Cosell on running qb's: Running qb's are great but throwing from the pocket is still the best option

[Paintballguy]

http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/nfl-sh...7022--nfl.html

[pslholder96]

The zone read option in the long run will just fade away as defenses learn to install "QB read" option in their schemes to counteract.

[NOLARavenFAN]

When we contained the edge Kaepernick was very limited in what he could do.....on the plays we got caught inside he just took off.
Kaep made some nice throws but against good DBs and disciplined pass rush (Seattle. St.L) he is in trouble. Niners may not even make the POs IMO.

[The Excellector]

You won't make it through 16 regular season games and 3-4 postseason games with a healthy QB, using the read option as a significant portion of your offense, and win the Super Bowl.

[HoustonRaven]

I am not going to crap on the read option just yet. The Niners were one or two plays away from winning the whole thing so the concept obviously has some merits. Too small a sample size.

The Niners were averaging 8 yards a play when they ran a play out of the pistol in the playoffs and Super Bowl so there's obviously a benefit to the system.

The problem, IMO, is the type of QB that runs the system needs to be larger than your average QB to make it work right AND he needs to have some skills in the pocket.

The Niners (and Seahawks) figured this out before the Skins did. CK is a big dude in the sense that he's got thick legs and can take a hit or two. RGIII has some pretty thin legs and now he's working on his second knee surgery of his football career.

You won't make it through 16 regular season games and 3-4 postseason games with a healthy QB, using the read option as a significant portion of your offense, and win the Super Bowl.

Yet they were one or two plays away from winning the whole thing. I think poor coaching had more to do the Niners issues than the read option.

[NCRAVEN]

Yet they were one or two plays away from winning the whole thing. I think poor coaching had more to do the Niners issues than the read option.

To be fair, Kapernick only played 10.

I think the read option will be around, but not as a full-time offense. Too much money is put into a QB to have him standing in the pocket getting smacked around to then also have him run and throw him to the wolves.

Don't remember where I heard it but there is a great quote with this. "There are a lot of great young running qB's... but there are not a lot of old ones"

[Paintballguy]

I am not going to crap on the read option just yet. The Niners were one or two plays away from winning the whole thing so the concept obviously has some merits. Too small a sample size.

The Niners were averaging 8 yards a play when they ran a play out of the pistol in the playoffs and Super Bowl so there's obviously a benefit to the system.

The problem, IMO, is the type of QB that runs the system needs to be larger than your average QB to make it work right AND he needs to have some skills in the pocket.

The Niners (and Seahawks) figured this out before the Skins did. CK is a big dude in the sense that he's got thick legs and can take a hit or two. RGIII has some pretty thin legs and now he's working on his second knee surgery of his football career.



Yet they were one or two plays away from winning the whole thing. I think poor coaching had more to do the Niners issues than the read option.

The reason why kaepernick has success in the pistol and read option is because he can make throws from the pocket. That was the whole point of the article. If you run a read option with a qb that can't make throws from the pocket it's not going to work. Ie Tyler thigpen.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[alien bird]

Yet they were one or two plays away from winning the whole thing. I think poor coaching had more to do the Niners issues than the read option.

I think the 49ers losses had more to do with the type of teams they lost to, rather than poor coaching. The 49ers present themselves as a badass, hard-nosed team, but they have trouble with teams who don't back down and aren't intimidated by their posturing.

[The Excellector]

I am not going to crap on the read option just yet. The Niners were one or two plays away from winning the whole thing so the concept obviously has some merits. Too small a sample size.

The Niners were averaging 8 yards a play when they ran a play out of the pistol in the playoffs and Super Bowl so there's obviously a benefit to the system.

The problem, IMO, is the type of QB that runs the system needs to be larger than your average QB to make it work right AND he needs to have some skills in the pocket.

The Niners (and Seahawks) figured this out before the Skins did. CK is a big dude in the sense that he's got thick legs and can take a hit or two. RGIII has some pretty thin legs and now he's working on his second knee surgery of his football career.



Yet they were one or two plays away from winning the whole thing. I think poor coaching had more to do the Niners issues than the read option.

Kaepernick didn't start the entire season.

[HoustonRaven]

I think the 49ers losses had more to do with the type of teams they lost to, rather than poor coaching. The 49ers present themselves as a badass, hard-nosed team, but they have trouble with teams who don't back down and aren't intimidated by their posturing.

I agree and feel that has a lot to do with coaching as well.

Reminds me of Rex and the Jets in many ways. We didn't back down from them and he's yet to beat us.

[Ravenswintitle]

that article was nothing we don't already know...

[The Excellector]

that article was nothing we don't already know...

You know, that was my first thought as well. It's almost like somebody has to hear everything they believe from the most reputable source, before they will believe it.

[wickedsolo]

The read-option only works when you have a really good OL and RB. You can have a mobile QB all you want, but if you don't have a RB with good vision it won't make much of a difference.

Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch, and Morris are all really good vision backs that know how to follow their blockers.

[Sirdowski]

The read-option only works when you have a really good OL and RB. You can have a mobile QB all you want, but if you don't have a RB with good vision it won't make much of a difference.

Frank Gore, Marshawn Lynch, and Morris are all really good vision backs that know how to follow their blockers.

Good point. Of the the three my favorite to watch is Frank Gore. The guy is an absolute technician between the tackles.

[Beau Petard]

Excell--
"It's almost like somebody has to hear everything they believe from the most reputable source, before they will believe it."

That's why I always waited when on Sunspot for old19fan's discourse on every issue....

[srobert96]

The only way the read option survives is if the league puts in new rules protecting QBs while running. If you look at a lot of the injuries to QBs it has usually been outside the pocket. There were a few knee injuries to QBs in the pocket and the NFL created a rule that you are not allowed to hit them in the knees or below. You also cant hit them in the head. Outside the pocket they are fair game. Defenders tee off on QBs every chance they can. Ben is guy that gets out of the pocket and extends plays. He has been hit so much that his body is starting wear down. The players in the NFL are just to big and fast to risk your QB carrying the ball on a regular basis.

[bt12483]

Running QBs rarely win the SB. Not Cunningham, not McNabb, not Vick, not Kaepernick this year.

The closest is maybe Rodgers? Big Ben? No one would label them running QBs, they just happen to at times make some good plays with their feet.

Until running QBs start winning the SB I will stick with pocket passers, who have proven success in winning SBs.

[The Excellector]

It is not as difficult to defend as Trent Dilfer would lead you to believe. He mentions a numbers game. Well, when you have a NT the caliber of Casey Hampton, Vince Wilfork or Haloti Ngata (When he played NT more often), that starts to reverse that numbers game. A player of that caliber has to be double teamed. Then, you need OLBs who can set the edge. After that, if the RB isn't scorching you, it becomes a hindrance to the QB's ability to get into a throwing rhythm.

[HoustonRaven]

Running QBs rarely win the SB. Not Cunningham, not McNabb, not Vick, not Kaepernick this year.

The closest is maybe Rodgers? Big Ben? No one would label them running QBs, they just happen to at times make some good plays with their feet.

Until running QBs start winning the SB I will stick with pocket passers, who have proven success in winning SBs.

Steve Young says hello.

[bt12483]

Steve Young says hello.

Young's highest rushing yards in a season was 537. Oh and only 3 times did he actually play a full 16 game season in his career. Coincidence?

537 is also generally much less than the other QBs I listed as true "running" QBs.

CAREER HIGH RUSH YARDS IN A SEASON
Rodgers: 356 (example of a mobile QB, but not a running QB)
Wilson: 489
McNabb: 629
Kaepernick: 415 (10 starts, full season would project to around 650-700 yards)
Newton: 741
Griffin: 815
Cunningham: 942
Vick: 1039


You think Young belongs in the same discussion with Vick, Cunningham, etc. as a "running"QB? He was mobile. I don't know that he rises to the level of these other guys though. Some of them almost double Young's career high rush yards in comparable seasons.

I think QB types goes pocket/mobile/running. Pocket = basically no rushing. Mobile = a decent amount of rushing. Running = one of the primary elements of their game. I think Young is more in the "mobile" group than the "running" group. Similar to Rodgers.

Even if Steve Young is deemed a running QB...after that you have guys like Elway, Brady, Manning(s), Brees, Big Ben, Rodgers, Flacco. None of those guys are running QBs. So, running QBs really don't win many SBs. If running QBs win the next 5-10 SBs, let me know.