Comments on: F**K IT: 5 Things I Think about the Jacksonville Jaguars, Week 13

By: thehof

thehof — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:55:55 +0000

@CaliforniaJag@blackandteal CaliJag – thanks for reading and thanks for presenting a calm, logical argument (those seem to be in short supply this week). I think that’s a great point about how the new CBA affects the quarterback position and BAP. My contention would be that the quarterback is a very delicate position unlike any other on a football team. There can only be one quarterback of a football team and he is burdened with being the leader of the team. Not unlike a military leader or business leader, if his authority and ability are constantly called into question by those above him and/or those below him, he loses respect and his ability to lead. Also, it’s a matter of reps. If Tyson Alualu was underperforming and Gene drafted another DT, Tyson would still likely be getting gameday reps to improve and earn more playing time. Not the case with a quarterback. Regardless of how you feel about me or Gene Smith, almost anyone who watches or analyzes pro football agrees that quarterback is the one of the (if not THE) hardest position to play in sports. It’s going to take time to develop and 13 games without an adequate time to learn the pro game is nowhere close to enough time to evaluate whether a kid has “the stuff” to be a good pro. As I’ve said time and again, Gabbert was never supposed to start ANY games this season and he still looks like a very green rookie. Bradshaw, Aikman, both Mannings…they all struggled mightily their rookie years. Will Blaine live up to any of them? We cannot know now and it would be foolish to give up on him NOW, to contest his leadership of this team with another high-drafted rookie QB NOW, or to take valuable gameday reps away from him NOW, just to put another rookie in the mix.

By: thehof

thehof — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 19:55:38 +0000

CaliJag – thanks for reading and thanks for presenting a calm, logical argument (those seem to be in short supply this week). I think that’s a great point about how the new CBA affects the quarterback position and BAP. My contention would be that the quarterback is a very delicate position unlike any other on a football team. There can only be one quarterback of a football team and he is burdened with being the leader of the team. Not unlike a military leader or business leader, if his authority and ability are constantly called into question by those above him and/or those below him, he loses respect and his ability to lead. Also, it’s a matter of reps. If Tyson Alualu was underperforming and Gene drafted another DT, Tyson would still likely be getting gameday reps to improve and earn more playing time. Not the case with a quarterback. Regardless of how you feel about me or Gene Smith, almost anyone who watches or analyzes pro football agrees that quarterback is the one of the (if not THE) hardest position to play in sports. It’s going to take time to develop and 13 games without an adequate time to learn the pro game is nowhere close to enough time to evaluate whether a kid has “the stuff” to be a good pro. As I’ve said time and again, Gabbert was never supposed to start ANY games this season and he still looks like a very green rookie. Bradshaw, Aikman, both Mannings…they all struggled mightily their rookie years. Will Blaine live up to any of them? We cannot know now and it would be foolish to give up on him NOW, to contest his leadership of this team with another high-drafted rookie QB NOW, or to take valuable gameday reps away from him NOW, just to put another rookie in the mix.

By: thehof

thehof — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 18:55:55 +0000