Big Blue Huddle

https://x.com/marcus3255/status/1801713411400642630

Quote from: DaveBrown74 on June 15, 2024, 07:25:40 AMSchmitz had a brutal year last year, but he was a rookie (albeit a very old one). I'm happy to give him a full pass on last season, but I need to see a lot of improvement this year for this to avoid being another potential Evan Neal type situation.

Schmitz is 25, and they used a mid second round pick on him. This can't be some long term developmental process. He needs to be at least functional this year, period.

I was excited when the Giants drafted him.  I really expected much better from him as a rookie.  As you said, he is an older rookie.  That means he was stronger and better prepared for his first season than most.  I really hope that everyone is correct about the main issue with the O-line being last year's coaching.

26. JOHN MICHAEL SCHMITZ JR., NEW YORK GIANTS
Schmitz struggled as the Giants' starting center in his rookie 2023 season, earning the lowest overall grade at the position, as well as the worst pass-blocking grade. The environment around him wasn't ideal, and the Giants will hope that their former second-round pick can improve in Year 2.

https://www.pff.com/news/nfl-center-rankings-top-32-2024-nfl-season

Quote from: madbadger on June 14, 2024, 08:44:33 PMBurns lining up opposite from him should be a boon.

Good comment.  From what I have seen, Burns seems to be firing up Thibs off the field as well as offering a threat on the opposite side that will limit how much blocking can focus on Thibs.

I really don't know.  On the one hand we have two seasons and have a feel for him (a solid edge but not living up to his draft status).  On the other hand, Wink's system wasn't friendly to edge players.  Thibs might get a boost from Bowen being the DC

Quote from: markdmd on June 14, 2024, 01:53:28 PMJim Burt

One of my favorite all-time players

Quote from: Philosophers on June 14, 2024, 10:19:11 AMDoes anyone notice anything different about how they are being run?  Curious since many thought last season's preseason camp was not intense enough and did not settle on starters early enough to get them reps together.

Here is another difference. It appears Daboll is trying to be a bit more in control of his emotions:


There was a noticeable change in Daboll's conduct during practices this offseason. In this same offseason program recap a year ago, it was noted that "Daboll had one of his patented red-faced explosions at almost every open practice this spring."

There were no such eruptions, which were typically aimed at assistants for personnel miscues last year, during the five practices open to the media this spring. Daboll wouldn't say if the calmer approach was a concerted effort, but he offered an interesting explanation for why he was less inclined to blow a gasket during practices.

"I've been obviously calling some of the plays, there's an element of that," Daboll said.

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5562725/2024/06/14/new-york-giants-brian-daboll-calmer/

Quote from: Trench on June 14, 2024, 01:20:05 PMI've heard announcers say otherwise

Years ago (2006), I read a book written by Phil Simms-   Sunday Morning Quarterback: Going Deep on the Strategies, Myths, and Mayhem of Football

Phil walked the reader through so many of the cliches used by announcers and showed just how many of them were either not true or grossly exaggerated.   Since then, I tend to be careful in terms of simply believing everything an announcer says.

Here is a link to the book if you're interested (it was a great read at the time)

An in-depth and surprising look at the game, Sunday Morning Quarterback will dramatically change the way you watch football.

You've heard all the football clichés: "Their offense is too predictable," or "They've got to win the turnover battle," or "They didn't make any halftime adjustments." Perhaps you've heard them so often that you've come to see them as obvious truths. Phil Simms, after an illustrious career as a Super Bowl–winning quarterback and a broadcaster, is here to tell you that these -- and many other blanket statements taken as gospel -- are all myths, and whoever says them has no idea of what they're talking about.

Drilling deep into the core of football, Simms also shows the hidden signs that players look for that can determine the outcome of a game. Whether it's discovering how a linebacker positions his feet before he blitzes or how to react if the safety is eight or nine yards from the line of scrimmage, knowing these "dirty little secrets" gives players and their coaches a tremendous advantage.

In addition, Simms shares his insights into the enormous challenges coaches face in today's game, evaluating the top coaches and what makes them successful. He takes a look at some of the greatest players he's played with and against, and what he misses most about the game -- waking up Monday mornings feeling beat up and sore. He looks at the next generation of football players -- his son, Tampa Bay's Chris Simms, among them.

Through it all, Simms shares stories from his playing days with Bill Parcells and the New York Giants, and the inside access he's had as an announcer for one of the top NFL broadcasting teams in football.

Fun and lively, Sunday Morning Quarterback should be required reading for anyone who loves football.


https://www.amazon.com/Sunday-Morning-Quarterback-Strategies-Football/dp/0060734310

https://x.com/DanSchneierNFL/status/1801370724411584904

https://x.com/AdamSchefter/status/1801386823458979940

The 2021 QB draft class:

🏈No. 1 Trevor Lawrence: $275 million extension
🏈No. 2 Zach Wilson: Jets ➡️ traded to Broncos
🏈No. 3 Trey Lance: 49ers ➡️ traded to Cowboys
🏈No. 11 Justin Fields: Bears ➡️ traded to Steelers
🏈No. 15 Mac Jones: Patriots ➡️ traded to Jaguars

Here is an interesting article on Lawerence

https://www.the33rdteam.com/nfl-qb-deep-dive-jaguars-trevor-lawrence-earned-new-contract-but-needs-more-help/

Quote from: Trench on June 14, 2024, 12:00:07 PMMaybe someone can explain it better than me - announcers sometimes talk about it. When an aggressive QB makes plays early (the defense kinda starts going to a soft prevent)...it allows the QB more time to throw

Early QB success may or may not impact how a defense will play.   Teams spend all week creating defensive game plans against an opposing QB.  A good coach is unlikely to abandon that gameplay because of a couple of successful passes.    That said, a defense may make some adjustments, but those adjustments could go either way.  If a QB is burning a defense's blitz, they might blitz a bit less.  If they get burned due to a lack of pressure, they may increase the number of blitzes.   Same with coverage.  If receivers are beating them deep on tight coverage, they might play off a bit more.  If the receivers are feasting on the underneath stuff from soft coverage, they might play more press or tight coverage.

The only time teams will usually go into a soft prevent defense is if they are protecting a nice lead and hope to run out the clock.

LT

Quote from: Trench on June 14, 2024, 11:38:10 AMYou probably read my reasoning, and there will be no way to refute it or substantiate it. I sincerely believe if a QB gets hot early, the defense softens. When a QB can't make reads quick or locks on receivers then the flood gates open. I sincerely believe this to be part of jones issues last year because the backup QBs did soften the defenses in a better way and they seemed more comfortable and competent

How exactly does a defense "soften"?   What exactly does a defense do differently to soften itself after an opposing QB has some early success?

Quote from: Trench on June 14, 2024, 11:18:32 AMI could be wrong on this but my opinion is "time to throw" could be skewed for instance:

If a QB has a few good throws, especially early in game....the defense sometimes seems to soften because they don't take as many chances for fear of being "burned"....that could be another factor as to why our backups had more success moving the ball downfield/time to throw because they showed ability to throw the thing downfield in chunks

When defenses are getting to the QB more than half the time in around 2.3 seconds it's not on the QB