Fair assessment. I would also point out that there really weren't many impressive plays to be made. He did the right thing in those 5 throws he completed. He also handed off without forgetting what play was called, nor did he fumble. So really, he's at least better than Sanchez on all those counts. I agree we need more snaps to see what he really is.
I'm somewhat surprised that no-one in this thread have mentioned that for the vast majority of games this season, it looks as if the one who has the offensive playbook down more than anyone else - is McElroy. When the cameras have looked over at the coaches on the sidelines during the previous games, we've seen McElroy with his pen tucked behind his ear, dissecting and analyzing plays and reads FOR the other two "pro" QBs - and even Sparano. Anyway, what impressed me the most when watching #14 play was his "fluidity" and collected motion. When Buttfumble plays, it always looks as if he's a squirrel who's trying to hold onto his last nut - nervously twitching around in the pocket, regardless of how much/little pass rush there is. Whichever quarterback you love or hate, there is one single stat that is massively more important than QB rating, Q4 comebacks, sacks or whatever - and that is interceptions. Sadly, we basically have the NFL "leader" in that category since '09 - I know Manning has 2 more, but I'd dare say Eli is a tad bit more pass oriented and has about 500k more passes thrown than mr Nacho each season. I might've also been the only one applauding when watching McElroy calmly throw it to the sidelines when he wasn't happy with what he saw - had it been Sanchez he'd rather force it into 3-man coverage and later appear upset and in disbelief that he was picked off, again. I'm all for anyone who isn't turning the ball over 3-4 times a game, even more so if you have a 'thing' for doing it in the redzone.
What impressed me was that he came in with no first team reps and no gameplan and got the job done. He pretty much did what was asked of him and that's good enough for me.
I think what we should expect is a similar style to what Miami ran with Pennington the year they won the division. Sporano is familiar with QB's with physical limitations but off the charts intellegence. McElroy reminds me of a lesser talented Pennington. He doesn't have the arm strength nor the experience Chad had when he 1st stepped in but I think a dink and dunk type of offense could work. I'd expect to see more of McKnight being used on swing passes and hopefully more Kerley on slant routes. I won't expect to see too many deepballs but in this style of offense if tebow is healthy he could actually contribute without the team worrying too much about timing and all that rythm stuff. I'm expecting an ugly low scoring game but hopefully the focus this week is on forcing Henne to beat you and not forcing McElroy to win the game. Henne will make mistakes but the issue is the Jets managing McElroy's limitations and more importantly expectations. I'd prefer to see a slow vanilla offense that will minimize the oppurtunity for mistakes to be made. If we limit the turnovers we will win the game. It's really that simple.
As posters we all pick factors to refer to in order to make our case. And I should start by saying I don't really know if McElroy can be easily defended by any D that the DC has the time and incentive to figure how to counter him. THis is the NFL, and that is what DC's around the league are paid to do, and are more qualified than anyone else to do. So does McElroy have some achilles heal that will be easily exploited, if not by Jville, by someone else? SO there is that. But for most other considerations here, this is what I see: He came in with about as much pressure on him as I could imagine. He was as I understand it basically told he was going in the next series. Nothing was even said to him at half time. Maybe that's not a bad approach, either, in the sense he did not have to overthink it. But this was his first appearance in an NFL regular season game, no practice as you say, no game plan. In the pocket, he looked like he belonged there. Other than a slight hesitation on a handoff, and the hesitation whether to run it in or throw it on the TD, he looked like he belonged there. HE looked comfortable, and that is important. Brandon Moore said after the game, while obviously trying to avoid choosing sides, that McElroy was confident, even cocky, in the huddle "and i like that in a quarterback." He didn't say Sanchez is not like that. He didn't have to say Sanchez is not like that all the time, since we can see it ourselves. Some here note that perhaps three of the catches were not easy catches. But for two of them, the ball was placed perfectly. One was a play on the run with the ball out in front of the receiver, and the other was on the shoulder opposite the db - both not easy catches, but both good throws, too. I get a sense from all that is said about McElroy that he knows the offense inside out in terms of understanding the playbook, the fundamentals, the game situations, and the opponents. What he does not have for sure is experience. Only one way to get it. Some here say he's only a seventh round pick. No, he's more than that. He was a seventh round pick who has looked good in two preseasons, earned a roster spot, is widely seen by the team as on top of his responsibilities, showed a substantial increase in arm strength this past off season, and is gaining experience as much as one can in his situation. Now he has also shown he came in (despite the predictions of many here) to a game and succeeded. At some point Tom Brady was a sixth round pick. No one here would refer to him as that. OF COURSE McElroy is not Tom Brady. But the point remains - he's more at this point than JUST a seventh round pick. He earned his spot and he made the most of it when he got the chance. So add that to your descriptions of McElroy, and don't just diss him by saying he's only a seventh round pick.
I don't understand the standard McElroy is being held to here. Why does he have to be super impressive and light up the scoreboard. do you all understand the guy he is replacing right now is: Sanchez: a) 4-12 in his last 16 starts b) Most turnovers in football over that span im not sure why anyone wouldnt be happy with a game manager who doesnt throw for many yards but doesnt kill you with turnovers either and keeps you in games when the alternative is that mess above.
Tom Brady was a dink and dunk QB for the first 4 years of his career, so I actually think that's not a bad comparison. As long as your are really accurate, arm strength isn't as big an issue as many on this board make it out to be. And that's one thing I'm beginning to see in the kid. He's pretty accurate and has good feet. Honestly, the most frustrating thing about Sanchez is that he makes too many boneheaded plays. If McElroy can just be Sanchez minus the boneheadedness, that's worth at least 7 points a game.
That's a great point, I can't speak for anybody else but I'm not expecting the guy to come in and light the world on fire. Give me 150-200 yards 1TD and no INTS and I'm happy with Gmac. I'm still not positive he gets the start but If Rex is to survive he is going to need a QB that does not make mistakes. If he can get his defense the way he wants it to be a game manager might be what he needs. Too many people get caught up in stats and fantasy numbers but I'll take a guy like Pennington (when 100%) who doesn't make many mistakes but wins games. Unfortunately once teams figured out that the blitz rattled Chad it was downhill and once he broke his wrist we were really toast.
I like this post. I noticed that too, not just last Sunday, but also in the game against the Eagles in the pre-season that he has command of the offense (albeit its just scrubs), he communicates with his linemen like a QB should do and with that it helps propel the Jets running game. And considering the fact that he came from a program like Alabama, I wouldn't be surprised at all if he knew the Jets playbook in and out after one week of training camp. He was also a very smart quarterback in college and right now a smart quarterback is what we need because we've been suffering through 4 years of an idiot. This is why I keep making the Pennington references, because of the way he sees the game.
I agree. He seems that way to me, too. Ftr a note needs to be added when comparing GM to Chad. There was quite a division in the fanbase over Chad, and to me, at the time, a big concern was his fragility. That didn't mean he was the best Qb in the league before his injuries. But after? He couldn't stay on the field, and a starting Qb who is holding a clipboard and waving a towell is not good for much. But Chad before got injured? Again, not the best Qb in the league, but everyone here would take him in a minute over Sanchez. Or they should.
People keep talking about Mcelroy as the poor man's Chad Pennington but there are some substantial differences. The one I don't hear talked about much is Mcelroy's mobility. Anyone who watched him in college can tell you that he is deceptively quick and very mobile out of the pocket, much more so then Pennington. Pennington could sort of lumber for a few yards once in a while, but Mcelroy can scramble on a busted play and pick you up a few extra first downs a game. This is clearly useful on rollouts as well, because defenders have to worry about him taking off and cannot fully commit to backs floating into the flat.
The Hill one for the first down was not a good pass. Hill made a great catch while contorting his body. The Kerley ones I will have to rewatch, but Kerley made two great catches. He did get some good grabs, but that's probably the reward of throwing within the vicinity of your receivers. This is no way an argument to what you said, I just feel like it should never be forgotten
It's the same as the Sanchez Offense 1) Hope he doesn't turn the ball over 2) Hope the defense doesn't give up too many points 3) Hope for points scored on DEF and ST
go back and watch the game again. same offense, same opponet, same plays, same players. the improvement was vast as soon as they got suckchise out of there. sorry that you lost your over/under bet on the number of picks tha suckchise threw. what did you have 5? hmy: if rex hadn't finally pulled the plug, we would have made the cardinal's secondary the players of the week.:rofl:
hmy:not the same- no fumbles, no picks, no brain-dead decisions. no running into the butts of the lineman, either.:rofl:
brilliantly stated, and accurate. if he is like chad ( i used to call chad 'noodle arm') , he is still a vast improvement over suckchise. compared to mark, chad was johnny unitas.
