Zappe's Stats Through Three Games

[catent]

Several highlights from Zappe yesterday:

 

[RobertWeathers]

Several highlights from Zappe yesterday:

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The last one was what got me out of my chair. Felt the rush, stepped up and gets 22yds on a drag route.

 

[catent]

Don't let anyone tell you Zappe is a one read only quarterback. Great field vision and eye placement/usage.

 

[TommyD4207]

Several highlights from Zappe yesterday:

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To be fair, #3 is really a Thornton highlight.

 

[WhatJustHappened]

Zappe understands the defense.
You don't teach that, as much as you just understand it.
He's good at certain things that Mac is horrible at.
Which are more important? I dunno, but stepping up in the pocket under pressure means a bunch.

 

[Ian]

Several highlights from Zappe yesterday:



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These two were my favorites. The way he looked right on the top one before resetting his feet and hitting Thornton was outstanding, and the slide back up and then moving left on that bottom one was another great throw. Just a great job overall.

 

[Ian]

To be fair, #3 is really a Thornton highlight.

Not completely. Watch Zappe on that play look right where he sees both Meyers and Henry covered, before turning back left and seeing Thornton, resetting his feet, and then firing the football and that happens in the span of a second.

 

[Betterthanmost]

Zappe understands the defense.
You don't teach that, as much as you just understand it.
He's good at certain things that Mac is horrible at.
Which are more important? I dunno, but stepping up in the pocket under pressure means a bunch.

Well said about Zappe, but I really need someone to tell me something that Mac does well that Zappe may not be able to do. I am honestly asking and not trying to bash Mac.

 

[Ian]

Well said about Zappe, but I really need someone to tell me something that Mac does well that Zappe may not be able to do. I am not honestly asking and not trying to bash Mac.

That's sort of a losing effort because even going back through all the games last season and pulling stuff out would just lead to people saying, "how do you know Zappe couldn't do that because he hasn't been asked to?" They're both good players and we'll ultimately find out the answer to this dilemma. It's just probably going to take a little longer than people might like, but it will happen. Should be a fun ride

 

[Ochmed Jones]

Zappe spreads the ball around to different receivers and that can only make us a better offense.

Ps: the offensive penalties are out of control this year.

 

[Ian]

Zappe spreads the ball around to different receivers and that can only make us a better offense.

Ps: the offensive penalties are out of control this year.

So does Mac, which is what made him better overall than Newton at the time.

If you need to see how many times Jones threw the ball to a large variety of receivers, you can go here:

2021 New England Patriots Stats | Sortable 3rd Down, Red Zone Passing and Rushing Patriots Stats.

The only page with sortable 3rd Down, Red Zone Passing and Rushing Patriots Stats.

www.patsfans.com

And then just check/uncheck whatever games you'd like and you can also see all the receivers he completed passes to in each one

 

[Lavictoire]

I like how he threw to different receivers, not key on one guy all the time.

 

[Thelonious]

Reading comprehension is a lost skill.......

I know, having taught writing and literature for decades. Unfortunately for you, I have also taught philosophy, so I have a keen eye for illogic.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

I like how he threw to different receivers, not key on one guy all the time.

He's played very well, but I think it's a more a function of the offense blossoming, good OL play, and the improved weapons we have this year vs last. Parker is a stud, Jakobi has become a stud, Thornton looks great, both TE's now contributing, Stevenson - that's way more quality than we've had.

 

[Lavictoire]

He's played very well, but I think it's a more a function of the offense blossoming, good OL play, and the improved weapons we have this year vs last. Parker is a stud, Jakobi has become a stud, Thornton looks great, both TE's now contributing, Stevenson - that's way more quality than we've had.

yeah, was nice to see Jonnu Smith out there contributing!

 

[Salsalife]

I wish i could ask all the receivers on the Patriots who they would pick as there qb? I would believe them because it's there career we are taking about. They have a vested interest in getting the ball more.

 

[catent]

Not completely. Watch Zappe on that play look right where he sees both Meyers and Henry covered, before turning back left and seeing Thornton, resetting his feet, and then firing the football and that happens in the span of a second.

Another really critical element of the TD pass to Thornton is how he used that subtle pump-fake / showing of the ball to get the defense to freeze and get the pass-rusher in the air. That was an understated but really important part of that play, especially in order to create the passing lane to deliver the ball.

Of all the praise we've been heaping on Zappe - and this ties into his general pocket awareness/presence - he is really good at using his eyes, ball-fakes, subtle movements and arm angles to create passing lanes. This is natural, given he's 6'0" and needs to do that in order to get clean deliveries away. What is so impressive is how effortless it is. He's not thinking about what he's doing, he's simply playing.

To be able to integrate the massive amounts of information he has flying at him as a rookie - especially one who did not have the advantage of preparing as the starter during the preseason - and then to play the position in way that indicates he's not thinking about what's going on, he's just processing/acting, seamless/simultaneously, in realtime, is pretty mind-boggling.

Someone else made this point in another thread, going back to Belichick's praise for his ability to see the field. Just as important as actually seeing the field, what that tells me is that he's not experiencing cognitive overload. I have to think that's a big issue with rookie/inexperienced QBs: so much is happening at once that they can't really process all of it. Even if you're literally looking at / seeing something, are you able to process what is happening in realtime amongst all the other information coming in. He seems to be able to actually process what he is seeing in realtime without cognitive "noise"/overload, which is so, so, so common among inexperienced QBs (or anyone performing a new, complex, high-pressure job/task).

I'm telling you, I am absolutely smitten with the guy, and it has nothing to do with Mac Jones. Based on what Zappe has shown, I would take him over a lot of other starting QBs in the league right now. I'm still, almost, holding my breath because it seems too good to be true, but I think 2-1/2 games is probably just enough to be sure this isn't fluke. It won't always be this good, he will certainly have tough games and make mistakes, but I don't think this is a flash in the pan at this point. If he demonstrates the same traits against Chicago (regardless of how his statistics look), I will pretty much be fully there, if I'm not already. I believe this kid is really special.

 

[Salsalife]

Another really critical element of the TD pass to Thornton is how he used that subtle pump-fake / showing of the ball to get the defense to freeze and get the pass-rusher in the air. That was an understated but really important part of that play, especially in order to create the passing lane to deliver the ball.

Of all the praise we've been heaping on Zappe - and this ties into his general pocket awareness/presence - he is really good at using his eyes, ball-fakes, subtle movements and arm angles to create passing lanes. This is natural, given he's 6'0" and needs to do that in order to get clean deliveries away. What is so impressive is how effortless it is. He's not thinking about what he's doing, he's simply playing.

To be able to integrate the massive amounts of information he has flying at him as a rookie - especially one who did not have the advantage of preparing as the starter during the preseason - and then to play the position in way that indicates he's not thinking about what's going on, he's just processing/acting, seamless/simultaneously, in realtime, is pretty mind-boggling.

Someone else made this point in another thread, going back to Belichick's praise for his ability to see the field. Just as important as actually seeing the field, what that tells me is that he's not experiencing cognitive overload. I have to think that's a big issue with rookie/inexperienced QBs: so much is happening at once that they can't really process all of it. Even if you're literally looking at / seeing something, are you able to process what is happening in realtime amongst all the other information coming in. He seems to be able to actually process what he is seeing in realtime without cognitive "noise"/overload, which is so, so, so common among inexperienced QBs (or anyone performing a new, complex, high-pressure job/task).

I'm telling you, I am absolutely smitten with the guy, and it has nothing to do with Mac Jones. Based on what Zappe has shown, I would take him over a lot of other starting QBs in the league right now. I'm still, almost, holding my breath because it seems too good to be true, but I think 2-1/2 games is probably just enough to be sure this isn't fluke. It won't always be this good, he will certainly have tough games and make mistakes, but I don't think this is a flash in the pan at this point. If he demonstrates the same traits against Chicago (regardless of how his statistics look), I will pretty much be fully there, if I'm not already. I believe this kid is really special.

Great observations! I like that if its 3rd and 9 his first look in not the checkdown, it's the receivers running 11 yards. I also like in his decision making like the ball to Tyquan running the crosser. He waited because he knew that first throw was in coverage, move in the pocket, Tyquan gets open then he throws it. That's Brady ball 100%. Facts...

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Another really critical element of the TD pass to Thornton is how he used that subtle pump-fake / showing of the ball to get the defense to freeze and get the pass-rusher in the air. That was an understated but really important part of that play, especially in order to create the passing lane to deliver the ball.

Of all the praise we've been heaping on Zappe - and this ties into his general pocket awareness/presence - he is really good at using his eyes, ball-fakes, subtle movements and arm angles to create passing lanes. This is natural, given he's 6'0" and needs to do that in order to get clean deliveries away. What is so impressive is how effortless it is. He's not thinking about what he's doing, he's simply playing.

To be able to integrate the massive amounts of information he has flying at him as a rookie - especially one who did not have the advantage of preparing as the starter during the preseason - and then to play the position in way that indicates he's not thinking about what's going on, he's just processing/acting, seamless/simultaneously, in realtime, is pretty mind-boggling.

Someone else made this point in another thread, going back to Belichick's praise for his ability to see the field. Just as important as actually seeing the field, what that tells me is that he's not experiencing cognitive overload. I have to think that's a big issue with rookie/inexperienced QBs: so much is happening at once that they can't really process all of it. Even if you're literally looking at / seeing something, are you able to process what is happening in realtime amongst all the other information coming in. He seems to be able to actually process what he is seeing in realtime without cognitive "noise"/overload, which is so, so, so common among inexperienced QBs (or anyone performing a new, complex, high-pressure job/task).

I'm telling you, I am absolutely smitten with the guy, and it has nothing to do with Mac Jones. Based on what Zappe has shown, I would take him over a lot of other starting QBs in the league right now. I'm still, almost, holding my breath because it seems too good to be true, but I think 2-1/2 games is probably just enough to be sure this isn't fluke. It won't always be this good, he will certainly have tough games and make mistakes, but I don't think this is a flash in the pan at this point. If he demonstrates the same traits against Chicago (regardless of how his statistics look), I will pretty much be fully there, if I'm not already. I believe this kid is really special.

Good points about him "simply playing". Physically he's very sure about his movements and consistently steps up at just the right moment to avoid pressure. Mentally he surveys the field well, and knows when to move onto his next read.

What we haven't really seen is how he handles pressure from an above average D. Also haven't seen him run a hurry-up, though I think he'll be good at it.

 

[catent]

Good points about him "simply playing". Physically he's very sure about his movements and consistently steps up at just the right moment to avoid pressure. Mentally he surveys the field well, and knows when to move onto his next read.

What we haven't really seen is how he handles pressure from an above average D. Also haven't seen him run a hurry-up, though I think he'll be good at it.

Good point. I want to see him against a nasty, physical defense, and playing from behind, through adversity, under pressure both literally and figuratively, etc. That's when it matters. The other thing I want to see him do is perform well in bitter cold, windy weather.

We need to see it, but I will say this about those things:

Zappe's pro-day, he went 55-for-56. Yes, it's just a pro-day, but the air temperature was below 30f and the wind was upwards 20+ mph. That seems to be a really good sign.

Beyond that, he just strikes me as having strong character, self-assuredness, maturity, and mental toughness; I think Zappe has "it" (whatever "it" is). Those are the traits you need to perform during times of adversity, and you need to be mentally tough to perform well in cold weather.