Jeff Chadiha article on Wilson (ESPN)

[jammerhawk]

The writer critiques Wilson b/c he played upon a team with a good D and an excellent running game saying Wilson did well b/c he didn't have to carry the team because it was strong. Then says Wilson has a lot more to prove now he has to carry the team which is simply disabusing himself of the basis of his critique about a good D and an excellent running game and not needing to carry the team. The writers premise is flawed and the basis for his assessment is apparently an incomplete understanding of Wilson's actual statistics in critical situations. The comparisons with Kaepernick are truly facile and not factually based upon objective data. He apparently didn't watch Wilson play much or at all either.

I could care less about his opinion if it was a cogent logically based conclusion, but it's another of the "he's short, so he has more to prove" BS type articles. In the end it isn't genuinely informative and is weak sauce.

He's entitled to his opinion but I would genuinely like to force him to revisit it after the upcoming season is over. Exactly who is this bozo, what gives his opinion more force than those who know the relevant stats, actually watched Wilson play, and why should we give a damn about his opinion anyway?

 

[Russ Willstrong]

I would file this one under the Mel Kiper category because it seems to be a case of another sports analyst/journalist getting publicity for riding Mel Kiper's coattail. Yes there are still RW detractors out there but this guy talks like he has been hiding under a rock all of last year and he works for ESPN. How can you be an NFL journalist and not be impressed by RW's work in the NFL playoffs or the pro-bowl where RW's talent shone the brightest? How can he argue against RW's ability to become a great NFL quarterback and at the same time state that you acknowledge his past body of work, talent and pedigree? It's double talk and I give Brock immense credit for having such restraint.

Truth is that Jeffri Chadhila is just continuing to pimp Kiper's old-smelly-whore of an idea that great quarterbacks need ideal size. It will truly be interesting if Chadhila and Kiper change their stance once Manzell comes out in the next few years!! I know many ESPN experts are quick to detract from Wilson and quicker to crown Jonny Manzell during their respective Heisman races.

 

[SE174]

I think it's unlikely, but he didn't say that's what he would be, in fact, he suggested that that is his floor

I think it's pretty fair to say the floor is Alex Smith and the ceiling is Drew Brees.

I would say Russell's floor is Ben Roethlisberger. His career numbers are pretty comparable.

 

[Russ Willstrong]

but Kaep has a higher ceiling too.

Nah.

Naaaaaaaaaah.

It's a myth that Russell Wilson lives in a smaller home with lower ceilings.
Kaep has a higher ceiling than everyone because he lives in a shoe. :roll:

 

[SE174]

Jeffri's premise is essentially that because most everyone outside of Seattle was wrong on Wilson last year, that there's this new, immense pressure on Wilson to disprove their ignorant, lingering doubts this year. Not to mention the ludicrous belief that Russell's performance can be affected by outside expectations in the first place. Plus, how is there not equal pressure on Luck, RG3, and Kaepernick to repeat and improve upon last year's performance? It amazes me how poorly some journalists do their job these days. Reminds me of the bit I saw earlier with Russell Brand on MSNBC, totally dressing down the anchors for their unprofessionalism and incompetency in doing their jobs.

 

[scutterhawk]

Why is it that every time someone doesn't completely bow down to our players/team they are deemed idiots/morons/whatever?

Look I love RW and I believe he will be a star for many years, but he only has played 1 year and I am sure teams will adjust (and I think RW will adjust to that). Soph slumps are real.

So, with a skimming the surface of a player, in his summation, he could have a valid point?
It requires a more in depth study of ANY player before writing an article, or you run the risk of looking like an idiot.
Not that many years ago, Coaches were under the notion to having their Franchise QB's riding the pine pony on the sidelines and studying on how to play at the NFL level, that was the NORM.
But then, College Coaches started taking a more vigorous approach to prepping the signal callers for a more NFL ready venue.
To be perfectly honest though, I believe Wilson has already proven that he's way ahead of the curve, and I'd be willing to bet a Weeks pay to anyone dumb enough to take me up on the wager, that Wilson will NOT have that so called "Sophomore Slump", yes, even Jeff Chadiha.

 

[Tical21]

Why is it that every time someone doesn't completely bow down to our players/team they are deemed idiots/morons/whatever?

Look I love RW and I believe he will be a star for many years, but he only has played 1 year and I am sure teams will adjust (and I think RW will adjust to that). Soph slumps are real.

So, with a skimming the surface of a player, in his summation, he could have a valid point?
It requires a more in depth study of ANY player before writing an article, or you run the risk of looking like an idiot.
Not that many years ago, Coaches were under the notion to having their Franchise QB's riding the pine pony on the sidelines and studying on how to play at the NFL level, that was the NORM.
But then, College Coaches started taking a more vigorous approach to prepping the signal callers for a more NFL ready venue.
To be perfectly honest though, I believe Wilson has already proven that he's way ahead of the curve, and I'd be willing to bet a Weeks pay to anyone dumb enough to take me up on the wager, that Wilson will NOT have that so called "Sophomore Slump", yes, even Jeff Chadiha.

May I ask what you do for a living? And how would you possibly quantify a sophomore slump? If he doesn't improve? Throws more picks than last year? Has a worse QBR than last year?

 

[kearly]

He says on air his take was based on stats. Which means he doesn't take into account red zone stats, ypa, or common sense. And this idea that he had it easy because of his team's skill ignores that this team was teetering on missing the playoffs until Russell took over.

And the dumbass admits that if Russell were 6'3" the conversation never happens.

It's not very often I can't sit through an interview on the radio, but I couldn't make it more than 10 minutes listening to him attempt logic. He made several statements that I believe are factually disputable (Wilson vs. Newton's arm strength, size being a form of athleticism, that Wilson faced no adversity(!) etc), but I made it through that. But then he compared Wilson to Alex Smith, and I turned the dial immediately. A statement like that proved that he was a lost cause. How utterly lacking in common sense can you be?

Also, regarding the ceiling comments several people have made as a point against Wilson. Drew Brees is one of the most prolific QBs of all time, and even he's said that Wilson has more potential than he did because of the mobility factor. If you went and said that Newton or Kaepernick had a higher ceiling than Drew Brees, you'd be laughed out of the room, and rightfully so. But it's okay to say that they have a higher ceiling than a QB that even Drew Brees is in awe of? Stupidity at it's finest.

 

[godawg]

This looks like cut and paste journalism at its worst. It feels like this information has been regurgitated without being digested. It's hard to imagine Chadiha has watched much of Russell Wilson.

 

[DavidSeven]

I'm not wasting my time on the article or the interview. Putting Wilson's floor at Alex Smith tells me all I need to know. I don't even think Niners fans would be foolish enough to make that statement. But then, they've actually watched Wilson play.

And on what basis is he comparable to Hasselbeck? On potential general success alone, maybe. Hasselbeck's career is a case study on getting the absolute most out of fairly minimal physical skills. Wilson is a specimen in terms of arm strength and mobility. Obviously, for anyone who's watched any meaningful tape on Wilson, he probably most closely resembles Drew Brees. I do, however, think Wilson's mobility puts his ceiling a little higher. Will he get there? Time will tell. I think putting his floor at Big Ben is pretty fair.

 

[NinjaHawk]

This looks like cut and paste journalism at its worst. It feels like this information has been regurgitated without being digested. It's hard to imagine Chadiha has watched much of Russell Wilson.

Exactly what I came away thinking, the guy hasn't really watched him. He said he did but I call BS. When he says things in his 710 interview like he doesn't think Russell has good arm strength, he just comes off uneducated. If you're going to knock our QB, at least get the reasons right.

 

[RichNhansom]

I'm not IP in arms about this other than ESPN not openly admitting he is a Niner fan. Got his start at the San Francisco examiner and covered the Niners. If I did a write up on Papaki it would likely come across to Miner fans similar to how we see this. The difference being you know I'm a Hawks fan.

It is comical though that he credits the surrounding team only for Wilson. Ignores Lynch being injured in Atlanta, how many top shelf defenses Wilson excelled against or how many times late in games Wilson took over the game to put us in position to win. These are all arguments that heavily favor Wilson.

Comparatively none of the QB's can write a similar resume. Luck played the easiest schedule and needs to prove he can do it against better competition. Papaki never had to put the team on his back and struggled against good defenses on third down and in the red zone and RGIII couldn't stay healthy and all of them had significantly more preparation and planning involved in getting them ready.

 

[McGruff]

I don't get the problem with the quote in the OP?

You honestly think Russell could just be a "more dynamic version of Alex Smith?"

I honestly thinks Wilson's floor is Tryoy Aikman . . . Another guy who won multiple rings with an outstanding running game, weapons, and defense.

And Aikman is in the HOF!

 

[Hawknballs]

this idea that defenses weren't "trying hard" or "had no film" on rookie QB's is idiotic at best.

There was plenty of film on wilson by the time the playoffs rolled around, that didn't stop him from throwing for 400 yards against atlanta.

 

[Schadie001]

It has probably been already said but never the less. The whole problem with many in the media who suggest that teams will adjust, watch film, blah, blah, blah and the just look at C. Newton he did awesome then sucked so how could Wilson thrive in his 2nd year. I say...we are a totally different team than most, especially Carolina. Wilson doesn't have to be everything, he just has to be Wilson. We have added a big threat in Harvin, we have 3 RB's with Lynch headlining who will carry the load. Our team is more complete than any of the teams with young QB's manning the helms, but everyone seems to forget that. Wilson was a third round pick, had to split reps with not one but 2 guys in camp last year as well as the pre-season. Only got to start a single pre-season game and with all those odds stacked against him he still outperformed the other youngsters who were handed starting gigs from day one.

The things that the media used against Wilson to say he didn't have to do as much are precisely what will make him thee best this year; we have a 3 headed monster at RB, headed by Lynch, we have a pretty dam solid WR core headed by Havin, and our D is pretty dam awesome. Newton didn't have it, RGIII doesn't have it and Luck doesn't have it. Plus non work as hard as he does...They have great football players we have something special; A star.

You don't just have to stop Wilson to stop the Seahawks...you have to stop Lynch, you have to stop (Harvin, Rice, Tate, Baldwin), you have to Robinson/Miller, you have to stop the Legion of Boom. We can't be stopped...

 

[scutterhawk]

So, with a skimming the surface of a player, in his summation, he could have a valid point?
It requires a more in depth study of ANY player before writing an article, or you run the risk of looking like an idiot.
Not that many years ago, Coaches were under the notion to having their Franchise QB's riding the pine pony on the sidelines and studying on how to play at the NFL level, that was the NORM.
But then, College Coaches started taking a more vigorous approach to prepping the signal callers for a more NFL ready venue.
To be perfectly honest though, I believe Wilson has already proven that he's way ahead of the curve, and I'd be willing to bet a Weeks pay to anyone dumb enough to take me up on the wager, that Wilson will NOT have that so called "Sophomore Slump", yes, even Jeff Chadiha.

May I ask what you do for a living? And how would you possibly quantify a sophomore slump? -> If <- he doesn't improve? Throws more picks than last year? Has a worse QBR than last year?

IF---IF---IF , IF the dog hadn't stopped to take a shit, he'd have caught the rabbit too.

It's 2013, and not ONE SINGLE down has been played, and some here have already tweaked Russell Wilson as an also Quarterback.
Why do I BELIEVE that RW will NOT have that Sophomore Slump?, because he hasn't been off on vacation, or playing tiddlywinks with a piss pot, but rather, he's studying gameS filmS working with all his targets, getting everyone on the same page.
I trust that he's doing his "SEPARATION BY PREPARATION".
I'm damned sure that he's not going to have the SS, and apparently you and a few others don't share my confidence :vodka:

 

[Russ Willstrong]

Needless to say Chadhila could learn from RW and DO SOME FILM STUDY before shooting his mouth.

 

[mikeak]

Funny thing with watching film and Cam Newton. Carolina made Cam a pocket passer at the beginning of last season and he didn't succeed. When they went back to how they played in 2012 they were much better including Cam's numbers........

 

[Seeker]

The saddest part about this article is that when you listen to the brock and danny interview you realize he is just another guy who doesn't like RW because of his height.

-- Thinks Alex Smith is a much better athlete.
-- Is a former NINERS correspondent (huge red flag right there)
-- Compared Russell's trajectory to Cam "babygirl" Newton
-- Openly admited he didn't watch @chicago, @Washington, VsSanfransico, @detroit all key, defining games
-- Is a pure stats guy who judges elite qb's by how they "carry the team" (IE Phillip Rivers)

I hate to say this cause it just makes me seem like a bias homer but the guy on that list of qbs with the most to prove is colin. your talking about a guy you gave up a proven commodity for in alex smith, a guy who relies HEAVILY off of running when he gets flustered, a guy who looks as sturdy as a crystal vase and runs just as blindly and wildly as RGIII, a guy who has proven can be flustered rather easily if met wth enough pressure all while being behind THE BEST OLINE IN FOOTBALL which is bound to degrade at least slightly as the players get older and most importantly a guy without his only star receiver on an already thin receiver core.

 

[RichNhansom]

Not only his star receiver but is only returning one guy who has caught passes from him before. Unless Manningham comes back earlier than expected.

He also has to prove his tiny hands aren't a problem with 10 fumbles in 10 games.