GM_Davenport
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There has been a lot of talk about veteran quarterbacks that could potentially be available for the Dolphins, or any other team for that matter, to either sign or trade for. What I want to do is an extensive breakdown of each of those quarterbacks.
Originally, I was going to create one big thread for all of them; but as I started, I realized that thread would probably end up being a small book. Seeing as we have plenty of time with the lockout situation, I decided to create a separate thread for each QB.
Today, we focus on Vince Young.
-28 years old prior to next season, 30-18 record as a starter
-Checks in at 6’5, 233 lbs.
-Career QB rating of 75.7, 42 touchdowns to 42 interceptions—also 12 rushing touchdowns.
-Has been benched on several occasions in favor of Kerry Collins, usually for reasons other than poor play.
-Has gotten a bad rap in the media lately due in large part to his not-so-private clashing with Jeff Fisher; the latest in a long line of mental issues that go beyond the realm of football. Some of them were greatly exaggerated, but it is still very troublesome for a future suitor.
Reading Coverage
Most of Vince Young’s weaknesses have nothing to do with throwing a football. For a player that will be entering his 6th season in the league, he still does not have a firm understanding of how to read NFL defenses. Rarely will he look off the safety when throwing outside routes. Mike Heimerdinger’s playbook had to be dumbed down significantly last year to limit the amount of variation the routes could have based on the defenses coverage
The above clip shows Vince Young ignoring the inside hook zone, and forcing a throw to a receiver he “thinks” is open. The result is an interception. He also will often stare down his primary receiver and ignore all other aspects of the play. This results in a lot of forced throws, often leaving his receivers susceptible to big hits or throwing interceptions.
The above clip shows Vince Young locking on to his receiver and forcing a throw when there is no immediate pressure to do so. At no point does he look at any other receiver on the play, and the result is an interception.
Pocket Presence
Vince Young’s tendency to lock on to receivers has consequences that go beyond forcing throws. You always want your quarterback to have his eyes down field, but Vince Young tends to do this at the expense of pocket awareness. He stands strong and tall in the pocket, but does not shuffle his feet to avoid pressure and help his offensive line. If Vince Young were not the athlete that he is, he would be among the most sacked quarterbacks in the NFL on an annual basis.
Young’s god given ability allows him to extend plays or avoid sacks when the pressure gets to him, but it also results in a lot of fumbles. His inability to “feel” pressure results in a lot of swipes at the football and subsequent fumbles.
Release
Vince Young and Tony Romo are probably tied for the quickest release in the NFL. If Young decides he wants to throw, the ball is gone often before the defensive line even has an opportunity to put their hands up. He does not have a traditional throwing motion, but that tends to be insignificant because of his height. The principle behind the overhead throwing motion is to allow the quarterback to find throwing lanes easier, and prevent the ball from sailing “up” and being batted down at the line of scrimmage. Because Young is 6’5 and the ball is released so quickly, his awkward throwing motion is a non-issue.
“Touch”
Traditionally, Vince Young is not thought of as an accurate passer. I have watched every throw he has made since entering the league, and I don’t feel like accuracy is his issue. If you give Vince Young a point on the field to throw it, he will throw it there. I feel like his “inaccurate” label tends to hail from his inability to read coverage, resulting in missed throws not because he threw it poorly but because he didn’t know where to throw it.
The above clip shows a throw that is a litmus paper test for gauging any NFL quarterback’s accuracy. The deep out is one of the most difficult throws in football, and Young stands tall and delivers it with perfect touch. Yes, Vince Young misses throws, but his ability to put the appropriate touch on the football is among the elite of the NFL.
The Deep Ball
This may surprise you, but I feel that Vince Young throws one of the top 5 deep balls in the NFL. His propensity for hitting the big play is the one aspect of his game that makes NFL coaches salivate. Everyone coach in this league is looking for ways to pick up more “chunk” yardage, and Young’s ability to extend a play and throw the deep ball is the main reason he will get a lot of looks when free agency opens.
The above clip shows Young delivering a perfect strike, with a defender closing in, to an open receiver for a 71 yard touchdown. It may looks easy throwing deep to an open receiver, but how many times have you seen quarterbacks either over throw or under throw a wide open receiver for a would be touchdown? Those are throws NFL quarterbacks need to be able to hit with consistency, and very rarely does Young miss.
Athleticism
Perhaps the most easily recognized aspect of Vince Young’s game is his athleticism. However, the value that this brings to an offense goes beyond simply extending plays and gaining extra yards with quarterback runs. When you have a quarterback that is a threat to run, you don’t need play designs with 3 to 4 reads—Andy Reid utilized this best with Michael Vick last year. The best play design when you have a quarterback with that type of athleticism is to have a couple of reads and then the third option being to run. This keeps the underneath zone coverage honest, and often times will result in a lot of one on one deep coverage with your receivers.
The above clip shows Vince Young utilizing his god given ability for an 18 yard gain. Young recognized the underneath zone cheating deep with his receivers, and he took advantage of the open running lane.
Vince Young is not the brightest or most naturally talented passer. However, he has a unique skill set that in combination creates a quarterback that defensive coordinators hate to game plan against. He has an unparalleled ability to extend plays and his accuracy is vastly underrated. However, he will never be able to operate a complex offense and wherever he goes the offense will need to be tailored specifically to him. His tendency to lock on to receivers will likely never be corrected, and his team will have to live with the occasional bonehead throw. He has a very statue like pocket presence and does very little to help his offensive linemen in pass protection.
The bottom line, though, is that Vince Young is a winner and he has shown consistent improvement. Very few quarterbacks have a better win percentage and he somehow manages to win football games even when he plays poorly. Any team that implements Young as their starter will likely see an improvement in their Win column. The biggest question, though, is can he win a world championship? That is the question an NFL team will need to answer if they decide to give Young the reigns to their offense.
Look for a breakdown of Kyle Orton in the next few days.
Originally, I was going to create one big thread for all of them; but as I started, I realized that thread would probably end up being a small book. Seeing as we have plenty of time with the lockout situation, I decided to create a separate thread for each QB.
Today, we focus on Vince Young.
Preliminary Stats and Notes
-Checks in at 6’5, 233 lbs.
-Career QB rating of 75.7, 42 touchdowns to 42 interceptions—also 12 rushing touchdowns.
-Has been benched on several occasions in favor of Kerry Collins, usually for reasons other than poor play.
-Has gotten a bad rap in the media lately due in large part to his not-so-private clashing with Jeff Fisher; the latest in a long line of mental issues that go beyond the realm of football. Some of them were greatly exaggerated, but it is still very troublesome for a future suitor.
Notable Weaknesses
Most of Vince Young’s weaknesses have nothing to do with throwing a football. For a player that will be entering his 6th season in the league, he still does not have a firm understanding of how to read NFL defenses. Rarely will he look off the safety when throwing outside routes. Mike Heimerdinger’s playbook had to be dumbed down significantly last year to limit the amount of variation the routes could have based on the defenses coverage
[video=youtube;OS2T4Uzt9Lk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS2T4Uzt9Lk[/video]
[video=youtube;FtuDJxcWP1k]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtuDJxcWP1k[/video]
Pocket Presence
Vince Young’s tendency to lock on to receivers has consequences that go beyond forcing throws. You always want your quarterback to have his eyes down field, but Vince Young tends to do this at the expense of pocket awareness. He stands strong and tall in the pocket, but does not shuffle his feet to avoid pressure and help his offensive line. If Vince Young were not the athlete that he is, he would be among the most sacked quarterbacks in the NFL on an annual basis.
Young’s god given ability allows him to extend plays or avoid sacks when the pressure gets to him, but it also results in a lot of fumbles. His inability to “feel” pressure results in a lot of swipes at the football and subsequent fumbles.
Notable Strengths
Vince Young and Tony Romo are probably tied for the quickest release in the NFL. If Young decides he wants to throw, the ball is gone often before the defensive line even has an opportunity to put their hands up. He does not have a traditional throwing motion, but that tends to be insignificant because of his height. The principle behind the overhead throwing motion is to allow the quarterback to find throwing lanes easier, and prevent the ball from sailing “up” and being batted down at the line of scrimmage. Because Young is 6’5 and the ball is released so quickly, his awkward throwing motion is a non-issue.
[video=youtube;HVYxr12EUtk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HVYxr12EUtk[/video]
The above video is an excellent display of Young releasing the ball in an instant to avoid the sack, and the result is a touchdown. Put in the exact same situation, 90% of all NFL quarterbacks would have been sacked or hit in the midst of their throwing motion (resulting in a fumble or poor throw).
“Touch”
Traditionally, Vince Young is not thought of as an accurate passer. I have watched every throw he has made since entering the league, and I don’t feel like accuracy is his issue. If you give Vince Young a point on the field to throw it, he will throw it there. I feel like his “inaccurate” label tends to hail from his inability to read coverage, resulting in missed throws not because he threw it poorly but because he didn’t know where to throw it.
[video=youtube;k5eiDXopEG0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k5eiDXopEG0[/video]
The Deep Ball
This may surprise you, but I feel that Vince Young throws one of the top 5 deep balls in the NFL. His propensity for hitting the big play is the one aspect of his game that makes NFL coaches salivate. Everyone coach in this league is looking for ways to pick up more “chunk” yardage, and Young’s ability to extend a play and throw the deep ball is the main reason he will get a lot of looks when free agency opens.
[video=youtube;lvmT9iXBL5A]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvmT9iXBL5A[/video]
Athleticism
Perhaps the most easily recognized aspect of Vince Young’s game is his athleticism. However, the value that this brings to an offense goes beyond simply extending plays and gaining extra yards with quarterback runs. When you have a quarterback that is a threat to run, you don’t need play designs with 3 to 4 reads—Andy Reid utilized this best with Michael Vick last year. The best play design when you have a quarterback with that type of athleticism is to have a couple of reads and then the third option being to run. This keeps the underneath zone coverage honest, and often times will result in a lot of one on one deep coverage with your receivers.
[video=youtube;Ln95QjNUCOg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ln95QjNUCOg[/video]
Conclusion
The bottom line, though, is that Vince Young is a winner and he has shown consistent improvement. Very few quarterbacks have a better win percentage and he somehow manages to win football games even when he plays poorly. Any team that implements Young as their starter will likely see an improvement in their Win column. The biggest question, though, is can he win a world championship? That is the question an NFL team will need to answer if they decide to give Young the reigns to their offense.
Look for a breakdown of Kyle Orton in the next few days.
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