BREAKDOWN: Wide Receivers

September 17th, 2008

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Jaquez Green talks quarterback-receiver chemistry

JoeBucsFan.com analyst Jacquez Green, the former Bucs wide receiver (1998-2001) and All-American at the University of Florida (1995-1997), checks in with his weekly breakdown of the Bucs offense, specifically the passing game. Green, who won back-to-back Madden Bowls, is currently the offensive coordinator at Gibbs High School in St. Petersburg.

The fact that Brian Griese now replaces Jeff Garcia as a starting quarterback, well, that’s going to set the passing game back.

In the first week it was apparent that Garcia, who was hurt much of the preseason, and Joey Galloway, who was hurt almost all of the preseason, didn’t have their timing down. That takes a while to develop.

Now that you have a new quarterback, it’s going to take a little (more) time.

The good thing for the Bucs is that they have a solid running game. They have really good running backs with [Earnest] Graham and [Warrick] Dunn, so those two guys should get the ball more. And the offensive line the Bucs have is more geared to a running game so they can utilize that.

Even with the running game, and the lack of timing, the Bucs could still use the pass effectively. The Bucs use a West Coast offense where it’s more of a dink-and-dunk type of passing style. So the Bucs could dink-and-dunk with some short passes to mix in with the running game. You don’t need a lot of timing for those types of passes.

Then, you might possibly get Galloway open on a long route. Those types of passes can be executed, even if you don’t have your timing down.

Griese and Garcia are different quarterbacks. Griese is a pocket passer where Garcia is more of a mobile quarterback. … Receivers have a love/hate relationship with mobile quarterbacks.

With a pocket passer there is more of a rhythm. You know when the pass is going to come your way. With a mobile quarterback, you don’t really know when the pass is coming your way. Receivers hate that. But receivers know that a mobile quarterback will find ways to get a first down that a pocket passer won’t. So with a mobile quarterback you’re more likely to keep the chains moving, which receivers love.

In the pro game mobile quarterbacks don’t run that much, unless you’re Michael Vick. In the pro game they are molded more into pocket passers, who have that clock in their head. Three-step drop and get rid of it. Five-step drop and get rid of it.

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