An important chage in Drew

[zow2]

It seems to me (the untrained observer) that for 30+ games as a Bills player, Drew was mentally unable to buy himself that extra second in the pocket and he refused to move. Anytime there was serious pressure, he curled up like a little baby and took the sack.

I think it was in the first Miami game where Drew took off on that 10+ yard scramble. From that point on he seems to have shaken off the haunting images of his near death experience in New England. Now he has the confidence again to look a defender in the eye and take off or do some lateral movement in the pocket. It really has made all the difference in his game. I am a huge critic of Drew but I give kudos to him for finding this part of his missing game again.

[MadBuffaloDisease]

The coaching staff is working with him on that, and the O-line isn't allowing multiple defenders to come at him from all sides. McGahee has also opened things up with his presence.

[Kelly the Dog]

I still say that the major difference is that last year, there was no pocket to step up into. If the rush was coming from the outside, either side, and Drew stepped up into the pocket to avoid the rush, he would have stepped right into the back of Pucillo or Teague and gone down anyway. This year, there is an actual pocket, and he can take that step up to avoid the hit and sack and then reload to throw to a secondary receiver. That is the McNally factor, and the getting rid of Pucillo.

[Dan Gross]

I still say that the major difference is that last year, there was no pocket to step up into. If the rush was coming from the outside, either side, and Drew stepped up into the pocket to avoid the rush, he would have stepped right into the back of Pucillo or Teague and gone down anyway. This year, there is an actual pocket, and he can take that step up to avoid the hit and sack and then reload to throw to a secondary receiver. That is the McNally factor, and the getting rid of Pucillo.

148363[/snapback]

 

And also by inference the "pocket" he got was "inescapable." He was pretty much surrounded all year, and he couldn't even "back out" of the pocket to get outside to avoid the sack/throw the ball away. Much different (better) O Line this year....

[nobody]

I'll credit a lot of the additional time Drew has to the blocking of McGahee. Every game you can see a couple of blocks he puts on the blitzer to give Drew that extra second to get the ball off. These plays help to increase Drews confidence as the games go on.