Byron Leftwich the Cinderella story...
Guy comes in with so much explosive promise to the NFL and winds up playing for a HC who has made a career out of taking the conservative approach to the next level. This made Byron look like a fish out of water in a dink and dunk offense that utilized Byrons canons as pea shooters and his jet as a tank. The fall out between HC and QB was the result of Oil and Water philosophical approaches to the game.
What went wrong?
Byron is the type of player that plays with absolute confidence, JDR (Jack Del Rio) is the extreme opposite. He is a HC whose philosophy seems to stem from a lack of confidence, this is evident with his ultra conservative philosophy that is reflective in both his offenses as well as defense when you look at the lack of Blitz packages JDR's defense possess.
This is why David Garrard fits so well in JDR's scheme that prides itself on short and safe passing plays, and the run game. There is a reason why JDR's offense holds the record for most consequetive games without racking up 30 points... JDR's philosophy on offense is designed to do nothing more than play it safe while capitolizing on opponents mistakes. Jack may rack up wins over mediocre teams looking to take their game to the next level, but his inability to take the tack that has his team aiming for the next level, has JDR's team looking enemic in the play-offs, where he has to face the teams who have arrived at the next level with their aggressive antics having been consistently and methodically forticated.
The consistent and methodical fortification of an aggressive style play that possessed a deep threat which required faith and confidence on offense never seemed to emerge with JDR at the helm. Sad thing is Byron and the fans where promised this type offense, but the promise in the end turned out to be nothing more than lies, that is unless JDR was forced into being aggressive as a last dicth effort to make a come back this predictable antics did more to shatter JDR's confidence that reforticate it with an aggressive approach towards the deep passing game.
Byron Leftwich being an intelligent QB never got the opportunity to have control of the offense to the point of making the audibals that would allow him to make the call to change the play when the offensive play at the time was poised right at the teeth of the defense. Byron like a lot of fans bought into the notion that with Koetter in town he and the fans would finally see an aggressive passing offense emerge, alas that too was a lie and the Jaguars passing offense with Gray and Garrard wound up finishing 19th overall...
Byron being on the rebound wound up playing for the worst possible team, Falcons not only lacked an offensive line, receivers with sure hands, he was also playing with a disgruntled lockerroom that was contentious towards a coach who walked out on the team. To make matters worst the team brought in a conservative defensive minded coach who too was looking to go the conservative route as well.
Byron has proved to be an exceptional player when allowed to explore the facet of the game that had him drafted in the top 10. His mind at the line and in the pocket, as well as his stregnth and accuracy with the deep pass. Byron will fit on a team whos HC approaches the offense with a philosophy that has it taking a tack to being a top shelf offense.
Jaguars last season proved that DG was not one to take them deep into the play-offs with 7 turnovers in his last 4 games against play-off contenders, he proved to be a pretender when it came to playing against contenders. It would have been 8 turnovers had an int not been called back thanks to a phantom holding call against Indy. Byron Leftwich has the metal to contend against the best teams in the league, he has proven this time and time again, even in JDR's ultra conservative offense.
I still remember the game where Byron took it upon himself to make the call in the huddle that had him launching a bomb into the endzone to Jimmy Smith. Jimmy after the game in an interview said that Byron and he had to find a way to get into the game as if the scheme itself was keeping them out of it. JDR's scheme did more to hinder the offense due to his lack of confidence and faith in an aggressive philosophical approach than help it with Byron at the helm.
Byron Leftwich spent 5 years playing with his hand tied behind his back in JDR's ultra conservative offense, it is up to a team who take an aggressive approach to see what this ugly duckling can do... I am still waiting and watching.
(Message edited by Jagsbch on
06/26/2008 13:16 PM)
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Pride Blinds
