An Example of Trubs "Cutlering" a Pass

I have yet to give up on Trubisky. But I'm well on my way. Watching his game film week to week is frustrating. But not just because of the mistakes, but also because he just doesn't seem to be getting it. He is not taking the next step as a QB. Sadly, I honestly don't think it has to do with physical talent. I think all his issues are mental.

Here is one (of many) examples of just piss-poor QB play. We have 3 receivers left (Cohen, Gabriel, and Robinson), and Burton split right. Howard is in the backfield with Trubs, but will run an out route. The Cardinals are in a straight Cover 2 zone.



On the Snap, Trubisky immediately eyes his primary Target (Burton)



At this point, the defender (Peterson) hs picked up Trubisky's eye's and begins to jump the route.



With plenty of time and goo protection, Trubs throws to Burton. Note there were 3 better options, incluing an intermediate option (Gabriel) who had broken past the LB's into the soft spot in the zone.







He's got to be better than this...

 

I have some questions.

1- SM, did Gabriel(or anyone else) motion across the formation pre snap on this play? Because that could've shown Trubisky if the Cardinals were playing man or zone?

2- Regardless of the motion, as you say the Cards are showing straight cover 2, surely Trubisky can see this?? If nothing else he should see that the corners are too far off to blitz, in fact there's really no threat of blitz anywhere. So he should know that unless he's feels an immediate heat from one of his blockers breaking down... he should have time to survey the field here.

3- Assuming Trubisky understands what the play is here.... and seeing just how far off the CB at the top is playing, Trubisky should immediately know that he's gonna at least have the WR(Robinson?) at the top of the screen? It won't be a home run, but that should be an easy 5yards minimum, maybe more. And on 1st down im taking that tbh.

4- To what extent is Nagy not helping his young QB with this play design? If you know he's having trouble surveying the field and going thru progressions(i really hope they know this) why isolate your primary on one side? Doesn't it make sense to have your primary on the other side so that if its not there, its very easy for Trubisky to move to the next progression. Make it easy!

That last one is more of a question cos im not an OC, but it seems logical to me.


This play is a great choice but damned hard to watch. Because a D like this(cover2) is something that i feel Nagy's Offense, should be able to eat for breakfast. A QB who could run it properly would.

Im totally on board with giving Trubisky time, as ugly as its gonna be short term. But damn, i find it hard to believe Daniels couldn't have run this play better, simply by executing his job properly.

 

I certainly hope so, but I'm not going to wager a dime betting on it. Everything seems to be baby steps with this kid, at least this week he learned to hangout in the pocket without getting spooked. Hopefully progressions are in for this week.​

They showed that bunch look before near the end zone and threw away from it that time as well, so I'm thinking it is by design only to eliminate traffic around the target and avoid it from being jumped. Ev I think because of this it's very telling and not what you point out because that would make sense for a QB that sees the entire field well, but maybe Trubisky's development is not as far along as we had hoped.

 

Did I ever tell you guys the story of when I saw Rick Mirer play in the Kingdome?

Just kidding. No, I did see that lout play in the dome. Not gonna tell the story. As you were.

 

No, no motion.

But based on where the D is lined up, it's pretty clear it's zone.

 

This is the issue. I am beginning to wonder if he can read a D in real-time. I don't think his brain is processing things quickly.

Because this is text-book C2 zone. 4 Down linemen. One gap. This is a defense that I would think he should have seen hundreds of times starting in Pop Warner.

But what is worse than him probably not being able to comprehend the D in real time or staring down his primary - is that he was staring down his primary and should have seen that the defender was in position to make a play - and he didn't make a progression.

Now, let's also add that this was a basic snap count, and these were basic routes. Nothing fancy on this play on either side of the ball. No stunts, no pre-snap mugging, no chance that the safeties or CB's are blitzing...

He just plain fucked this up.

I'm very worried that instead of a noodle arm QB, we may have a noodle brain QB...

 

Honestly, I have zero issues with the play call or who the Primary is. Howard was on an out pattern on that side. So he was a decent check down without having to really turn his head too much.

But if we're really saying that Trubisky can't turn his head to a secondary receiver, we have even bigger issues than the ones I'm worried about.

 

BTW, I know you all probably saw this already, but check out the defense on this play...



Trubs threw a crappy fade to Robinson on the near side...

 

FFS, I thought you said Cutter...nevahmind, but thanks for the reminder.

 

<raises glass to Cutter>

 

They throw one WR screen after another, but when they actually have a favorable matchup for the WR screen they force it into coverage. Trubisky never even looked that way. Even I noticed that obvious mismatch the second they lined up as it was happening. Stevie Wonder even saw it.

 

Yeah fair point.

Totally, but the evidence so far suggests that he can't turn his head to a secondary receiver...

This is the kinda play that shows you Trubisky really has very little decisions making powers out there. Cos anyone with a brain would tell you the ball has to go right, but in reality that play was never going anywhere but Robinson. In fact looking at the still there it looks like 2 of those 4 wide right are TE's. So as well as a numbers advantage, you have a size advantage as well.

Just madness.

 

EB what does that mean? Is he just a messenger carrying out coach's decisions or does he get to make big changes to what he hears?

 

He should know what the fuck he is looking at. He seems to lack that fundamental. Does he have the authority to call an audible? I don’t know. It would seem very odd that a coach/coordinator would restrict their starting QB from calling audibles at the LoS. But then again, Trubisky is only a 2nd year starter, so there’s that. Still on the leash? Maybe.

 

This one really irritated the shit out of me. Scoring on that play should have been easy.

The play call bothers me because that's Nagy thinking he is gonna outsmart everyone. The execution bothers me more because one look to that side should have made it clear what to do.

 

Trubisky audibled at least 8 times last Sunday...so that isn't the issue.

 

This is where I'm at right now.

 

It really irritated me too, although im not convinced Nagy is trying to be a smart ass here. Surely part this play's design is to pull the other S over to the right as well so that Robinson is truly isolated on the CB. Im not sure Nagy is so big an ass that he would turn down a clear one man advantage on the right that way. This advantage surely came about cos the Cardinals botched their alignment pre snap, not cos of Nagy.

But if Trubisky has the power to choose like you say, how does he possibly turn this down?? I mean visually its unmissable!

Furthermore, the pass Trubs makes looks weird all the way. My suspicion is this should've been a jumpball in the back corner of the endzone which would've placed the CB in a far more difficult position to defend. But with the S in the "wrong place" so to speak, that pass wasn't on so Trubs threw a weird sideline jumpball one yard in the endzone.

The pooch looks screwed by everyone to me, on both sides of the ball.

 

Well, based on this play it looks clear that Trubisky doesn't have the power to change where a pass play is meant to go. Because you don't just turn down a one man advantage on a football field. They're too rare.

But bww said he saw multiple occasions where Trubisky did change the play which suggests he does have decision making powers. I honestly can't remember tbh, but will keep an extra eye for this next time.