Sugashane wrote: ↑Sat Dec 10, 2022 11:10 am
I have zero issue with running Fields 10-15 times a game.
Well, the thing is, you
should...
Sugashane wrote: ↑Sat Dec 10, 2022 11:10 am
He is an elite athlete and running 15 sprints a week isn't going to hurt him or wear him down,
it is the CONTACTS that do. Several of those runs will be him avoiding sacks where he is taking hits in an unprotected position too. The collisions with other 200lb athletes has way more shearing force on his body than anything he can do while sprinting, especially when he is trying to truck someone. That and taking 4 sacks per game when he can barely brace for impact, those to are what can shorten his career. I want them to work with him on sliding, even if you need to bring in a baseball coach to work with him and drill it into him. IDC. If Fields sees open grass ahead of him, sprint and don't look back. But if he gets the first down or gets near it and it isn't 3rd down, then slide or get out of bounds. Be conservative with your body because that one first down in week 3 in the 2nd quarter isn't near as important as 4th and goal or a postseason game. They need to get him to understand that every play has a weight of importance, and most of them aren't going to be worth him risking a big shot. If he runs 15 times then I don't want him getting tackled on 10 of them, just get some yards to put the offense in better position or get the first and get down before getting hit.
Yeah, the contact is the main problem. That's the rub. The thing is, Fields can't see everything around him all the time, so there's always some risk of a fast stud (Jamaal Adams, say) making a spectacular play and laying Fields out.
But, I get what you're saying there, I think we all do, and of course you're
essentially right in what you're saying. The thing is, if he's going to continue to scramble a lot (and let's face it, he's even scrambled, at times, when his protection was good)...then Getsy basically has to scrap the notion of a "package" of designed runs for Fields.
However...
I think this conversation we're all having has become sort of pointless, now. Why? We'll soon find out if I'm wrong, or not, but IMHO last week was a HUGE game for Fields. He flipped the switch, the lightbulb came on, he put it all together...whatever goofy sports cliche you want to use. What did we see from him? Scrambling, then resetting and delivering the ball down the field. Quicker decision making (he claimed to have learned a lot by watching Siemien the week before, and it sure seemed to me he was telling the truth on that one).
Again, we'll soon find out if I'm wrong--but I having a sneaking suspicion we'll all look back to the December 4th, 2022 game against the Packers as a turning point for Fields. And the franchise.