Week 2: Indianapolis Colts

[Thaiphoon]

Just now, HTTRG3Dynasty said:

It helps to have WRs who you trust to catch the ball.  But yes, Smith should have been much more aggressive in the 4th.  But I think he played well the first 3 quarters, despite the guys around him (OL, WRs) playing like crap.

Very true about the OL/WRs. I think he could've been a bit better in the first 3 quarters. I gave him some blame there, but I also blame his supporting cast more. The 4th quarter? Yeah, I was looking for him to kick it into high gear and he never got out of neutral (for my taste).

[turtle28]

6 hours ago, Thaiphoon said:

Early in the game. How about down 2 scores with less than 7 minutes to go. No 50/50 balls. With a cover 2 shell, you HAVE to take the shots even if it means it might get INT. Because the other options are incomplete, complete, or PI. 

So the book is out on our offense now. Opposing defenses on passing downs just rush 3 or 4, drop back 7 or 8 and run a Cover 2 shell.  

We had the same issues in the past. If we don’t have the running game going like vs AZ, teams are going to run this defense all game on us and make Alex complete short to intermediate routes all game. We’ll have to hope our RBs, TEs and Wrs break some of their receptions for long plays like they did vs AZ and how CT, Crowder, Djax, Garcon and VD, did in the past for former QBs.

[Thaiphoon]

1 hour ago, turtle28 said:

We had the same issues in the past. If we don’t have the running game going like vs AZ, teams are going to run this defense all game on us and make Alex complete short to intermediate routes all game. We’ll have to hope our RBs, TEs and Wrs break some of their receptions for long plays like they did vs AZ and how CT, Crowder, Djax, Garcon and VD, did in the past for former QBs.

Yeah, but you still have to take the long shots anyway. You can't just keep taking what they give you. You have to make them start backing up before the ball is snapped.

[Doc Draper]

Remember when we were great? We pounded and pounded and pounded and then threw bombs. That’s redskins football. What made Gibbs so great was even when the running game wasn’t working, he’d loosen the defense with bombs on first and second downs and out scheme the opponent with new formations that got both the tuning and passing game going. I do like that college formation we have started running where the WR peels back but other than that we are very unimagative. On defense do you think Richie P would just let a team complete endless pick passes? No, he’d double safety blitz the QB and knock him off his spot or out. 

It’s repetitive I know but we don’t have top flight coaches at HC and DC. But I still prefer to remember the way we were

 

 

[turtle28]

1 hour ago, Thaiphoon said:

Yeah, but you still have to take the long shots anyway. You can't just keep taking what they give you. You have to make them start backing up before the ball is snapped.

Like the one to Richardson in week 1 - which would’ve been a 77-yd TD if Jamar Taylor didn’t grab his arm - and Crowder in week 2?

[Thaiphoon]

Just now, turtle28 said:

Like the one to Richardson in week 1 - which would’ve been a 77-yd TD if Jamar Taylor didn’t grab his arm - and Crowder in week 2?

Only more often. And definitely when down 2 scores with under 7 minutes to play

[turtle28]

39 minutes ago, Doc Draper said:

Remember when we were great? We pounded and pounded and pounded and then threw bombs. That’s redskins football. What made Gibbs so great was even when the running game wasn’t working, he’d loosen the defense with bombs on first and second downs and out scheme the opponent with new formations that got both the tuning and passing game going. I do like that college formation we have started running where the WR peels back but other than that we are very unimagative. On defense do you think Richie P would just let a team complete endless pick passes? No, he’d double safety blitz the QB and knock him off his spot or out. 

It’s repetitive I know but we don’t have top flight coaches at HC and DC. But I still prefer to remember the way we were

 

 

The 80s aren’t coming back, Doc, you have to let them go. DBs can’t even touch WRs after 5 yards anymore but WRs can pick at will as long as it’s not obvious, totally different times. 

[turtle28]

2 minutes ago, Thaiphoon said:

Only more often. And definitely when down 2 scores with under 7 minutes to play

Yes, just chuck it up at will blindly that’s definitely the way to go.

Can you at least show me a play where Alex had time to throw it downfield w/o pressure in his face but didn’t?

[Thaiphoon]

1 minute ago, turtle28 said:

Yes, just chuck it up at will blindly that’s definitely the way to go.

Yeah, not what I said.

Here, you dropped some straw erecting this...

[Woz]

9 minutes ago, turtle28 said:

Can you at least show me a play where Alex had time to throw it downfield w/o pressure in his face but didn’t?

If he didn't have time to throw it downfield, then scramble to the sideline.

Why is this so hard to understand?

[Thaiphoon]

23 minutes ago, turtle28 said:

Can you at least show me a play where Alex had time to throw it downfield w/o pressure in his face but didn’t?

Go watch the 4th quarter again.

[turtle28]

7 hours ago, Thaiphoon said:

Go watch the 4th quarter again.

I watched the 4th quarter but w/o seeing the All-22, which maybe I should get, it’s impossible to know what was available downfield and if Alex had time.

i personally don’t remember Alex having much time at all, Sprinkle just letting an ILB run right past him as he leaks out passed him w/o getting touched for a sack. If sprinkle makes that block, maybe Alex has time to go downfield. Both of our OTs, or C and LG gave up multiple pressures and a few sacks. 

Alex is mobile, but he’s not a magic man like Russell Wilson who we all saw have no magic on Monday night when pressure was bearing down on him all night.

[turtle28]

Perfect ball by Alex here on one of the few times the Colts played man to man. Richardson on the 34-yd Reception, the longest reception of the day for either team.

I guess the only thing they could’ve done was try some outside zone runs, a sweep or a pitch. This explains Gruden’s thinking ok why he tried to pitch it to CT on 3rd & 1 but I still would’ve liked to see a sneak.

 

Worth the read if you feel like subscribing to the Athletic.

 

[Thaiphoon]

1 hour ago, turtle28 said:

I watched the 4th quarter but w/o seeing the All-22, which maybe I should get, it’s impossible to know what was available downfield and if Alex had time.

i personally don’t remember Alex having much time at all, Sprinkle just letting an ILB run right past him as he leaks out passed him w/o getting touched for a sack. If sprinkle makes that block, maybe Alex has time to go downfield. Both of our OTs, or C and LG gave up multiple pressures and a few sacks. 

Alex is mobile, but he’s not a magic man like Russell Wilson who we all saw have no magic on Monday night when pressure was bearing down on him all night.

Your question was this, was it not?

Quote

Can you at least show me a play where Alex had time to throw it downfield w/o pressure in his face but didn’t?

You don't need the All-22 for that. Network coverage will show you how much time he had to throw and if someone was in his face since it follows the ball. He had plenty of time in the 4th. Especially the last half of that quarter where he had plenty of time to throw and didn't go downfield once

[turtle28]

20 minutes ago, Thaiphoon said:

Your question was this, was it not?

You don't need the All-22 for that. Network coverage will show you how much time he had to throw and if someone was in his face since it follows the ball. He had plenty of time in the 4th. Especially the last half of that quarter where he had plenty of time to throw and didn't go downfield once

Yes, some time but no open WRs. You’re fine with multiple ints in the 4th quarter when we are trying to win games - most fans are not - or at least they haven’t been historically since I’ve been alive for 39-years. Historically, if a QB throws an int in the 4th Q while trying to tie a score up he gets blasted by the fan base and media for throwing an int - see Cousins in 2016 at home vs the Giants - which many believe was the moment the Front Office decided he wouldn’t be re-signed long term in DC.

Now Alex is getting blasted for not throwing passes that likely would be intercepted, it’s an amazing phenomenona. It just seems to me that @e16bballhit the nail on the head when describing most of the posters positions on Alex Smith in this forum after a Redskins loss where they failed to score a TD.

I think another thing that I’m sure showed up in their tape when watching the Bengals at Colts game in week 1 was that #29 - Malik Hooker - the FS for the Colts has great range and has the talent to one day be mentioned in the same breath as Ed Reed as far as a FS ball hawk with range and ball skills goes.