- Erik Kuselias on FirstTake this morning. The question was "is VY the Titans Franchise QB?": "Vince Young is not a franchise QB. When you hear 'franchise' quarterback what comes to mind? Rothlisberger, Brady, Brees.. not Vince Young. He doesnt adjust well. What happened after his rookie year? Ker-SPLAT! He bombed. Once defenses figure it out, he wont be able to adjust" Look Erik - the NFL is changing. It changes all the time. The spread offense was once thought of as a joke.. now look at the Saints and the Patriots running everything out of a shotgun set. Are those 2 teams jokes? The WildCat is a perfect example of how the NFL changes and how the option is becoming more acceptable. Using speed and misdirection, the WildCat succeeds. Much like the spread option in college. So why cant VY and Chris Johnson create the next type of offense? Running the option, rolling out of the pocket, using a QB to run for first downs... Mainly putting the ball in the hands of play makers and letting them make plays. During Vince's rookie year, he didnt have the weapons that the Titans have now.. and they still nearly made the playoffs. The next year, despite Vince's struggles.. they made the playoffs using the Defense as their catalyst. This year.. They finally are letting "Vince be Vince". We all know how important that is. His WR's are actually CATCHING passes (shocker!). The offensive coordinator is calling plays that put VY in a position to succeed. Not keeping him under center trying to become something he is not. Oh yeah, and did I mention Chris Johnson? Anytime you have a running back like that you will succeed no matter what offense you run. Hes just that good. Getting him on the outside using the option and creating lanes for CJ with VY's running ability is a deadly combo. Sure - the power option and the spread are hard to succeed with due to the speed of DB's. But when you have speed in the offensive backfield like VY and Chris Johnson.. why cant it work? It obviously has these past few weeks... This isnt Drew Brees trying to run the option play. This is Vince Young and Chris Johnson. VY may not be a "franchise" QB under Erik's terms. But to me - VY is changing what "franchise" QB can mean each time he takes the field.
Brady was a 6th round draft pick who surprised everyone. Brees? Everyone thought he would be a career backup at best. Its easy in hindsight to annoint them franchise QBs because at the time they came into the league, no one expected anything from them. Did VY not beat Arizona completely with his arm on that last drive? No Chris Johnson at all. What is this arguement that once defenses figure out what hes doing..... Damn it... hes reading the defense and throwing to the open man. What the heck does "once defenses figure him out" mean??? Hes not running the option or zone read on every play.... Idoit.
Maybe the Franchise label doesn't fit Vince. Here's a suggested label, see if this works: winner. It's not sexy and I don't know how you work this into the NFL contract structure, and someone will need to explain the concept to Jeff Fisher for sure, but it might be a decent alternative in this case. VY makes otherwise smart people nervous, or stupid. An NFL quarterback isn't supposed to be able to run because this isn't college ball and the linebackers are fast too. Yeah, that. And his throwing motion. HOLY **** have you seen how this guys slings the ball? That's just not an NFL-quality toss, hoss. No way he can succeed like that. But he's doing it. So yeah, go Vince.
Before this year, VY's best passing option to a WR was journeyman Derrick Mason with a running game of fat boy from USC. Now he has some compliments to his game and it's showing. also VY has had a chance to learn more and will continue to learn as long as he is playing in the NFL.
EllCee, You must not remember when Brees was drafted what the prevailing perception of him was. Too short, not a big enough arm etc etc etc...... No one thought he would become one of the top 5 QBs in the league, if not the best. None.
Johnson's per-game-rushing yards this year if anyone was wondering. 57 197 97 83 34 128 Vince takes over QB 228 135 132 151 154
He's right, VY struggled his 2nd year after NFL coaches got film on him and faced him. He struggled mainly b/c he didn't put in the work(as he has admitted already this year) and because he wasn't going through his reads or progressions but just looking and if the 1st option wasn't open he'd try to run it. Kuselias is a hater of all things Longhorn. He's admitted as much when he's hosted some of the ESPN radio shows. He's come out and said "I hate the Longhorns." The guy is usually the host of shows and other than Davis/Fowler I think ESPN tells their hosts to STFU and keep their stupid opinions to themselves. The guy clearly hasn't been watching VY lately. He didn't watch the game on Sunday. VY isn't just running around, buying extra time and making plays with his legs. He's making plays from the pocket. He's going through his progressions, feeling the pressure, getting out of the pocket while keeping his eyes downfield and only taking off if he absolutely has to. His OC has even said he's told Vince to use his legs a little more.
I'm talking-head weary at this point, so I don't care what these jerks have to say. It would be one thing if it was Tony Dungy or even JJ or Ditka, but I don't care about talking heads.
If VY isn't the "franchise qb" for Tennessee, he will be the franchise qb for someone else. Someday everyone will get this.
