To everyone that thought wilsons height was a factor.

[sc85sis]

I think his height is a factor at times, but it's one he can overcome with play calling and pocket movement.

 

[nategreat]

 

[Ozzy]

Really don't think it limits him at all and you could run any offense you want with Wilson. He can excell in West coast, vertical, NE type offense or any of them.

 

[Cartire]

Thats actually not quite right at all.

While some defenders will jump up, most, with the o-line are squatting far lower then a foot tapping QB that, stands tall in the pocket, hence the phrase. When rushing and blocking, most the time you are trying to get low to center your gravity low and explode upward. A taller qb, at even 6-2, is going to see far better over the line. Im sorry, its true. Its a big reason Peyton and Tom can do a lot of the quick routes so well and with such poise. You can see them looking right over their O-line with ease.

When RW gets a nice 5 and 7 foot drop back, with time, he can see over just fine. He gets a deep angle and stands tall him self. Watch him straighten up when he steps forward.

On 3 foot drops, and even shotgun snaps where he doesnt drop back, Hes at a worse angle then a 6'2" QB at this point, and it does have some effect. But hes smart. And knows where the WR's are going to be and he uses his throwing lanes nicely. He knows how to make the reads still and CAN still see. Just not as effectively.

There have been small QB's that succeed. ITs just a lot harder and they deserve a ton of credit for their achievements. RW is in year 4. He has nothing left to prove. The kid is good and gets it.

 

[Smellyman]

I've never thought Russell's height was a factor, because all the evidence has shown since college is the dude can throw, from inside and outside the pocket...........because Russell's perfected the over the top tall throwing mechanics.

As opposed to Bridgewater, who's almost five inches taller than Russell, but is far more inaccurate and has more balls batted down because of his funky sidearm mechanics.

This is likely going to be the only legit point made in this thread.

*RW has an almost perfect deliver.

*RW'S delivery only works because he has freakishly long arms, and enormous hands.

*Aside from maybe Osweiler (6' 7") no NFL QB can see over their offensive line. QB'S have always had to

A: Know the offense, and know where receivers were supposed to be, and when.

B: Find throwing lanes the line creates.

Any other height related argument is bullshit.

Never understood how a qb 6' to 6'5 could see over Olineman either.

 

[Hawknballs]

I've always been of the notion that his height can't be ignored but can be compensated for in other ways, just as a QB who might have an unorthodox throwing motion, or a guy that isn't very mobile. It's what you do with everything else that matters. Wilson has probably just had to work that much harder to study defenses and rely on his anticipation to make the throws.

another issue "short" qbs are known for dealing with is the fact that if your body is genuinely smaller, so are your hands leading to more fumbles and less control and touch while passing, but Wilson has large hands for his height.

"Bigger hands help quarterbacks handle the ball and perhaps also help them throw it. Mr. Bales recorded the hand measurements for every quarterback drafted since 2008 and also found data for some older quarterbacks. The average N.F.L. hand size for a quarterback is now 9.6 inches, he said. “Some of the top ‘short’ quarterbacks (6-2 or shorter) of the past decade have ridiculously large hands — Drew Brees (10.25 inches), Russell Wilson (10.25 inches), Brett Favre (10.38 inches),” he wrote. (The average length of a male hand is 7.44 inches.)"

(From: http://mobile.nytimes.com/2014/05/09/up ... erer=&_r=0 )

Finally, there are benefits we see every game to his size - he can be more elusive and his compact frame just looks and seems more durable to taking some of the hits he does that a more angular gangly body type might not survive. Teddy bridgewater for example - that guy has career ending injury written all over him which is too bad because he seems like a pretty good dude.

Then you have Johnny Manziel, who has gone on record as saying he can't see over his linemen. Because he wants an excuse. But fact of the matter is that he just doesn't have the work ethic or attention to detail Wilson has and he never will.

 

[rcaido]

Still not black enough...

 

[AROS]

Then you have Johnny Manziel, who has gone on record as saying he can't see over his linemen. Because he wants an excuse. But fact of the matter is that he just doesn't have the work ethic or attention to detail Wilson has and he never will.

Yep. And that really is the crux of it. You just nailed it. Besides obviously talent, work ethic and attention to detail is what separates the greats (Wilson) from the pretenders (Manziel). You can't fake those qualities. You either have them or you don't. It seems to me that the Manziel's of the world are more interested in their momentary fame than they are putting in the work and time to actually matter in this league.

For all the criticism WE and the world has put on Wilson since he became our QB, none of that has ever mattered to him. One of his main mantras has always been ignore the noise. This year has been an exemplifying trend of just how much Russell can indeed ignore the noise. All that talk of Ciara distractions, Mexico staged photos, et al, just now seems awfully silly doesn't it?

I might question his superstitions when it comes to growing his hair long in order to win a championship (It didn't work last year and I noticed his hair is short coming off one of his finest games in his NFL career against the Vikings), but one thing I will NEVER question is this man's heart, desire and drive to be the best.

I have said it before and I will gladly say it again for all to hear...

Russell Wilson will be the Seattle Seahawks next Hall of Famer.

 

[lobohawk]

His height's impact depends on the stage of a pocket. He has no real issue until the pocket begins to collapse. When the linemen have been pushed within 3-4 feet. In that case he's more in a phone booth than elevator sized pocket. You've seen tall players like Rivers, who can't flee the pocket well, stand very upright while the bodies press in and dump it off (see Hawk v SD game).

Performing in such a tight pocket is tough for most QBs, so it's not even that big a knock on Russell. Just not a strength. His other added physical skills more than compensate here. His ability in the pocket depends on the same things affecting other QBs (play design, OL ability, pre-snap read ability, tempo of decision making, arm strength and touch, etc). So most of his height criticism becomes a lazy way to evaluate his ability in the pocket, than an effort to analyze all the other real factors.

 

[Seanhawk]

Russell Wilson will be the Seattle Seahawks next Hall of Famer.

I disagree. I think Earl Thomas and/or Richard Sherman will have shorter careers.

 

[sam1313]

Russell Wilson will be the Seattle Seahawks next Hall of Famer.

I disagree. I think Earl Thomas and/or Richard Sherman will have shorter careers.

You beat me too it!

 

[Kamcussion]

Have you changed your mind about his height limiting his ability as a pocket passer?

I definitely did a 180 in these past 3 weeks.

Didn't know he height was a factor in the offensive line not blocking and giving him a pocket to work with..

 

[hawk45]

Height and cautious nature were two of the explanations being floated as to why Wilson might never be able to use the middle of the field and get the ball out quickly like a Brady.
Turns out when we spread the field and scheme guys open like Brady's OCs have been doing for years, Wilson uses the middle of the field and gets the ball out quickly.
His height may be a factor to overcome but offensive scheme looks to have been a much, much larger obstacle.

 

[Giblien]

I still can't believe people have EVER thought it was an issue...this should have been put to rest in preseason week three against the chiefs in 2012. Good lord.

:177692:

 

[Hawknballs]

I still can't believe people have EVER thought it was an issue...this should have been put to rest in preseason week three against the chiefs in 2012. Good lord.

:177692:

I don't think it's absurd to regard it as a possible issue. It quite clearly (no pun intended) is an issue, one that Wilson has learned to compensate for and then some. To say it's not an issue is to discredit the hard work and attention to detail the dude has put into every other aspect of his game to overcome it. Thing about a physical limitation is that you can't really argue about it; the dude is short. It's a fact. In general short QB's don't make it. It's not some weird short people prejudice.

Wilson had a lot to prove in this league and yeah, he's done it.

There's a difference between the idiots who simply and completely wrote him off as a failure before he even had a chance, and those who were concerned but played the wait and see game.

 

[RiverDog]

Of course, his height, or rather the lack of it, is a factor. You are not going to see a flood of under 6' quarterbacks dominating the league. Teams will still be looking for a certain height profile, from 6'2" to 6'5". The only debate is how much of a factor is it, and how well can it be mitigated.

Russell compensates for his lack of height with unparalleled mobility and elusiveness, where his lack of height can be an advantage. He tends to get lost behind all those trees, so DB's lose track of him. He also excels in other tangible and intangible quarterbacking attributes. He has very good mechanics, with good footwork and a very good throwing motion with decent arm strength and a great work ethic.

Nothing about his performance of the past several weeks has changed my overall opinion of him. I am writing off the first 9 weeks of this season as an anomaly.

 

[Sac]

Russell Wilson will be the Seattle Seahawks next Hall of Famer.

I disagree. I think Earl Thomas and/or Richard Sherman will have shorter careers.

I disagree with both of you. Lynch will be done before all those guys.