Allen's evolving pocket awareness

[Inigo Montoya]

It struck me watching the Jets game how well Josh moves around the pocket now.  There were many plays where the pocket started to get small or shift and in the past couple of seasons Josh would have pulled the ball down and took off with it.  Now he simply shifts with the pocket keeping his eyes down field at his receivers.  He is also very adept at moving and negating the blitzing DB.  There were several plays where a defender came free and came flying into the backfield and at the last moment Josh stepped up or over and the defender went flying right past him.

 

He has developed a pocket presence and is not playing scared back there, but shifting and moving and keeping a play alive and hitting his wide receivers.  Sometimes it is just a little hop step forward or a two or three step shuffle to the left or right.  He does it calmly and efficiently while continuing to scan the field.  This is a huge development.  Some QBs never develop that sort of pocket awareness (Darnold).

 

I'm expecting a lot more work for the RBs against the Phins, but Josh is going to get his shots.  Josh looked great throwing against the Jets, but it was the Jets.  If he can be as accurate and efficient throwing the ball against the Phins secondary and stay slippery and poised in the pocket, it will show Josh has taken another big step in his development.  You can't be an elite QB in the NFL without high level pocket awareness.

 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Inigo Montoya

[Warcodered]

There were a few moments where it seemed like he had eyes in the back of his head.

[Buffalo716]

2 minutes ago, Warcodered said:

There were a few moments where it seemed like he had eyes in the back of his head.

He honestly has always been that way. He's been able to have a free rusher at him since his rookie year and 8 out of 10 times he makes him look silly

 

His strength and stature and maneuverability in the pocket are now probably second to none in the NFL

Edited September 20, 2020 by Buffalo716

[loyal2dagame]

Still lower than Kaepernick in Madden...

[Rock-A-Bye Beasley]

The RPO where he shook off the blitzing safety then ran for a gain was amazing. 

[Chandler#81]

5 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

It struck me watching the Jets game how well Josh moves around the pocket now.  There were many plays where the pocket started to get small or shift and in the past couple of seasons Josh would have pulled the ball down and took off with it.  Now he simply shifts with the pocket keeping his eyes down field at his receivers.  He is also very adept at moving and negating the blitzing DB.  There were several plays where a defender came free and came flying into the backfield and at the last moment Josh stepped up or over and the defender went flying right past him.

 

He has developed a pocket presence and is not playing scared back there, but shifting and moving and keeping a play alive and hitting his wide receivers.  Sometimes it is just a little hop step forward or a two or three step shuffle to the left or right.  He does it calmly and efficiently while continuing to scan the field.  This is a huge development.  Some QBs never develop that sort of pocket awareness (Darnold).

 

I'm expecting a lot more work for the RBs against the Phins, but Josh is going to get his shots.  Josh looked great throwing against the Jets, but it was the Jets.  If he can be as accurate and efficient throwing the ball against the Phins secondary and stay slippery and poised in the pocket, it will show Josh has taken another big step in his development.  You can't be an elite QB in the NFL without high level pocket awareness.

 

🤫shhhhhhhh! You’ll wake the Haters!

[cage]

5 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

He honestly has always been that way. He's been able to have a free rusher at him since his rookie year and 8 out of 10 times he makes him look silly

 

His strength and stature and maneuverability in the pocket are now probably second to none in the NFL

 

Absolutely right, he's always had this ability to evade rushers in large part.  To the OPs point, the difference this year seems to be that he's still in the process of finding and throwing to his receivers rather than just tuck and run as in the past!  The difference in his progress is clear

[Charles Romes]

I was astonished at how good his natural pocket presence was his rookie year after expecting the worst from a supposed raw prospect. The difference now is that he looks to pass instead of run as the first option when the pocket collapses. 

Edited September 20, 2020 by Charles Romes

[Ridgewaycynic2013]

The nuns would rap a boy's knuckles for having too much 'pocket awareness' when I was a kid...🤔

[Big Gun]

Was very impressed with pocket awareness and escapability. The kid is going to be good, scary good!

[Chandler#81]

11 minutes ago, Ridgewaycynic2013 said:

The nuns would rap a boy's knuckles for having too much 'pocket awareness' when I was a kid...🤔

Thus, they get nun (sp?)

[Don Otreply]

6 minutes ago, Chandler#81 said:

Thus, they get nun (sp?)

Nun tonight Nun tomorrow night...

[Hapless Bills Fan]

6 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

He honestly has always been that way. He's been able to have a free rusher at him since his rookie year and 8 out of 10 times he makes him look silly

 

His strength and stature and maneuverability in the pocket are now probably second to none in the NFL

 

This is just my impression, but while he's always been able to evade, I feel like his first two years he'd evade and take off, or evade way off to the side or backwards.

To the OP's point, I feel he's really worked on how to evade with minimal movement and keeping his eyes downfield this offseason.

 

Moving and throwing on the move did lead to a couple way inaccurate throws last week; let's hope he sees on the film that he actually had a bit of time to set and throw.

[Ya Digg?]

7 hours ago, Buffalo716 said:

He honestly has always been that way. He's been able to have a free rusher at him since his rookie year and 8 out of 10 times he makes him look silly

 

His strength and stature and maneuverability in the pocket are now probably second to none in the NFL

I’m more surprised when Josh actually gets sacked at this point!

[Buffalo716]

3 hours ago, Hapless Bills Fan said:

 

This is just my impression, but while he's always been able to evade, I feel like his first two years he'd evade and take off, or evade way off to the side or backwards.

To the OP's point, I feel he's really worked on how to evade with minimal movement and keeping his eyes downfield this offseason.

 

Moving and throwing on the move did lead to a couple way inaccurate throws last week; let's hope he sees on the film that he actually had a bit of time to set and throw.

He may have taken off a little bit quicker his rookie season, but he's always been a maestro at avoiding pass rushers. Whether he stays in the pocket or leaves he's always had elite escapeability

[JohnNord]

10 hours ago, Inigo Montoya said:

It struck me watching the Jets game how well Josh moves around the pocket now.  There were many plays where the pocket started to get small or shift and in the past couple of seasons Josh would have pulled the ball down and took off with it.  Now he simply shifts with the pocket keeping his eyes down field at his receivers.  He is also very adept at moving and negating the blitzing DB.  There were several plays where a defender came free and came flying into the backfield and at the last moment Josh stepped up or over and the defender went flying right past him.

 

He has developed a pocket presence and is not playing scared back there, but shifting and moving and keeping a play alive and hitting his wide receivers.  Sometimes it is just a little hop step forward or a two or three step shuffle to the left or right.  He does it calmly and efficiently while continuing to scan the field.  This is a huge development.  Some QBs never develop that sort of pocket awareness (Darnold).

 

I'm expecting a lot more work for the RBs against the Phins, but Josh is going to get his shots.  Josh looked great throwing against the Jets, but it was the Jets.  If he can be as accurate and efficient throwing the ball against the Phins secondary and stay slippery and poised in the pocket, it will show Josh has taken another big step in his development.  You can't be an elite QB in the NFL without high level pocket awareness.

 

I noticed this too - in the first half especially.  He continues to improve as a passer,  only concern was late in the game he did some of the same things as last year like leaving the pocket with no pressure etc

[HOUSE]

4 hours ago, Charles Romes said:

I was astonished at how good his natural pocket presence was his rookie year after expecting the worst from a supposed raw prospect. The difference now is that he looks to pass instead of run as the first option when the pocket collapses. 

Charles Romes, one of my favorite Bills