Im wondering what ya think of Russells arm strength, is he an average middle of the league arm, or above average. I dont think he gets enough credit for his arm strength i mean that game winning TD to Sidney Rice against the patriots was thrown from the 50 all the way to the endzone and he didnt look like he put alot of strength into it. I remember Ron Jaworski gushing over Flaccos throw to Jones against Denver but he threw it from the 40 to the 20 and he had to rely wind up for it. He might not throw with the velocity that the elite arms have but he has all the range that a elite arm needs. What do ya think?

Underrated arm strength.


The ball leaves his hands with pop, and gets to the target in a hurry and on a dime. He makes throwing a football look effortless.

Very strong arm, and he throws a sexy deep ball.

http://www.seahawks.com/videos-photos/v ... 638962d1cf

Too many people confuse arm strength with trajectory. Wilson has a very, very strong arm. The thing is, the guy knows better than to just gun passes into receivers. The dude is just playing beyond his age and experience. He has actually zipped the ball on only a few occasions, he is mostly looking to protect it and allow only his receiver to catch it. First Tate grab in the GB game, the NE toss x3, the SF game he hit Baldy for another 50+ yards in the air.

If you really want to see the zip, check the Vikings TD's, there are two of them, even on the run the guy can wing a ball. Love seeing those tosses that fly 50+ yards, he makes it look easy. RW.. You are insane.

Top 5-10 in the league.

It's not the deep ball that makes or breaks NFL QBs... it's the 20-yard out that does... and Wilson throws that ball beautifully.

Russell has a better than average NFL arm... for sure.

The best thing about his deep ball?

It looks soooo effortless. Like you know if he really tried, he could through much further.

The 20 yd outs he threw to Chop Chop and Tate shows how much zip he can put on the ball. Michaels called the one to Chop dangerous because if it didn't have mustard on it, would be the type that results in a pick-6. With Wilson, it wasn't even close to being in harm's way.

Not sure how he compares to other QBs but he has more than enough arm strength for what they want him to do here.

HoustonHawk82 wrote:The best thing about his deep ball?

It's sexy.

It is known.

His arm strength allows him to make every NFL throw and his brain allows him to do it correctly in every situation.

Like loafoftatupu said above, Wilson can really gun the ball, but you don't always have to.

Look at 3 of Miller's TD receptions where he was in the end zone already. Russell just lofts one to him, and just drops the other two in (the 1 handed catch was a thing of beauty on both sides).

http://www.fieldgulls.com/2013/5/6/4304 ... -nfl-throw

You're welcome.

Canon. It obviously shows on the deep bombs he throws, but it's also evident in how accurate his intermediate throws are (as FieldGulls explains very well).

I don't think anyone who has followed the Seahawks for a while can dispute this. I love Hass, but I always dreamed of the Seahawks having a QB with the ability to launch it. Matt just wasn't a guy who could tilt the field on a single throw.

Wilson throws the deep ball effortlessly but what's more he has a wonderful quick release and strong hands to protect the ball. God was indeed playing Madden when he made this QB small and elusive so they can hide and with big strong hands to wing it with grace and precision.

Also a sign of his strong arm and wrist is the ability to throw hundreds of balls in practice as if they were game throws. IIRC last year Flynn injured his throwing arm during the preseason while in competition with RW AND the year before that his UW Badger competitor did the same and bowed out to have surgery. Arm of gold and balls of steel IMO.

I know some people like to compare RW to Felix. I never really saw it, BUT, I would compare the two as throwers. Back around 2009 or so, Felix was still hitting 98 MPH on his fastball at the time but became a much better pitcher when he started working his slower pitches more.

In a similar sense, RW has a very strong arm and shows that he's capable of dialing up some heat from time to time, but part of what makes him great as a passer is that he usually makes softer "touch" throws by choice because they are far easier for receivers to catch. Unless you HAVE to thread a needle on a throw, there really isn't any need to gun it and you'd be better off throwing with touch as much as you possibly can. Wilson understands that perfectly.

When Wilson does throw hard, I think there are at least a few QBs I'd put comfortably ahead of him (Flacco, Kaepernick, Stafford, maybe Freeman) but that added zip is worth very little. Wilson's arm is comfortably top 10, fringe top 5. I think the best comparison to Wilson's arm strength and throwing motion was in-his-prime Drew Brees.

kearly wrote:In a similar sense, RW has a very strong arm and shows that he's capable of dialing up some heat from time to time, but part of what makes him great as a passer is that he usually makes softer "touch" throws by choice because they are far easier for receivers to catch. Unless you HAVE to thread a needle on a throw, there really isn't any need to gun it and you'd be better off throwing with touch as much as you possibly can. Wilson understands that perfectly.

When Wilson does throw hard, I think there are at least a few QBs I'd put comfortably ahead of him (Flacco, Kaepernick, Stafford, maybe Freeman) but that added zip is worth very little. Wilson's arm is comfortably top 10, fringe top 5. I think the best comparison to Wilson's arm strength and throwing motion was in-his-prime Drew Brees.

True. His "touch" is a very underrated aspect of his game. He routinely seems to throw a catchable ball. I think Kaepernick has a bad habit of throwing too hard on his short and intermediate throws. They're in the same range on arm strength, but Wilson is miles ahead on touch.

onanygivensunday wrote:It's not the deep ball that makes or breaks NFL QBs... it's the 20-yard out that does... and Wilson throws that ball beautifully.

Russell has a better than average NFL arm... for sure.

this is 100% correct. in the leauge this is known as "the throw". its a requirement to succeed in the NFL.

God where is Hass at, one year playing and our own fans are raising Wilson arm strength questions, some people need to go out and see what walks into a Walmart and ask if some of the patrons are mating with 4 legged animals for a off season distraction.

Hass is atm the greatest QB Hawks have ever had, with that said he is not in the top 5 when it comes to Big Arms the Hawks have had.

Loaf has it completely correct. I don't remember what game it was, but Wilson had one pass that flew like 17-20 yards and never went above head-level; it was a bullet in every sense of the word. It blew me away. Anybody know what game it was in so I can try to find it again?

RolandDeschain wrote:Loaf has it completely correct. I don't remember what game it was, but Wilson had one pass that flew like 17-20 yards and never went above head-level; it was a bullet in every sense of the word. It blew me away. Anybody know what game it was in so I can try to find it again?

I don't know if it's the pass you're talking about, but the first time his arm strength jumped out to me was the GB game on the final drive. He threw a bullet over the middle to Sidney Rice.

Kip said it nicely. Great arm strength when needed, but also great touch on the ball.

Russ Willstrong wrote:Also a sign of his strong arm and wrist is the ability to throw hundreds of balls in practice as if they were game throws. IIRC last year Flynn injured his throwing arm during the preseason while in competition with RW AND the year before that his UW Badger competitor did the same and bowed out to have surgery. Arm of gold and balls of steel IMO.

Arm of gold, balls of steel, establishing a legacy of bronze.

SE174 wrote:

Russ Willstrong wrote:Also a sign of his strong arm and wrist is the ability to throw hundreds of balls in practice as if they were game throws. IIRC last year Flynn injured his throwing arm during the preseason while in competition with RW AND the year before that his UW Badger competitor did the same and bowed out to have surgery. Arm of gold and balls of steel IMO.

Arm of gold, balls of steel, establishing a legacy of bronze.

He'll probably always be in contention for that trophy for about the next 10 years. Just a matter of whether they want to spread the love around.

When I was a kid I had Steve Largent to look up to, and I did. I am so glad that Wilson came along for my boys to be able to follow his career.

RolandDeschain wrote:Loaf has it completely correct. I don't remember what game it was, but Wilson had one pass that flew like 17-20 yards and never went above head-level; it was a bullet in every sense of the word. It blew me away. Anybody know what game it was in so I can try to find it again?

Sounds like the Cowboys game when he hit Tate along the sideline. The one he threw in the Skins game to Chop Chop? Wonder if the hour long video highlight Flying Greg linked might have the play?

The three things that stand out the most about Wilsons throws

One He can make every throw

Two Ball placement is incredible, those throws are placed only where the receiver can catch the ball

Three He is one of the best that I have ever seen throwing on the run

In the Miami game he made a throw that cemented his arm talent for me.

http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/0ap2000000100454/Week-12-Russell-Wilson-highlights

It's the first play on the highlights.

It wasn't a bullet or really that long of a pass, but it's just such a pretty throw. Hit a sideline out, from 30 yards rolling to his left. Ridiculous. It kind of encapsulates what Russell can do.

To me it's just not about the arm strength, it's having the balls to make tight throws into tight spots. One of the most impressive throws IMO can in the Patriots game (1st drive IIRC), Russell threw a ball to Miller up the SEAM, he put it up high and with velocity and Miller came down with it.

This was a throw that T-Jack, Whitehurst (maybe even Flynn) wouldn't have attempted because it was risky.

Even in his HS highlights, there's at least one throw that hits the bullseye after 40 yards in the air. This kid is solid gold. I think of RW, with all his skills and leadership, with his arm and legs, in a Seahawks uniform for the next 10-15 years and I get weepy. So not ashamed of that, either.

Another thing I've noticed is how effortless it looks when he runs (my avatar is a perfect example). Looks like he's out for a leisurely stroll, not even near breaking a sweat, almost like how Superman looks surrounded by mere mortals.

there was a video on .com a few days ago and you could see Wilson throwing some 15-20 yard absolute lasers into the receivers arms.
yeah it's not game situation but i have no question about his arm strength, it's comfortably among the top tier in the league

warden wrote:The three things that stand out the most about Wilsons throws

One He can make every throw

Two Ball placement is incredible, those throws are placed only where the receiver can catch the ball

Three He is one of the best that I have ever seen throwing on the run

I wonder how much his time as a second basemen helped with that. It seems like he can make pinpoint throws from all angles (across his body, rolling to the left and throwing to the right, etc.) Just like a fielder has to. Dual-sport QBs are usually pitchers, so he's pretty unique in this regard.

Last summer Brock Huard jumped on the Russell Wilson band wagon early in the competition. one of the reasons he sited was that Russell really had a cannon when it was needed.

That said one of my good friends nephews was Russell Wilson's TE at NC State for three seasons. While playing with Russell, George Bryan was all conference and broke all school and some league records for his position, rated as high as #2 TE in the draft and was a pre season all american pick as a senior. His senior season Russell was replaced by the more powerful arm of Mike Glennon. Mike can throw a football through a brick wall but George and the other receivers struggled that year. George's numbers dropped so far that he went undrafted. I asked him about it last year ( and to be clear he didn't blame anyone but himself for the fall off. ) but he told me that Russell just had a way of making the catches easy. You didn't have to look for the ball you just put your hands out and the ball just stuck.

Those of you that played baseball or were in positions to catch the ball in football will understand this more, there are some guys that throw what is called a heavy ball, the trajectory isn't any different but when it gets to you it seems to be heavy and hard. Then there are others that when the ball gets to you it seems as if someone just tossed it almost underhanded, hardly any impact at all. The light ball is easy to one hand and pull out of the air, the heavy ball takes everything you can do to catch it. With a baseball it was like someone adding lead to it, it would hit my mitt and carry through to having my wrist flex. As a shortstop or second basemen it was a lot harder to turn plays because the ball would be harder to control and dig out to throw when turning a double play. In football any thing that isn't in a position to get a secure body behind the ball and to help with the catch with your hand can be a lot more difficult, almost a double clutch to verify you have it.

Wilson throws a easy ball to catch from what I have seen, it's not the heavy ball and it seems to me the receivers have a easy time handleing it, it's not blowing thru their hands and they seem to have a easy time reaching out to pull it in, this would make them confident in the ability to catch it and also able to get RAC's since they don'y have to put their body behind the ball to help them catch it. It is also the type of ball that doesn't get picked off a lot since the ricochet effect of a hard or heavy ball bouncing off their hands is much less.

I don't know if I confused anyone with what I was trying to say, but those that have played and been on the receiving end of both sports know what I am saying, it's a big difference.

loafoftatupu wrote:Too many people confuse arm strength with trajectory. Wilson has a very, very strong arm. The thing is, the guy knows better than to just gun passes into receivers. The dude is just playing beyond his age and experience. He has actually zipped the ball on only a few occasions, he is mostly looking to protect it and allow only his receiver to catch it. First Tate grab in the GB game, the NE toss x3, the SF game he hit Baldy for another 50+ yards in the air.

If you really want to see the zip, check the Vikings TD's, there are two of them, even on the run the guy can wing a ball. Love seeing those tosses that fly 50+ yards, he makes it look easy. RW.. You are insane.

His deep ball has a high trajectory but it gets where it needs to be. I think a part of his deep ball trajectory is his height. RG3 is one of the few guys who throws lasers on his deep passes.

I don't remember him throwing many passes last year where I said "That needed more zip"

He really knows his receivers too. McCoy isn't one to catch bullets so he would drop a lot of TJack passes. I think Russ knows McCoy does best with softer throws, compared to a guy like Rice who can take a bullet pass and catch it away from his body.

chris98251 wrote:Those of you that played baseball or were in positions to catch the ball in football will understand this more, there are some guys that throw what is called a heavy ball, the trajectory isn't any different but when it gets to you it seems to be heavy and hard. Then there are others that when the ball gets to you it seems as if someone just tossed it almost underhanded, hardly any impact at all.

The physics of this is somewhat nonsensical. Trajectory is dependent on initial velocity.

Chris98251 and west coast steve what you wrote echos what I heard from the NC State receivers.

Oh he's got an arm alright. One of our new WRs was asked about his first impression of playing with RW during OTAs, and the first thing out of his mouth was arm strength. I'd bet he can throw it on a rope anywhere he wants too, but that's not always what is called for.