NFL Playbook breaks down Jimmy Clausen & our Defense

[CRA]

Clausen is a hard worker who has a much better attitude than is given credit for, and with the right coach will be fine next season, starter or backup depending on who we pick. But the FO still likes him and he's gonna be here, so he'll have a chance to show what he can do.

He had a fine attitude. You gotta be impressed how he has handled things overall.

a great attitude won't change the fact he simply physically lacks what most teams look for in a QB. Small (plays even smaller b/c of release, slow, tiny hands.....plus, he pretty much plays football the exact same why now he always has.

Clausen likely will be a good backup in this league or a short term starter. I'd be happy w/ him as a Panther but nothing about him suggest he will be THE guy.

[rayzor]

jake delhomme is a great guy and a great leader on the field as well. great attitude. doesn't make him a good QB.

[Cavscout]

I don't know..... he is small, small hands, low release, not a great arm, not very mobile. He really doesn't fit the NFL mold of a QB. I just think he works hard and has been groomed to be a NFL QB his entire life.

I'll second that

[Mother Grabber]

That was oddly positive. The take away from the Clausen section was good to hear, though. They attributed a lot of his mistakes to common rookie mistakes. That leads one to believe that he has a decent chance to become a solid QB. I doubt if he'll ever sniff Brady's jock, but who else can. Even if we do pick Luck, I think you have to keep him. He could very well blossom into a quality QB, and we're just one hit away from needing just that in a back up.

We have plenty of young, talented skill position players around him and/or Luck, and most of the pieces on D. Draft luck, and then spend most of what you have left on beefing up both the O and D lines. Then, we're back in bidness.

[rayzor]

That was oddly positive. The take away from the Clausen section was good to hear, though. They attributed a lot of his mistakes to common rookie mistakes. That leads one to believe that he has a decent chance to become a solid QB. I doubt if he'll ever sniff Brady's jock, but who else can. Even if we do pick Luck, I think you have to keep him. He could very well blossom into a quality QB, and we're just one hit away from needing just that in a back up.

We have plenty of young, talented skill position players around him and/or Luck, and most of the pieces on D. Draft luck, and then spend most of what you have left on beefing up both the O and D lines. Then, we're back in bidness.

i totally agree that a lot of the decision to keep him around and not draft luck has to do with how the guys on the team view him, esp. smitty if smitty is going to stick around.

[Davidson Deac II]

Very good and objective analysis. Better than anything I have seen so far. I like how they mentioned that the receiver did not run a very good route on that first pass they diagramed, and Clausen completed the pass anyway. That points out just how difficult it is to have a rookie QB throwing to rookie receivers.

Clausen still has the potential to become a NFL starter some day with the right coaching.

[CRA]

That was oddly positive. The take away from the Clausen section was good to hear, though. They attributed a lot of his mistakes to common rookie mistakes. That leads one to believe that he has a decent chance to become a solid QB. I doubt if he'll ever sniff Brady's jock, but who else can. Even if we do pick Luck, I think you have to keep him. He could very well blossom into a quality QB, and we're just one hit away from needing just that in a back up.

We have plenty of young, talented skill position players around him and/or Luck, and most of the pieces on D. Draft luck, and then spend most of what you have left on beefing up both the O and D lines. Then, we're back in bidness.

only thing is how much of Clausen do you think those guys have really seen this year....probably not much.

[Davidson Deac II]

only thing is how much of Clausen do you think those guys have really seen this year....probably not much.

One of them said that he had been watching Clausen since he was at Notre Dame, and that he had quite a bit of tape on Clausen. It certainly sounded like he had seen quite a bit of JC.

[CRA]

One of them said that he had been watching Clausen since he was at Notre Dame, and that he had quite a bit of tape on Clausen. It certainly sounded like he had seen quite a bit of JC.

He said he watched a lot of him at ND. Odds are these guys were given the assignment to put something together for the Thurs night game and just grabbed tape from the Cardinals game and not much more. Even when Carolina is worth watching the national media has proven they don't really pay much attention to them. I mean, they praised Godfrey and his coverage ability. Godfrey make poor decisions and is a laibility often. A tremendous athlete....but he hasn't proven to be much more than that.

[PantherProfessor]

Saw this last night on NFL Network, very good analysis i thought

Jimmy has a long way to go, but the play-calling and supporting cast have not helped his development either.

As the season has progressed, it seems odd that no one mentions the rookie WR's Clausen has to deal with much anymore. LaFell and Gettis have gotten better, but still are not consistently getting open or running the right routes on hot reads, et... This stuff can be fixed with practice and more reps, but it will take time.

If we were to draft Luck, he would have the luxury of working with a group of WR's with atleast a year of NFL experience under thier belt. That in itself would make a big difference in his stats.

[CRA]

Saw this last night on NFL Network, very good analysis i thought

Jimmy has a long way to go, but the play-calling and supporting cast have not helped his development either.

As the season has progressed, it seems odd that no one mentions the rookie WR's Clausen has to deal with much anymore. LaFell and Gettis have gotten better, but still are not consistently getting open or running the right routes on hot reads, et... This stuff can be fixed with practice and more reps, but it will take time.

If we were to draft Luck, he would have the luxury of working with a group of WR's with atleast a year of NFL experience under thier belt. That in itself would make a big difference in his stats.

probably b/c Fox runs a heavy 2 WR scheme and he has a top WR on field most downs.

[Davidson Deac II]

I disagree about Godfrey. I don't care so much about the int's as most of those were luck, but he has improved as the season has rolled along. Sure, he has gotten burned a few times, but that happens sometimes even to the best. And at least some of those problems were lack of pressure on the passer, something else that has improved as the season has progressed.

[mav1234]

it is a nice analysis, and kinda goes to my feeling about Clausen last game: Not great, but about what you'd expect from a rookie, and his best start yet.

IF he keeps building on that, then I wouldn't be quiet as broken up if we don't get Luck.

[CRA]

I disagree about Godfrey. I don't care so much about the int's as most of those were luck, but he has improved as the season has rolled along. Sure, he has gotten burned a few times, but that happens sometimes even to the best. And at least some of those problems were lack of pressure on the passer, something else that has improved as the season has progressed.

for 3 yrs Godfrey has been VERY consistent....he will go 2 games or so and everyone will talk about how he is showing improvement and then he always shows you that he simply is that same old guy. You know the Steelers have some big plans for Mike Wallace and to catch Godfrey out of position.....get out of position and there is no making up for it against speed like Wallace.