Dak Prescott, Trevor Seimeon, Carson Wentz, and Cody Kessler all have three things in common:
1: All are rookie starting quarterbacks.
2: All have the support of playmakers, a running game, and at least average defenses. (Yes. They. Do. Is any of this starting to sink in yet? Anybody home?)
3: All their Head Coaches are former quarterbacks, with strong coaching pedigrees and backgrounds.
Prescott, Seimeon, and Wentz started much earlier, and have been undeniably more impressive to this point, but there are more common elements which also apply to Kessler:
When these Coaches made these decisions to start these rookies, a whole lot of people said "Uh-oh!", and a few said "What the hell is he doing?"
Hue Jackson was a small college dual threat quarterback who lacked the physical tools for the NFL, but obviously "gets" the position, and began his coaching career from that perspective. Jason Garrett, Kubiak, and Pederson were long-time backups, with some starts (Pederson spent time in Cleveland, I think with Schottenheimer).
They knew what they were doing. Wentz is just a phenomenon. Pederson started him out with training wheels, but it immediately became clear that he was ready for the whole playbook.
Prescott and Seimeon took a little longer, but are now doing the same after only three games.
Some, including me, were expecting Wentz here, and after the trade down, watching Prescott slide. We were stunned by the Kessler pick, especially in the third round. And frankly, I never heard of Seimeon either.
But, unlike some other people, I'm liking Kessler so far.
He's still got his training wheels on, and is way behind the big three. He has other disadvantages they don't have as well.
Philly has reasonable talent, including a defense which defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz is demonstrating is very talented. There is some measure of continuity, as Pederson understudied Andy Reid, and some of the players already knew his system.
Dallas is obviously loaded, with well established systems on both sides of the ball. Denver is similar. All three were good or great environments to help a baby quarterback not fall down go boom.
The Browns are loaded with rookies, injuries, and now an arrest. New offensive and defensive systems, and a big hole at right tackle. (I'm still mystified by the Schwartz thing).
But Kessler came back from eleven points down, (missed field goal/overtime/loss). That was pretty good. Hue Jackson and Terrell Pryor helped him a lot. Every time Hue wanted to talk to the kid, he just pulled him off the field and let Terrelle run the show for a play or three! Rotated him in and out like a defensive lineman! I've never seen that before!
"You can't do that.".
I've read critiques on Kessler bemoaning his lack of frozen rope passes, and questioning his arm. Hue would explain to them, if asked, that you never throw harder than you have to, because you want to give your receiver the most catchable ball you can.
Kessler was, without a doubt, constraindicted (unlike "utilize" that's a real word btw) from throwing into tight windows. The high arcs deeper were timing throws, intentionally thrown on high trajectories to allow the receiver to get under them and shield a trailing defender from breaking it up.
I was bothered by two of the comeback throws to Pryor. He should have put more mustard on them to give Pryor more time with the ball in his hands, but this might well have been a choice, rather than an arm.
I've seen Kessler's college tapes. He doesn't have a rifle, but he can throw low and hard. Colt McCoy couldn't, at least at first. Kessler is stronger.
As you saw, if you were paying attention, Kessler throws accurately, all-arm, while running to his right. His scouting reports were crap. This is unusual. Most quarterbacks lose accuracy without their feet set.
...ok I didn't just say he was John Elway good grief stop it.
Hue told him: Don't force anything. Throw it away or eat it if you have to. Check down, be careful, protect the ball. Kessler in his first start isn't the Kessler who will eventually emerge when the training wheels come off.
Fortunately, the Browns have estsblished a truly strong running game. In fact I was shocked by the runs right through the middle of that defensive front.
Unfortunately, a certain ex-Seahawk guard who had something to do with that just got arrested. The dui isn't that bad, but if early reports are correct, he had cocaine on him too. He may well be released. (Update: weed)
Fortunately, Pazstor sucks at right tackle (vs speed rushers on passing downs) but is a pretty good guard, and Rango or Coleman may replace him at right tackle this week.
The two rookies might not be ready yet, but Hue may be forced to make this move, and frankly, I doubt that either of them could do worse.
Telfer was the only real blocking tight end, and is also a nice big checkdown target for a rookie quarterback. Maybe he will get well soon.
The Redskins are better than they've looked so far this season, but the guys on NFL Radio give the Browns an outside chance of upstetting them. Or did, before the arrest.
Nassib might return (with a club on his hand). Kessler has passed his first test, and may do a little more. Pryor...well he's not going anywhere, is he? Who's going to cover him, huh? Maybe different zebras won't let cornerbacks grab and wrestle with him all the way down the field on every vertical route (really--that was rediculous, I don't fault the defender-- he was dead meat if he didn't, and if the referee lets him do it, he will do it. Along with Nassib and McCown, Pryor seems to have joined Cam Newton on the Do Not Call/Open Season List.)
Call him Pryer. Always prying cornerbacks fingers out of his jersey. Nothing to see here, move along!
Kessler might still fail, but so far, so good. Well, if he doesn't get...nevermind.
Correction: Telfer played. He might have been a factor in the running game and helped Pazstor on the passing downs where Kessler had more than about two seconds.
No comments:
Post a Comment