Middle of the Field vs Outside the Numbers Throws

[LakecrestSteeler]

I put this together just to see the difference in yardage after reading the Sharp article in my other thread about giving the answers to the test for QBs and the bad NFL QBs throwing outside the numbers a ton versus the good NFL QBs throwing predominantly over the middle more.

The difference in yardage is huge. I knew they were big boy throws and NFL throws, but hopefully my spreadsheet is correct for a 5 yard drop back and a 10 yard drop back.

As an example to gain 5 yards over the middle with a 5 yard drop back, you have to throw 10 yards in the air. To gain the same outside the numbers you have to throw 31 yards in the air.

I hear all the talk about Tomlin being risk averse and they don’t throw over the middle to reduce risk of turnovers and thought it sort of makes sense. But it is absolute rubbish when you look at a 31 yard throw versus a 10 yard throw for a 5 yard gain. Their risk assessment is flawed and has ads in it for a reason!

IMG_0002.png (194.96 KiB) Viewed 2472 times

Edit: my hypotenuse to “outside the numbers” was max distance…essentially the sideline. Probably should have split the difference between the sideline and the numbers and did a plus or minus 2-3 yards.

[langer]

Ball stays in the air longer, more time for PI or something else, more reliance on the WR to not go OOB prior to catch, more reliance on the WR to have to have superior vision to track the ball.

There's a reason why Bellicheck used dink and dunk against the Steelers and destroyed them routinely.

No reason why Kenny can't be a Chad Pennington type. Well, there are many reasons actually.

[Stosh-67]

Absolutely Lake.
I mentioned in a thread after game 1, that those sidelines throws are actual long throws and dangerous.

http://forumsnew.sportsandshit.com/view ... 27#p739627

Offense reverted to the long horizontal throws to the sidelines.
Those are actually "long throws" when you think about it,
They wind up being 20-25+ yard throws, depending on what side of the hash you throw from.
And the throws need to be ropes.
With DB's moving forward. on those plays, I was waiting for a pick six.
Plus those throws leave very little option for the target; catch it before going out of bounds, catch it at full speed and try not going out of bounds, catch it at full speed and try and stop on a dime to change direction.

[Stosh-67]

and you want to talk about quick 5 yard routes.....
Thru 2 weeks, our 6'-7" athletic freak of a TE has exactly the same amount of targets that Stallworth, Swan and Hines and AB have had this season.
Yup ZERO

That guy blocks every single play, he would be wide open once or thrice a game, especially those run heavy goal line formations.

[LakecrestSteeler]

Absolutely Lake.
I mentioned in a thread after game 1, that those sidelines throws are actual long throws and dangerous.

http://forumsnew.sportsandshit.com/view ... 27#p739627

Offense reverted to the long horizontal throws to the sidelines.
Those are actually "long throws" when you think about it,
They wind up being 20-25+ yard throws, depending on what side of the hash you throw from.
And the throws need to be ropes.
With DB's moving forward. on those plays, I was waiting for a pick six.
Plus those throws leave very little option for the target; catch it before going out of bounds, catch it at full speed and try not going out of bounds, catch it at full speed and try and stop on a dime to change direction.

It usuallly gets lumped as a big boy throw or NFL throw, but when you put the actual yards to it the math is a big WTF. And if you throw those types of throws when the D is in an optimized formation for sideline throws it is a ridiculous play choice.

This is like shooting half court shots 70% of the time and you can’t figure out why you’re losing or why your offensive production is down.

[Kodiak.]

Probably spoiled by Ben, who had one of those rare arms that could make those throws consistently with ease.

And actually what threw some of us is between the numbers is closer to 1/2 the field. If you break the field into thirds, these numbers are going to look even more lopsided (like 80%+ of throws are either to the left or right third of the field).

Tomlin, for some stupid reason understood only deep within his gut, is afraid of the middle of the field. But now Kenny might not have the arm to fire those intermediate and deep outs Ben was so great at.

Prime Ben would struggle in this offense, unless he was running around playing backyard football like he used to.

Personally, I never really thought Kenny's arm strength last year was an issue. He obviously doesn't have a cannon, but he's also not Pennington and shouldn't be restricting the offense for any lack of arm talent. But if an offense relies on having a cannon to throw the deep out into small windows, then the QB isn't the actual problem.

[LakecrestSteeler]

And actually what threw some of us is between the numbers is closer to 1/2 the field. If you break the field into thirds, these numbers are going to look even more lopsided (like 80%+ of throws are either to the left or right third of the field).

I will just add that my hypotenuse to “outside the numbers” was max distance…essentially the sideline. Probably should have split the difference between the sideline and the numbers and did a plus or minus 2-3 yards.

But there are a lot of throws to the sideline too, to your blurb above.

[Stosh-67]

Let's get Mooth and Darnell some targets in the n middle. Give Kenny some basic, in your face, middle of field, 5-8 yard passes ( 10-15 air throws)

[langer]

And actually what threw some of us is between the numbers is closer to 1/2 the field. If you break the field into thirds, these numbers are going to look even more lopsided (like 80%+ of throws are either to the left or right third of the field).

I will just add that my hypotenuse to “outside the numbers” was max distance…essentially the sideline. Probably should have split the difference between the sideline and the numbers and did a plus or minus 2-3 yards.

But there are a lot of throws to the sideline too, to your blurb above.

They usually are thrown so there is a toe tap IIRC.

[bradshaw2ben]

Let's get Mooth and Darnell some targets in the n middle. Give Kenny some basic, in your face, middle of field, 5-8 yard passes ( 10-15 air throws)

The entire defense is packed in to that area because of the Steelers ineptitude, so have to hit some shots downfield to open the TEs up.

[ironzabo]

The Drive that Canada and Kenny designed and executed with the culmination of Big Pat catching the TE off of that lovely and roll out action was surgical and the best work done by all to date in a meaningful game


https://twitter.com/i/status/1706163490715484647


That drive is the hope and the dream right there boys.

The dream of Kenny being functionally effective is alive and well in my book as we stand on 9/25

This roster is capable of winning the North in this most important 23/24 campaign.

Keep getting better each week and ya can end up stacked into position to get serious again about playing legitimate Steeler Football ...just one more draft haul from Andy and Omar should allow for this to be realistic IMHO

LFG