This is one of the most well-written, best analysis on the position of QB that I have read in a long time. Maybe ever. It enlightened me, shocked me, and it added some color to some of the arguments and discussions that I've seen on this message board and others for a while now concerning our QB situations over the years.
The article prescribes a certain and fragile mix of intelligence, demeanor, leadership, physical ability and other qualities that we all think of when we think of the all time great QB's. These qualities are, for the most part, mutually exclusive when it comes to being able to succeed at the highest level in the hardest position in sports. In our franchise's history, never have we had a QB that possesses all of these qualities. That's obvious. But that's what makes me so excited about Osweiler in this offense with this group of talent around him. When I see Brock get up and speak, I see confident excitedness and appreciation for the opportunity to start for the Texans. When I saw Hoyer speak, he spoke with the bland demeanor of a journeyman who was just trying to make it through the next week. The leadership quality is also there, and has been from day 1. From the initial press conference, arranged workouts with his new WR's, he's done everything and said everything you'd want to hear and see from your franchise guy. I think what attracted a lot of people to Ryan Mallett was his leadership abilities: he was hyped, always the first to high five his teammates after a great play, and just seemed like he was honestly having a great time out there. Constantly cheering from the sidelines, and so on. I don't think anyone ever questioned his leadership abilities, he just didn't quite have the other tools to make him a success. I see the same leadership qualities in Osweiler, but with the other tools the article speaks of.
I was listening to Tim Hasselbeck this morning on Mike & Mike talking about how miserable his experience in college was under a two quarterback system. As the starter, he would typically play a certain set of downs and then his backup would always come in the first series of the second quarter. He never could get in a rhythm, establish any sort of feel for the game in that system. And then think about the backup, you'd warm up and then sit for an hour waiting for your turn. I understand that this might work in certain packages if you have a big body QB who can run, etc. But his point was this: at some point, the coach has to take leadership, step up and name a starter. If all things are equal, don't put it on the players to show you who deserves to start. Make a choice, live with it. In my opinion, that was BOB's flaw last year. I think it was a learning experience for him, I still think he's one hell of a coach, and I think we will benefit greatly from not having that scenario this year.
My favorite part of the article was this: "Imagine this," Jackson says. "A guy has 11 seconds to get the play from me [over the headset]: He has to understand the formation, the play and sometimes an alert. Then he has to tell that play to the offensive team. Then he has to think through the defense. He has to make sure he communicates with [the other offensive players] through words and hand signals. Say it's Trips Right Lizzy Left Quanzi. He's got to get the play. Then give the play. Now he has to decipher what the defense is doing [at the line of scrimmage]: Personnel, front, coverage. Who's the Mike [middle linebacker]? Now you think you figured it out. Then you say 'Set-Hut.' Now the processor is rolling: You've gotta decide in milliseconds, 'Where do I go [with the ball]? What do I do? There's a pre-snap thought and a post-snap thought. Now you got all those dudes on the other side -- they're trying to hurt you, they're growling, talking [expletive] to you. You've gotta handle all that. And now, under those conditions, you're paid to make plays. And if you don't? Well, you've got to repeat the process right away. ... And how do you deal with the stress of missing the play?"
That excerpt completely changed my opinion on whether or not the NFL should reduce the amount of preseason games. Again, personal opinion not trying beat the dead horse and stir up old arguments. I had an idea of the pre-snap procedure a QB typically goes through, but to see it written out like this just shined the light to me on how difficult the transition is for rookie offensive players not from the physical perspective, but the mental. If what Trent Dilfer said in the article is true, if most QB's coming out of college are as football remedial as it gets, then I'm all for the 4 preseason games. But to get back on topic, everything I've seen and heard about Osweiler is that he has the intelligence and is picking up BOB's very complex system nicely. Another checked box. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I cannot recall a time this preseason where we had an offensive delay of game, or at least too few to remember.
Physical ability is still to be seen, but I am optimistic that we truly might have something special with this QB and this group of guys. Like all of you, I've waited a long time for football to be relevant in this city again. I don't mean one playoff win and then out, I mean a perrenial threat. Oline has some health issues, sure. But if the things that flashed in preseason are any indication of what's to come, then it's a damn exciting time to be a Houston Texans fan.
