Pennington has thrown 31 completions of 20+ yards, good for 7th in the NFL. He's also thrown 6 completions of 40+ yards, which ties him for 11th in the league with strong-armed QBs Jay Cutler, Ben Roethlisberger and Joe Flacco. I'm still a little concerned about his ability to throw downfield in bad weather, but thus far, he has completely debunked his "noodle arm" and "dink and dunk" reputation by throwing plenty of impressive 10-25 yard strikes as well as a handful of pinpoint deep throws.
With all do respect, only Ginn's pass last week, the flea flicker the week before, and the Wildcat flea flicker passes actually travelled 40+ yards in the air. The rest are YAC. Still though, I take back all of the bad things I've said about the guy for the last five years or so. This guy is the best thing to happen to Miami in a long time. He is an incredible manager, leader, and efficient passer!
The people that don't like him never will. He could win us super bowls and people would still say "You know, when he threw that game winning TD to Ted i just wish it would of had the zip on it like a Billy Joe Tolliver pass"
Sorry bud, but that is incorrect. Pennington also hit Ginn on a long completion on the first play of the Bills game. Interestingly enough, the flea flicker TD that you reference (against the Seahawks) was officially a 39-yard completion, so it did not count towards his total of six 40+ yard plays. Had that play been a yard longer, Pennington would be tied for 7th in the NFL.
So I missed one pass, and you got me on a technicality. Excuse me. You get my point. No need to nit pick. Try to address my reasoning instead. Eventually, you will come to realize Pennington isn't a distance thrower. Although he's made some great plays 40+ yards, that is not his strength. He can't lob them deep with the best of them. And no matter how many stats you post, you won't make me a believer. Perhaps you can make yourself a beliver, but I know his limitations and strengths and am comfortable with them. Again, let me tell you, I am ecstatic that he is our QB. Dont get that confused.
Seeing that I am the only post above you, I have to think that is directed at my post. Did you read it entirely? Just curious?
Well the thing is that my post isn't titled "Pennington is a distance thrower". It's title "Pennington is a big play quarterback". While I agree that he's not the best deep ball thrower in the league, he's able to do it enough to keep defenses honest and generate big plays downfield. That's a fact, not an opinion (he's completed more of those throws than most NFL QBs this season). Moreover, he's also completed a crapload of nice 10-25 yard completions.
So he cant heave it 55 yards in the air B-F-D he makes the throws he needs to - he works well in space and he can hit his target more often than any other QB in the league. His #'s would have been even better yesterday if not for drops. I think his arm is underrated to say the least. Give me a QB that can throw it 25-40 yards with a nice tight spiral over a mad bomber anyday that ends up throwing picks.
Sorry i didn't read your 1st post and didn't even see it.I was trying to remember the name of the QB from the 1989 Chargers with the rocket arm.
Yep, people like to make a big deal about that one " flaw " in his game because it's something you can see. Every player,every Qb that has ever played the game has some "flaw" in their game.The same people that point out Chad's one "flaw" don't seem to understand that.
He can throw a deep pass every other pass for the rest of the year it won't change anyones mind. Pennington doesn't have a strong arm. Why belabor it? He picks and chooses and that's fine. If a WR is streaking down the sideline and Pennington has to roll out the other way, he's not making that throw across the field, and that's fine. Pennington's 40 yarders are normally straight. Not a diagonal 40 yarder that would get picked off easier than a cowboy shooting at ducks in a booth. If Chad had an semblance of a good arm, he'd be one of the best ever. Period. but that's ok, he's playing well. Cutler last week, I saw him throw a 59 yard bomb to marshall. And it was a laser bomb, not an alley oop either. thing of beauty. If he had Penny's smarts, game over for QBs, he'd be one of the best.
Pennington just makes plays happen for us this year, IMO it is an odd thing, and a sign of how far we have come this year that my fellow PhinsFans (and writers) are dickering over a "it was 39 yds, not 40", last season we had maybe two 40yd+ passing plays, Ginn's in Buffalo, and Greg C against the Ravens. Pennington's talent is putting the ball in the receivers hands while they are in stride allowing them to make long gains, he will end up with almost 3,000 yds passing this year, maybe more, our best Qb season since Danny M in the mid 90's, I can't complain about that at all. But to me, now our season could get ragged, Big Jake is going to play on one leg, and Greg C is out, there is only so much Dan Henning can do with smoke and mirrors..unless Ted Ginn just blows up in the last 5 games..
I don't care how far he can throw it, I'm just impressed that he has just about cured our recievers of their "Dolphin Dropsies." Whatever he throws, it's usually catchable. Thanks Dr. Chad.
Nope.... This one would say something much more important.... "He still wreaks of puke from a decade of wearing Green!"
He doesnt need to throw it deep, because he makes up for that lack of arm strength with his other skills. He is the offensive equivalent of Zach Thomas
This is something of an obsession of mine, but I don't think it's commonly realized how rare 40+ yard passes are. At this point the only QBs in double figures for the season are Brees and Romo. And again, those are pass plays that gain 40+ yards by any means -- not completed passes that travel 40+ yards in the air, which are only a little more common than snowplows on Biscayne Boulevard. NFL Stats: by Player Category
Penne's lack of arm strength is incredibly unimportant. Stat after stat shows that he has better success throwing long than most QBs regardless of arm strength. Bringing up his lack of arm strength each time a positive stat is discussed is like someone bringing up Marino's poor play action fakes each time one of his positive stats is discussed.
Its the threat of the 40 yard pass though keypusher. Opposing defenses don't respect Pennington's deep arm which has two effects. It makes the run defense tighter (don't we all think our running O should be better regardless of Oline blocking?) and two, funny enough, makes it easier for Penny to complete those deep passes when he does actually throw them. There are different types of 40 yard passes. Pennington will never make, nor attempt to make, an across the field 40 yard pass. Other Qbs can and will attempt it. Again, he's performing fine the way he is. But you can openly discuss it, you don't have to sweep all weaknesses under the rug.
I thanked your post because I think you approached this in a level-headed and open-minded manner, but I would disagree with the assertion that teams don't respect Pennington's deep arm. If anything, he's shown that like a good poker player, he knows how to lull his opponents by only using this skill occasionally.
I mean they don't respect it as much. If you get my drift, I mean the NFL is a game of inches and split seconds. I would wager, they cheat up just a bit more with Penny than they would with say a Cutler, Favre, etc. Wouldn't you agree? I'm not saying they stack 10 in the box ... lol
Nooo....Zach would never throw a pick6 (go for a pick rather than knocking it down, or go for strip rather than making the wrap up tackle) I love Chad, he is great... But Zach is Zach. Leave it at that.
He has to time it up better and he has a smaller margin for error. The point was that the weakness doesn't stop him from being a very good QB anymore than Marino's poor play action fakes stopped him from being a great QB.
On a scale of qualities we see in QBs though, to be fair, arm strength is probably higher on the list than play action fakes
