RMCCane
Practice Squad
I've been reading some of the "analysis" on Chad Henne over the past few days. While I think everyone, as a fan, is certainly entitled to their opinion and has the right to express what they want to see out on the field, I just think that some of the cirticism is completely off-base.
If you want to flame me, go ahead. I'm just offering an alternative take on how to watch and evaluate Henne.
1 – Henne doesn’t go through his progressions.
False. He actually goes through them very well and relatively quickly. He hit his second and third looks more than once and the interception the threw was his third look.
His challenge is recognizing the coverage surrounding each look. Trust me: any QB who is taking snaps in the NFL can go through a progression.
One way to evaluate this is to watch: does he chop his feet and get happy feet in the pocket, does the throw the ball away, take sacks or run when he needs to? These are all signs that he is or isn’t reading defenses well. Is he patting the ball too much in the pocket? That’s a sign that he’s uncomfortable with what he’s seeing and is not making quick decisions.
2 – Henne needs to go deep to Ginn.
No. No he doesn’t. Henne needs to run the offense. He needs to facilitate the running game, hit quick slant and dig routes and MANAGE the game. Managing the game is as simple as taking care of the football (not making too many bad throws and feeling the pressure when it comes) AND getting chunk yardage (15-30 yards) when needed – he needs help from his WRs (catching the ball to do this). Dan Fouts used the term “chunk yardage” during the game and he is absolutely correct.
You can’t run the ball 91 yards down the field and expect to have a healthy running back by week 10. You need a QB who can get a 15, 20 yard play here and there to take some pressure off of Ronnie, Ricky and the o-line.
3- Who is Henne throwing to?
If he’s throwing consistently at his TE or a certain WR he is uncomfortable with the defense he’s seeing. He’s not reading what’s happening and he’s just trusting (hoping) his favorite target will be open. If he’s mixing it up between WRs, TEs, and RBs, he IS reading the defense.
4 – Keep it simple
He tried to check off at the line Sunday and hit a slant route that almost resulting in an INT and nearly got Bess murdered. Rookie QBs should be checking off to running plays unless they are 1000% sure they have the match up they want. Defenses in this league are too smart and if something looks too good to be true pre-snap, it probably is. Especially against a BB-coached Patriots team.
Just some observations on what I’ll be looking for. Some of you may be interested and some of you will be like: “no dude. He needs to go deep to Ginn every single play.”
If you want to flame me, go ahead. I'm just offering an alternative take on how to watch and evaluate Henne.
1 – Henne doesn’t go through his progressions.
False. He actually goes through them very well and relatively quickly. He hit his second and third looks more than once and the interception the threw was his third look.
His challenge is recognizing the coverage surrounding each look. Trust me: any QB who is taking snaps in the NFL can go through a progression.
One way to evaluate this is to watch: does he chop his feet and get happy feet in the pocket, does the throw the ball away, take sacks or run when he needs to? These are all signs that he is or isn’t reading defenses well. Is he patting the ball too much in the pocket? That’s a sign that he’s uncomfortable with what he’s seeing and is not making quick decisions.
2 – Henne needs to go deep to Ginn.
No. No he doesn’t. Henne needs to run the offense. He needs to facilitate the running game, hit quick slant and dig routes and MANAGE the game. Managing the game is as simple as taking care of the football (not making too many bad throws and feeling the pressure when it comes) AND getting chunk yardage (15-30 yards) when needed – he needs help from his WRs (catching the ball to do this). Dan Fouts used the term “chunk yardage” during the game and he is absolutely correct.
You can’t run the ball 91 yards down the field and expect to have a healthy running back by week 10. You need a QB who can get a 15, 20 yard play here and there to take some pressure off of Ronnie, Ricky and the o-line.
3- Who is Henne throwing to?
If he’s throwing consistently at his TE or a certain WR he is uncomfortable with the defense he’s seeing. He’s not reading what’s happening and he’s just trusting (hoping) his favorite target will be open. If he’s mixing it up between WRs, TEs, and RBs, he IS reading the defense.
4 – Keep it simple
He tried to check off at the line Sunday and hit a slant route that almost resulting in an INT and nearly got Bess murdered. Rookie QBs should be checking off to running plays unless they are 1000% sure they have the match up they want. Defenses in this league are too smart and if something looks too good to be true pre-snap, it probably is. Especially against a BB-coached Patriots team.
Just some observations on what I’ll be looking for. Some of you may be interested and some of you will be like: “no dude. He needs to go deep to Ginn every single play.”