Senior Bowl Comment on Phillip Rivers

[ZOD]

Originally posted by Boomer
Minus - you can't have seen Roethlisberger, Manning and Losman that much if you think Rivers is a complete QB. And as for the stuff about Losman having a bad attitude, that is absolute rubbish. It's an internet misconception that gets kicked around and it's BS.

THIS is the true story on Losman:
He is ****y without being arrogant. He certainly isn't a cancer. He is incredibly hard working, but just had some trouble at UCLA.

He was a Bruin fan as a birthright, always wanted to be a Bruin and was offered a scholarship by Bob Toledo apparently after the morning practice at a one-day camp during the summer after his junior season. The story goes that by dinner time he had committed.

The Bruins stopped chasing Kyle Boller who went to Cal and Chris Lewis who went to Stanford as Losman was THE guy in California. The #1 rated high school QB. He graduated early from Venice High to enroll at UCLA and it was post Cade McNown and he thought he would come in and challenge for the starters job - but he was 5th on the depth chart behind Drew Bennett, Scott McEwan, Ryan McCann and Cory Paus and he was rightfully concerned there was a log jam at QB that he might never get out of. I think the pressure of trying to be THE guy, with all his family on the sidelines, the local wonder kid, etc got to him. Apparently some players resented the image that he had as the glory boy from high school and he decided to leave for Tulane. The UCLA coaches were hacked off, but he went straight to Tulane, almost took Pat Ramsey's job - although the two don't really get on, Ramsey has admitted that Losman pushed him harder than he ever has been pushed and was one of the reasons he ended in the 1st round.

At Toledo he has done everything and more that has been asked of him, with really bad supporting cast. He's tough, his offensive players LOVE him, he has the cannon and is a leader. I read an article in the LA Times a while back that said he was given so much attention that at 16 years old he just couldn't deal with it and transferred not because he thought he should be the #1 but because he thought the pressure was driving him crazy at 16. I can understand that. His coaches at Tulane love him, he pushes everyone around him. I sat on a flight back from Boston in the summer and read ESPN the Magazine's article on him and he sounded a good guy.

This comment sums him up in my eyes:
"His name is J.P. Losman, and he's no flake. He was considered one of the top three high school quarterbacks in the nation, an academic whiz, a genuine good guy who didn't drink or miss church and only recently had the nerve to get an earring. He just felt he made a mistake. After all, you don't usually marry the first girl you set your eyes on."

IMO he would be a tremendous 1st round pick for the Dolphins. And he's a much better pro prospect than Rivers.

POW !!

kill this Rivers sh*t dead.....

 

[finfanatic]

I think Marino already knows who he wants, and it's not Losman. What they need to do is stop messing with his release, and it seems like that Marino knows that. If Norm Chow and Mike Holmgren say leave it alone, then leave it alone.

 

[lauderdale]

Losman Post

"Needs to Improve
He does everything right now on athletic talent alone. That won't do it at the next level. He consistently holds on to the ball too long in the passing game. He is inconsistent and sloppy in his mechanics. I do not sense that he is a leader that wants the people around him to be more successful then he is. He does not understand the meaning of team play.

Bottom Line
This kid has ‘coach killer’ written all over him."

 

[SMadison29]

Originally posted by lauderdale
Losman Post

"Needs to Improve
He does everything right now on athletic talent alone. That won't do it at the next level. He consistently holds on to the ball too long in the passing game. He is inconsistent and sloppy in his mechanics. I do not sense that he is a leader that wants the people around him to be more successful then he is. He does not understand the meaning of team play.

Bottom Line
This kid has ‘coach killer’ written all over him."

How do you get that? You've never seen him play. You shouldn't judge people unless you've watched them. He certainly didn't kill Chris Scelfo. Labeling them something for no reason is just retarded.

 

[ZOD]

Originally posted by SMadison29


How do you get that? You've never seen him play. You shouldn't judge people unless you've watched them. He certainly didn't kill Chris Scelfo. Labeling them something for no reason is just retarded.

Yes but we read it on some flaky website. It must be true.

 

[Phinzone]

Originally posted by SMadison29


How do you get that? You've never seen him play. You shouldn't judge people unless you've watched them. He certainly didn't kill Chris Scelfo. Labeling them something for no reason is just retarded.

I'm done arguing this point. I've seen them both play, and Rivers is the real deal. How about we just get on with our lives, and let the dolphins take whomever they want. In 3 years down the road, one of us can make the other eat it after we have viable NFL proof? I think Losman is going to be a pure bust. Rivers is the man IMO, but time will tell.

 

[SMadison29]

Originally posted by Graythreat


I'm done arguing this point. I've seen them both play, and Rivers is the real deal. How about we just get on with our lives, and let the dolphins take whomever they want. In 3 years down the road, one of us can make the other eat it after we have viable NFL proof? I think Losman is going to be a pure bust. Rivers is the man IMO, but time will tell.

If you've seen them both play then you can't argue the point about the supporting cast advantage Rivers has, especially on the offensive line. Losman has no oline, his best lineman is his center(one of the Traina brothers). He was running for his life most of the time just like Dave Ragone was doing last year at Louisville.

 

[Phinzone]

Originally posted by SMadison29



If you've seen them both play then you can't argue the point about the supporting cast advantage Rivers has, especially on the offensive line. Losman has no oline, his best lineman is his center(one of the Traina brothers). He was running for his life most of the time just like Dave Ragone was doing last year at Louisville.

NC state was one dimensional. Their starting RB was out most the year. His supporting cast was not that good.

 

[ckparrothead]

In fairness the guy who wrote that damning report on JP Losman also completely blasted Phillip Rivers, saying he does not have the arm to be successful at the NFL level ever. He says he could be a decent backup but he doesn't have the deep arm to be the deep threat you need to run an offense in the NFL...corners will just sit on the short routes and not worry.

Well here, you read it...

http://thehuddlereport.com/2004DRAFT/profiles/PhilipRivers.htm

 

[ckparrothead]

Same guy likes Matt Schaub and thinks he can be a good starting QB developmental prospect....Reminds him a lot of Tom Brady. Needs to get better in all phases of his game but is blessed with mental toughness and good arm, and what seems to be a willingness to learn.

 

[MDFINFAN]

Interesting report, considering Bernie Kosar side armed his way for years in the NFL..Strong arm..I thought that was one of his strength..seem to throw some good passes to me when I saw him..

 

[ckparrothead]

Wow check out this profile of Eli Manning by the guy who hates Rivers and Losman.

Eli Manning QB Mississippi

Strengths
Eli has a very good arm. He can make all the throws. Good movement in the pocket. Reads defenses well at the line of scrimmage. Good leadership skills. Has total command of the game plan. Understands that not every play needs to be a home run type of play. Shows great football maturity. Has great intensity. Makes players around him better. Has all the signs of a franchise QB.

Needs To Improve
Eli needs to add more weight to his frame. That’s it! That is his only weakness. Adding weight will help him to be able to take the pounding that a pro QB takes in the NFL. This is very important. He has to be able to stay on the field to lead a team to a winning season. Eli has a good quick release and that will help him, but the pass rush in the NFL will be a lot more intense then he has gone up against in college. He has to get ready to be hit. He really does not get hit in college.

Bottom Line
Are you kidding me? Eli is the best player in this draft. He is a franchise QB. There are no other QB’s as ready for the NFL as this kid. There is no better player and no player that is more of a sure bet to make it as a pro in this Draft. The only reason he might not be taken as the first pick is because the team who picks first does not need a franchise QB. If you are a team that needs a franchise QB, don’t be a fool. Don’t try to be cute, don’t think you can outsmart some other team and wait for him to drop to you. TRADE UP -- trade your Mother if you have to. Believe me, your Mother will be proud !!!!!

I've come to the same conclusion. IF some team gives us a fairly good first round pick for Ogunleye, then we should do all in our power to trade up for Eli Manning.

 

[MDFINFAN]

Eli is good, if Ogun is the sacrificial lamb, then so be it...David Boston can do the job at DE..provided he doesn't change anymore light bulbs..

 

[ckparrothead]

Well you have to realize that strong arm does not mean ability to throw the ball to a receiver 50 yards down the field. Most quarterbacks in the draft could do that if the guy was wide open.

Strong arm is how much time the ball takes to get from the Quarterback's hand, to the receiver's outstretched hands. Jay Fiedler can throw the ball 50 yards downfield (and does it a lot, usually when the WR is only 40 yards downfield). But strong arm is about having the ball get there a full half second faster, that half second being the difference between a defender being helpless 10 feet away from the receiver, or the defender closing into the receiver and batting the pass or even worst...intercepting it.

Thats what the dude who wrote these (rather inflammatory) profiles is alluding to when he says that Rivers will get a lot of interceptions the longer he's out on the field. The longer he's out on the field the more CBs will figure out that they can sit on the short routes, and will usually have the ability to close on the long ball if the WR decides to take advantage of sitting on the short routes by going deep. A CB with any talent even if he sits on the short routes won't get burned by like 10 yards constantly if the receiver decides to go deep. The only way IMO to make up for a weak arm with the downfield passes is to be super accurate on those passes.

 

[PhinsTD]

Originally posted by Graythreat


well that's about as off as you can be.

1. Rivers DOES have an arm. He can throw a 50 yard pass and hit the receiver IN STRIDE. Watch replays of the Tangerine bowl, and you'll see him do it TWICE

2. Jay is NOT accurate at short distances. He is constantly over, under, or behind the receiver. Rivers is spot on almost all the time. His throws have zip on them, and are accurate. Jay does short lobs well, but that is a bigger crap shoot than taking Rivers in the draft!

3. When Jay DOES hit the receiver, it is NEVER in stride. This is something Rivers does VERY well.

4. Rivers and DEFFINETLY thread the needle. Jay has on occassion done this, but it's ugly, and fails FAR more than not.

Rivers can stretch the field, has one hell of a zip on his pass, and is accurate as hell. He is NOT a Jay fiedler. His long balls don't go 70 yards, but they get there on time, not making the receiver camp or come back to the ball. I'll take a QB any day that can throw a 50 yard pass and hit the receier in stride over a QB that can throw a 70 yard pass, but can't hit the receiver in stride.

Apples and oranges buddy. You would see this if you actually WATCHED Rivers rather than read analysis reports. He is vastly under rated. What noodle armed QB throws for 5 TD's, 400, and has 2 passes over 50 yards in a bowl game, and has 70+% accuracy on the season?

Look disagree if you want. I've seen Rivers pla y a million times really. He is not accurate deep no matter how much you want him to be.

You act as though you're giving me a lesson when in reality you just like the guy and have watched him play in college. This means next to nothing when it comes to Pro ball.

Jay is KNOWN for being a good, accurate short passer and someone who has trouble with the deep ball.

Exactly what Rivers has been said to have a problem with. Man, you seem as though you take it personally someone doesn't like Rivers.

You know nothing more about this than I do. We're both fans who have watched him on TV. This makes your opinion no more right than mine.