Bridgewater Down

[fiestavike]

In his limited pass attempts last season, Bridgewater avoided a boat load of negative plays, and turned a good percentage of those into positive plays. Shaun Hill simply doesn't have the ability to replace that production. Anybody who goes on about replacing production in the form of TDs, INTs, Yards just reveals that they know absolutely nothing about what they talking about.

What Shaun Hill does have the ability to do is play effectively under ideal circumstances. When things go wonky, that play will be dead. The key to this season not being lost is the offensive line improving their pass blocking and run blocking in a major way, otherwise Shaun Hill will prove to be totally ineffectual. Can they create ideal circumstances by getting 3+ nearly automatic on early down runs? Can they consistently keep a clean pocket to step up into? If so, Shaun Hill can play well enough to win games, but if they play as they did last year, Shaun Hill will not make it through the season and he will look terrible in the process, and this team will be picking early.

If Sparano and Boone are bringing a new attitude to this line, they are damn well going to have to prove it now.

[mansquatch]

In his limited pass attempts last season, Bridgewater avoided a boat load of negative plays, and turned a good percentage of those into positive plays. Shaun Hill simply doesn't have the ability to replace that production. Anybody who goes on about replacing production in the form of TDs, INTs, Yards just reveals that they know absolutely nothing about what they talking about.

What Shaun Hill does have the ability to do is play effectively under ideal circumstances. When things go wonky, that play will be dead. The key to this season not being lost is the offensive line improving their pass blocking and run blocking in a major way, otherwise Shaun Hill will prove to be totally ineffectual. Can they create ideal circumstances by getting 3+ nearly automatic on early down runs? Can they consistently keep a clean pocket to step up into? If so, Shaun Hill can play well enough to win games, but if they play as they did last year, Shaun Hill will not make it through the season and he will look terrible in the process, and this team will be picking early.

If Sparano and Boone are bringing a new attitude to this line, they are damn well going to have to prove it now.

In addition to this, the heat is on Blair Walsh to deliver. Most likely this is a team taht will thrive on winning close games, and leveraging AP between the create opportunities to add points via Walsh's leg. My guess is red zone opportunities will not be plentiful against better defensive teams.

[Mothman]

its not likely he was "normal" until that instance. Was he born with an atypical ACL? It happens...Did he partially tear in in camp and write it off as a minor sprain and "play through it"? Could be.....but a totally normal knee isnt likely to completely blow out just by dropping back in passing drills. I wonder if he ever had previous MRIs of his knees done? For what the NFL spends on QBs, I wouldnt be surprised if its a standard screening tool for all players.

It does seem highly unusual for such a devastating injury to occur on a normal dropback. I've been wondering along the same lines you guys are... was his knee somehow "ready to go" and highly susceptible to injury or is this just a one-in-a-million catastrophe?

[S197]

That is my fear too. HardcoreVike can probably help answer some of that. What was Child's injury? It wasn't the same thing was it?

Different injuries, Childs tore both patellar tendons.

[fiestavike]

3 years in a row, Zimmer and Co. are having to drastically adapt their offensive game plan early in the year.

Don't be shocked by a slow start to the season.

[Cliff]

It does seem highly unusual for such a devastating injury to occur on a normal dropback. I've been wondering along the same lines you guys are... was his knee somehow "ready to go" and highly susceptible to injury or is this just a one-in-a-million catastrophe?

I'm sure we'll get some insight into that pretty soon. Maybe he just tripped over his feet and came down on it really hard the wrong way? It does seem odd.

[Texas Vike]

Teddy tripped over himself after taking the snap vs. Seattle and he stayed down for a longer time than I'd have expected. At first, I thought he was hurt, but he looked fine afterwards.

[Mothman]

In his limited pass attempts last season, Bridgewater avoided a boat load of negative plays, and turned a good percentage of those into positive plays. Shaun Hill simply doesn't have the ability to replace that production. Anybody who goes on about replacing production in the form of TDs, INTs, Yards just reveals that they know absolutely nothing about what they talking about.

You seem determined to elevate the minutiae of the game to the level of utmost importance.

The little things matter. They make a difference but that doesn't mean the big things aren't big for a reason. TDs, INTs, yardage... they're critical because moving the ball effectively is critical, protecting the ball is critical and scoring is essential to winning! A smart QB who doesn't perform well in those areas will eventually end up on the bench or out of the league. QBs who average 14 TD passes a year don't stay starters very long in the current NFL, where the rules favor the passing game.

As for Hill: he's going to have to demonstrate that he can get the ball downfield and he's going to have to be effective against the blitz because teams will come after him, knowing he has limited mobility, and they'll cheat up on him, knowing he doesn't have a strong arm. If the line is going to create the circumstances you described, Hill will have to do those things. Turner could help him out with less predictable playcalling and more passing on first down.

[PsyDanny]

It does seem highly unusual for such a devastating injury to occur on a normal dropback. I've been wondering along the same lines you guys are... was his knee somehow "ready to go" and highly susceptible to injury or is this just a one-in-a-million catastrophe?

The whole thing freaked me out a bit, having recently watched "My All American" about late 60's Texas safety Freddie Steinmark - who played most of the season with pain in his leg that eventually proved to be a fatal bone cancer. Now, nothing about Teddy's situation reminded me of this specifically, only the "where did that come from" aspect.

But it certainly seems curious.

[PsyDanny]

Teddy tripped over himself after taking the snap vs. Seattle and he stayed down for a longer time than I'd have expected. At first, I thought he was hurt, but he looked fine afterwards.

Interesting. Maybe some kind of "hair line" fracture that didn't hurt enough to not just shake it off in the moment, but set up a weakness just waiting for the right conditions?

I really do hope they get some good theories on this, and check Teddy out top to bottom. He needs to know what he is facing...

[chicagopurple]

pathological fractures due to unrecognized bone tumors is not a rare presentation. THis case sounds more like a soft tissue injury though so less likely an underlying tumor.

[fiestavike]

You seem determined to elevate the minutiae of the game to the level of utmost importance.

How you conclude that these things are minutiae is beyond me. Maybe you used the wrong word?

[Mothman]

How you conclude that these things are minutiae is beyond me. Maybe you used the wrong word?

No, I used the right word. I was using it the sense that it means details or "the finer points" of something (in this case, quarterbacking).

[allday1991]

I think Bridgewater is been under valued greatly. I disagree with anyone who thinks we are going to plug in Shawn Hill this year and be competitive, I just don't see it happening. Everyone goes back to the 2012 year where we managed to do it with Ponder, however if I remember correctly Ponder started the year on fire and was the only QB to not throw a INT in like 4-6 games and had good feet, Hill cant do any of that. I'm already on the boat that this season is doomed and what's the point of having a 7-9 season when we want a Super bowl. Just flunk and get a high draft pick. Overall just not really excited for this season at all and am almost certain this franchise is snake bitten.

[soflavike]

The biggest burden falls on the 0-line... they are gonna have to pass protect for #13 like it's their Momma in the pocket.

Not sure they've made enough strides to keep the old man upright for a whole season.