Bear Hands

An interesting wrinkle to catchable balls.. Bryce has in fact jumped to #2 in deep-ball catchable rate, but is still #31 overall in pressure catchable ball rate, #23 in clean pocket catchable ball rate, and #32 in blitzed catchable ball rate. No matter the depth of field. Overall. #28 in clean pocket completion %. McMillan is also low as he's ranked #73 in rankable receivers in overall catchable balls...and he takes up a 26% team target share. Now here's the interesting note - McMillan's target share jumps crazy to 51.6% of our deep balls (Where Bryce's rate boosts to #2). It's telling me they do have a bit of a connection developing for the deeper throws. That seems just like a mutually beneficial situation happening. Good. Next step is you look at the volume, and yep, he's throwing likes a half of the classified deep balls as others. Sooooo...a stretch of deep completions bumps him up more impact-fully than others. Not discounting anything, there's progress, improvement on the deep ball, just good to know that context. Buuuut as noted, Bryce's rate is consistently still league floor for everything except deep ball where McMillan has over half the team targets. So he's improved with Tmac, which has bumped up his deep ball game. There's till big issues is his intermediate game and play outside against zone defense - that's the same/has never improved, always around #25-32 since year 1. So time to maintain the deep rhythm and keep proving more people wrong. Would be fun to see improvement and more wins.

Yeah I'll concede some about the Rams game-- it's relative to a few degrees. To what we've been accustomed to with Bryce, historically at the QB position w/the franchise, and recent play around the league. Where he's been consistent with are 2 particular instances - crossers (mainly to Coker at the Y) and extended routes where he's been able to roll out and step up to hit McMillan (twice on a post, once on a go). He can also have some good vision with enough time in the seams, but its still limiting with his height. He still hasn't shown much touch in the pocket for my liking. For example, when he's hitting guys outside against zone (I don't think he'll ever be that great in this regard) his balls are just so flat. Which is why I don't fly with the Brees comparisons. His balls in the pocket from 3 or 5 step are always kind of these duds, don't have the zip you want, don't get there quick enough to have a guy work in space. Brees could chip away against teams playing zone with good zip in the short outside game, only to skirt around eventually to find a guy deep. Bryce can do half of that, but his short/intermediate game is still pretty limited. Will be interested to see how it progresses.

If I'm being honest, I still have no idea what to think of Bryce. And the uncertainty/divide in how to think of him only further shows why everyone is in a bit of a tough spot (fans, the team, heck, Bryce himself) He's had: 3 non-consecutive stellar games this year (DAL, LAR, ATL-2) - no disputing this 2 games where he initially looked terrible and then turned it around (AZ, MIA) - Both started so bad but he eventually came around. 6 where he was just really bad and difficult to watch. What we've been used to and was as recent as Thanksgiving on National TV. 1 where he didn't need to do much and we won handedly (ATL-1) - I think what a lot comes down to - Most fans REALLY don't like the fact that he has insurmountable physical limitations, so when he's bad, it feels like the pit of misery. Being stuck with a guy with no real elite physical traits where the team needs to be near perfect. It's just like "Ugh we're stuck with this shrimp dick?" He only very recently pulled together a game where he showed off franchise ability. I just need to see more. Nothing has come together but we've finally seen a flash. Took a while, but the Atlanta and Rams games were what I want to see. Hope it can continue. The duds just hit you like a frying pan to the head.

That's a fairly big loss, especially for squaring up against our interior. First things first, we better freaking beat the Saints

That's what I'm talking about

We gotta hit em hard in the nuts.

Just WIN Let's say TB beats ATL, we beat NO, we play each-other both at 8-6 We win the 1st head to head, that's 9-6 cats, 8-7 TB Then TB loses to MIA 8-8, we upset SEA, win the division

umm...

C'mon NO

Yeah they have a tough schedule, injuries pile up, teams are thus stacking the box against JT. They were super fun to watch those first 10 weeks though. Pittman, Pierce, Warren have been playing great, but they've come down massively. We'll see how those AFC wildcards shake out. That's going to be a tight battle with BUF, IND, HOU, LAC, KC. Think it could be BUF/HOU/LAC with NE/PIT/DEN/JAX as the division winners.

If Indy scrapes by today that would be something else. But man, everything has been going against them the past few weeks even though they've still played fairly well. Steichen's done a great job but they've hit the brink.

lol

F*ck me it’s the Achilles indeed

He already had the broken bone in the leg. May have aggravated it. He’s been playing with (technically) a broken leg for 3 weeks

He had a ton of hype when he transferred to Texas Tech but then had some speedbumps there. He's got a good amount of traits. Has a bit of pocket twitchiness, but has proven to hold his own.

I'm saying the team won't, even if some may think moving on should be done. Which results in a similar 2026. And depending on how that goes, we could end up in that type of spot. I just don't see us moving on unless he completely falls out to finish the year.

I'm just leading you to keep typing for no reason lol. I have no point to what I'm saying Scotty. - To the thread-Bryce is very likely getting that 5th year option exercised. And it is nothing to overreact to on the fandom's end. It's not meaning we're giving him a glowing endorsement for the next 4-5 years, it's basically ensuring him we aren't cutting the cord. I just don't see a scenario like the Giants did with Daniel Jones unless Bryce completely falls apart and shows nothing similar to the Falcons or Rams games here on out. It seems like we'll exercise it, see how he shakes out next year with the growing arsenal and defense around him. If he really finds a groove, could see a contract worked out next year. If we implode next season, he will be gone. 2027 is the year we either land a new QB or will know going in we've got Bryce here for quite a few more.

preparation?

plan?

Oh absolutely. There's a spectrum of how heavily it weighs. Teams always keep this in mind when they're building their boards and tier-boxing.

?

I think there's positions that are too valuable to a team's makeup that we have a need for and I think should weigh heavily into the pick over pure-BPA. 1. ILB (Huge need) 2. OT (Moton will not last this build, we need his heir and if we're keeping Bryce, this line needs to be the engine) 3. EDGE (Guys are showing promise but if a stud is there, go for him)

I'm not so sure Rico even gets a big contract. He hit the star in mario kart for 3 weeks but has settled a bit. Still pretty impressive but I don't see any team paying a 28 y/o guy a hefty contract beyond 2 years. He's probably looking at max 2 years, 8-9 mil per with an out in the second year. Probably in a BAL/HOU/KC type situation. The only major RB contracts are outliers (CMC/Saquan/Henry)..the top tier backs are in that $11-15 mil annual range. The solid starter/head of committee guys are in that 4-10 mil range. Hubbard is around 8 mil per but we clearly want him around. So you're right, don't see paying both to take up 16 mil combined next season so he'll probably be elsewhere while we have Etienne/Brooks coming in (and maybe another rookie)

We're kind of stuck in the situation. I would brace yourselves for a Cardinals/Jags type path the next few seasons.

We're probably keeping him next year and moving forward with the 5th year option. I really don't see "Competition" with Bryce happening, but I can see us targeting a 4th-7th rounder to compete with a shltty vet for the backup spot. The options just aren't there.