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Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens: QB Baker Mayfield #Browns (A Progress Report)
Matt Waldman examines Baker Mayfield’s Week 2 performance against the Cincinnati Bengals and sees positives for the Cleveland Browns quarterback who is at a pivotal point in his NFL development. Regardless of whether he’ll make them, and I doubt he ever would publicly, Baker Mayfield has excuses. If you’re a pro football fan, you’re familiar…
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Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens: What Makes 49ers RB Raheem Mostert Tic? (Extended Look)
Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens takes an extended look at 49ers RB Raheem Mostert’s game and discovers that the talented back can develop into a more versatile runner if he exploits the natural mobility in his hips, knees, and ankles. The 49ers did the right thing to give Raheem Mostert a raise. A speedster who…
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Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens: The Tight-Quarters Virtuosity of Vikings WR Stefon Diggs
Matt Waldman’s Rookie Scouting Portfolio NFL Lens examines the release on a slant route from Minnesota Viking wide receiver Stefon Diggs, a maestro of a route runner. I can’t tell you for a fact that Stefon Diggs practices new ideas slowly. However, I’d bet money that at some point during Diggs’ learning process, he’s breaking…
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Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens: Red Zone Play with Brady, Winston, And Stafford
Matt Waldman’s Rookie Scouting Portfolio delves into effective red-zone quarterbacking with clips from Tom Brady, Jameis Winston, and Matthew Stafford. The Red Zone And the Pro Game The Red Zone is a daunting place. Coaches devote a ton of daily practice time to it and yet, consistent production in the red zone can elude an…
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Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens: Speed Kills (Our Sensibilities for Understanding RB Play)
Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens profiles a pair of runs from Saquon Barkley and Malcolm Brown to illustrate why speed is over-emphasized in some circles of scouting the running back position. Speed is the cleavage of football analysis. No matter how much the NFL tells you that they’ve evolved and speed is simply one of…
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Matt Waldman’s RSP Film Room RB Alvin Kamara’s (Saints) Tackle-Breaking And Contact-Balance
Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens examines the precision behind Saints running back Alvin Kamara’s tackle-breaking and contact-balance. I’m not a football skills coach, but I watch enough runners that I notice patterns that the best running backs display. Many of you watch enough to do the same—I’m simply in a position to articulate them. Alvin…
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Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens: Drew Brees Speaks Quarterback With Sophistication
Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens showcases a play from New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees to illustrate that Quarterbacking is a language and the best speak it with sophistication. Preseason quarterback ratings look nice when your favorite young quarterback is sitting atop them if you’re simply into window dressing. Quarterback rating approximates how well a…
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Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens: RB Ronald Jones (Tampa Bay) More Patience Required
Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens examines a run from Ronald Jones’ preseason game against the Buccaneers and explains why more patience is needed for the second-year running back. Ronald Jones has been one of the significant storylines from the NFL preseason. He’s added weight, cut down on mistakes, and he’s playing with greater decisiveness than…
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Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens: RB Alexander Mattison (Vikings) Cramming Well
Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens showcases a decisive run from Vikings running back Alexander Mattison on an outside zone scheme. Zone runs are multiple-choice by nature: A. Cram the run at the designed landmark. B. Bounce the run further outside the designed landmark. C. Cutback the run away from the schemed side of the landmark.…
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Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens: RB Ito Smith’s (Falcons) Diagnosis of a Cutback
Matt Waldman’s RSP NFL Lens examines a cutback by Falcons running back Ito Smith and the concept behind the decision. Continuing the conversation that we have an abundance of football analysis that oversimplifies the running back position when they refer to it as instinctive, and therefore easy, let’s examine this Ito Smith run against the…