Week 17 Care/Don’t Care: Unlike Vikings, Packers’ lack of a true WR1 hurts them when it matters most

5 things I care about

Sam Darnold, going through his progressions

When we talk about “quarterback whisperer” offensive play-callers, we often frame it as the head coach setting up a “quarterback-proof” system. There is no question that Kevin O’Connell’s offense is exceptionally well-designed and this is one of the premiere quarterback ecosystems in the NFL. But the Darnold reclamation season goes well beyond any of that, and this Week 17 game was a premier example.

Darnold’s 377 passing yards were a career-high and, per Next Gen Stats, he targeted an open receiver on a career-high 67.4% of his pass attempts. That stat alone might lead you to think Darnold was operating as the proverbial joystick extension of the play-caller but that’s not the play I watched on Sunday.

Week 17’s game saw Darnold consistently work through progressions to find the open man. This offense has open players — Justin Jefferon’s presence alone shifts coverages to the point where windows will be readily available — the quarterback just has to get to the point of the concept. You saw multiple plays on Sunday where Darnold cooly and calmly worked to that point of the play.

We are talking about the famous “seeing ghosts” Darnold doing this. That’s a wild transformation and that’s the beauty in O’Connell’s resumé.

Coaching is not just out-scheming everyone else. It’s not simply about drawing up the most beautiful play on the whiteboard that any old quarterback can operate. It’s about teaching and developing. The version of Sam Darnold we’re seeing work through progressions and find answers deep into the concept is a player who has so clearly gone through that teaching.

After such a successful player transformation with Darnold, with top-five quarterback stats on the sheet and the team record to top it all off, I have a hard time imagining this story of developmental reclamation ends with this quarterback simply walking out the door.

Have happily taken the L on…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/week-17-caredont-care-unlike-vikings-packers-lack-of-a-true-wr1-hurts-them-when-it-matters-most-051325633.html

Author : Yahoo Sports

Publish date : 2024-12-30 05:13:00

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