Cam's ball placement

[lightsout]

So Saca in another thread mentioned this and it made me think about it. Cam is really safe with the football and people might confuse that with inaccuracy/poor placement. I'm poo at making gifs so just take this thread as a reminder of something to watch for tomorrow.

Cam throws almost all of his passes over the middle low and tight. This doesn't allow for too many big YAC plays, but it serves two purposes. One, it ensures the ball is much harder to be intercepted. When the ball is placed on the receivers hip or thighs, it's not easy for a linebacker or safety inside to get to that ball and a trailing defender would have to be right on his hip already (which would mean the ball would be more out in front assuming no inside defender, or Cam would consider it covered and move on in progression). Two, this also ensures the safety of his guys. Cam isn't known to get his receivers lit up often over the middle. He's not hanging good, catchable balls that can result in yards after at that cost. He'd much rather take whatever yardage gained with the ball traveling and have his guy down there than risk a big hit. Sure, it still happens because that's football, but it's pretty rare.

Now a lot of overthrows are in a gray area. Sure, when Cam does truly misfire, it's high. But a lot of those throws that miss high are the absolute safest points to throw, especially on outs, corners, and fades. He's putting it up where his guy gets it or nobody does. Again, not as much chance for YAC, but it protects his guys and the ball.

If you haven't noticed it, some announcers even mention how a throw might "not be the best placement but a good catch". Pay attention to this during the game and you'll see that Cam is not only more accurate than you may think, he's really safe almost to a fault because there are times where maybe he could put it more in front for a chance at a big play and doesn't.

[AceBoogie]

I’m assuming his balls are located between his legs like every other male. What’s the problem?

[joemac]

That sounds good, if Cam didn’t struggle to hit his receivers in the chest, in stride, even on a little screen or swing pass. I’m sorry, I love Cam, but he IS NOT an accurate QB. He rarely, if ever, hits his guy in stride, in the numbers. You can say it’s to avoid INT’s, but that’s not what I see. His accuracy has not improved much since he was a rookie, and will never improve much. He’s not going to magically get more accurate at age 30. He will never be Aaron Rodgers. We will continue to see guys jumping and flailing for passes behind them and over their heads as long as Cam is our QB. 

Once again, not trying to bash our guy, I love him. I’m just speaking from my point of view. 

[ickmule]

They are placed on his girls chin often I’m sure.  

[jfra78]

#threadderailed

[IceWhiteice]

1 hour ago, joemac said:

That sounds good, if Cam didn’t struggle to hit his receivers in the chest, in stride, even on a little screen or swing pass. I’m sorry, I love Cam, but he IS NOT an accurate QB. He rarely, if ever, hits his guy in stride, in the numbers. You can say it’s to avoid INT’s, but that’s not what I see. His accuracy has not improved much since he was a rookie, and will never improve much. He’s not going to magically get more accurate at age 30. He will never be Aaron Rodgers. We will continue to see guys jumping and flailing for passes behind them and over their heads as long as Cam is our QB. 

Once again, not trying to bash our guy, I love him. I’m just speaking from my point of view. 

I love people like you. That’s a great to be unbias regardless of being a fan of the team. I know people will jump all over you but oh well. I felt even his MVP year he left a lot of touchdowns out there still. When he decline it’s going to be like Allen Iverson. He depends on his physical talents not his technique. The coaches and himself did a injustice by letting him throw off his back foot after his rookie year.

[raz]

i like how he takes his eyes off where he is throwing the ball during his motion.    i think it helps

[raz]

i love him too but he is real streaky with his accuracy.   sometimes he gets on a roll.  if it was more often we would be nearly impossible to beat

[MHS831]

4 hours ago, AceBoogie said:

I’m assuming his balls are located between his legs like every other male. What’s the problem?

And some women I know,  albeit I did not check their ID...

To say that Cam is taking care of the ball instead of being inaccurate is just not true. Yes, he protects the ball, but he overthrows a lot of open WRs.  He is not an accurate passer, unless he throws at the back of his drop after planting.  Before or after that, I am not impressed.  He struggles to read the defenses as the great ones do, causing him to release the ball a half second late at times.  Timing is everything, and when the timing breaks down and people start improvising--(see Thomas, Ian).  What do you get with Cam?   A beast of a running QB who has a gun on his right shoulder.  Running QBs instinctively position their feet and momentum to run when there is trouble brewing.  Cam does that too.  So you can't really have an accurate QB who can run without some other issues. That threat to run is huge for Cam--the defenses can't blitz with as much aggression and the LBs/DBs have to shadow him. Add the option, and he is a nightmare.  Comparing him to Brees and Brady is just silly (those who do).  He is not that player.

[Marguide]

To add to the OP's thoughts, I have noticed the same thing, but especially in the red zone. 

Cam is careful to a fault near the end zone, avoiding int's but also missing some TD's as a result.

[Khyber53]

Cam is best compared to Steve Young. His stats lag behind on passing, but having Jerry Rice as a receiver was a real boost.

Both QBs, though, had/have the ability to run or pass to win games and both have done that on a consistent basis. 

[MHS831]

I also think we are in need of a WR excellent hands--Proehl comes to mind, maybe Cotchery.  I think Moore will be that guy.  Cam trusts CMC, so he feels more confident going to him.  I am tired of seeing 3-4 drops a game.  That tells me that we do not prioritize hands (we went after Ginn, Smith, etc.) as much as speed.

Cam is who he is--Brees has accuracy because without it, he fails.  Cam has other options and, growing up as a very large, athletic QB, he has not had to focus on just one thing.  Does that mean he is not a good QB--no.  It means that he is not the perfect QB.

[trucpfan]

1 hour ago, MHS831 said:

And some women I know,  albeit I did not check their ID...

To say that Cam is taking care of the ball instead of being inaccurate is just not true. 

I can further expand on that Cams my guy but I'll give you an example when Thomas was crossing the field had a step in his man "Safe Cam" puts the ball a step behind him instead of front so he doesn't get smoked (defenseless WR using the op theory) he then slows down makes the catch but instead of turning up the field for about ten to fifteen he gets slammed by the defender trailing leaves him slightly woozy gets the first and about two extra yards how the heck does his placement help us that's just not what he puts on tape but I have seen him a certain times throw perfect darts all day long but one thing that does help my boy get in rhythm is the hurry up playing with pace but we know that's only when we're are losing by 14 so hey it's a toss a offensive mind probably gave Cam running a moderated hurry up to get his rhythm going immediately but we have out ways and we'll probably never.

[Fox007]

10 minutes ago, MHS831 said:

I also think we are in need of a WR excellent hands--Proehl comes to mind, maybe Cotchery.  I think Moore will be that guy.  Cam trusts CMC, so he feels more confident going to him.  I am tired of seeing 3-4 drops a game.  That tells me that we do not prioritize hands (we went after Ginn, Smith, etc.) as much as speed.

Cam is who he is--Brees has accuracy because without it, he fails.  Cam has other options and, growing up as a very large, athletic QB, he has not had to focus on just one thing.  Does that mean he is not a good QB--no.  It means that he is not the perfect QB.

CMC has the best hands on the team other than maybe Olsen who fits your description. I think you maybe forgot about that as it doesn't have to be a WR just a pass catcher. But yea our best pass catchers are not even WRs...

Cam does struggle to hit his target in stride and seems to like to hit the person rather than throw to a space for YAC. But Cam has also had those drops like you've said. Very bad drops too, a lot on deep would be TD passes which would add to his yards and TD numbers.