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When you look at his performance in New Orleans . . .
you wonder how much better it will get.
I’m talking about Bryce Petty.
Todd Bowles was asked today about Petty’s accuracy issues against New Orleans.
“A little anxious on some throws,” Bowles said. “He was confident. He has to get his footwork down a little bit, but I thought he played with confidence. He knows where to go with the ball, he’s confident in going there. You just don’t need to be in such a hurry to do it. You just need to relax and let it happen and don’t try to force it, and he understands that. He missed some throws that he just has to settle himself down and calm himself down, but I think he’ll get better going forward this week.”
It’s really interest that Petty’s second start this year is against the Los Angeles Chargers, because he reminds me a great deal of Kellen Clemens, the Chargers backup QB.
Both Petty and Clemens are really hard workers who put in the requisite time necessary at the quarterback position.
They both came out of college spread offenses, so they needed a lot of coaching to help them make the transition to an NFL offense.
They both have excellent arm strength and can make all the throws.
But they both are guys that when the real bullets are flying in a game, everything tends to speed up, and they seem to be in a rush out there.
Perhaps that is because in college spread offense, the pass usually goes to the first read. So you get the call and throw it to a predetermined guy, who is usually open, because most college defensive backfields aren’t very good.
So you can understand why Petty is in such a rush to get the snap and get rid of the ball. However sometimes that lack of patience leads him to have accuracy problems
You saw in Denver, on three deep outs that were even close – two to wide receiver Jermaine Kearse and one to tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins.
Can he get his mind to stop racing, can you calm down and slowly go through his progressions and make sure his footwork is right when he pulls the trigger?
We will find out a little in the last two games, but it’s really hard seeing a guy change his ways a great deal in such a short period of time.
And think about it, the NFL’s best combination of pass rushers on one team – the Chargers Joey Bosa and Melvin Ingram – are coming to town. With those two coming off each edge like their hair is on fire, do you think this is week that Petty calms down in the pocket and shows more patience? Petty knows who is out there coming after him.
So it’s highly unlikely his throwing process slows down this week.
There is a better chance of this breakthrough in Week 17 when the Jets travel to New England because the Patriots, who don’t have a very good pass rush.
December 18, 2017
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