The number of rookie QBs in the playoffs
Not sure if this is a record...but I am amazed at the number of rookie QBs in the playoffs this year. If the season ended today in the NFC you would have Kapernick, RG3, Russell Wilson...not to mention Christian Ponder in his 2nd year
In the AFC you have Luck...and not to mention 2nd year guy Dalton..who also made it as a rookie.
I know everyone keeps pointing to this big epiphany d coordinators will undergo this offseason to stop this "gimmick" offense. But it is not just about scheme...it is about personell. There used to be a time where you only had 2 or 3 mobile QBs you had to worry about, but the trend is shifting. So teams are going to have to stock pile their roster with the personell to combat this. You can no longer have JUST your starting ILBs with the ability to run and cover...the backups have to have that trait as well. I know everyone wants a pass rushing DE....but these "gimmick" offenses almost negate that with how quickly they get rid of the ball on passing plays and with the threat of the QB to run. The Giants pass rush was non existent against the Skins. The Skins kept them on off balance all day...and they spent more time thinking instead of playing fast.
It appears to me the college game has infiltrated the pro game. I remember everyone saying the option would never work in the NFL because of the speed of the pro game. And we have seen it fail. But what has happened is QBs with the abilit to run the option.....AND throw it have seemingly really perplexed NFL defenses. I have not really seen the Redskins stopped all year. And sure...their offense had a bad game or 2...but what team doesn't?
Here's hoping Dallas take a well thought out measured approach on how they are going to add talent this offseason. Because like I said, coming up with how to defend this is probably the easy part...having the personell to do it is where it gets really tricky!
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