DawgTalkers.net Forums The Archives 2016 NFL Season Looking Back: Browns 20 Redskins 31 Postgame Thoughts

Isnt it kind of sad that we all have to pre qualify any statement we make with "not trying to pick a fight"?

But anyways, even if the play call wasnt effected by the players on the field with CK, they would certainly effect what is available to him as he progresses through his reads.

Year: 2016

Paxton Lynch, Memphis 59

Jared Goff, California 58

Carson Wentz, North Dakota State 57

Christian Hackenberg, Penn State 56

Joel Stave, Wisconsin 56

Jacoby Brissett, North Carolina State 56

Josh Woodrum, Liberty 56

Cody Kessler, Southern Cal 55

Brandon Allen, Arkansas 55

Trevone Boykin, TCU 55

Dak Prescott, Mississippi State 54

Nate Sudfeld, Indiana 54

Kevin Hogan, Stanford 53

Brandon Doughty, Western Kentucky 53

Vernon Adams, Oregon 53

Jeff Driskel, Louisana Tech 52

Connor Cook, Michigan State 50

Cardale Jones, Ohio State, Did not throw

Strengths
Kessler is an experienced, poised quarterback who can beat a defense in a number of ways, none of which are flashy but they all manage to keep the chains moving, extend drives and eventually find the endzone. He is calm and poised in the pocket, with the athletic ability to slide around and find open areas to reset his feet and execute a throw. When faced with a blitz he is able to remain calm in the cauldron and exploit advantages in the secondary, whether by simply getting the football out to his hot read or by biding his time to find a soft area behind the blitz. He is well-versed in operating from under center or in the shotgun and pistol formations, and shows solid footwork on his drops regardless of his starting position. Whether it is a 1-, 3-, 5- or even 7-step drop, Kessler moves with fluid steps and usually hits the desired depth on each.

Watching Kessler handle pressure it is easy to respect his ability to keep his eyes downfield and continually scan for an open receiver. There is sometimes a rare occasion where he drops his eyes or shows he is influenced by pressure around him or at his feet, but on most instances he does a very good job of maintaining composure and working within the play to find a receiver. He is the poster child of what Matt Waldman identified (and I co-opted) as “flow within structure.” When external factors disrupt the timing or structure of a play, Kessler is very skilled at responding to the stimuli, adjusting his plan and remaining as true as possible to the design of the play in question. Whether it is adjusting his approach to throwing a screen pass, or climbing the pocket back right to the line of scrimmage before finding a target downfield within the structure of a play, Kessler walks that fine line between controlled chaos and mayhem very well.

When it comes to simply throwing routes, Kessler is a quarterback who thrives on using timing and anticipation to complete passes. He makes very quick decisions, particularly in the short passing game, and on many of these throws his footwork and release is timed up very well – if not ahead of – the route and break by his receivers. He puts his receivers in position to pick up yardage after the catch on many of his passes, but getting the ball out quickly and putting the football right on a receiver the instant after his break, preventing the coverage from converging on his WR. He is generally accurate, particularly on shorter routes.

Weaknesses
A big question mark surrounding Kessler is his arm strength. It was sufficient for him at USC to challenge small throwing windows in the shorter areas of the field, but when facing tougher throwing lanes in the intermediate- and deep-passing game, his arm lacks the pure velocity to challenge those situations and enjoy success. Even with years of film available, it is tough to point to a play where he drives the football into a tough throwing window with velocity on a throw greater than 20 yards. He will need to find a way to add velocity to his passes during his transition or, as is more likely, be utilized in an offense that thrives on the shorter passing game with the occasional deep shot, which he can deliver with touch and accuracy.

While he is generally accurate, his precision with throws can wane in the face of pressure, or when he is on the move. His second throw of the game against Arkansas State is a good example of his accuracy dipping when he is rolling to one side of the field. There are also times when Kessler stares down routes, and this is exacerbated when he finds himself in quicksand.

The Washington game, particularly the first three plays, is a good example of Kessler struggling against the flow of a game and fighting quicksand. On his first passing attempt of the game he is flustered, cannot find an open receiver, and takes a sack. On the second passing attempt, he stares down a route along the sideline and throws an interception. On his third passing attempt, USC runs a spot concept and he forgoes the open snag route over the middle to throw the checkdown to his running back in the flat, a safer throw. However, the play is read well by the defense and goes for a big loss, nearly a safety. He recovered from this start, but this is an example of how when things go wrong, they can spiral on him a little bit. Kessler needs to right the ship faster when he is in the NFL.

Scheme Fit
Given his prowess in the short passing game, in terms of his timing and anticipation, as well as his quick-decision making on these throws, Kessler projects best to a West Coast system. When you add in the current limitations he has in terms of challenging deeper throwing windows with velocity, it would seem this style of offense fits his skill-set perfectly.

http://insidethepylon.com/nfl/2016-nfl-draft/2016/04/22/scouting-profile-cody-kessler/

Then don't ask me any questions.

Yes, I would agree accuracy and velocity are different.

Yes, I would agree that your surrounding cast can either help or hurt you.

However, I still have not seen him make the throws that Hue asked Josh McCown to make.

We don't have to agree on the kid. We view him differently.

We have disagreed while remaining civil. Nothing wrong w/that.

[i][/i]

Fair enough. At the same time, I've not noticed the offense being stymied/limited by his arm strength. I also don't remember Josh throwing the back shoulder or any timing pass like that crossing TD to Pryor.

I'm ready to see more...also meaning that I'm not excited for Josh or RG3 to get back anytime soon - other than to get Whitehurst out of the #2 spot.

And again..........this is where we disagree.

I find myself comparing him to Andy Dalton. What do you think, Vers? Could he get to that level with the right pieces around him?

Andy averaged 6.6 yards per attempt his rookie year and Kessler is at 6.4 so far. Kessler hit some deep passes at USC and I think it's something he can do if teams try cheating on the underneath stuff. He needs to improve on the deep stuff, but I don't think it is outside the realm of possibilities that he does.

I don't want to write him off, yet. Too early.

I don't think he has Dalton's arm strength.

Truthfully, he reminds a lot of Austin Davis.

But again, it's really early. Perhaps he is super intelligent and can find a way to get it done.

I am hoping that we address the qb position in the off-season though.

Unless Bridgewater is unable to come back, I can't see the Vikes keeping both him and Bradford. Another possible option would be Phillip Rivers. I know he is older and doesn't fit the mold of what we are doing, but he is a future HOF qb and would really help the team win some games while they keep building through the draft.

LOL...........I'm gonna get slammed for that one, but .........

How so? We are scoring points and moving the ball as well or better than did stronger arms in McCown & RG3. 3rd down conversions against Washington was awesome.

Defenses are not successfully loading the box and taking away...well...much of anything really.

We have shown the ability to convert 3rd and short & 3rd and long.

I'm not saying he has a strong arm...just that the play of the offense suggests that his arm hasn't stopped us from having a pretty effective offense - and he's now started only two games. There's no reason to believe it won't get even better when the OL settles down and Coleman returns.

Are you off your meds?? I never asked you a question. I actually hadnt responded to anything you said.

This play ended up being a checkdown to Duke.
. .

Is that the right pic? LOL

IF Kessler maxes out his skillset I see him as poor man's Andy Dalton meets Chad Pennington meets Fitzmagic.

Thanks for the info!

Given Hue's philosophy of taking 5-7 shots downfield, I'm even more curious to know why he wanted a guy like Kessler who isn't known for the big arm. Maybe he just saw a guy with really good accuracy and wants to see how much he can get out of him??

He had some really nice throws all day last weekend. He threw a nice back shoulder throw to TP on the right sideline that was already in the air by the time he turned around, and put it right where it needed to be. He also threw a nice comeback to Louis.

I would like to see him push it down the field a bit more, but he's been coming along nicely. Hue has a really good feel for getting a lot out of these guys, but not putting them in positions where he's asking more than what they are capable of.

Actually no, from my amateur scouting accuracy and velocity are related. Without the requisite velocity to drive the ball downfield accuracy drops greatly (if they are able to make the throws at all) for those without above average arm talent. Being able to hit a backside post or deep dig or throw a deep comeback from the far hash to the opposte sideline.



Absolutely.

Those are real football questions. I'm N)

Kessler is playing very all things considered, 3rd (practically a 4th rounder, Hue/Pep are are managing him very well through playcalling/game plan. Kessler still physical limitations but he's playing good ball save for the pickle

Is that a pic of the 3rd & 11 play around the 12 minute mark of the 2nd Qtr?

Completion to Pryor for 12 yards in front of Norman.

My bad, yes you are right.
That is the 3rd down play to Pryor.

The all-22 play-by-play tracker was lagging yesterday when I posted that from my cell phone so I didn't notice til you said.

Washington played a lot of man with a single high safety. Basically, that tells us they had no respect for our other playmakers ... and felt Norman could take on Pryor.

No worries...I re-watched most of the game yesterday and thought something looked odd there.

Anyway...the more I watch this CK kid the more impressed I get. He's going to miss some opportunities that he doesn't see or he simply doesn't get it done, HOWEVER, his poise and awareness is pretty darn good at this point.

If things slow down for him like it does for many guys who get experience, we may have a QB with one visual flaw...and I think the jury is still out on that flaw until we get Coleman back, Louis gets some experience and the OL gets a chance to gel. There is a lot to like with the guy.

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