Jake Locker

Discussion in 'Tennessee Titans and NFL Talk' started by turnNburn, Apr 30, 2012.

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  1. JCBRAVE

    JCBRAVE goTitans 2019 Survivor Champion

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    Well Donovan McNabb scored a 14 and he won a million regular season games. Played in like 4-5 NFC Championships and a Super Bowl.
    That's lower than both Locker and Young..
     
  2. Thaddeus43

    Thaddeus43 Sunshiner President

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    I agree with you here. Intangibles don't make a QB great, but all the great Qbs seem to have them ... thats all I was saying. Its just kinda like a bonus.

    Tebow is in a unique situation though. Here you have a guy that probably shouldn't have even been drafted, much less in the 1st rd. He is not near the same talent level as any other QB drafted in the 1st 2 rds and he really has no business playing QB in the NFL at all. You're right, it probably won't matter how hard he works, he just doesn't have it. I could work my butt of to be a NFL QB, but it won't ever happen.

    I was speaking more about guys that are (or deserve) to be drafted in the 1st couple of rounds. Rusty Smith probably won't amount to anything either, but he wasn't taken high so I wouldn't expect it.

    The overall talent level between Newton/Locker/Dalton is about the same. Some are better in certain areas, but as far as who becomes the better NFL QB will depend mainly on the coaching staff, assuming they all put equal effort into learning the game
     
  3. TitansWrath

    TitansWrath Pro Bowler

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    Jake has all the talent in the world. Elite caliber arm. Great athleticism. He played on a terrible team. His accuracy numbers were bad in college partly for two reasons...

    1. He was running for his life most plays, because his line sucked.
    2. His receivers dropped a TON of passes.


    Intangibles are not a bonus, they are a necessity. Intangibles are why Vince sucked. Leadership, intelligence, confidence under pressure... these things are the basic building blocks of a top tier QB.

    Now, is Jake a sure thing? Of course not. No QB is. I'd have bet the house on Tim Couch being successful for instance. But he was in a horrible situation.

    Jake has all the physical talent in the world. he has the intelligence, the leadership, the work ethic, the demeanor to be successful. He is in a good situation behind a solid passblocking line, with (we hope) a good RB and (we hope) a great stable of weapons. He has a solid veteran he has a good relationship to help mentor him along.

    There is not much more you can do to help Locker succeed. Quite frankly, I can't think of a single top 10 QB pick in a long long time that has been put in a better situation than Locker is in right now.

    Its time to take the training wheels off and see what he can do.
     
  4. SlidePiece

    SlidePiece Starter

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    He did have some playing time for the Titans last season.... Did you watch that? What he did last season is where our optimism is coming from, not his college stats. It seems like his play in the NFL might mean a little more than his college play. I think I have a great reason to be optimistic seeing how he played last year. What is it about his play that tells you that we made the wrong choice drafting him? And not the coachable mistakes that come with every rookie QB.
     
  5. Thaddeus43

    Thaddeus43 Sunshiner President

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    Thats what I am saying about the intangibles ... you need them to be a 'great' QB, but intangibles alone won't make you a 'great' QB. I think Locker has the intangible, which is awesome. It doesn't mean he will be a great QB automatically, but it is one thing that we don't have to worry about. Jags fans for instance need to both be worried about Gabbert as football player, and a leader. We at least know that Locker has all the leadership skills in the world (and it appears he can play ball as well)

    I agree with you on the next part. I feel like Jake is in the best situation of any QB drafted last year. He will have plenty of weapons, a coaching staff that is behind him 100% (something VY didn't have), and he is a worker. I also have a lot of faith in Palmer as a QB developer. He has a lot of experience working with young QBs, so he knows what to do and what not to do. That is why I think he will be very good for us, not only is talented, but he is in the perfect situation for that talent to flourish. It really is a good thing that Fisher screwed this team up so much at the end of his last season here. Most top 10 QBs don't get put on a team that should have been in the playoffs the year before. Most go to really crappy teams and struggle for a few years while the teams gets turned around

    I am also in the camp that believes Locker should be the day 1 starter. I'm glad he had a season to sit back and learn, but now any more time on the bench is just delaying his development IMO. Last year he showed that he can come in and compete with the big boys, he just needs to get the experience now.
     
  6. JCBRAVE

    JCBRAVE goTitans 2019 Survivor Champion

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    Is it? Normally programs/companies let you feel your way around before handing you a big job to do. Not that I'm saying Jake isn't ready, but these expectations from fans that he MUST start don't make sense when Hasselbeck is here.

    How many college teams have sophomores starting? Some, but not many.

    My point is, Matt Hasselbeck isn't Kerry Collins. The guy can still play at a high level. The reason Hasselbeck struggled last year is the same reason Locker struggled at Washington the year before, no help. Give Hass the weapons, and he'll take us to the playoffs.

    I'm not sure if you've kept up with my view of Locker, but I absolutely love the guy, and can't wait for him to take over, but if Hass is better, don't be shocked.
     
  7. MaxFischer

    MaxFischer Rookie

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    Granted, McNabb did poorly on the Wonderlic. But I don't think he was ever elite like a Manning, Brees, etc. So McNabb (and to a lesser extent Michael Vick, who scored a 20) seem to be the exceptions to the rule.

    But still, there seems to be a cut off point on the wonderlic where a QB's chances of success are dramatically lower.
     
  8. MaxFischer

    MaxFischer Rookie

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    Yup, I saw every single throw he made. Some were awful - wide open receivers were missed by a wide margin.

    I don't know how much of his success has to do with facing defenses who let up, or who went with soft coverage, after gaining leads.
     
  9. SlidePiece

    SlidePiece Starter

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    Yes, but Hasselbeck will become like Collins was, and I don't want to find out if that will happen this year or next year. He's already getting there. What games were you watching last season that makes you think Hasselbeck can still play at a high level? The Baltimore game? He might be able to do that in one or two games, but he can not play that way for a whole season. The guy may have experience and know what to do, but he just physically can't get it done anymore, especially at a high level.

    If you think Hasselbeck will get us to the playoffs then Locker can definitely get us to the playoffs. Hasselbecks gameplay slows our offense down. The offense that our coaching staff has put together is built to be fast-paced and explosive. That doesn't sound like Hasselbeck to me. I think the coaches know exactly where they want to go. The QB spot is Locker's to lose. If Locker can't beat out a declining 37 year-old Hasselbeck, then we are in trouble.
     
  10. JCBRAVE

    JCBRAVE goTitans 2019 Survivor Champion

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    Just so you know, I watch every single Titans game, and I don't just watch the ball, I see everything the camera allows me to see.

    I believe in Hasselbeck, and that says a lot cause it's hard to win me over.

    Another reason I'm content with Hass is because he makes outside reads first, which means he's not giving the ball to our TE's much, and to me that's cool cause our TE's are question marks.
     
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