Saturday, August 22, 2009

Missed Opportunity for Shockley?

Didn't watch the Falcons game last night, but maybe I wouldn't have liked it much if I did.

Yes, I wanted the Falcons to win, and they beat the Rams. But more than that, I wanted D.J. Shockley to play well. It is only a pre-season game, so the team win-loss record during this time is only so relevant. However, individual performance in this part of the schedule is critical. You must play well if you want to keep your roster spot.

We're two games into the pre-season, and Shockley has not looked good. The receivers have not always helped him, true, but it's more than that. I think it's mechanics.

Something looks off-- just not right-- about Shock's arm position or his release point when he throws the football. In my opinion, the ball ends up sailing a bit, and he is not able to hit the receiver accurately on the short routes. Not as big an issue on the deep patterns.

Can he recover? Can he stay with the team as a back-up? Maybe. But if he does not play well soon, this might be Shockley's last stand.

1 comment:

MikeInValdosta said...

I echo your sentiment. Last night wasn't good. I have complained about the play calling and his opportunity to showcase his talents, but he had his chance last night. Based on that performance I do not see any other team picking him up if the Falcons cut him. Hopefully, he has shown enough in practice to maintain the #3 spot.