Bulltalk wrote:Does anyone truly think that the QB "competition" won't end up with Flynn as the starter, Wilson as the 2nd QB being groomed in the wings, and Tarvaris increasingly being marginalized? I suppose it could end up differently, but I just have a hard time seeing so.
The rational side of me agrees. But then again, the same people who are in charge now are the same people that brought Jackson in to start last year. They know what he brings, what he doesn't bring, and they trotted him out there to try to lead this team to victory. Was that due to a believe in Jackson, or a lack of other [i.e. better] options on the roster?
Whitehurst was, unfortunately, terrible. He had some skills that made him interesting, but he also had weaknesses. Nearly every weakness Jackson had was also a weakness of Whitehurst: Bad pocket awareness, happy feet, questionable accuracy.
Portis was tantalizing to the fan base, but probably because he'd not had the chance to prove to us how unprepared he was. In truth, the odds are against Portis ever amounting to anything. Or perhaps more accurately, amounting to anything resembling a star QB in the NFL.
The career path he has taken is unusual to say the least, bouncing from college to college. He's not getting many reps this offseason and his reputation seems to be solidifying as that of a thrower as opposed to a passer. Sure, I would have liked to have given him some playing time at the end of last season, but mostly because I could not see Jackson leading this team anywhere and figured there was nothing to lose by starting Portis.
The team was, by and large, stuck with Jackson last year. While management could tout his toughness, arm strength, and understanding of ball security...I think they had to see the glaring holes in his game. That he hesitated under pressure and was unable to use the whole field. That he struggled with accuracy. That he struggled with clock management in important situations. I think this because the Seahawks spent a bunch of money and a high draft pick on two players who
can use the whole field and can throw an accurate pass. Who seem to have that awareness that Jackson lacks.
Carroll/Schneider don't seem to 'whiff' much when it comes to player evaluation. It is hard for me to believe that the same coach who oversaw some of the best QBs in USC's history, and a GM who oversaw the drafting of a star QB at GB, are unable to come together and make a smart choice for their field general. It's hard to believe that they can find diamonds in the rough to build such a physical defensive backfield, cobble together a pastiche of offensive linemen who then execute Cable's zone scheme brilliantly, hoard stout DTs and speedy edge rushing DE, and not know what they need in a QB. They're too talented to get this decision wrong.
Deep down, I think the three-way competition is smart. As mediocre as Jackson is, he probably still earned the respect of the locker room last season by playing through a severe injury...while not dithering on about it whenever someone shoved a microphone in his face. As opposed to, oh, I don't know...a guy like Ben Roethelisberger who reminds you every chance he gets that he is playing through an injury.
This gives Flynn a chance to show his teammates he's earned the spot instead of having it handed to him. And it gives Wilson a chance to silence the draft-day critics. I don't think it's a legitimate 3 way competition technically as I don't think Wilson has a chance--yet. To start Wilson and bench Flynn/Jackson would be so risky. If Wilson succeeds, then they look like geniuses. But if he fails? By that point Flynn/Jackson seem largely marginalized.
Pre-season may seem meaningless to many, but I think it's hugely important for us. Pete's indicated he wanted to name a starter after the second pre-season game, and I think he means it. Practices and drills only show so much, and preseason is as close as we can get to an actual NFL game.
