Simms and batted passes

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/08/28/Bucs/Unwanted_reputation_f.shtml

Unwanted reputation for Simms
The Bucs QB is seen as someone whose passes can be swatted easily.
By STEPHEN F. HOLDER
Published August 28, 2006
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TAMPA - It was third down and 6 from the Jaguars 11. Chris Simms dropped back looking for receiver Edell Shepherd and, ideally, a touchdown.

Problem is, defensive end Reggie Hayward was looking, too - right at Simms. So, a split second before the Bucs quarterback unloaded his pass, the oncoming 6-foot-5, 285-pound Hayward disengaged from right tackle Kenyatta Walker and threw up his sizable forearms in his best Ben Wallace impersonation.

Bam! Blocked shot, play over.

Hayward didn't get lucky. The move was calculated once he saw Simms take his three-step drop and set up for a quick pass. Hayward likely has seen film of the Bucs and knew exactly what to look for.

Simms, 26 on Tuesday, is gradually gaining a reputation among defenses as someone whose passes can be swatted at the line of scrimmage. That much is obvious by the way linemen seemingly come into games looking for opportunities.

It happened three times in the two quarters Simms played during Saturday night's 29-18 preseason loss at Jacksonville, with defensive tackle John Henderson batting the other two balls. And it happened Aug. 19 against the Dolphins, when tackle Vonnie Holliday rejected a Simms attempt.

What's more, it's been happening with great frequency since last season, when Simms had 5.1 percent of his passes batted down - most in the NFL - according to CBS Sports research.

The 6-7, 325-pound Henderson needed to leap to reach the first of Simms' batted balls.

But the two subsequent attempts required no such action, and Henderson's second knockdown was practically effortless.

What gives? With only Thursday's game at Houston left before the start of the regular season, the Bucs look to address one of the primary concerns to come out of Saturday's loss. But where to begin?

"We'll sit down and analyze these batted balls until we're red-eyed," coach Jon Gruden said.

There are several possible factors.

Simms could be telegraphing his throws, a danger in the quick passing attack the team often employs. The process pretty much consists of the snap, a three-step drop and a pinpoint throw. That doesn't allow much time for anything else such as, say, looking off the primary receiver. Instead, Simms often is focusing solely on his intended target.

Simms, 6-4 and 220 pounds, could do a better job of finding his passing lanes and anticipating defenders' efforts to block his passes the way they anticipate his throws.

And Simms has a slower-than-ideal release and a slightly imperfect throwing motion.

For his part, Simms says the batted-down passes are little more than a byproduct of the quick throws.

"They're going to happen," he said. "We do a lot of three-step (drops), and defensive linemen these days are just being taught to, if they see three steps, to just sit back and try to read the eyes. And they're huge. (The Jaguars) are probably the biggest defensive line in the NFL."

"Part of the quick passing game is that pass sets need to be aggressive," Gruden said. "And if you've met John Henderson, they don't call him big John Henderson because he's small. I think he knocked down two or three balls in pregame warmups."

Simms' problem, however, has cropped up against linemen big and small. Bears defensive end Alex Brown, who at 6 feet 3 and 260 pounds is considered smallish by NFL standards, knocked down four Simms passes in a game last season.

Something that should not be overlooked, however, is the role of the offensive line.

The line's inconsistent performance Saturday was an all-too-familiar sight. Should that kind of play, with linemen struggling to hold their blocks, persist, the team will be forced to rely heavily on the quick passing game. The faster Simms can get rid of the ball, the less time the defense has to penetrate the pocket.

"We have to help Chris with that," left tackle Anthony Davis said. "Penetration down the middle has a lot to do with that. Even on the outside, we could probably play more physical. It's not just on Chris. It's on all of (the linemen). That's our man who's batting the balls down, so we feel like it's our fault."

During some plays Saturday, offensive linemen appeared to disengage defenders too soon, allowing Henderson and Hayward to focus on Simms rather than a blocker. Sustained blocks might prevent that.

As for Simms' overall play, he is experiencing some strides as well as a few hiccups. Of the three times Simms was sacked, it appeared there was opportunity to throw the ball away on two of them.

"I think sometimes you get into some bad habits in training camp," said Simms, who is in his fourth year. "You're used to not getting touched (in practice), so you might wait that extra hitch or two for somebody to get open."

But all was not lost offensively.

The Bucs showed promise Satuday with a methodical scoring drive and a couple of impressive pass connections.

"I think we're pretty close," Simms said. "We did some encouraging things. We're continuing to build each week."

 

Peppers can jump. And catch.

 

"the oncoming 6-foot-5, 285-pound Hayward disengaged from right tackle Kenyatta Walker"


Noooooooo - someone got by that brick wall - I don't believe that for a minute.

 

Man, I believe Pinyatta has talent. Pep seriously fucked him up(stairs).

 

Sounds kinda gay to me:

UT friendship leaves mark on Simms, Shanahan

College tattoos keep Bucs QB, Texans assistant bonded for life

By JOHN MCCLAIN

Chris Simms and Kyle Shanahan became such good friends at the University of Texas that they have their initials tattooed on each other's lower leg.

Simms, the Tampa Bay quarterback who will play briefly in tonight's preseason game against the Texans, enters the season as a starter for the first time since 2002, his last year with the Longhorns.

Shanahan, who was a quality control coach for the Buccaneers the last two years, is in his first season as the Texans' receivers coach.

"We're best friends, and we'll be best friends for life," Simms said about Shanahan this week. "We hit it off from day one. We had a common bond in that our fathers (former New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms and Denver Broncos coach Mike Shanahan) have been such a big part of the NFL for a long time.

"We talk at least once a week. We're obsessed with the game. We have a great love for football, and we're constantly talking about it."

Both players remember when they went with three other close friends and UT teammates — tight end Bo Scaife, defensive back Rod Babers and receiver Montrell Flowers — to get their tattoos.

"Kyle was a real wimp about it," Simms said. "He got a small one on his ankle. He was afraid his mom and dad would see it, so he keeps it hidden underneath his socks."

Shanahan has a different version of the experience in which each player got the initials of the other four tattooed on his lower leg.

"Let me tell you what really happened," Shanahan said. "Chris was dying to get a tattoo. When we got to the (tattoo parlor), I was the only one who already didn't have one. It wasn't any big deal for the others.

"I had to be a man about it. I got one out of loyalty to my buddies. Now, Chris, he got one the size of his calf, but I didn't want one that big because I didn't want to show off."

.....more

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4153409.html

 

Wow, that is super gay.:bananaban

 

I think You and Thelt should make up and gets each others names tattoo'd on your ankles.

 

I think you should eat yet another bag of dicks.

 

A bag, I suppose a plasic bag, filled with dicks.

Better yet, how about a shopping bag from Dick's filled with dicks?