Russell Wilson became Donovan McNabb

[ludakrishna]

Before you start bashing me, please hear me out. Yesterday Russell Wilson did his best Donovan McNabb impression. Midway into his career Donovan began to hear the critics say that he was not a pocket passer and relied too much on his feet to make plays. At that time Donovan began to become arrogant to the point where he refused to take easy 5 yds with his feet and began to force throws to his receivers. That's what I saw from Russell yesterday. Late in the 3rd and early 4th quarter where the defense couldn't stop Brady and the team needing first downs to extend the drive, I saw Russell refuse to run for an easy first down and rather forced the throws that eventually were incomplete. I understand the benefit of throwing the ball and picking up chunks of yards. But there comes a point where first downs and chewing the clock are almost as crucial if not moreso. To me it seems like the media head voices are beginning to get to Russell's head and he is becoming more and more like Donovan where he would much rather force a throw rather than pick up the easy 5 yds. This occurred more so in the playoffs rather than the season.

 

[SuperFreak]

LOL Russell wasn't throwing up and I believe he still has a Super Bowl ring.

 

[ludakrishna]

LOL Russell wasn't throwing up and I believe he still has a Super Bowl ring.

I understand that. But I'm talking about yesterday. When the receivers couldn't get open to save their lives and Russell having all day in the pocket, he needed to make the defense fear his running abilities and scramble rather than wait there and throw a bad pass. He didn't run enough and that reminded me of Donovan.

 

[hawknation2015]

Yeah, I don't agree. Wilson did everything he could to put us in a position to win. In addition to his throws, he had three very nice runs. At the end of the game, we were at the half yard line, and instead of running it in for the easy score, the coaches dialed up a quick pass from an empty set. I can't put much of the blame on Wilson for their decision.

 

[seahawk2k]

Perhaps you didn't notice the multiple spies and excellent job the Patriots did at hedging Wilson in the pocket....

 

[SuperFreak]

Russell made plenty of great throws, Chop Chop dropped one on 3rd and 3 which swung momentum to N.E. his job is to throw the ball he runs when the play breaks down that is a perfect example of Russell doing his job. Can he get 3 on a run? Sure but the play call wasn't RO it was a pass.

 

[ludakrishna]

Perhaps you didn't notice the multiple spies and excellent job the Patriots did at hedging Wilson in the pocket....

I noticed a Jamie Collins that was not able to handle Wilson's move when he did escape. Again, i'm not asking him to become Tebow. But a few more 3-5 yd runs would've forced them to play differently.

 

[SuperFreak]

Perhaps you didn't notice the multiple spies and excellent job the Patriots did at hedging Wilson in the pocket....

I noticed a Jamie Collins that was not able to handle Wilson's move when he did escape. Again, i'm not asking him to become Tebow. But a few more 3-5 yd runs would've forced them to play differently.

Russell taking one more hit could have been the end of his game, he's not there to be a running back he takes yards when plays break down. Yesterday N.E. had very little pass rush and Russell was able to move the ball well with his arm.

Your argument doesn't hold water, we are all hurting and wanting to scapegoat someone or something to make it easier to stomach what happened but Russell Wilson has already had a better career in big games that Donovan ever did.

 

[lobohawk]

Perhaps you didn't notice the multiple spies and excellent job the Patriots did at hedging Wilson in the pocket....

This. They constantly had lurkers and spies.

 

[hawk45]

Perhaps you didn't notice the multiple spies and excellent job the Patriots did at hedging Wilson in the pocket....

I noticed a Jamie Collins that was not able to handle Wilson's move when he did escape. Again, i'm not asking him to become Tebow. But a few more 3-5 yd runs would've forced them to play differently.

I already had one hand wrapped around my bashing stick but you know what I had exactly the same reaction to the play you mention with Collins. Disciplined rushing lanes and spies or not, sure seemed to me like that was no Niner/Carolina/etc. LB core back there able to close and deal punishment to Wilson. In fact at the time I remember saying "wow that looks like the first time Wilson challenged Denver's LBs in the last Superbowl. He can own them all game."

Wilson needed to learn how to beat the blitz and operate from the pocket better, and this year it has served him, but I am not altogether certain I disagree he could have kept the R/O or pulled down a pass or two more this game to good effect. As you say, only takes a few plays like that to open it up for Lynch even more and maybe even take the Pats out of man defense because they're afraid to have their CBs' backs to Wilson.

 

[brimsalabim]

The patriots game planned keeping him in check. On the other hand we failed to game plan getting him lose. We had two weeks to prepare but from what I can tell came up with nothing beyond finally giving the tall receiver a few opportunities. The defense didn't do much planning either for that matter.

 

[Bluesbro]

Yeah, I don't agree. Wilson did everything he could to put us in a position to win. In addition to his throws, he had three very nice runs. At the end of the game, we were at the half yard line, and instead of running it in for the easy score, the coaches dialed up a quick pass from an empty set. I can't put much of the blame on Wilson for their decision.

It was not an empty set. Lynch was in the backfield, they just did not give it to him ... or even play action with him.

 

[StorytellerMatt]

Okay, Eagles fan here. I'm only a member of .Net because my wife grew up in SEA.

Russell didn't throw up from stress in the Superb Owl.

If Russell was trailing by 10 points with plenty of time in the fourth, he wouldn't languidly eat up most of the quarter on a touchdown drive to where they had to rely on an onside kick to get the ball back.

There is more.

One of the players on the 2004 Eagles team went to my Alma mater. He comes back for the university's charity golf classic. He is close friends with my favorite prof (who is from Philly and who communicates with me regularly).

This player (who will remain nameless) said the team was furious with D-Mac during Super Bowl XXXIX because Donny's head was not in the game. He was focused on his Campbell's Chunky Soup endorsements the whole two weeks, and he was unprepared for the Super Bowl.

As an Eagles fan, I know this frustration. So many times D-Mac has seemed like he didn't practice with the team and was just making things happen on instinct. At times, he was great, but that was natural ability, not prep.

NOBODY preps better and harder that Russ. that INT was not Russ's fault solely. It was a perfect storm of crappy play-calling for that situation, Lockette not finishing, and the Pat who intercepted (forget his name because I don't give a crap) reading the play.

Yes, I love my Eagles, and yes, I loved D-Mac for what he did with Andy for that franchise, but ... he is no Russell Wilson. Any 12 who doesn't know how lucky he is to have Russell is an idiot who, to paraphrase hardcore Philly fans, needs to get his but back to Jersey.

 

[Chawks1]

Before you start bashing me, please hear me out. Yesterday Russell Wilson did his best Donovan McNabb impression. Midway into his career Donovan began to hear the critics say that he was not a pocket passer and relied too much on his feet to make plays. At that time Donovan began to become arrogant to the point where he refused to take easy 5 yds with his feet and began to force throws to his receivers. That's what I saw from Russell yesterday. Late in the 3rd and early 4th quarter where the defense couldn't stop Brady and the team needing first downs to extend the drive, I saw Russell refuse to run for an easy first down and rather forced the throws that eventually were incomplete. I understand the benefit of throwing the ball and picking up chunks of yards. But there comes a point where first downs and chewing the clock are almost as crucial if not moreso. To me it seems like the media head voices are beginning to get to Russell's head and he is becoming more and more like Donovan where he would much rather force a throw rather than pick up the easy 5 yds. This occurred more so in the playoffs rather than the season.

I know we aren't allowed to say anything against Saint Russelll. Yes I know what you mean. I agree too. I don't see him as a Donavan McNabb choker. Donavan had skill but I never saw the "can do" attitude from him.

Wilson is 1/3 of our running offense. He had good mismatches if he had chosen to run. He did seem to decide to cling to the pocket, especially the 4th quarter. Whith out his threat of the run the passing game gets stalled. We rely on defenses breaking down to have success late in games. But Russ only ran the ball 3 times all game. Just the threat of a mobile QB isn't enough. He needs to take off upfield when the pocket opens up. We only converted 3 out of 10 third down opportunities. This is on the QB. You have to keep drives alive. Be aware of down and distance. If we keep the ball for just one more drive we win it.

Russ is a winner. He does have "it". He did a great job most of the time but when he decides not to run he relies on luck and jump balls to move the ball through the air. A good example of that was Kearses excellent catch at the 5. Bad decision to throw it and lucky the safety didn't come over and knock it out. Teams want him to play from the pocket. And that's what he did.

 

[irocdave]

? RW is not McNabb. No way, no how. McNabb couldn't hold a candle to RW.

 

[lukerguy]

Wilson played great. He doesn't need to run when he's passing so efficiently. I do wish they would have called more play action and called roll outs, but that's not on him.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

If the Hawks run the ball and Lynch scores at the end, the Hawks score 31 in the Super Bowl. As mentioned he dropped a perfect pass in to Kearse who couldn't bring it in late in the 3rd. That pass to Lockette was going to be a good gain but the Patriot got away with tripping him.

With a score at the end, despite his 4 TDs, Brady would get scruitinized for his 2 picks and Russ would be the guy with 2 rings in 3 years and 2 Super Bowls with 4 TD passes and 0 picks.
He shouldn't be above legit criticism but the comparison to McNabb is ridiculous

 

[Hyak]

Early on, it seemed like they were bracketing and spying him so the run option was not really there. Once they hit on a couple of deep throws, things opened up more for the offense in general.

Watching it, I didn't come away with the sense that RW was intent on playing from the pocket to prove a point. Like others posted, he nailed a couple of throws that were incomplete - the Kearse drop on 3rd and 3 and the Lockette pass where he was tripped and the ref missed it. Even on the last play, the throw was picked off only because Kearse failed to execute the rub that would have ensured that Lockette was where he was supposed to be.

We can argue whether it was the right play call or personnel groupings forever and there are aspects to RW's game that have to improve but he's way down on the list as to why they lost or what they need to do going forward. He's way ahead of McNabb IMO - way more accurate as a passer and light years ahead as a leader and putting in the preparation time.

 

[vin.couve12]

There is a degree of realism to this. Most fans will never say a word against him for whatever reason and that's fine.

He's not McNabb, but I will say that siting the spy and bracket defenses if a two-faced coin. On the one hand, against some QBs you couldn't possibly take that extra defender out of pass coverage because some QBs will eat it alive. It's one less in coverage. OTOH, you can spy a QB if either A) They aren't hitting players in the small windows that they come open or B) They are actually covered.

If you're being real and you watch what actually happened. It was a little of both until late in the game per the norm. The last play was strikingly similar though. Even right down to both QBs saying they had no audible for the play.

 

[Mick063]

Wilson ran the play that was called. An extremely quick play that allowed no time to process.

Johnny Unitas called his own plays. He would have run Alan Ameche and would never have dreamed of throwing a quick slant to Raymond Berry at the half yard line.

In modern times we have to have an "expert" call the plays. A guy that doesn't feel the flow of the game and typically outsmarts himself.

That is why Johnny U was the best QB of all time.