Originally posted by thojess:
Originally posted by Joecool:
Originally posted by thojess:
Originally posted by Joecool:
Hill MUST go for this game as the team will finally go into a game that is not regular season with an actual starting QB and they all need live reps together.
Really? MUST? I really don't think it would be that big of a deal if Hill just rested and got 100%. I think a healthy back is a higher priority than 20 odd snaps.
For them to come out sharper on Game 1, yes, he must start this game and they need to work as a real regular season team.
Are you sure you're not channeling your inner fan on this one? I know that's what we'd like to see... but certainly starting QBs have missed 3rd preseason games and managed to come out sharp in the past. It's not like there is a direct causal link between preseason snaps and regular season performance. MUST implies zero probability of success sans 20 snaps this week and that is just not accurate.
I know starting QBs miss preseason but those QBs have already started for the team the year prior and then some. They already had the little things resolved with the offensive players. They have already established how everything will be done by them by prior years and spending the majority of the snaps in off season. We have not had a chance since last year. Hill hasn't gotten the bulk of the snaps and when Smith comes in after 11 plays in practice, the offense, once again, must adjust. They need to have this set or get as many reps as they can get with one crew, with THE crew and not have to shake out the little kinks in regular season.
This is the reason why this QB competition was stupid. It's one thing if both QBs know the system and the offense knows the system, but we have a new OC and one guy needs ALL of the reps. We are going to be behind other teams in how well we do things because of this dumb competition. Alex Smith, bless him, has been anchoring this team to the ground letting it drag because he can't outperform the other guy and we keep fooling ourselves trying to push him out there.
Would it have hurt to just say, "Hey, I don't want Alex to start until he has it MASTERED. For now, let's concentrate on a guy who we know what we will get and let him take control and let this offense run like a machine as well as it can?"
Seriously, these QB competitions keep holding us back and now Hill still may not get a good chance to dig his feet in the dirt, play and practice some good minutes and be crisp on day 1.
[ Edited by Joecool on Aug 26, 2009 at 3:11 PM ]