Does Jake have tunnel vision?

[Snake]

I think Jake does have a "tell" in his delivery this year, but I don't think it was picked up on until Arizona caught it in the playoffs. To their credit, the Cards' coaching staff has done a great job at finding tendencies this year.

Here's something interesting that says as much about Davidson as it does Delhomme. We have one of the most dynamic receivers in the NFL, and he's involved in only 14.1% of our total offensive plays. Williams, on the other hand, was involved in 33.8% of our offensive plays this year. In Arizona, Fitzgerald was involved 15.9% of the time. In Indy, Wayne went for 13.6%. Question is, do we have a winning formula there or should we give the ball to Smith more?

So much coverage goes to Smith that might have some to do with it but we dont seem to try to find machups much on offense with our WRs. I guess its cause we are so focused on running the ball.

[Brooklyn Bully]

[magnus]

As anyone who reads these boards regularly knows, the popular perception is that Jake has tunnel vision where Smitty is concerned, and the reason we don't have a good number two receiver is as much due to lack of opportunity as anything else. Smitty makes Jake, and no other receiver can ever develop until we get a new quarterback who won't just toss it up in the air and wait for Smith to bail him out.

...

So after looking at all of that, I kind of think the whole tunnel vision idea is a crock, and it belongs in the trashbin along with the whole "Jake has no arm strength" and "Jake just has good numbers because of Smitty" myths. Of course, people who hate Jake don't care for the truth, and they'll be talking about tunnel vision inside of a week if they think they can get away with it and it helps their argument. But at least this information is out there now.

parsed so the quote isn't so long.

Good post. I think this gets rid of most of the notion that it's the decision making that's the problem. If you go back to midseason, while Oakland was partially targeting Smith, a lot of Jake's INTs (a disproportionate amount) are on secondary receivers.

The problem (and I'd say I back Delhomme) is more inconsistency. His mechanics could be better, and his placement could be better (which is probably a function of mechanics). There's some improvement to be had there. So hopefully we get a boost there - also, there's the hope that given the performances after the bye weeks, that Jake will be more physically sound with the rebuilt arm after an offseason of relative rest.

[ShutDwn]

Too large a gap between Smith, Moose and the rest of the players for me to be happy with the passing game.

An efficient offensive passing game will have more of a ladder in catches, our passing game was basically all or nothing, something that seems to define Jake Delhomme. Despite our terrific running game, we were 18th in the league in 3rd down percentage, and even then I bet that stat is a lot worse if it were 3rd down passing. I think most fans knew when we were hit with 3rd and 5, our chances of getting it were slim at best. Defenses just tried to stop Smith and Moose and relied on Jake to be unable to find the weakpoint in the defense. This is why Ricky Proehl was good, the defenses concentrated on the big names like Moose and Smith and would let Proehl get open. Jake definitely plays with a bias, and it shows.

[Mr. Scot]

The problem (and I'd say I back Delhomme) is more inconsistency. His mechanics could be better, and his placement could be better (which is probably a function of mechanics). There's some improvement to be had there. So hopefully we get a boost there - also, there's the hope that given the performances after the bye weeks, that Jake will be more physically sound with the rebuilt arm after an offseason of relative rest.

Hence, Rip Scherer.

(name still sounds more like a character in a surfer movie than a coach)

[House]

First off, I would like to know when it became impossible to teach a 34 year old man how to throw a football more effectively? How is teaching a 26-27 year old QB easier than teaching a 34 year old QB? Do QB's go retarded at 33 and are unable to learn after that age? If so I would like a link to this research because my nephew is a QB and I will have to seriously consider telling him to switch positions just in case he ever makes it to the NFL.

Second, has anyone ever really noticed our reciever's positions on the field at the time Jake throws the ball? Apparently not.

Generally as an offense when you are passing the ball a bunch of poo can go wrong so you must simplify it as much as possible. Thus, what you attempt to do is have all of your QB's targets in the same area at different levels of the field. This way a qb is not having to look all the way across from one side to another to see who is open or about to be open.

This does not mean that you want everybody bunched up together but everyone spread out but in a manner that is easy to see.

So when you see Delhomme staring to the left and not even going right it does not mean he is staring down Smith, although he is probably watching him close because Smith is usually your primary target. It just means that 95% of the action is on the left half of the field. Yes, Williams or Moose or whoever may be to the right and fairly open but Jakes main concern will be left. If Jake diagnosis that there is no way anything to the left is open and he has yet to be sacked, then look right.

Jake is flawed but he does not have tunnel vision.

[magnus]

Too large a gap between Smith, Moose and the rest of the players for me to be happy with the passing game.

An efficient offensive passing game will have more of a ladder in catches, our passing game was basically all or nothing, something that seems to define Jake Delhomme. Despite our terrific running game, we were 18th in the league in 3rd down percentage, and even then I bet that stat is a lot worse if it were 3rd down passing. I think most fans knew when we were hit with 3rd and 5, our chances of getting it were slim at best. Defenses just tried to stop Smith and Moose and relied on Jake to be unable to find the weakpoint in the defense. This is why Ricky Proehl was good, the defenses concentrated on the big names like Moose and Smith and would let Proehl get open. Jake definitely plays with a bias, and it shows.

I think we'd use the backs in the passing game more if 1) we weren't using so much playaction, 2) if our passing game was a bigger threat than the run (i.e. screens aren't viable if people aren't pinned back rushing) and 3) if they didn't already get a bunch of touches.

We should be able to get more out of the TEs - Rosario specifically is better than he's shown. We do, as well, run a bunch of 2 TE so it fits both the pass and then run well. But then you have to be able to be effective and efficient there, and we haven't been for various reasons.

The biggest problem with our current WR talent level is that the best slot type receiver we have is Hackett. Inconsistent, injury prone, and no future here. So, you use Jarrett. Who doesn't fit the slot well - he's best on the outside against deeper coverage instead of press that the nickel plays. You can't put Moose there for similar reasons - so you're left with...Smith? That doesn't work either. We're really better out of base formations for numerous reasons, which doesn't allow for as much success on 3rd down.

[Cyberjag]

A lot of people here are excited about the flashes in the slot that Robinson's shown.

[magnus]

Hence, Rip Scherer.

(name still sounds more like a character in a surfer movie than a coach)

hopefully, anyway. I've seen myself and numerous others hope for better QBs coaching than McCoy, and he's got the experience (if only a few years at the pro level). I don't think it's a cure all, but if you can get someone to work directly with him and know how to fix things, it's a start.

Who knows, we might even see Jake throw a ball away now and again.

[PantherDFense]

I don't need the numbers to know that Jake has tunnel vision. The question is..is he making the best decision at the time for the team, or is he STRUGGLIN'to get the ball to Smitty so Smitty won't get on him. Jake has tunnel vision and the DC's around the league are picking up on it...so is the Panthers..JON BEASON:

Most likely couple you would like to see get back together

"Jake Delhomme & Mushin Muhammed"

[Cyberjag]

I don't need the numbers to know that Jake has tunnel vision. The question is..is he making the best decision at the time for the team, or is he STRUGGLIN'to get the ball to Smitty so Smitty won't get on him. Jake has tunnel vision and the DC's around the league are picking up on it...so is the Panthers..JON BEASON:

Most likely couple you would like to see get back together

"Jake Delhomme & Mushin Muhammed"

Congratulations on what has to be an almost-perfect illustration of what I was talking about in the original post.

[Kevin Greene]

I see Smitty and Moose getting plenty of catches. We were just south of two 1000 yard receivers. But with weapons like our runiing backs the check down to a back has got to be a priority if for no other rerason than to stop throwing into double coverage. I'd like to see DWill and Stews' total of 30 catches this year at least doubled next season. Between the two of them we should be able to push 800-1000 yards.

[Cyberjag]

One thing that jumped out at me when I did this. When we threw to the backs the average yards per catch were 5.1. Our average run was about that. So, there's no advantage to throwing to the backs aside from misdirection, and in a way it's worse because they only catch 3 out fo 5 attempts. So when we run it, we get about 5 yards. When we pass it to a back, we only average about 3 yards.

[guyinchesapeake]

I believe absolutely that Jake has 'tunnel vision' or whatever else you want to call it (I call it really bad fundamentals). Just like his often poor play fakes, just like his often flawed pump fakes, his ability to 'look off' his receiver progressions hurts this team as much as anything else. I'm actually stunned we've had the success we've had with him, given how he has not progressed one iota since he took over the starting job in 2003. The worst team in the playoffs, by far, is representing our conference in the Super Bowl, and we made them look invincible due to the pathetic performance of our QB.

I like Jake, but he frustrates me. I don't know if it's actually HIM, or if he's a reflection of the coaching staff's lack or ability when it comes to developing the QB position. But I think tunnel vision is as accurate a description as any. There's no doubt that for all passing plays that are not designed to have the pass go to our backs, he looks for Smith first, and KEEPS ON LOOKING for him for an inordinate amount of time. We will not achieve real success until we can maximize the contributions of all involved. Might Colbert have paid a price for this tendency of Jake's. Who else will also?