- Joined
- Sep 13, 2004
- Messages
- 30,681
- Reaction score
- 23,359
OK. I'm sold:
Quick-hit thoughts around the NFL and New England Patriots - espnBoston
Quick-hit thoughts around the NFL and with the New England Patriots:
1. Rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s debut in the Patriots’ preseason opener was widely praised; his quick release and long-ball touch two areas most noted. But there was something else that might be more important, and it came on running back Stephen Houston’s fumble when Garoppolo darted into a scrum as others were standing around and relentlessly threw himself into the pile in hopes of recovering the football. Usually you don’t want your quarterback vulnerable to injury in a pile of 300-pounds-plus linemen, but this is a rare situation that I think is an exception. When players and coaches review the film and see a rookie at that position making that type of effort and being ripped out of the pile by opponents, it can only yield one reaction: Instant respect. Playing quarterback in the NFL requires so many different things, and one of them is leading in a way that makes others want to follow them; Garoppolo’s presence has stood out to me in that regard, with Thursday night’s effort further reinforcing it.
Quick-hit thoughts around the NFL and New England Patriots - espnBoston
Quick-hit thoughts around the NFL and with the New England Patriots:
1. Rookie quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo’s debut in the Patriots’ preseason opener was widely praised; his quick release and long-ball touch two areas most noted. But there was something else that might be more important, and it came on running back Stephen Houston’s fumble when Garoppolo darted into a scrum as others were standing around and relentlessly threw himself into the pile in hopes of recovering the football. Usually you don’t want your quarterback vulnerable to injury in a pile of 300-pounds-plus linemen, but this is a rare situation that I think is an exception. When players and coaches review the film and see a rookie at that position making that type of effort and being ripped out of the pile by opponents, it can only yield one reaction: Instant respect. Playing quarterback in the NFL requires so many different things, and one of them is leading in a way that makes others want to follow them; Garoppolo’s presence has stood out to me in that regard, with Thursday night’s effort further reinforcing it.