Phillips, the offensive coordinator, said coaches have talked about implementing more quick throws. But those plays are not as easy to execute as they sound.
“The one thing about quick game ... the defense has to cover for this long,” said Phillips, who snapped his fingers. “It doesn’t mean you don’t like quick game, but the throws have to be — footwork and timing are essential in the quick game world. Being able to take the right footwork, seeing the defense quickly. You have to start your arm almost before you see it.”
J.J. McCarthy's he 22-year-old quarterback’s decision making and timing left plays on the field. (Carlos Gonzalez/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Does the precision of quick passes mean that’s more difficult on inexperienced quarterbacks like McCarthy?
“It’s based on the individual quarterback,” Phillips said. “Some guys love quick game and some guys don’t. ... J.J. is up for any plays scheme-wise. ... There’s some guys that have always run a lot of quick game, liked quick game. ... Fast-release guys that just want to get the ball out of their hand quickly. We got to find ways to put the ball in the hands of our playmakers, first and foremost, no matter how that is done.”
O’Connell called at least two screens vs. Atlanta. Both went nowhere.
“We don’t throw and catch one with a pretty significant chance for a gain on that play,” O’Connell said, “and then just have a mental error on another screen that ends up being a two-yard gain, when we should clearly have everybody kind of accounted for with a chance to have Jordan Mason in space with a lot of grass.”