aligned in the offensive backfield as a running back, in the Wildcat as a quarterback, in the slot, in a wing and outside on the boundary.

So far this season Shenault has six receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown, as well as seven rushing attempts for 47 yards. This video dives into the various ways Gruden is using the rookie:

As the league moves closer and closer to an era of “positionless football,” Shenault might just be the offensive player for the modern age. Think about how opposing defensive coordinators have to approach Jacksonville. With Shenault in the game do you treat him as a wide receiver, and play a sub package? Or do you treat him as a running back, and play base. If you go with a sub package, Gruden can align him as a running back and test your light defensive fronts. But if you play base, Gruden can dial up passing concepts to stress your linebackers.

Either way, you are likely to be wrong.

So hopefully at this point you are excited to see this game Thursday night. Minshew’s footwork in the pockets, Shenault’s versatility and Gruden’s schematic diversity are three big reasons to watch. However, if you still are not convinced there is one more big reason:

That’s right, we have a quarterback facial hair battle brewing! Dolphins passer Ryan Fitzpatrick threw down the gauntlet in defense of beards earlier this week.

As you might expect, Minshew was quick to respond, generally playing it coy but with some shade thrown in:

So if I can’t convince you to tune in, perhaps the allure of a QB facial hair tussle can.

 

Is Mitchell Trubisky…improving?

The Chicago Bears are 2-0 and heavily-debated quarterback Mitchell Trubisky is showing signs of life. Is the embattled QB…improving?

Do not look now but embattled and beleagured quarterback Mitchell Trubisky has the Chicago Bears at 2-0 and the QB himself has turned in two solid starts. After leading the Bears to a comeback victory against the Detroit Lions, Trubisky and Chicago got out to a hot start against the visiting New York Giants and held on for their second win of the season. All of this begs the question, is Mitchell Trubisky improving?

Studying Trubisky’s game against the Giants, there are some signs of improvement. As this video breakdown will illustrate, Trubisky is showing the ability to move defenders more with his eyes and get them out of position, as well as the ability to read and decipher some more complex coverage rotations:

Of course, his two wins have come against teams with a combined 0-4 record. The Bears will need to see more like this from Trubisky – and against higher-level competition – to feel better about their quarterback situation. Yet, this is a start.

For Bears fans, they’ll take it.

Kyler Murray showing how YAC is a quarterback stat

We think of YAC as a receiver stat, but it is on the QB to put the WR in position to succeed. Here’s Kyler Murray doing just that.

Among the list of unbeaten teams through two weeks of NFL action lie the Arizona Cardinals. After beating the San Francisco 49ers in Week 1, the Cardinals earned another victory in Week 2, at home over the Washington Football Team. Kyler Murray turned in another strong performance, and along the way showed football fans how YAC is a quarterback stat.

When you think of the common things to look for in terms of quarterback development, the often-repeated phrase “the game is slowing down for him” comes to mind. But what does that look like? One thing to identify is when the quarterback is making anticipation throws. When the QB is reading the field, trusting his eyes, and getting the ball out on time and well before a receiver’s break, the game has slowed down for them.

This is exactly what Murray does on this completion to DeAndre Hopkins:

But as the video points out, anticipation leads to yardage after the catch in most situations. It does here, because Hopkins has time to make the reception, prepare for contact, and spin away when the cornerback closes the cushion.

YAC is a quarterback stat.

Justin Herbert reading coverage and attacking the middle like a veteran

Justin Herbert made his NFL debut on Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs. Here are some of the plays that stood out from the rookie.

One of the more stunning aspects of Week 2 of the 2020 NFL season was the sudden debut of rookie quarterback Justin Herbert for the Los Angeles Chargers. Veteran starter Tyrod Taylor experienced chest pain prior to kickoff, which allegedly resulted as a side effect from a pain injection he received before the game, and was taken to a hospital for observation.

That forced Anthony Lynn to turn to the rookie on short notice, against the defending Super Bowl Champions.

Welcome to the NFL, rook.

Herbert acclimated himself rather well to the league, throwing for 311 yards and a touchdown against the Kansas City Chiefs and staking the Chargers to a lead into the second half. Of course, Patrick Mahomes did some Patrick Mahomes things, and the Chiefs ultimately won in overtime. And while the debut was not without the head-scratching rookie mistake – never throw late over the middle – Herbert did make some impressive reads and throws.

This video breakdown walks you throw two of his most impressive moments from Sunday:

Lynn stated on Monday that if Taylor is healthy, he is the starter for the Chargers in Week 3. However, with plays like this under his belt, Herbert certainly looks like the future.