Practice 8/22 notes....
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I was sitting next to Alyo and we reality checked every play. We see things a bit differently sometimes, but this practice I agreed with a lot/most of his post below.
First off I really only watched the QBs & WRs mostly...along with the LBs/DBs covering.....
cuz without pads/hitting all it can truly ever really be is flag football with 7-7 and even when 11 vs 11.
So, with that said, the things that CAN be simulated best are the passing/timing & coverage drills.
IMO, those drills are good representations of how players play. Any OL/DL stuff without full pads and tackling to the ground is just a walkthrough. imo
1) QBs -
Keenum - He knows where to go with the ball and that's re-assuring, but his throws beyond 15yds linger in the air for a disconcerting amount of time. He hit Britt on a 50yder...the same throw as last weeks game(where he under-threw the ball and drew PI)...cept he hit him in stride this time. As many folks have said, CK knows where to go with the ball and that's what makes him effective. To me, the playcalling makes Keenum's game easier. He's not a natural talent but that's just my own peeve about guys. Rivers is an ugly thrower and a great QB...so it's just taste.
Mannion is a larger slower footed guy but very coordinated and got much stronger than he was in college. He has a strange motion too but throws a nice tight spiral and knows where to go with the ball. He's our 2nd string if Keenum leaves and he hasn't made silly mistakes which makes me think he can be our CKeenum for the next few years with more arm strength and accuracy for medium range throws. He impressed me a bit more than I thought.
Goff - A natural passer and needle threader! He's a relaxed dude and it shows. He is still learning where to go with the ball...but when he sticks his foot at the top of his drop and let's it go...it's a completion.
btw -
That's a good little thing to remember about QBs and the play called....you can test this when you watch games. When the QB hits the top of his drop and the ball comes right out....he's seeing the field/making the right choice/or the play called was aces and the WR/TE/HB is open. The problem comes when a QB hits the back foot and it doesn't come out.
NOTE: Gather steps when stepping up in the pocket from sticking yer back foot are not a sign the timing is off or missed...that's normal. But if if it's held a beat longer...that's what separates the good QBs from journeymen. imo
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2) WRs -
Britt - Played big & strong and caught everything near him.
TA - Didn't do much besides a few bubble screens and sat out doing tennis ball drills.
Duke - Very interesting player. Duke is large and fast...and gets his nose into action
McRoberts - Good hands catcher and strong to the ball in what I saw from him.
Cooper - Solid but spectacular in his route running or quickness. imo
Thomas -
Quick -
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3) TEs -
Kendricks - He's solid as nearly always. Not flashy but gets er done. As zn has posted, Kendricks is the best balanced of all the TEs which makes him a weapon as he is unpredictable.
Higbee - caught everything thrown his way and had the Catch of the Day at the goalline getting clocked by Tree across the middle but holding onto the ball about a 1yd into the EZ. Tree hit him hard!....and Higbee went down hard in clump...but didn't let go of the ball! TD!!!
Hemingway - Was targeted alot and caught everything - in fact, he appeared to be targeted more than any receiver and caught all the throws his way. Impressed me as a Rec TE. btw - I didn't like his college tape and thot he looked slow( I didn't like LB Forrest's tape for the same reason but they are both playin faster! Who knew?!
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Some real quick observations of coverage.
LBs -
Ayers - I was very impressed with Ayers as he was 30yds downfield on 3-5 occasions covering the TE and was step for step and even had a tip away in the EZ during the RZ drills.
Littleton was very good in coverage also with 2 tipped balls. The passes were good, Littleton just made good plays ion the ball - which is good cuz many LBs just cover the guy and have no ball awareness.....I hate those guys!!!
CBs -
Hill looked real nice in coverage...quick feet and got his nose in there. Hill looked good in last week's game too.
Tru had a great tipped ball where he jumped the route and just slapped the ball down as if you were blocking a basketball shot of a 4yr old. He's just very long and levered. (is that even a word?! lol)
FS -
TJ made some good closing plays on balls and looked better than I thought in coverage...very fluid and decently fast when closing.
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Anyway, I'm tired and will stop as my mind has gone blank now! lol
I know practice info is not as sexy now that PS games have started and we can all see for ourselves.
Happy to answer any questions.
thnx for reading!!
"L'audace, l'audace. Toujours l'audace!"
First off I really only watched the QBs & WRs mostly...along with the LBs/DBs covering.....
cuz without pads/hitting all it can truly ever really be is flag football with 7-7 and even when 11 vs 11.
So, with that said, the things that CAN be simulated best are the passing/timing & coverage drills.
IMO, those drills are good representations of how players play. Any OL/DL stuff without full pads and tackling to the ground is just a walkthrough. imo
1) QBs -
Keenum - He knows where to go with the ball and that's re-assuring, but his throws beyond 15yds linger in the air for a disconcerting amount of time. He hit Britt on a 50yder...the same throw as last weeks game(where he under-threw the ball and drew PI)...cept he hit him in stride this time. As many folks have said, CK knows where to go with the ball and that's what makes him effective. To me, the playcalling makes Keenum's game easier. He's not a natural talent but that's just my own peeve about guys. Rivers is an ugly thrower and a great QB...so it's just taste.
Mannion is a larger slower footed guy but very coordinated and got much stronger than he was in college. He has a strange motion too but throws a nice tight spiral and knows where to go with the ball. He's our 2nd string if Keenum leaves and he hasn't made silly mistakes which makes me think he can be our CKeenum for the next few years with more arm strength and accuracy for medium range throws. He impressed me a bit more than I thought.
Goff - A natural passer and needle threader! He's a relaxed dude and it shows. He is still learning where to go with the ball...but when he sticks his foot at the top of his drop and let's it go...it's a completion.
btw -
That's a good little thing to remember about QBs and the play called....you can test this when you watch games. When the QB hits the top of his drop and the ball comes right out....he's seeing the field/making the right choice/or the play called was aces and the WR/TE/HB is open. The problem comes when a QB hits the back foot and it doesn't come out.
NOTE: Gather steps when stepping up in the pocket from sticking yer back foot are not a sign the timing is off or missed...that's normal. But if if it's held a beat longer...that's what separates the good QBs from journeymen. imo
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
2) WRs -
Britt - Played big & strong and caught everything near him.
TA - Didn't do much besides a few bubble screens and sat out doing tennis ball drills.
Duke - Very interesting player. Duke is large and fast...and gets his nose into action
McRoberts - Good hands catcher and strong to the ball in what I saw from him.
Cooper - Solid but spectacular in his route running or quickness. imo
Thomas -
Quick -
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
3) TEs -
Kendricks - He's solid as nearly always. Not flashy but gets er done. As zn has posted, Kendricks is the best balanced of all the TEs which makes him a weapon as he is unpredictable.
Higbee - caught everything thrown his way and had the Catch of the Day at the goalline getting clocked by Tree across the middle but holding onto the ball about a 1yd into the EZ. Tree hit him hard!....and Higbee went down hard in clump...but didn't let go of the ball! TD!!!
Hemingway - Was targeted alot and caught everything - in fact, he appeared to be targeted more than any receiver and caught all the throws his way. Impressed me as a Rec TE. btw - I didn't like his college tape and thot he looked slow( I didn't like LB Forrest's tape for the same reason but they are both playin faster! Who knew?!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Some real quick observations of coverage.
LBs -
Ayers - I was very impressed with Ayers as he was 30yds downfield on 3-5 occasions covering the TE and was step for step and even had a tip away in the EZ during the RZ drills.
Littleton was very good in coverage also with 2 tipped balls. The passes were good, Littleton just made good plays ion the ball - which is good cuz many LBs just cover the guy and have no ball awareness.....I hate those guys!!!
CBs -
Hill looked real nice in coverage...quick feet and got his nose in there. Hill looked good in last week's game too.
Tru had a great tipped ball where he jumped the route and just slapped the ball down as if you were blocking a basketball shot of a 4yr old. He's just very long and levered. (is that even a word?! lol)
FS -
TJ made some good closing plays on balls and looked better than I thought in coverage...very fluid and decently fast when closing.
---------------------------------------------------------
Anyway, I'm tired and will stop as my mind has gone blank now! lol
I know practice info is not as sexy now that PS games have started and we can all see for ourselves.
Happy to answer any questions.
thnx for reading!!
"L'audace, l'audace. Toujours l'audace!"
