Deep Pass

[*TheLeonardLeap*]

(10-17-2016, 12:43 AM)Shake n Blake Wrote: I agree on the "hands" target, although I feel there is no replacement for a solid TE (we need to address that next offseason). I do feel like Boyd has shown he has excellent hands and it seems like they've failed to creatively utilize him. His production is decent (19-242-0 on 28 targets), but it feels like maybe they should use him more and Uzomah/Kroft less. Uzomah hasn't exactly been efficient.

As for the targets thing, it's a little tricky to judge receivers on that. People often confuse missed targets with drops or just assume the receiver did something wrong if his target % is lower than another receiver's. In truth, outside passes to WRs are the lowest % throw a QB can make (especially mid and longer range), therefore WRs are almost always going to have a lower % than TEs. And TEs will be lower than RBs. Boldin's higher completion % and his low YPC aren't coincidental IMO.

I don't doubt that Boldin has 2-3 fewer drops, but I don't think that's the explanation for the discrepancy in their target percentages. Boldin is just catching easier stuff.

Oh, wasn't trying to say that the target/catches was entirely due to hands. My bad for not making that clear.

Boldin certainly does have better hands, but the target/catch bit was more pointing out the fact that having a slot receiver who's able to convert targets into catches that effectively, especially across the middle, is a great thing for a QB to be able to rely upon.

Imagine how Palmer would have been in '05-'07 if he didn't have Housh going across the middle and making those tough catches with such regularity.

Palmer in 2006 was a 62.3% completion passer, but when he targeted Housh, it was 68.2%. (+5.9%)
Palmer in 2010 was a 61.8% completion passer, but when he targeted Shipley, it was 69.3%. (+7.5%)
Dalton in 2012 was a 62.3% completion passer, but when he targeted Gresham, it was 68%. (+5.7%)
Dalton in 2015 was a 66.1% completion passer, but when he targeted Eifert, it was 72.2%. (+6.1%)

I just don't see that WR/TE on this current Bengals team. (Min. 12 targets, or 2 per game.) Dalton with a 67.4% completion: Boyd is +0.5%, Green is at +0.3%, LaFell is at -5.2%, Uzomah at -8.8%

Gio is propping up the group big time at +15.5% (82.9% throwing at Gio), but there's only so much you can do with a RB being your most reliable target, because he generally starts like 5 yards further back from the LoS than a WR does.