Well, that's your opinion, I do NOT agree. Scapegoat? Hardly.
I've not missed *a single snap* Griese has gotten. Not one, I've seen every preseason game, every regular season game.. I never miss a PLAY. Here is the reality of the situation.
With excellent.. and I mean ironclad protection, Griese is great. Very accurate, very fast passes. You saw it last game against the Bolts. He was only sacked once, but he was virtually untouched in the game.
Very boring.. but very accurate and proficient.
Unfortunately, it is when he was pressured when he fell apart. The pivotal point? When Nalen went down with an injury, and our O-Line had to shift around. That is the precise moment Griese fell apart in Denver.
When he is pressured, Griese has virtually no mobility behind the line, and no make-play ability. I mean like.. NONE. I used the term 'As mobile as a rock in a stupor' several times last year, and for good reason. He can sometimes find a lane and jaunt for a quick 10 yards, which is nice. But he cannot dodge players. One guy gets past the line, he is doomed. I literally watched a guy grab his ankle, and he simply collapsed in a heap. It was really pathetic, I was starting to get upset with him about this point.
When he gets pressured, he gets flustered, and he starts making bad decisions. More than once he led the team on a drive, only to throw a very ill advised pass in the redzone, ending drives that would have *won the game*. He did it *two weeks in a row*!! He wasn't paying attention, a guy in the 'robber' position did jus' that, robbed him twice in two weeks.
When he is protected and playing well, he does exude confidence. He really does look like a winner. When he is pressured and starts making some bad plays, this is where he really falls apart. This is what upset me the most about him.
When he was doing poorly, he didn't go over to the coach to look at the sheets to see what he could do to make it right. He didn't go and try to fire up the other players. He would go sit on the *defensive* bench, by himself, usually tossing his helmet down. He would sit alone, like a little kid. He had zero leadership skills during these times.
When Sharpe came back to the Broncos, he actually *went over to Griese on the Defensive bench and would talk to him to encourage him*! Why in the world are receivers having to pep talk our leader?! Sharpe finally gave up by the end of the year. He flat out said he didn't think Griese was interested in playing football at all. Griese himself admitted he would rather be doing his charity work. Which is very admirable, but not great for other players to hear.
When the team had a bad week.. he tore up the receivers.. to the media. You don't DO that! He was introverted and a loner, and things like this didn't make it better.
He DID have some close friends mind you! He chose a few people to confide in, and he got along with them. But that was not many, he alienated most of the rest of the team, it had nothing to do with the fans or the coach, it was just the way he was. He admitted it himself, saying he was just a quiet guy.
In the Oakland game, it was do or die, and everyone knew it. The fans, the coach, the team, and he as well. He reacted by completely choking. His last problem that I hated. When the pressure was really on, he would completely fold and fall apart. It was depressing to watch, because I so wanted him to do well!
So the good and bad of Brian in a nutshell:
With protection, he is accurate, proficient, efficient, and can win games. When he is doing well, he exudes confidence and the players around him seem to do better.
He is a very smart guy, he can learn a playbook with ease.
If the protection is not there, he does not do well at all. He has little vision, and is often blindsided for sacks or fumbles (or injuries).
He often gets 'tunnel vision'. He tosses the ball very quickly to the first guy he sees open. Even if it is only a 2 yard pass. Even if you need 8 yards for a first down. Did you see him do that against the Bolts? I did. He tossed a couple that obviously were not going to get to the first down marker. This is because he has little makeplay ability as I call it. He can't make something out of nothing, nor has patience to wait and find a better option for a pass. Open = pass the ball, regardless.
He is not a leader with the chips are down. He sits alone, and is probably having negative thoughts about himself. I think half the problem with Brian at least when in Denver is that he is his own worst enemy. He chokes because he puts too much pressure on himself.
He is introverted and quiet off the field, and doesn't make friends easily. Black eye from falling on a driveway? Please... someone socked him one. Probably a lineman, I'm guessing, after a comment by Brian (he had been drinking).
Off field problems. He had a few. Not a big deal imo.. except that he couldn't even drive for awhile. And then after he got his license back, he ran into the last car of a funeral procession. Really. Um.. then there was of course his dog tripping incident. :)
He cannot throw a long ball. He threw one.. ONE touchdown in his years in Denver, over 30 yards. That is, the ball in the air over 30 yards. Any others were short passes that were YACs. He used to underthrow, and threw a lot of picks. Last year and a half, he overthrew instead, probably compensating. Good news? If you have a fast receiver, he can get under these overthrown balls. Lelie managed to get under a couple with his speed. If you have a fast guy, he can take advantage of this at least.
I get so sick of hearing how Brian was a scapegoat. What baloney. When Brian is making passes and playing football, the last thing he is thinking is 'Hmm.. I am replacing Elway, hope I don't screw up!'. All pro football players tell you when they are playing, they can barely hear the crowd, they are concentrating so hard on the game. Griese failed in Denver because of himself, that's it!
I rooted for him hard for 3 years. I supported him longer than others, I liked the guy, and I wanted him to succeed so badly. But by the last half of last year, I gave up on him. Basically, it was either.. change the entire team and build it around Brian, or let Brian go. I was really happy he moved on. I wished him well, but I don't want the Broncos to have to practically mold the entire offense around one guy just so he can be successful. Jake is hardly the best QB to hit the field, but he can improvise, scamble, and is exciting to watch at least. He makes bad decisions, but then.. so did Brian.
All in all, if the Dolphins can *protect* Brian, he will do well. It is when the pressure is on that the true test begins. The Miami line isn't going to be able to match up with *every* team. When he has to scramble and make something happen, you will see if a new team makes the difference.
Will you get mental-collapse Brian, or newly revived Brian? Only time will tell I think. But there was no scapegoat, not at all. Only those truly blinded by their devotion for the guy could possibily overlook the many flaws he had while in Denver. Jake may be flawed, but it is NICE to have a leader back on the team. We may lose, but we'll lose as a team. :)
And I still do wish Brian well (unless he plays us
). I always supported him.. I never hated the guy, and I will continue to hope he does well. But even as ardent as a supporter as I was, I finally realized that Brian's problems were created by HIM.. not everyone else. Every week people who supported him blamed everyone *but* him. It was the line.. or the receivers.. or the gameplan, or playcalling, etc etc.. never him. There is only so long you can continue to agree before you start questioning that maybe.. just perhaps, it isn't the entire offense and coaching staff that is the problem, but the QB instead.
Different offensive QB and playcalling, a new city, a better line.. many things can make Brian a better QB I am thinking. He may thrive in Miami! If he does, that would be cool, he would follow his father, and it would make a neat story. But I'll never think for a moment that the reason he was let go in Denver was because they needed a scapegoat, that is a line for deluded or blind fanatics.
BroncoFox
I've not missed *a single snap* Griese has gotten. Not one, I've seen every preseason game, every regular season game.. I never miss a PLAY. Here is the reality of the situation.
With excellent.. and I mean ironclad protection, Griese is great. Very accurate, very fast passes. You saw it last game against the Bolts. He was only sacked once, but he was virtually untouched in the game.
Very boring.. but very accurate and proficient.
Unfortunately, it is when he was pressured when he fell apart. The pivotal point? When Nalen went down with an injury, and our O-Line had to shift around. That is the precise moment Griese fell apart in Denver.
When he is pressured, Griese has virtually no mobility behind the line, and no make-play ability. I mean like.. NONE. I used the term 'As mobile as a rock in a stupor' several times last year, and for good reason. He can sometimes find a lane and jaunt for a quick 10 yards, which is nice. But he cannot dodge players. One guy gets past the line, he is doomed. I literally watched a guy grab his ankle, and he simply collapsed in a heap. It was really pathetic, I was starting to get upset with him about this point.
When he gets pressured, he gets flustered, and he starts making bad decisions. More than once he led the team on a drive, only to throw a very ill advised pass in the redzone, ending drives that would have *won the game*. He did it *two weeks in a row*!! He wasn't paying attention, a guy in the 'robber' position did jus' that, robbed him twice in two weeks.
When he is protected and playing well, he does exude confidence. He really does look like a winner. When he is pressured and starts making some bad plays, this is where he really falls apart. This is what upset me the most about him.
When he was doing poorly, he didn't go over to the coach to look at the sheets to see what he could do to make it right. He didn't go and try to fire up the other players. He would go sit on the *defensive* bench, by himself, usually tossing his helmet down. He would sit alone, like a little kid. He had zero leadership skills during these times.
When Sharpe came back to the Broncos, he actually *went over to Griese on the Defensive bench and would talk to him to encourage him*! Why in the world are receivers having to pep talk our leader?! Sharpe finally gave up by the end of the year. He flat out said he didn't think Griese was interested in playing football at all. Griese himself admitted he would rather be doing his charity work. Which is very admirable, but not great for other players to hear.
When the team had a bad week.. he tore up the receivers.. to the media. You don't DO that! He was introverted and a loner, and things like this didn't make it better.
He DID have some close friends mind you! He chose a few people to confide in, and he got along with them. But that was not many, he alienated most of the rest of the team, it had nothing to do with the fans or the coach, it was just the way he was. He admitted it himself, saying he was just a quiet guy.
In the Oakland game, it was do or die, and everyone knew it. The fans, the coach, the team, and he as well. He reacted by completely choking. His last problem that I hated. When the pressure was really on, he would completely fold and fall apart. It was depressing to watch, because I so wanted him to do well!
So the good and bad of Brian in a nutshell:
With protection, he is accurate, proficient, efficient, and can win games. When he is doing well, he exudes confidence and the players around him seem to do better.
He is a very smart guy, he can learn a playbook with ease.
If the protection is not there, he does not do well at all. He has little vision, and is often blindsided for sacks or fumbles (or injuries).
He often gets 'tunnel vision'. He tosses the ball very quickly to the first guy he sees open. Even if it is only a 2 yard pass. Even if you need 8 yards for a first down. Did you see him do that against the Bolts? I did. He tossed a couple that obviously were not going to get to the first down marker. This is because he has little makeplay ability as I call it. He can't make something out of nothing, nor has patience to wait and find a better option for a pass. Open = pass the ball, regardless.
He is not a leader with the chips are down. He sits alone, and is probably having negative thoughts about himself. I think half the problem with Brian at least when in Denver is that he is his own worst enemy. He chokes because he puts too much pressure on himself.
He is introverted and quiet off the field, and doesn't make friends easily. Black eye from falling on a driveway? Please... someone socked him one. Probably a lineman, I'm guessing, after a comment by Brian (he had been drinking).
Off field problems. He had a few. Not a big deal imo.. except that he couldn't even drive for awhile. And then after he got his license back, he ran into the last car of a funeral procession. Really. Um.. then there was of course his dog tripping incident. :)
He cannot throw a long ball. He threw one.. ONE touchdown in his years in Denver, over 30 yards. That is, the ball in the air over 30 yards. Any others were short passes that were YACs. He used to underthrow, and threw a lot of picks. Last year and a half, he overthrew instead, probably compensating. Good news? If you have a fast receiver, he can get under these overthrown balls. Lelie managed to get under a couple with his speed. If you have a fast guy, he can take advantage of this at least.
I get so sick of hearing how Brian was a scapegoat. What baloney. When Brian is making passes and playing football, the last thing he is thinking is 'Hmm.. I am replacing Elway, hope I don't screw up!'. All pro football players tell you when they are playing, they can barely hear the crowd, they are concentrating so hard on the game. Griese failed in Denver because of himself, that's it!
I rooted for him hard for 3 years. I supported him longer than others, I liked the guy, and I wanted him to succeed so badly. But by the last half of last year, I gave up on him. Basically, it was either.. change the entire team and build it around Brian, or let Brian go. I was really happy he moved on. I wished him well, but I don't want the Broncos to have to practically mold the entire offense around one guy just so he can be successful. Jake is hardly the best QB to hit the field, but he can improvise, scamble, and is exciting to watch at least. He makes bad decisions, but then.. so did Brian.
All in all, if the Dolphins can *protect* Brian, he will do well. It is when the pressure is on that the true test begins. The Miami line isn't going to be able to match up with *every* team. When he has to scramble and make something happen, you will see if a new team makes the difference.
Will you get mental-collapse Brian, or newly revived Brian? Only time will tell I think. But there was no scapegoat, not at all. Only those truly blinded by their devotion for the guy could possibily overlook the many flaws he had while in Denver. Jake may be flawed, but it is NICE to have a leader back on the team. We may lose, but we'll lose as a team. :)
And I still do wish Brian well (unless he plays us
). I always supported him.. I never hated the guy, and I will continue to hope he does well. But even as ardent as a supporter as I was, I finally realized that Brian's problems were created by HIM.. not everyone else. Every week people who supported him blamed everyone *but* him. It was the line.. or the receivers.. or the gameplan, or playcalling, etc etc.. never him. There is only so long you can continue to agree before you start questioning that maybe.. just perhaps, it isn't the entire offense and coaching staff that is the problem, but the QB instead.Different offensive QB and playcalling, a new city, a better line.. many things can make Brian a better QB I am thinking. He may thrive in Miami! If he does, that would be cool, he would follow his father, and it would make a neat story. But I'll never think for a moment that the reason he was let go in Denver was because they needed a scapegoat, that is a line for deluded or blind fanatics.
BroncoFox
