Reading Issues Plague Kaepernick
December 11th, 2013
Young quarterbacks struggle to read defenses and get through their route progressions. You could almost see the anxiety in Mike Glennon Sunday.
Glennon had time in the pocket, but at times it was as if the press clippings of the Bills’ mighty, sacks-leading pass rush got in his head and made him uncomfortable without reason.
Niners QB Colin Kaepernick is having his own issues.
Speaking on WDAE-AM 620 this morning, longtime Redskins and Texans general manager Charley Casserly, one of the elder statesmen of NFL Network, talked about how Kaepernick is giving up too quickly in the pocket, a chronic problem for him.
“Watching him Sunday, too many times he didn’t finish his reads and he took off running,” Casserly said. “Disappointed on that. Because he should be past that point. But he’s not. And I was disappointed in that Sunday. And that’s come up this year off and on.”
Last month, Don Banks, of Sports Illustrated, penned a feature that focused a lot on those reading issues and called on Trent Dilfer for analysis.
“I would be concerned if I were the 49ers, because there hasn’t been a lot of improvement on his part as a passer,” Dilfer said. “He can threaten more than as just a traditional passer, but you still have to develop as a passer. And he’s kind of stayed to this point as a passer who takes his first read and sticks with it. But if they take your first read away, that’s pretty much it. You don’t work deep through your progressions, you don’t get the ball out to other receivers.”
So what will this mean for the Bucs? Well, not much if Glennon and the offense can’t snap out of its funk. The Bucs likely will need at least couple of quality drives to win Sunday’s game. And second-half impotence won’t cut it.
But Joe suspects Kaepernick could very well struggle Sunday. The Bucs have the speed to swarm him in the running game, and the cover skills in the secondary to get in his head.
Enjoy the entire Casserly interview below. He tells a couple neat stories about the Redskins’ efforts to develop quarterbacks in the mid-1980s.
December 11th, 2013 at 1:19 pm
Stop Gore and you’ll stop the 9rs…
December 11th, 2013 at 1:35 pm
We can do this #bucnation
December 11th, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Trent Dilfer QB guru. Hahahahhahaha!
December 11th, 2013 at 1:46 pm
Stop the Bucs running game and you have likely stopped the Bucs chance to win. Should be a good defensive game. I can’t wait for Sunday for this game to get underway. Go Bucs!!!
December 11th, 2013 at 1:48 pm
“because there hasn’t been a lot of improvement on his part as a passer,” Dilfer said.
How ironic that those words would come from Dilfer.
December 11th, 2013 at 1:57 pm
The Bucs defense actually looks like it matches up well with the 49ers offense. I expect we’ll have some success there.
The problem is gonna be that our offense doesn’t match up well at all against their defense. If Glennon struggled against Buffalo I’m sure he’ll have similar problems with the 49ers.
Not sure what result to expect in this game. I’m certain we’ll be competitive and it won’t be anything like the last Panthers game, but can we pull it out? I say if the offense struggles mightily again there’s no way we win.
December 11th, 2013 at 1:57 pm
Bucs will get a good look at gleenen this last 3 weeks and when this coach said he will be his qb as long as he is here is a mistake that cant be taken back that means we as fans have to suffer for this . we need to bring in a good vet to run this team hate to say this but this staff and qb have to move on with there small minded approach
December 11th, 2013 at 2:23 pm
Dilfer didn’t get past his first read all that often and subsequently is able to provide expert analysis.
December 11th, 2013 at 2:25 pm
Dilfer. Blech.
I like what Glennon’s done, but, absolutely nothing wrong with bringing in a vet. Especially if he struggles down the line. A guy who could start for a year or two while Glennon sits (which I think was more of the plan for him initially before Fraudman tanked it). If Glennon beats him out, all the better, and the vet is around in case of injury. But, then again, that seems to safe and rational. Dominick would never do that.
The first could then be used for an OT or elsewhere.
December 11th, 2013 at 2:53 pm
I still think that the 9ers would be superbowl champs and lead the nfc if they stayed with alex smith.
December 11th, 2013 at 3:21 pm
the bucs don’t really try to fool offenses, other than making them wonder “what’s with all the stunts? do they not realize they’re giving us more time in the pocket?”. there are a number of coordinators who could take advantage of Kaep’s struggles to make difficult reads, but Bill Sheridan isn’t one of them. i look for him to do similar damage to what cam newton was able to inflict on our guys.
December 11th, 2013 at 3:26 pm
Oil Derek,
I like the thinking but quality vet QB is a bit of an oxymoron.
December 11th, 2013 at 3:27 pm
I hope Vernon Davis isn’t running around with no one responsible for him like Jimmy Graham torched us for. He’s a big part of their passing attack and if we play the run every down with nobody on the TE, then we’ll get ripped.
December 11th, 2013 at 5:13 pm
The mainstream media SOOOOOO wants Kaepernick to be successful.
December 11th, 2013 at 5:15 pm
Biff.
Really? I was trying to differentiate from someone like Orlovsky. He’s a vet, but, not what I would consider a quality vet. He might be coaching material, but, I don’t want him out there trying to win games.