Kyle Shanahan on RG3, Mobile QBs and Developing Pocket Presence

It looks like the style of play that made Robert Griffin III so famous, and was partially responsible for popularizing the pistol offense in the NFL, may be holding him back.

After yesterday’s Raiders-Cowboys game, I wrote about how mobility and natural athletic ability at the quarterback position can be less of a help than a hindrance when it comes to pocket presence and avoiding the pass rush.

Pictured: The sophomore slump

In an interview with ESPN’s John Keim today, Washington QB coach Kyle Shanahan alluded to this same topic when discussing the troubles RG3 has faced this season returning from his ACL injury, and becoming more comfortable in the pocket:

Three New Ways to Break Down an Opponent Offense

Bill Belichick got his start in the NFL by breaking down film for Ted Marchibroda’s Baltimore Colts, and through the years he perfected his approach to the game by intense and nearly religious film study.

Coaches are always looking for that extra edge that will give them an advantage over their competition, that hidden piece of information that will allow them to get inside the head of their opponent. Obviously I can’t promise you anything like that, but I can give you a few (hopefully) new ways to look at opponent offenses.

Even if you use one or all of these, hopefully this discussion will get you thinking about new ways to look at offenses.

Matt McGloin vs Terrell Pryor: Avoiding Sacks with a “Pocket Passer”

While simultaneously watching the Raiders-Cowboys game and recovering from a post-Thanksgiving food coma, I was reminded of the importance of decision-making ability at the quarterback position when it comes to minimizing sacks and other negative plays.

Matt McGloin manged to avoid being sacked by the Cowboy defense entirely on Thursday. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Here you have young Matt McGloin going against a determined Cowboy defense, and consistently getting rid of the football on time, and helped by offensive coordinator Greg Olson calling a lot of misdirection runs, screens, and boot passes. (McGloin was not sacked at all, while Tony Romo was sacked twice for a loss of 17 yards)

One quote that has always stuck with me is something Steve Young said in an interview on ESPN: “Nothing is singular in football.” In other words, there is almost never one single factor that you can put your finger on to explain a number on the stat sheet. A QB who consistently throws for over 400 yards per game could be benefiting from a great game plan, excellent receivers, or it could be because his team always finds themselves down 21 points in the second quarter.