I think it is possible that for many of these young players, like Smith in this case, they get thru college being able to simply outperform the people they are up against and get smacked down a bit in the NFL. This might be a good example: in college he likely was able to outrun DBs and didn't have to wrestle the ball much and even when he did he may have had an easy time overpowering less talented players. Now he comes to the NFL and the little stab or quick grab he might've made to get the ball in college just doesn't work, now he has a real fight on his hands. That's my $.02, but I suspect that these two things together probably set him up for a rude awakening. Luckily all of this can be worked on with a bit of effort and practice. Everyone's gotta learn, right?
Exactly...the guy hasn't even been practicing - with a receiver that fast, holding the ball one millisecond longer can make the difference between throwing the ball in stride or slightly behind him. The arm strength thing is silly - it is a timing issue exclusively which will no doubt improve as Fitz and Smith work on timing and chemistry.
The arm strength isn't silly. It's the reason timing is off. Fitz has none and as a result needs to throw the ball a lot earlier to hit his receivers in stride or risk jump balls.
This can't be serious. How many rookies come in and play 70 percent of their snaps after being injured for like 6 weeks and generate solid yardage on WEEK 1? I was really impressed by this guy - if Fitz was an average QB smith would have had at least 1, if not 2(underthrew him on interception) touchdowns. Plus, wasn't he playing with Geno before he got hurt, so prob had no chemistry with Fitz. I can't wait to see this guy by end of the season. Really impressive. Far cry from days of Stephen Hil and Jalen Saunders.
It is silly because these are 30-35 yard passes and the guy can easily throw 50 yards down the field - there was literally a very small window to put the ball in and he was trying to place the ball perfectly. One of them may have been a back door throw. Fitz also overthrows deep balls, does that then mean his arm is too strong? Of course not. I'm pretty sure the coaches wouldn't call plays for a guy who can't make the throws. Accuracy issues, perhaps, but the guy seems to be throwing more often than not under pressure and to covered receivers. The wide outs need to do a heck of a lot better job in creating separation from the defenders. As for throwing the ball "a lot earlier", you do realize that even a 20th of a second earlier probably puts the ball where it has to be.
It's about practicing together and being on the same page. Fitz just needs to throw the ball a c-hair sooner before Smith outruns it.
BS - it isn't just timing - it's also placement. He should be getting this throw to his outside shoulder so that Smith can maintain his position and break a step closer to the sideline at the last second to make a play for the ball.
There's a huge difference between throwing the ball downfield like a bullet and just lobbing the ball 50 yards. Fitz does the latter and it gives DBs all the time in the world to react.
What also gives DB's all the time in the would to react is throwing the ball 58 times in a game....given a semblance of a running game and some play action will create more separation no doubt. Fitz has the arm he has. Chucking the ball down the field time after time is unlikely to work in the NFL for most QB's, particularly one whose strength is getting rid of the ball quickly and making reads and not necessarily the deep ball - especially when it is tightly covered and he is throwing under pressure or off his back foot much of the time. The critical thing for this offense is to get this running game going, particularly early in games, as we will not succeed being one dimensional. It is easy to say that if we connect on a couple deep throws that are perfectly placed that Smith has a big day and we may even win the game, yet the reality is that we were outplayed in every phase of the game against the Eagles and had no business even being in that game. That being said, the first thing I would do if I were Fitz is get some extra work with Devin and see if maybe they can connect on a deep pass or two against the Dolphins. Incomplete on a deep pass is one thing, but the slightly thrown one that is intercepted hurts. I agree. Don't want to see many more of those.
Ryan Fitzpatrick spent his training camp shrugging off criticism over his arm strength and lack of ability to throw deep. He was unfazed about the frequent knocks against him and said he had heard it all before. But three weeks into this Jets season —which has started relatively well for the Jets — concern has been mounting about the veteran quarterback’s limitations in throwing the ball downfield In last week’s loss to the Eagles, Fitzpatrick went 0-for-8 with an interception in passes that traveled 20 or more yards in the air, according to ProFootballFocus. For the season, he has completed just three of 20 attempts on passes of at least 20 yards in the air. By comparison, there are plenty of other questionable quarterbacks with higher completion percentages on passes of 20 yards and beyond such as: Tyrod Taylor (40%), Ryan Tannehill (39%) Jameis Winston (46%) and Blake Bortles (33%), all according to ProFootballFocus Former Ravens coach Brian Billick, now an analyst for NFL Network, said demonstrating an ability to throw deep is important for the Jets. “You have to be able to take the top off the defense,” Billick said in a phone interview. “It’s not enough (just to throw it deep). At some point you have to connect deep.” Arm strength, however, is not necessarily the issue, the former coach thought. “Obviously, when you look at Ryan Fitzpatrick’s total work, he’s never really been with an explosive team,” he said. “Deep balls are not a function of arm strength, it’s a matter of touch and timing. So it’s kind of hard to put a finger on why they haven’t been more explosive.” “For Ryan Fitzpatrick, in my opinion you want to keep it to a 30-35 throw game,” Billick said. “You get up (higher) you’re going to get all of Ryan Fitzpatrick, and that means the good and bad.”
I think it is just a matter of him getting the routes run more in practice. The CBs bailed and took off before he got near them. Surprised Gailey did not take advantage, but maybe they are not comfortable with the comebacks and the back shoulders with Smith yet. He was kind of forced into action--- I am sure he was not running a lot of stuff with a punctured lung.
Fitz cannot throw deep. You're going to be disappointed in Devin's production this year if Fitz stays under center
Just want to make a quick shoutout to a couple of years from now when this thread gets revived due to D. Smith lighting it up for us
People like to associate being a "burner" with running by everyone at all costs no matter what. If that were the case Salim Haakim would be the best receiver in the league because he can seperate from anyone. There's techniques to running the routes that allow these guys to be good at it. Double moves, not running full speed right off the snap, knowing when to turn the burners on, beating the press, etc. It's things that young receivers learn to do as they progress in the league. He had a good game and has a touchdown on that third down play if Fitz doesn't undertow it and another one on the post where he threw a duck. He's only going to get better.
Chad Pennington made this point in the podcast this week. Getting open downfield in the NFL is not the same as getting open downfield in college. In college you can run by people, in the NFL you won't get those opportunities where you are wide open downfield because the competition is just way up, the guys are far more skilled, smarter and faster. Any corner worth his salary knows what's about to happen when Devin steps on the field. He's not blocking anybody, he's not running slants, courls, comebacks. He's most likely going downfield so it's extra tough for him to get open downfield. It's like putting Jerome Bettis at age 40 on the field. Odds are he's probably running the ball up the middle.
