While watching the highlights against the Dolphins I couldn't help but admire Blake's footwork on how he manipulated the pocket. There were times that the protection wasn't great but he manuvered to accomidate. You can truly see the work that he's put in on the off season w/o a doubt. I'm impressed. :thumbsup: I can't wait to see him continually improve into an top notch QB...
Time Will Tell...
NH3...
The 'pocket' isn't a static position and good quarterbacks learn to move and shift around to stay in that shifting pocket. Bortles did a good job of that against the 'phins and suffered no sacks as a result.
Quote:The 'pocket' isn't a static position and good quarterbacks learn to move and shift around to stay in that shifting pocket. Bortles did a good job of that against the 'phins and suffered no sacks as a result.
When he side stepped the lineman and threw that bomb to AR for a TD, wow, that was a thing of beauty. We haven't had anyone who could do that in a long time.
It was impressive. I watched with a friend who hasn't seen much of him and he was impressed as well. I also really like the way he squares his shoulders when running left to make a throw. You have to be really athletic to do that.
It was nice to see less runs from him this week. Those plays are exciting but it is good to have a guy that is thinking pass.
So much for him being scared in the pocket.
I don't know what was going on last week. Maybe it was a case of nerves? He looked much more like the Bortles we saw during the preseason, responding well to pressure and not letting anything get to him.
There have actually been people on this board referring to Blake as "Blaine" Bortles. I just don't see it. Even as a rookie, Blake has had more pocket presence than Gabbert ever did. Gabbert's first inclination was to either bail due to phantom pressure or simply go down with no pass rush around him.
Even when Blake leaves the pocket, you can see that his eyes are downfield and he's trying to pass. When there's no viable receiver, he takes off. When he stays in the pocket, he's very fluid and works the entire pocket. I'm right proud of the strides he's made. Looks franchise to me.
Quote:There have actually been people on this board referring to Blake as "Blaine" Bortles. I just don't see it. Even as a rookie, Blake has had more pocket presence than Gabbert ever did. Gabbert's first inclination was to either bail due to phantom pressure or simply go down with no pass rush around him.
Even when Blake leaves the pocket, you can see that his eyes are downfield and he's trying to pass. When there's no viable receiver, he takes off. When he stays in the pocket, he's very fluid and works the entire pocket. I'm right proud of the strides he's made. Looks franchise to me.
A more appropriate mocking nickname would be Byron Bortles because Leftwich was a guy who was always looking down the field trying to make a play as he waited for his snail-like receivers to get open. Bortles has the physicality and mobility of Garrard with the football IQ of Leftwich, in addition to having the ability to transform his mechanics, which Byron refused to do.
Last week the trail of tears crowd was declaring him a bust. They've been eerily silent since around 7:30 last night.
^^^ Was actually thinking the exact same. Byron was tough as nails and never flinched. David had the athleticism but maybe lacked the ability of reading defenses. Blake seems to have a bit of both. Good call.
Byron was good,.just a long windup and injury pronr, but boy could.he pick a defense apart given time.
But blake has.everything you could ask for in a QB just needs time just like any qb in the league.
Bortles looked good yesterday. He's obviously still inconsistent, but that's normal for a young qb. I wouldn't expect consistency out of Bortles until his 3rd year in the league. He showed yesterday he can be clutch, he can maneuver in the the pocket and throw strikes and keep from getting sacked, and he wasn't staring receivers down as often. I noticed him looking safeties off yesterday.
I'll rewatch the game and focus on Bortles.
The kneejerkers comparing Bortles to Gabbert need to get a grip. No doubt they'll be out in force against next week after we most likely lose to the Patriots. Bortles is improving every week and is obviously working hard at his position. He's accountable (something Gabbert never was) and stands tall in the pocket. Sure he sometimes tries to force it but this happens to all QBs (Favre and Brees are two that spring to mind).
Quote:^^^ Was actually thinking the exact same. Byron was tough as nails and never flinched. David had the athleticism but maybe lacked the ability of reading defenses. Blake seems to have a bit of both. Good call.
As much as I just struggled to like Garrard, the one thing I always said was that if you could put Byron's head on David's body, you'd have a force. Garrard was built like an anvil, and had the ability to make the throws. The one thing he lacked was the football IQ. He was always a tick slow to make decisions. Leftwich was a guy who made quick decisions, and he had to because that windup required speedy progressions so that he could get the ball out on time. He'd stand in the pocket knowing that his fragile body was going to take a beating, and at the end of the day he just couldn't hold up to the beating.
Gabbert was a guy who didn't have the football IQ/confidence needed to play the position, and while he was athletic, he was not nearly as much so as Garrard. To me, he was fools gold because he practiced like an all pro and played like a bum.
Bortles combines most of the good things from Leftwich and Garrard, while lacking the arrogance of Byron with the willingness to get better at his craft. Leftwich always insisted his mechanics didn't need changing. Bortles came into the league saying he was a piece of clay that needed to be molded. It may not always be pretty, but the progression is clearly there. He'll still make his mistakes, but as he matures, those will be limited. I think we're on the verge of having a very good QB who can stand up to the best in the league. This week will be a great test for him.
Quote:It was nice to see less runs from him this week. Those plays are exciting but it is good to have a guy that is thinking pass.
I would like to see a couple of his runs just to keep the D on their toes...
NH3...
Quote:A more appropriate mocking nickname would be Byron Bortles because Leftwich was a guy who was always looking down the field trying to make a play as he waited for his snail-like receivers to get open. Bortles has the physicality and mobility of Garrard with the football IQ of Leftwich, in addition to having the ability to transform his mechanics, which Byron refused to do.
Last week the trail of tears crowd was declaring him a bust. They've been eerily silent since around 7:30 last night.
And that silence is golden...
NH3...
Quote:A more appropriate mocking nickname would be Byron Bortles because Leftwich was a guy who was always looking down the field trying to make a play as he waited for his snail-like receivers to get open. Bortles has the physicality and mobility of Garrard with the football IQ of Leftwich, in addition to having the ability to transform his mechanics, which Byron refused to do.
Last week the trail of tears crowd was declaring him a bust. They've been eerily silent since around 7:30 last night.
In fairness, not last week. That pick 6 was eerily Garrard like.
Quote:In fairness, not last week. That pick 6 was eerily Garrard like.
And that pick 6 was more of an anomaly than the standard. He made a bad read. It happens.
Quote:And that pick 6 was more of an anomaly than the standard. He made a bad read. It happens.
Yea. We didn't see nearly as many long out routes. Lots of great downfield throws.
Still too many drops for my liking and bad penalties (like the Parnell hands to the face after a great 3rd down conversion)
Quote:So much for him being scared in the pocket.
I don't know what was going on last week. Maybe it was a case of nerves? He looked much more like the Bortles we saw during the preseason, responding well to pressure and not letting anything get to him.
I absolutely agree. Two games though is a small sample size to predict how he'll do this year. I have a feeling we'll see some good days and some head scratching days from Bortles in 2015, maybe his whole career. Hopefully he'll start stringing together more good than bad moments.
Quote:In fairness, not last week. That pick 6 was eerily Garrard like.
We almost saw a redux of that pick six yesterday. Same play early in the first half and the end read the play, but Blake got the pass out a tick earlier and it went for a nice gain.