Quote:I didn't mean to imply they didn't try a deep pass or 2/ 3 in the first half, but it was clear that they were intentionally trying to play close to the vest. And you say above that they were trying to limit the INT - Bortles had more almost INT's in the first half when they were predominantly keeping everything short, than in the 2nd half when they opened it up. As a matter of fact most of Bortles pick 6's and INT's this season have been on the shorter passes as opposed to the intermediate or deeper attempts.  

 

They shouldn't wait to try deeper passes "until they have to open it up" or "when the score and clock dictated it" as you said...they should have been as vertical in the first half as the 2nd and maybe they wouldn't have been behind in the score to begin with. 

 

You can still have a good running game while taking deep shots off play action downfield - Norv Turner made a name for himself as offensive coordinator doing just that. (calling that style of game) 

 

Fisch needs to quit with the trying to hide Bortles from mistakes and let him play to his strengths. There will be INT's. So what. Let him make them. Bortles looks more uncomfortable when he's trying to force 5 yard slants that are blanketed than he ever does when he's playing his vertical game. 

 

I think that for one half of a football game that mustered only one sustained drive and your RB has the hot hand, three deep attempts is enough. 

 

I think that this whole narrative about Bortles being so much better slinging the rock downfield and ineffective at short passes is largely misguided and not founded in fact.  It sucks that he and the receivers are having trouble with the short stuff, but I'm not sure how that's Fisch's fault and I don't think tossing sound and balanced football to the wind is the way to fix the problem.  He and the receivers need to execute better. Short, long and everything in between. 

 

Did you read part about two of their first half deep attempts being stopped by QB pressure?  Does that also not limit the number of times you try it? 

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