Ringer Article: Value of Avoiding a Sack

[SunnySide]

Originally Posted by AnonEmouse

I don't think it's as simple as just having a mobile QB. A guy that can move within the pocket and get the ball out quickly and accurately will always be more valuable than one that can simply run. Mahomes, Allen etc. are pass first and accurate; they run when they have to. Hurts still makes me think that when it's critical he won't be able to put the ball where its needed with his arm. The game has evolved to favour mobile QBs maybe if only because DL have become lighter and faster. But they still have to be leaders and passers first, not just runners.

They do—and, like play-action passes, there’s probably a point of saturation at which that value starts to diminish. Take Bears quarterback Justin Fields, the current league leader in scramble rate with a scramble on a whopping 17.7 percent of his dropbacks—that’s nearly one out of every five dropbacks! Fields is one of the most physically gifted runners in the league at any position, let alone quarterback—yet by EPA per scramble, he’s ninth, behind players including Geno Smith, Joe Burrow, and Derek Carr. Scramble too much, and defenses won’t fear your passing game once they get pressure or take away your first read. They know what you’re going to do next.

^^ from the article ... there is a balance to be had. Mahomes/Allen are at the top of the QB pedestal being dual. As the writer said .. to much scrambling like Fields and teams wont respect the pass threat knowing that if they cover your first read you will likely tuck and run.

From a Heinike perspective .. I prefer a Kirk Cousins "process oriented" QB who will go through pre and post snap reads like a robot and tend to discount a Heinike .. but maybe I need to give Heinike and his scrambling more credit. In that Packers game, there were some plays where Wentz takes a sack but Heinike was able to back pedal/scramble just enough to get a short pass off.

That 3 yard completion maybe was more than 3 yards, it was 13 yards bc it was going to be a 10 yard sack if it was Wentz

I think I need to give these more scrambly QBs more credit