QBs mobility (1 Viewer)

[Chaz]

Just thinking about Peyton Manning sitting like a statue back there. I take nothing away from his top level skills at reading defenses and accurracy and so forth. I can't help but wonder, though...why don't some of these guys WORK on their speed during the offseason? I never hear about a QB working to get faster and more mobile. There are plenty of QBs who are thought of as being immobile and sitting ducks whom have to be given plenty of protection and time. Can't they improve on this a little bit in the offseason? Hire a speed coach and run some sprints or something.

 

[-OZ-]

Just thinking about Peyton Manning sitting like a statue back there. I take nothing away from his top level skills at reading defenses and accurracy and so forth. I can't help but wonder, though...why don't some of these guys WORK on their speed during the offseason? I never hear about a QB working to get faster and more mobile.

There are plenty of QBs who are thought of as being immobile and sitting ducks whom have to be given plenty of protection and time. Can't they improve on this a little bit in the offseason? Hire a speed coach and run some sprints or something.

A couple years ago, before 2003 IIRC, Tom Brady worked on speed and footwork.

 

[coolnerd]

There are a couple of issues with mobility and QBs. One is the within the pocket, learning to slide one way or the other, stepping up at the right time. I believe most QBs work on this and it is the more important of the two. Normally Manning is good at this and Brady maybe the best in the league. The second mobility is a pure speed, athleticism issue. This refers to guys who can make plays with their feet versus avoiding the rush. A lot of this is God given physical skill. QBs who can do things running like Vick and say even a Carr often have weakness just moving around the pocket in the proper manner and take off running too quickly. the way to avoid the rush is usually not with speed and athleticism, but with quick foot movement in the pocket. A misconception is that Qbs who run alot are sacked less. If anything they are sacked more because the Qbs often move into a sack versus avoiding a throwing away.

 

[Chase Stuart]

Favre worked on this during the summer IIRC. He dropped some weight and did core training to improve his endurance and agility.

 

[cstu]

Favre worked on this during the summer IIRC. He dropped some weight and did core training to improve his endurance and agility.

Hmm, maybe not such a good idea afterall.

 

[Chaz]

I understand about how footwork is the most important thing in the pocket, but sometimes these guys look laughably slow. There come moments when speed is critical to getting away from a rush, or for getting those open field 5-10 yards before anyone is near you. I mean, guys like Drew Bledsoe, Dan Marino, now the Mannings, they could all have done/can do SOMETHING about this glaring hole in their game. If anything, these kind of players have already accomplished the most difficult part of the game- reading defenses and passing accurately. It's not like guys like Vick and McNabb who have had to work on this aspect. The hard part is done! Rather than just figuring that they will always be slow, how about working on it a bit?

 

[Sopranos]

Manning can move around. I mean its not pretty but he did it up untill last season. Now he seems to never see anyone coming at him. Dont know if he is going blind or trying to find an open WR. But he used to move in the pocket, he does not anymore however. Not sure why

 

[Mr. Mojo]

I don't know if you saw my thread from a few days ago but my theory as to why Brady got his team over the hump and Peyton can't seem to is better mobility.I think Brady moves around enough to avoid 1-2 sacks per game and turning those into 0-2 completions. Once the pressure gets to Manning he's a dead duck.

 

[coolnerd]

I understand about how footwork is the most important thing in the pocket, but sometimes these guys look laughably slow.  There come moments when speed is critical to getting away from a rush, or for getting those open field 5-10 yards before anyone is near you. 

I mean, guys like Drew Bledsoe, Dan Marino, now the Mannings, they could all have done/can do SOMETHING about this glaring hole in their game.  If anything, these kind of players have already accomplished the most difficult part of the game- reading defenses and passing accurately.  It's not like guys like Vick and McNabb who have had to work on this aspect.  The hard part is done!  Rather than just figuring that they will always be slow, how about working on it a bit?

The Mannings and Marinos are slow because they are slow. Some of the science types can help me, but as I recall pure running speed tops out when a player is somewhere around 25-27. Assuming OZ is correct Brady was still young enough to increase his speed while Manning now at 30 probably can't even if he spent whole offseason running sprints and whatever other techniques players use. The other issue for me is that what is really of more benefit for a QB to trim his 40 time from 5.02 to 4.95 or read the defense that split second quick in order to get ball to a WR a hair faster? Since the non-running QB is going to be throwing 30 times a game versus be in a position to scrammble for 5-10 yards maybe 2 or 3 times a game, as a GM/coach I choose the former along with constantly improving footwork within the pocket.