Tennessee Titans Daily Links: Titans Crack The Top 10 Edition

I was wrong on that one

However, I absolutely agree with both of you in terms of him sitting. Honestly, we’ve got three games left. We can run circles around whether he should start if we’re out of the playoff race or not, and I want to see him out there too with the potential he’s shown. The reality, however, is that he is still raw and would be best served (and in the team’s best interest) by remaining on the sidelines unless needed like this past week.

I don’t think he’s going to get the Aaron Rodgers treatment, because Hass is not Favre obviously. But between sitting for three more games (really, I don’t think playing those games is going to magically speed up his development process like some seem to believe), then getting a full offseason’s work in with the system and time to work on mechanics with coaches, plus an upgraded cast around him (hopefully), THAT could do wonders for him.

The one read and vacate thing isn’t a huge concern, though it could potentially create some nasty habits…ones that would need to be coached out of him later.

It’s still apparent that he’s got a long way to go in the way of diagnosing opposing defenses, though. That isn’t a shot at him, either. At this point in his NFL development, you wouldn’t expect him to being diagnosing and manipulating defenses with ease. It’s part of the process. I think he’s better suited learning those nuances from a distance as opposed to hands on.

The wound is still so deep.

i also have yet to hear sound reasoning as to why Locker can’t learn by doing.

we have a vet QB that has taken us this far, what difference does it make letting him finish out the season letting Locker learn on the bench still? He still has so much to learn about the NFL, why should we be so eager to pull the trigger on Locker?

i also have yet to hear sound reasoning as to why Locker can’t learn by doing.

First things first. All prospects aren’t created equal, and there are no absolutes as it relates to the perfect way to develop a QB. We’ve seen examples of both working. IMO, the ones that have had long term success after starting as a rookie are typically the ones that were more advanced from an X’s and O’s standpoint.

Locker is not one of these guys. That’s not his fault. He played in an option offense in high school. Zone read offense for 2 years. And, finally, Sark’s offense with some West Coast concepts. While that was obviously more advanced than the others, it still was largely based on simple two man concepts and reads.

Locker’s making strides in his development, especially his footwork, but he’s still got a way to go from a mental aspect. Which leads us back to your question.

Throw a rookie in to the mix when they are still raw, and they no doubt will learn by doing, but that doesn’t mean that they’ll learn the correct thing to do. One example:

They’ll find that instead of standing in the pocket and delivering the ball, they can scramble for an easy 5-10 yards. And, for the time being, that will probably be successful. On the surface, there’s nothing wrong with that as long as it’s a positive play. But, realize that you’re ingraining patterns into the prospect. That success creates a positive reinforcement that, while good now, could have serious consequences long term when DC’s have enough tape on the QB.

What can end up happening is that even though the QB is learning that it’s optimal to stay in the pocket and get through progressions based on time in the film room, a pattern has already been created based on the positive reinforcement given in live situations. And, when that situation presents itself again, the mind isn’t going to the film room first, it’s going to look for real data, in real situations.

None of this is totally damning, of course. It just can create an environment where instead of just coaching new concepts into the prospect, you’re also struggling to coach out the ever evolving bad habits out of the prospect.

i also have yet to hear sound reasoning as to why Locker can’t learn by doing

There is a legitimate concern that he will develop bad habits that will take even more hard work to undo than it would be to let him learn them during the practice week alone. There is still plenty of things for Locker to improve on while sitting. Don’t make him write the test when he’s not fully prepared.

Coaches have said that the thing that made Rodgers so dangerous was his understanding of the game when he took over the starting job. You can’t rattle him because in the 3 years he sat behind Favre he got to study the game like a coach, and really get a grip on what defenses were trying to do. When he finally did take over, there was little that could confuse him.

Nobody said Jake couldn’t learn while playing. What we’re saying is that, mentally (and as you know, alot of this game is mental), he’d be alot more prepared to play & break down defenses if he has some time to look at what’s going on…but from a perspective that allows him to analyze it and process it…rather than doing it while he’s running for his life on the field.

/argument
//win

Exciting to think about next year with a full season of McCarthy.

Ruud would still be playing….:-(

for example that 4th and 1 pitch where he outran everyone to the corner for the 1st down.

not getting the 1st on that catch was just a combination of bad move by CJ and good play by the defender. the DB did a perfect form tackle on CJ who was looking to cut back even though he should have fell forward for the 1st.

At the very least we have learned not to tie up so much money in a “playmaker” who’s only good when he’s surrounded by five other good linemen.

Can’t wait for 2013 on Netflix.

Because the next best thing to just chillin’ is worshippin’ the Pratt