MHS831

I have a theory, based on my area of expertise. Only a theory, but there is evidence to support what I am saying--This is only for those who are interested in the relationship between the brain and performance during times of anxiety and stress-but we rarely hear this in relation to the job of the QB. Long--I hesitated to share and nearly deleted, so take it for what it is worth. This is my attempt to apply what i know in one field to the gridiron--I am sure it has some weaknesses, but since the Huddle is not a peer-reviewed journal, I will proceed. When a QB can run, often the run becomes their check down, which is what I said about Cam coming out of college. You know that your God given athleticism can save you, and those legs have become part of his weaponry for his entire life. From Pop Warner through high school through college, Cam's brain knew his legs were an option, and that was also true for Steve Young (who had much more time to understand the pro game that Cam or most athletic QBs did) Elway was a terrible passer his rookie season (under 50% completions) and did not experience success until late in his career. And if you read articles about these guys, their footwork was the thing that they worked on the most as they transitioned to becoming a more mature, successful, etc. NFL QB. Warren Moon actually worked with Cam because he is probably the best example of a QB that transitioned to the NFL style-after being in the CFL for a while after being a running college QB. Randall Cunningham had to get injured and he transitioned late in his career and had success. Here is what I think happens in the heat of battle: Your brain tells your feet to run before your eyes do--reason? Your brain's primary job is to protect you. The brain does not distinguish between real threats or fake ones (which is why you get scared and sweaty during a horror movie)--so it makes complete sense. Once your brain has experienced trauma (injury) it can cause adverse reactions to repeated events (complex trauma) and that can impact the brain's message to the body even more. I have researched this for 20 years, (related to children and trauma and how it impacts behavior), so trust me or challenge this if you want. I am simplifying it here to give it brevity and clarity. When the legs become slower and less reliable, and the brain cannot depend on them any longer, it adapts--in the case of Cam, perhaps too late--or the person becomes vulnerable to the lack of adaptation because the defense mode escape--legs--are no longer effective protection and it makes the player vulnerable. Young and Elway had more time to develop and learn, but watch film on how often they ran at the end of their careers vs. early on. Better example: Warren Moon in college vs. his time in Houston. Night and day. So when a QB relies on his legs, anxiety (pressure) moves his feet to prepare to run (my theory, but consistent with everything I have ever read about reflexes in relation to learned experiences). When the feet are unconsciously preparing to run before the conscious brain has decided to do so, and the QB throws the ball (perhaps as a conscious defensive maneuver), his mechanics are off-causing bad throws. Cam was very accurate when he dropped back, planted his right foot, and threw the ball. If he did not release the ball at that time, he would scramble/run, and his passes were much less accurate. Brady, on the other hand, can read the defense before the snap, and he is actually going through his progressions to anticipate the open WR during his drop back. When he plants his foot, he already knows what he is doing with the ball most of the time. Most QBs cannot anticipate like this, so they hold the ball too long and go through progressions while in the pocket, after dropping back. Brady's brain has never been conditioned to use "run!" as a way out of problems, so he had to develop in other ways to become effective and survive. Of course, this is not applicable all the time, but if it is applicable only 20% of the time, that makes a huge difference. We cannot see or coach the subconscious--the parts of the lymbic system that protect us all. They are always signalling the rest of our brain, even though we know the threat is manufactured and basically safe, we become different animals during a football game than we are in a shopping mall, for example. Think about Luke Kuechly, for example. What flips that switch? Football players are at war, and parts of their brains treat the experience no differently than if they actually were in Afghanistan or Vietnam. Soldiers are trained not to run from battle, which is why honor and pride are so important. They are trained to ignore the "flight" (run) command that the brain's amygdala is screaming through their skulls--and those who cannot get "run!" out of their heads are the most vulnerable. Maybe a bad comparison and not meant to trivialize what soldiers go through, but as stated, the amygdala is the alarm--it does not decide what is real and what is not--the rest of the brain--much slower in the processing---makes that determination, but not clearly until the adrenaline etc. has run its course. Disclaimers: Yes, this was long. No, this was not racist.

But he also had the Kiper seal of approval-what could go wrong? https://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/mel-kiper-said-hed-retire-2018-jimmy-clausen-wasnt-successful-nfl-qb-well.html

Making us think---good work. Quite an accomplishment.

I am sold. I hope we draft him twice. Once in round 1, and again later for emphasis.

“The main concern is that Justin Fields stares down the primary target. He doesn’t look away from the primary target. He doesn’t process things as quickly as they want him to. During the Senior Bowl, I mentioned how there was one team who has broken down all of Justin Fields’ passes in 2020. They said that just seven times, he looked off the primary target. The other 200+ passes he threw to his primary target.” Do we have the coach who can help him? How long will it take? (Josh Allen--took 2 years)

I have a question, because I do not engage in Instagram or Twitter---so I really have to assume that "unfollowing" means disassociating. However, if I was player and I knew my name was being tossed around in trade rumors or cap casualty conversations and it was the offseason, I might not want that stuff flooding my phone day and night--is that a faulty position to take? I really do not get into social media, so I am flying blind here-

Someone in the crowd should have told the little punk to shut the hell up. I would have loved to see him get sucker punched Steve Smith style.

This is being discussed in a few other threads---the RUMOR thread for one. Probably not going to get much reaction here.

Man of the Year.

I am in the same camp with Teddy and Shaq--I have been promoting a Shaq departure for some time--I did not like the contract. Thomas, still on a rookie deal for a fourth round pick, I would keep for another season but he would be #3--not #1. ALTHOUGH he is slated to count over $2m toward the cap this season. Dang--you are probably onto something.

For those of you who have never transformed an organizational culture. You do not clean house--there are too many procedures and protocols that leave when the employee leaves. You bring in replacements, you watch and observe for a while so you can see the needs and deficiencies. Sure, you want everyone to be axed after year 1, but there is a slow, gradual transition to do it successfully. He is doing this correctly, based on my knowledge and assumptions about his methods.

Forged in the fires of research-based high risk, let the man work. Let's see what he can do.

My theory with Hurney--he had an inferiority complex about the Panthers--maybe he felt that a small market team would not be as attractive for free agents so he had to overpay. I remember when Charles Johnson (coming off his only good season) was a free agent and only Atlanta had a need for a DE enough to compete with the Panthers--they were strapped. CJ got a deal about $20m more than was necessary. When they interviewed CJ, he laughed about it. I will never forget it. Then I saw DWilliams and Stewart get big deals, I saw him pay Delhomme after Tommy John Surgery twice what anyone else might have paid him--then cut him soon afterwards, and I saw him give Charles Godfrey a sweet deal--then let Julius Peppers walk (probably because he was fed up). Hurney has always rewarded his picks, and he has always overpaid certain positions. THAT is why we never had much at DT or OL--he could sign street free agents to play there. DBs? Not his area either. QB? After Cam, nothing much. So glad to see him gone.

OK, here we are on Feb 21--isn't it rather telling that Cam does not seem to be in any conversations--during the offseason of the QB? I hate that for him---if RR had used him correctly, he could still be playing well. Great guy (if you ever met him) but I wanted him out because I have never seen a QB take a beating like he took for 8 years here. I would love to see him come to camp here as #81, trying out for TE job---but that won't happen

Reminds me of an old SNL skit mocking people making fun of Frank Sinatra. He said, "I've got chunks of kids like you in my stool!"

My theory---Jimmy G is going to be cut (his contract is not guaranteed) if not traded. Teddy would give them a QB in the event they need a bridge for 1 season, then he can be cut. I dunno--speculation

It would still be an upgrade, but I am with you.

I missed big time on this guy---thought he was going to be a stud. The Indy GM should have been fired for trading for him after he showed what he was about in the NFL.

If you ask me, I was never impressed with Flacco who won the SB in 2013.

Watson's current contract is about $16m vs. the cap and rises to $40m in 2022. Not sure what Houston would have to eat in a trade, but if this is true, and I am very far from being knowledgeable in this area, why are we clearing cap room NOW? In addition, cutting Bridgewater post June 1 saves the team $8m ($3m pre-june 1 cut). I noticed that we have not used the Post June 1 cut yet--even on Short--are we saving that for Bridgewater? I dunno. So if we make this trade, in 2021 we have as little as $8m invested in QB--so why the moves to make cap room? Well, these were OBVIOUS moves, but if we have to give up picks and players, we will need to be effective in free agency over the next few years. In addition, we need some room to restructure Watson's deal in 2022--where he gets $35-40m. Of course, thanks to KC, he may want that to be his average over the next several years. Funny how these teams (Seattle comes to mind, KC) high on Super Bowl nectar, give these huge deals to players and that sets the market. Remember the Flacco contract? So shoot some holes in my logic because this is how I see it--and I am not a fan from this perspective like some of you, so I am wrong a lot.

To restructure you have to sweeten the pot for the player. It saves the team money now, but restricts their options later. Teddy's deal was front loaded and guaranteed (for the most part) for 2 seasons. If you want him around for 3 or 4, it will cost the team more guaranteed money over the long haul. This is like using your credit cards to pay your car payment. not INTERERSTed (see what I did there?).

You need a QB. a good one. Does that mean sell the farm to buy some magic beans. Here is the way I think of this trade with Watson: The three first rounders (equivalents): 1. Brown, DT 2. Burns DE 3. Moore WR In addition, they will want 2 more starters and probably (hopefully) Bridgewater. Watson played well on a team without much of a supporting cast in Houston this past year. They won 4 games. Will this not be the same situation with a depleted roster here? So this becomes about the difference between Bridgewater with a supporting cast and Watson without a solid supporting cast. Of course, you have to assume Watson cannot have a supporting cast if we make the trade--maybe that is illogical. Can we have a supporting cast for Watson (with the cap, free agency and draft?) That is the challenge. And the Panthers might be banking everything on this unusual year in free agency--can we fill these gaps with quality players AND go after Watson? It is possible.

This is the year that 50% of the teams in the NFL will have a new QB in 2021. If they do not draft a QB at #6, and if Lance is there, they probably trade back. Like #Soja says, and I agree, the QBs (4) could be there at #8 if there were no trades, but there will be trades. Even if they do not trade out, NYJ, Miami, Atlanta, Philly, and Detroit all COULD take a QB. Cincy could trade back. QBs that could be available after the draft: Garrappolo (some say Bill Belichick will have him back in NE) Carr (He somehow posts good numbers and they still hate him in LV--That's Gruden for ya--I don't want Carr either) Tua (Beware any Bama QB--they do not know what it is like to get rushed or have to throw a WR open--or not to have a defense that gives you the ball back when you need it) Darnold (Sure looks like a bust. Could the right system save his career? The Panthers are not currently in the QB rehab business, so this is probably a pass unless NY gives him away.) Hurts (He could not keep his job in Bama, but having said that, I think he may have the most upside of this list)

Tepper is ready to make his move---forget about reading tea leaves---this is going to be a wild ride and nobody knows how this is turning out. Popcorn time.