Is Jeff Blake primed for a "Rich Gannon" type revival in the twilight of his career?

[Lomax to Green 84]

Its really kind of amazing that a guy (Jeff Blake) who has consistently put up very respectable numbers never quite seems to get a full blown chance to be the man. His first 9 years in the league seem eerily similar to Rich Gannon's first 9-10 years in the league. Gannon was another "expendable/stop gap type" who always had good skills but never seemed to do enough to excite whatever team he was apart of.

Look at Jeff Blake's career and it is kind of amazing that the guy has never gotten more attention. He has a very good touchdown to interception ratio, he is known as a good guy and a good locker room guy, and he is well known for throwing one of the best deep balls in the league and yet he always seems to be either too small or too old or too ordinary to stick with one club.

I was at the Cards/Bengals home opener back in 1997 and was amazed at how the Bengals fans treated Blake. Blake had just come off a very solid 96 season and yet the fans were all over him and demanding that Boomer Esiason (who had recently rejoined the club) be brought in. The Cards jumped out to a big lead 21-3 and Blake brought the Bengals all the way back to win the game in the last 30 seconds. That game seemed to be the beginning of the end for Blake in Cincy. The Bengals went on to lose a number of games and Blake was given the blame, they benched Blake in favor of Esiason and essentially Blake's time in Cincy was over.

I just have a feeling that he is going to finally get his shot here in Arizona and we may see some serious results.

 

[happythepeople]

no, he isn't.

 

[Russ Smith]

Totally different players though. Gannon had to convince people he was a QB, everyone thought he should play another position. Then he had to convince people he could succeed without a rocket arm, and that he wouldn't just be a running QB.

Blake came in with the too short, too small a college, and black QB all against him. I think he proved in Cincy that he had the arm but he's not a high % accurate guy and as offenses moved to more WCO, I think he got left behind because people figured he wasn't accurate enough to run that offense.

To be honest I think Blake being black has unconsciously impacted his career, I think a lot of coaches just expected a small black QB to be a runner and Blake isn't. So I think they unconsciously hold it against him.

He's not a great player but in the right system yeah he could be a very effective QB. If McCown is our QB of the future blake is the perfect bridge, if McCown is NOT that guy, we may need several more years from Blake anyways.

Where Gannon is a good comparison is at a certain point a guy gets labelled as a backup or stopgap and people stop giving him chances to start and that's been true of Blake.

 

[Fatboy]

I watched Blake work Saturday at the Fest. His ball is crisp, tight spiral and right in stride with the receiver. This is a good upgrade. He ran the ball on a broken play......the man is more athletic, faster and seemed comfortable. Jake... enjoy.

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by Fatboy
I watched Blake work Saturday at the Fest. His ball is crisp, tight spiral and right in stride with the receiver. This is a good upgrade. He ran the ball on a broken play......the man is more athletic, faster and seemed comfortable. Jake... enjoy.

Agreed but he's never run for more than 332 yards in a season, he just doesn't run as much as other guys with his speed do, but I think he's got his reasons he stays in the pocket more waiting to make plays downfield.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by Russ Smith
Agreed but he's never run for more than 332 yards in a season, he just doesn't run as much as other guys with his speed do, but I think he's got his reasons he stays in the pocket more waiting to make plays downfield.

But he is actually a better runner than Plummer. In 87 starts, he has rushed for 1845 yards, a 4.8 avg., and 12 tds.

Plummer in 82 starts rushed for 1183 yards, a 4.8 avg., and 10 tds.

Plummer's career high rush yards was 283...

 

[Russ Smith]

Originally posted by Krangthebrain
But he is actually a better runner than Plummer. In 87 starts, he has rushed for 1845 yards, a 4.8 avg., and 12 tds.

Plummer in 82 starts rushed for 1183 yards, a 4.8 avg., and 10 tds.

Plummer's career high rush yards was 283...

Sorry I wasn't comparing him to Jake more to guys like McNabb or Culpepper or even Brooks who run more often and thus get more yards.

Jake's speed was more useful avoiding sacks than running. I agree Blake is the better athlete he just didn't fit the stereotype of a "black QB" when he came into the NFL and I think that was held against him oddly enough.

 

[Red Air Force]

Originally posted by happythepeople
no, he isn't.

You're still here?? What happened did Jake send the roses back and not return your calls?



















GO AWAY YOU FREAKIN DONKEY LOVER, AND TAKE YOUR PLUMMER WET DREAMS WITH YOU!!

 

[Cbus cardsfan]

Originally posted by Holian
Its he is known as a good guy and a good locker room guy,

Where did you get that nugget from?I've never,ever heard any teamates or coaches come out and back him.The only person i've ever here say that baout Jeff Blake is Jeff Blake.I don't know about NO or BALT but in Cincy the only friend he had among the coaches and players was Carl Pickens.That's another high class individual.There's a reason he's moved around so much and let go as soon as a youngster shows some promise.The guy he reminds me of is Carl Everett in baseball.Talented,but not a guy you can have on your team for more than a year or two.

 

[JeffGollin]

The one thing we may have to sweat out about Blake is his lack of height (He sure looked short compared to other Cardinal players).

Sully may have to move the pocket to give him throwing lanes. And if he does have to move or roll out, the thing to be determined will be how well he throws while on the move (particularly how good he is at stopping, planting his feet and putting his body behind each throw).

Hopefully, he's had to shift the pocket or throw on the move at other points during his career and has gotten it down.

 

[Capital Card]

Re: Re: Is Jeff Blake primed for a "Rich Gannon" type revival in the twilight of his caree

Originally posted by Cbus cardsfan
Where did you get that nugget from?I've never,ever heard any teamates or coaches come out and back him.The only person i've ever here say that baout Jeff Blake is Jeff Blake.I don't know about NO or BALT but in Cincy the only friend he had among the coaches and players was Carl Pickens.That's another high class individual.There's a reason he's moved around so much and let go as soon as a youngster shows some promise.The guy he reminds me of is Carl Everett in baseball.Talented,but not a guy you can have on your team for more than a year or two.

Cbus's description pretty much sums up what I've heard about Blake..... "Locker Room Cancer".

I'm willing to give the guy a chance to be the man. We (Cards and Blake) are both desperate and need each other. If he pisses a few people off along the way, and we improve...I'll still give him his "props". If he takes the team goes down the drain, not that we haven't spent considerable time there already, I'll be one of the first to call for Josh to step up!!!

Go Cards!!!

 

[Ed B]

His height has never been an issue before.

Statistically, the guy has been amazingly consistent throughout his career. I think that's what the Cardinals wanted......a "known quantity" rather than Plummer, who you never knew what he was going to give you.

I don't think they're expecting a Gannon-type leap from him, I think they just want him to be decent.

And he is in no way a good locker room guy. No one liked him in Cincy and he was quite a problem in N.O. when he got benched. I mean, I'm glad we have the guy, but let's call a spade a spade here. it's not accurate to paint him out to be some person he's not. He's a capable guy and a competitive individual but he ain't exactly Ron McKinnon in the clubhouse.

 

[SECTION 11]

Originally posted by Ed B
I'm glad we have the guy, but let's call a spade a spade here. it's not accurate to paint him out to be some person he's not.

Kind of like Emmitt....

 

[Ed B]

Originally posted by SECTION 11
Kind of like Emmitt....

I don't recall anyone calling Emmitt a cancer until late in his career when Bozo the Clown was coaching the team into the ground and trying to bench him.

To be honest, if I were a 4 time super bowl winner, I wouldn't be too happy having to take orders from Dave Campo, sit behind Troy Hambrick, and watch Quincy Carter miss receivers by 15 feet.

 

[Krangodnzr]

Originally posted by Ed B
I don't recall anyone calling Emmitt a cancer until late in his career when Bozo the Clown was coaching the team into the ground and trying to bench him.

To be honest, if I were a 4 time super bowl winner, I wouldn't be too happy having to take orders from Dave Campo, sit behind Troy Hambrick, and watch Quincy Carter miss receivers by 15 feet.

Very good point Ed. And it's not like Hambrick was significantly better than him. On 175 less carries, Hambrick averaged .2 more yards per carry. As most NFL observers know, rushing average generally drops with more carries, so one can assume that Hambrick's average very well could be equal or less than Emmitt's average.

Dallas actually had enough weapons offensively and defensively, that if they were better coached, they probably could've had a winning season. I would guess that the Cowboys coaching staff has been one of the worst in the league for the past 5 years or so.

 

[Ed B]

It's just really amazing that some people are trying to call Smith a "cancer" because he was unhappy in a bad situation.

If a guy's a constant whiner for his whole career (Paul O'Neill anyone?) it's one thing, but it's pretty normal for a competitive player to blow some steam when things are being run in an inept manner.

Apparently these fans have never complained about their jobs in their life. And when they end up in a crappy job, they don't want out of it. Right

 

[SECTION 11]

I think he'll be an asset on the field. In the locker room, I've softened my stance on the guy (pretty much now that he's here and all).

 

[SECTION 11]

He's a happily married man isn't he?

 

[gnomepete]

I don't know if this is exactly the way it was (I wasn't there), but - try this on for size.

According to recent articles about Blake, he seems to be trying to bring the team together. The cancer era seems to be either when he was young (at Cincy) or when he lost the job due to injury AFTER having done WELL and (probably) felt like he got shafted.

He went to the Ravens with a good attitude even when he was a backup and, from current reports, is showing good leadership now.

Maybe the guy just grew up . . . it's been known to happen.

Pete

 

[Shane]

Originally posted by Krangthebrain
Very good point Ed. And it's not like Hambrick was significantly better than him. On 175 less carries, Hambrick averaged .2 more yards per carry. As most NFL observers know, rushing average generally drops with more carries, so one can assume that Hambrick's average very well could be equal or less than Emmitt's average.

Dallas actually had enough weapons offensively and defensively, that if they were better coached, they probably could've had a winning season. I would guess that the Cowboys coaching staff has been one of the worst in the league for the past 5 years or so.

Sorry but I completely disagree Hambrick never had enough carries to realy get in the flow of any poarticular game IMO 175 carries really isnt all that many. In fact many RBs with Hambricks style there averages go up the more they carry the ball because they get into a flow!

I personally think that at this point in Emmitts career that Hambrick is a better RB than Emmitt Smith sam with Marcell Shipp!

Is Troy Hambrick an ass hole? Of course but he should have been starting in Dallas regardless of what people say!

 

[Shane]

Originally posted by Ed B
It's just really amazing that some people are trying to call Smith a "cancer" because he was unhappy in a bad situation.

If a guy's a constant whiner for his whole career (Paul O'Neill anyone?) it's one thing, but it's pretty normal for a competitive player to blow some steam when things are being run in an inept manner.

Apparently these fans have never complained about their jobs in their life. And when they end up in a crappy job, they don't want out of it. Right

I guess we will see then wont we because we all know how the history of bone headed coaching decisions on this team! Well see how it affects him and his actions here?

Sorry Ed but did anyone expect Emmitt to cry when his team was winning 10+ games a season and winning 3 superbowls? Od course not someones true metal is tested when there is a little adversity? The guy cried like a baby when he was beched for a more talented player and thats the bottom line!

If he doesnt perform here and they start Shipp I expect MUCH WHINING!

Although being the Cardinals even if Emmitt goes out and rushes for 2 yards per carry these guys will stillkeep him starting throwing out excuse after excuse!

 

[Ed B]

Originally posted by Shane H
If he doesnt perform here and they start Shipp I expect MUCH WHINING!

You're right.

I wish we could assemble an entire team of guys who don't care about getting benched. That would be great. What a bunch of champions that would be.

 

[kerouac9]

Originally posted by Ed B
You're right.

I wish we could assemble an entire team of guys who don't care about getting benched. That would be great. What a bunch of champions that would be.

You never hear Fred Wakefield complain about being benched.

 

[Ed B]

Originally posted by kerouac9
You never hear Fred Wakefield complain about being benched.

Because he's an undrafted free agent who doesn't belong in the starting lineup.

 

[Shane]

Originally posted by Ed B
You're right.

I wish we could assemble an entire team of guys who don't care about getting benched. That would be great. What a bunch of champions that would be.

Thats not the point and you know it. If a guys not performing he should be benched and expect as much!

But I guess I should have expected the atypical smartazz approach from you since we dont agree instead of you debating the issue!