Smoot Lays the Smack Down (Redskins vs. Dolphins)

[SirClintonPortis]

Originally Posted by REDSKINS4ever

I think Beck can play. He just can't go four years without taking a snap and expect to play well once he's given an opportunity. There's no logical or rational explanation for Mike Shanahan to place a QB atop the depth chart who hasn't started nor even played in a game since 2007. That alone tells me that Mike Shanahan doesn't truly know how to evaluate quarterbacks like he says he does. And add the inconsistent Rex Grossman to compete with Beck for the starting job in preseason/training camp, and you have an offense going absolutely nowhere.

And why in the hell didn't Mike Shanahan keep Kellen Clemens? At least Clemens, unlike John Beck, has wins in the NFL as a starting QB.

There is no excuse for Beck. His frequent double-clutching and panic checkdowns tells me he just isn't quick enough. He has had 1 year in the system to study the playbook, something Alex Smith and JC did not have. The onus is on HIM to remain prepared if pressed into action. The onus is on HIM to practice throwing routes, etc to maintain chemistry with his WRs. Todd Collins came in and led the offense competently when JC went down in 2007 because he kept himself prepared. The WaPo article on Todd was quite revealing about him. The dude studied, studied, studied like he was trying to pass a class with a 100%. IF he did all those things and yet he still came out with the dud performances he did the past few, then I doubt he can improve much at all.

Heck, Carson Palmer has only had a few weeks and probably a simplified playbook, and he sure as hell didn't look like the deer headlights Beck was. Sam Bradford and Cam Newton, rookies who transitioned from that dread spread, didn't double clutch and panic checkdowned all over the place. Or hell, Tom Brady, 6th round pick, steps in and takes a team to the Super Bowl. The examples are numerous where QBs are pressed into starting and they don't look like completely lost.

I'm not saying "processing speed" is completely innate(aka they're born with it) to the player. It is just that their "slowest" speed in their first few starts is not so slow that they're constantly hesitating and not going through the progressions within 3 seconds.