touchdownvikings
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 11, 2011
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- 734
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Here's what I see:
(1) There is more aggregate WR talent on the roster and on the field than there was in 2019.
(2) But that isn't helpful. Having a concentration of rare talent in 2 WR's is better than having above-average-to-good talent across potentially 4+ receivers.
(3) Why? Because it is easier for a QB to "use" the WR corps (much less in the way of intra-play decision making), and easier for a coaching staff to "use" that corps (you have "parts" of the "machine" you can count on).
(4) Because of this the passing game can, at times, vanish.
(5) So what? We have a running game.
(6) If you had to choose between a passing game and a running game, you'd choose a passing game.
(7) Why? Because it is more adaptable to situations. It can adapt to down-and-distance situations, and it can adapt to game situation.
(8) What do I mean by that? There is no running play you call that is designed to pick up 15 yards on 3rd-and-15. But there are passing plays that are designed to pick up 15 yards. If you are down by 2 scores with 6 minutes left, and you can only run, then there simply isn't enough time, but it would be enough time if you could pass.
(9) This was a problem the Gophers encountered last week. Eventually the running game took hold. But it was too late. If the game was 5 quarters long, they'd have won. But it's not 5 quarters.
(10) Without a passing game, you need to never get in 3rd-and-long, and you need game situation to permit you to continue pounding until the body blows add up. Sometimes that works. But not over a whole season.
(11) So you need a passing game. And without a concentration of rare talent in 2 WR's, that's just hard. The only real way a coaching staff could avoid having a passing game vanish from time to time under that situation is to have a truly great QB who can see the field in the way that few can.
(12) Morgan is not that guy. He is accurate, throws a catchable ball, moves around the pocket well, understands the offense, can read a defense pre-snap, and can do just enough with his legs to keep a defense honest. But he lacks in field vision, so putting him in a position where he has to survey 4+ receivers to find what's working on this play is sub-optimal.
(13) This means the passing game will vanish from time to time, which means that the Gophers' will lose when the passing game vanishes and game situation does not permit them to compensate by piling up body blows via the running attack.
(1) There is more aggregate WR talent on the roster and on the field than there was in 2019.
(2) But that isn't helpful. Having a concentration of rare talent in 2 WR's is better than having above-average-to-good talent across potentially 4+ receivers.
(3) Why? Because it is easier for a QB to "use" the WR corps (much less in the way of intra-play decision making), and easier for a coaching staff to "use" that corps (you have "parts" of the "machine" you can count on).
(4) Because of this the passing game can, at times, vanish.
(5) So what? We have a running game.
(6) If you had to choose between a passing game and a running game, you'd choose a passing game.
(7) Why? Because it is more adaptable to situations. It can adapt to down-and-distance situations, and it can adapt to game situation.
(8) What do I mean by that? There is no running play you call that is designed to pick up 15 yards on 3rd-and-15. But there are passing plays that are designed to pick up 15 yards. If you are down by 2 scores with 6 minutes left, and you can only run, then there simply isn't enough time, but it would be enough time if you could pass.
(9) This was a problem the Gophers encountered last week. Eventually the running game took hold. But it was too late. If the game was 5 quarters long, they'd have won. But it's not 5 quarters.
(10) Without a passing game, you need to never get in 3rd-and-long, and you need game situation to permit you to continue pounding until the body blows add up. Sometimes that works. But not over a whole season.
(11) So you need a passing game. And without a concentration of rare talent in 2 WR's, that's just hard. The only real way a coaching staff could avoid having a passing game vanish from time to time under that situation is to have a truly great QB who can see the field in the way that few can.
(12) Morgan is not that guy. He is accurate, throws a catchable ball, moves around the pocket well, understands the offense, can read a defense pre-snap, and can do just enough with his legs to keep a defense honest. But he lacks in field vision, so putting him in a position where he has to survey 4+ receivers to find what's working on this play is sub-optimal.
(13) This means the passing game will vanish from time to time, which means that the Gophers' will lose when the passing game vanishes and game situation does not permit them to compensate by piling up body blows via the running attack.
