What happened to the Fitz jump ball?

[conraddobler]

I thought I heard on one tv broadcast that there was something other teams were doing to prevent this, although I have no idea what it'd be but it seems really odd that we hardly ever do this anymore.

It's kind of hard to stop, did they rotate a safety into the mix?

Not sure how exactly you stop a guy jumping higher than you with better hands than you from catching the ball.

 

[40yearfan]

Fitz has been dropping those this season. No reason to throw them if they don't work.

 

[Krangodnzr]

I'd argue it's a function of the QBs

Warner himself said that at a point in time, Fitz and Boldin came to him and said "It may look like we're not open, but just toss it our way and we'll catch it".

I think it takes a certain kind of confidence in your own accuracy and in your receivers ability to jump up and catch it.

 

[TruColor]

The problem is that when DA was in there, Fitz was required to have a 145" vertical leap in order to come down with one of those...

 

[Shane]

Fitz had a few of those this year and he flat dropped them.

 

[conraddobler]

I think Haley had a huge influence on Fitz, when he was here Fitz listened to him.

Bowe is now a man beast.

Course he has someone to throw him the ball too.

Even if he drops them given what we were going through I'd of tried a few more than we have.

 

[desertdawg]

When a good QB and a dope ass receiver can hook up, its like magic. The good QB watches the defender, if the D-guy isn't looking back at the QB, he throws accordingly. Then receivers like Fitz school the D-guy because they know it's coming, and expect it if they got their man beat.
No QB, Fitz is still the man. With QB, Fitz becomes even more the man because he opens it all up.Meh!

 

[Gee!]

What happened to the Fitz jump ball?

Derek Anderson.. In all his preparing and taking **** seriously, he forgot about Fitz..

 

[Early]

That's where Fitz is a real weapon and only then, catching the ball in perfect coverage, when the corner is looking back. He is not getting much separation.

It's up the QB, to put it with perfect timing, in a place and time where only a WR can get it.

I only saw it once deep this year. Max Hall put it perfectly deep right when corner turned the back, perfect jumpball situation where only Fitz could get it, Seattle game i believe, and he dropped it and the momentum.

 

[Duckjake]

I'd argue it's a function of the QBs

Warner himself said that at a point in time, Fitz and Boldin came to him and said "It may look like we're not open, but just toss it our way and we'll catch it".

I think it takes a certain kind of confidence in your own accuracy and in your receivers ability to jump up and catch it.

That is exactly what I've heard numerous football people talk about being the problem for young NFL QBs. The young guys are looking for too much separation and wait too long to make the throws or don't throw at all.

Warner said more than once that the offense really started clicking when he realized that open for Fitz isn't open for normal people.

As for dropping passes, if the Cards quit throwing certain routes or to certain receivers because of dropped passes or only running the ball with guys who don't drop the football they'd have to run QB sneaks every snap against the 4and9ers Sunday.

 

[Heucrazy]

I thought jump balls is all DA was trying to throw all year? Why else who every pass be high?

 

[Catfish]

Both Warner and Leinart saw small windows when they looked at Fitz that they placed the ball into. DA, Max, and Skelton do not see him as open, and are are reluctant to throw the ball into such a small window. Fitz was never a big separation guy, and with his lack of elite speed, will probably never be that type of receiver. Thus, he is passed over much more often in the read progressions of our current QB crew.

 

[Early]

Both Warner and Leinart saw small windows when they looked at Fitz that they placed the ball into. DA, Max, and Skelton do not see him as open, and are are reluctant to throw the ball into such a small window. Fitz was never a big separation guy, and with his lack of elite speed, will probably never be that type of receiver. Thus, he is passed over much more often in the read progressions of our current QB crew.

Leinart is in the DA/Max/Skelton club. He always waited for the guy to get open. That's one among many many other skills he lacks, that he clearly was considered even worse than Max Hall, Derek Anderson and John Skelton.

In fact, we have sometimes seen DA trying to pass the ball before the break and in coverage, he is just so inaccurate, he just can't do it.

 

[Timm Rosenbach]

I do think that Fitzgerald is still not completely back from his knee injury. There is no way he could have regressed this much from the past three seasons without some reason.

A. He doesn't have the same ability to instantaneously take flight
B. Its in the back of his mind
C. He can't get down the field and run routes quite as quickly

A guy like Fitzgerald doesnt just start dropping balls. Its not SOLELY the loss of Warner. Thats my take

 

[Timm Rosenbach]

I think Haley had a huge influence on Fitz, when he was here Fitz listened to him.

Bowe is now a man beast.

Course he has someone to throw him the ball too.

Even if he drops them given what we were going through I'd of tried a few more than we have.

Bowe definitely didn't play that well last year (actually Weis brougt him out of a slump this year) and Fitz was still phenomenal without Haley. Its more than just Haley and probably more than just Warner.

 

[Seandonic]

My reasons for the problems in order of importance: 3. No more Boldin to take off some pressure. 2. No more Haley to set up the play and then call it at the right time. 1. No QB talented enough to throw the ball in the right spot or more importantly, with the right timing.

 

[mjb21aztd]

we lost kurt and got scud I mean anderson , I don't think Leinart would have been much better but who knows..... what a bad year

 

[speedy]

After nursing my own knee injury nearly a year, I am pretty sure the reason for the lack of jump balls is because Fitz is limited. There have been throws made that he easily caught in the past and he didnt leave his feet much for them. I can see he is limited just in the way he runs his routes. He suffered this injury in the first series of the season (preseason) and aside from a few weeks "rest" he hasnt given it the time to heal. I am sure he is looking forward to some offseason rest and rehab