Griffin also said repeatedly at the end of this season 'im just going to be me' and 'im going to do what i do best', so you're quoting selectively Al.
There is nothing wrong or inherently 'stupid' about using your QB's talents. Griffin didn't suffer his last knee injury as a result of taking off out of the pocket. Lots of current QB's take off and use their feet when they need to. Its part of todays game and its not a bad thing. Doing it wisely and with leas risk taking, sure, thats a goal. But playing QB in the NFL is risk-taking by its very nature. Lets try and stop parsing every word our new coach says for God's sake.
oh yes he did. the whole chain of events started with the hit by Ngata.
yes..use the talents. and we have had two seasons to come to a reasonable conclusion: this guy gets hurt when he runs. the saving grace, so far, is that he is tough as nails. polish him into a pocket passer - and then use the run selectively. but make sure he has those pocket skills - he clearly does't at this point. and I, for one,, find Gruden's comments lacking in judgement.
one of the major search criteria for a friggin coach in the first place was to find someone who could fix RG's passing mechanics and who could groom him into the complete package. o-line notwithstanding, anyone who watched or attended those games knows RG hurt his team by not being able to use the pocket and work its dynamics. there is another matter, once you start running, while that does complicate matters for the defense, it also reduces the QB's vision as well as throw timing....it downsizes the field, as it were, for both the offense AND the defense. one strategy DCs came up with this season for the read option was obvious: beat the crap out of the QB regardless. that's how they're going to deal with this. in my mind, use his talents as a strategic asset - but get him to master the fundamentals of the pocket.
what the heck is Gruden saying here?
- there is no need to teach RG how to run a timing offense?
- there is no need to teach RG how to scan the field and work thru options?
- there is no need to teach RG how to sidestep pressure in the pocket?
- there is no need teach the other players how to roll to pressure in pocket formations?
- we don't need to build a roster w/o-linemen that are strong in pocket pass-pro? stick with the Shanahan vision but with different areas of emphasis?
- we don't need to spend bucks on a cadre of outstanding receivers since a running QB is going to be the strategic focus?
It's not at all clear what he is thinking. No doubt he has some plan. I don't know what it is. I think he'd be better served to keep his piehole shut for the moment until he figures out, on the field, which of his concepts will fit this team as constituted post-draft/OTAs.
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