(12-16-2023, 10:41 AM)NYC4jags Wrote:

(12-15-2023, 11:06 PM)Jag149 Wrote: Ridley has been an enigma to me all season.  He is a guy with a lot of talent and does things easily no other receiver we have can. On the flip side there are some little thing he does poorly the other receivers can easily do.  I have not charted his catches, but it seems to me he prefers outside the numbers routes like Marvin Harrison did. Harrison was notorious for not wanting to go over the middle or sit down in a zone. I can only remember him catching a couple on the inside.  Something to watch.

The route tree for Ridley has evolved over his time here a little bit. 
They wanted to fill the X Receiver role with him but the middling completion percentage on sideline routes sort of forced them to mix in some varied routes to get a bit more production from him. (at least - that's how it seemed to play out to me) 

It's not uncommon for the X to do lots of work well outside the hashes. But the Jags were not getting the success they want there. Utilization of the middle of the field has been a problem for the offense in general in several games. Not just Ridley and the X position.  It is not heavily targeted in about half of the games. There are a half dozen reasons why this might not be happening and I don't think anyone outside the building could explain it with any degree of accuracy.  Even from the coaches and players - you may get 3 different opinions depending on who you ask as to why it is happening - and it is probably a combination of those things. 

I think that Trevor's timing being either rushed or pressure moving him out of pocket is a likely culprit for ruining some of the stuff over the middle. There may also be an issue with which areas he is more comfortable throwing into/around traffic. Could also be influenced by the differing coverages and matchups the receivers face week to week. Nonetheless - there are about 4 or 5 games mixed in this season where there were a good number of targets and completions between/around the hashes and all but one of those equated to TL throwing 250+ yards on the day. It would appear we are better when we incorporate that aspect of the offense.  

Personally - I think that if TL and Ridley could master the timing and placement on some sideline back shoulder throws we could add a dangerous element to our attack. They've done it successfully 2 or 3 times and I'd like to see 5 or 6 more to close out the year.

Agreed, but for that to happen Ridley needs to be on the same page and execute.  TL HAS to have confidence in that. Curiously this is something (I believe) Ridley is struggling with. Useless and dangerous to throw a back shoulder if the receiver keeps going. Last week's failure two sit down in the hole in coverage resulting in a turnover shows the gap. It was clear TL expected it as the ball was out before the break would happen.  Hopefully they locked these guys in a room and said get on the same page.

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