Bledsoe s Performance Will Only Fuel Controversy
Bledsoe's Performance Will Only Fuel Controversy Football Outsiders
All Buffalo Fans knew this would happen. Welcome to Drew's World. Anybody think Romo would have looked better against the Jaguars' D? Although it'd be hard to be worse than the 4 interceptions (yes 4... one in the 4th quarter was bizarrely overturned). Here's betting that Peter King is driving the "Play Romo" bandwagon. I vote they keep Bledsoe in all year. The league is just much more interesting that way. I feel bad for him...he's a classy guy. Too bad he just...can't...play. I hope they keep Bledsoe in until at least Week 5 just so I have the pleasure of seeing the Eagles trigger he-who-shall-not-be-named to begin the immanent implosion. Check with #81. Me says he has already talked to Jerry Jones for a QB change. You have to laugh. Didn't T.O choose Philidelphia over Baltimore because he wanted to play with a competent QB? I hear chickens coming home to roost. I've never seen a bigger Jekyll and Hyde performance, even from Bledsoe. He looked awesome in the first quarter, and then he reverted. Given how bad the line was playing when the Jags seemed to "get serious", though, Romo might not have been much better... I'm not sure you can really blame Bledsoe for that last pick; do you really think Fate was going to allow such a ridiculous overturn to go unpunished? (Although it was a bit much to add another bone-rattling sack - the overturn wasn't Bledsoe's fault.) Normally the switch from Drew Bledsoe A (competent, tough, a Pro Bowl QB) to Drew Bledsoe B (inaccurate, bonehead reads, tunnel vision, sacked every third snap) takes a couple of games. He starts en fuego, gets hit a lot, and then starts forcing passes and locking onto star receivers. It appears that this season A lasted for one quarter. And once B takes the reins, A is seldom heard from again. Sorry, Cowboys fans. At least the T.O.pera will begin quickly, thereby ending the suspense of "when will he flip out?" The over-under is now week three. Bledsoe is what he is. Last night, he was what he was. What exactly is everybody expecting? He can throw the ball pretty good if he can watch the route for a long time. A real long time. Really, really long. Kinda long, really. Mickey Spagnola's article on the Cowboys website indicates his back was giving him problems. I'm not sure how a QB with a bad back heaves a 50+ yard pass downfield, but he was seen taking practice throws on the sideline. While his slow decision making is legendary, it would be a mistake to pull Bledsoe right now, for a couple of reasons. First is that a legitimate starting quarterback has to be given a long leash. He has enough to worry about, without having to look over his shoulder worrying if he's going to get yanked over one bad game. Second, does anyone here seriously think Tony Romo is an improvement? What if he doesn't work out, then what? Back to Bledsoe again? You can't be changing starting quarterbacks every other game; it wrecks the stability of the organization. Nothing drives me nuts like watching him hold the ball all day, then throwing into triple coverage. But the alternative could easily be worse. By the way, does anyone recall who Jacksonville played on opening day last year? Not only did Seattle lose by a larger margin, they were totally outplayed (outgained in total yards, minus five turnover differential). I'm not trying to give a free pass to Bledsoe, but I think his performance has to be taken in context. I can't believe that a 14 year vet like Bledsoe has such awful mechanics. He throws off his back foot and since he's so stiff, it's an awful thing to see. And his throwing motion is a wreck from the beautiful, fluid motion he came into the league with. His herky-jerky, shake-the-champagne setup incidentally was developed under the tutelage of Chris Palmer and it's one of the most damning things on Palmer's resume I think. Bledsoe's stats improved under Palmer, that's true, but Bledsoe was such a exciting player when he used to sling the ball from his hips. RE #13 - Iâ€m not sure how a QB with a bad back heaves a 50+ yard pass downfield, but he was seen taking practice throws on the sideline. - That pass was woefully underthrown. As was the deep ball to T.O. earlier. Maybe it was his back but he stunk out loud. Re #4
Nah, what about the Keep Chopping Wood Award? With Beldsoe in, there's zero surprise in that one... Re: 11 The over-under is now week three. There are few things on the planet that I pray for more than for him to wait until week 5 (@ Philly). Re: 17
Hopefully while Donovan McNabb throws for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns. Apologies to all, I had to bring this up.
Bledsoe did this exact thing in the AFC Chapmionship at PIT in early 2002 after Lee Flowers rolled over Brady's leg.
Taking over at the PIT 40, Bledsoe completed 3 of 3 for 36 yards with 1 TD and had a 4-yard scramble to boot. The TD pass put the Pats up 14-3 at the half.
In the second half the OTHER Drew showed up, including flipping the ball over his shoulder for a lucky incompletion, and throwing a pass right to Joey Porter, no receiver in sight, which Porter dropped because he started running for the end zone too soon.
Luckily the Pats had the Pats D and they were playing the Kordell Stewart Steelers, so, as Bill Simmons might say, no Drew Bledsoe Face that day.
The whole reason that Brady started SB 36 the next week is that Drew "graded out" so badly in this game.
The whole thing makes me kind of sad as Bledsoe seems like a decent, generous guy but he's just not the one to lead a team to a Super Bowl win. November 8, 1:26pm ET
September 11, 2006, 9:08 am ET It's too bad NFL football games aren't just 15 minutes because the Cowboys looked unstoppable during the first quarter of yesterday's contest against the Jaguars. After a fast start, quarterback Drew Bledsoe returned to the form that drove Pats fans nuts for years: poor decision making, untimely interceptions, and drive-stalling sacks. Commence quarterback controversy talk. (free registration/bugmenot required)
Comments
19 comments, Last at 12 Sep 2006, 10:57pm First in.All Buffalo Fans knew this would happen. Welcome to Drew's World. Anybody think Romo would have looked better against the Jaguars' D? Although it'd be hard to be worse than the 4 interceptions (yes 4... one in the 4th quarter was bizarrely overturned). Here's betting that Peter King is driving the "Play Romo" bandwagon. I vote they keep Bledsoe in all year. The league is just much more interesting that way. I feel bad for him...he's a classy guy. Too bad he just...can't...play. I hope they keep Bledsoe in until at least Week 5 just so I have the pleasure of seeing the Eagles trigger he-who-shall-not-be-named to begin the immanent implosion. Check with #81. Me says he has already talked to Jerry Jones for a QB change. You have to laugh. Didn't T.O choose Philidelphia over Baltimore because he wanted to play with a competent QB? I hear chickens coming home to roost. I've never seen a bigger Jekyll and Hyde performance, even from Bledsoe. He looked awesome in the first quarter, and then he reverted. Given how bad the line was playing when the Jags seemed to "get serious", though, Romo might not have been much better... I'm not sure you can really blame Bledsoe for that last pick; do you really think Fate was going to allow such a ridiculous overturn to go unpunished? (Although it was a bit much to add another bone-rattling sack - the overturn wasn't Bledsoe's fault.) Normally the switch from Drew Bledsoe A (competent, tough, a Pro Bowl QB) to Drew Bledsoe B (inaccurate, bonehead reads, tunnel vision, sacked every third snap) takes a couple of games. He starts en fuego, gets hit a lot, and then starts forcing passes and locking onto star receivers. It appears that this season A lasted for one quarter. And once B takes the reins, A is seldom heard from again. Sorry, Cowboys fans. At least the T.O.pera will begin quickly, thereby ending the suspense of "when will he flip out?" The over-under is now week three. Bledsoe is what he is. Last night, he was what he was. What exactly is everybody expecting? He can throw the ball pretty good if he can watch the route for a long time. A real long time. Really, really long. Kinda long, really. Mickey Spagnola's article on the Cowboys website indicates his back was giving him problems. I'm not sure how a QB with a bad back heaves a 50+ yard pass downfield, but he was seen taking practice throws on the sideline. While his slow decision making is legendary, it would be a mistake to pull Bledsoe right now, for a couple of reasons. First is that a legitimate starting quarterback has to be given a long leash. He has enough to worry about, without having to look over his shoulder worrying if he's going to get yanked over one bad game. Second, does anyone here seriously think Tony Romo is an improvement? What if he doesn't work out, then what? Back to Bledsoe again? You can't be changing starting quarterbacks every other game; it wrecks the stability of the organization. Nothing drives me nuts like watching him hold the ball all day, then throwing into triple coverage. But the alternative could easily be worse. By the way, does anyone recall who Jacksonville played on opening day last year? Not only did Seattle lose by a larger margin, they were totally outplayed (outgained in total yards, minus five turnover differential). I'm not trying to give a free pass to Bledsoe, but I think his performance has to be taken in context. I can't believe that a 14 year vet like Bledsoe has such awful mechanics. He throws off his back foot and since he's so stiff, it's an awful thing to see. And his throwing motion is a wreck from the beautiful, fluid motion he came into the league with. His herky-jerky, shake-the-champagne setup incidentally was developed under the tutelage of Chris Palmer and it's one of the most damning things on Palmer's resume I think. Bledsoe's stats improved under Palmer, that's true, but Bledsoe was such a exciting player when he used to sling the ball from his hips. RE #13 - Iâ€m not sure how a QB with a bad back heaves a 50+ yard pass downfield, but he was seen taking practice throws on the sideline. - That pass was woefully underthrown. As was the deep ball to T.O. earlier. Maybe it was his back but he stunk out loud. Re #4
Nah, what about the Keep Chopping Wood Award? With Beldsoe in, there's zero surprise in that one... Re: 11 The over-under is now week three. There are few things on the planet that I pray for more than for him to wait until week 5 (@ Philly). Re: 17
Hopefully while Donovan McNabb throws for 300 yards and 3 touchdowns. Apologies to all, I had to bring this up.
Bledsoe did this exact thing in the AFC Chapmionship at PIT in early 2002 after Lee Flowers rolled over Brady's leg.
Taking over at the PIT 40, Bledsoe completed 3 of 3 for 36 yards with 1 TD and had a 4-yard scramble to boot. The TD pass put the Pats up 14-3 at the half.
In the second half the OTHER Drew showed up, including flipping the ball over his shoulder for a lucky incompletion, and throwing a pass right to Joey Porter, no receiver in sight, which Porter dropped because he started running for the end zone too soon.
Luckily the Pats had the Pats D and they were playing the Kordell Stewart Steelers, so, as Bill Simmons might say, no Drew Bledsoe Face that day.
The whole reason that Brady started SB 36 the next week is that Drew "graded out" so badly in this game.
The whole thing makes me kind of sad as Bledsoe seems like a decent, generous guy but he's just not the one to lead a team to a Super Bowl win. November 8, 1:26pm ET