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Or control of his body, knowledge of the game. I've just never been able to quantify it or explain it.
Take Anthony's knee injury in the pre-season game. My immediate thought was his lack of awareness/over analyzing things in front of him didn't allow him to play the game cognizant of things going on around him. Thus he was completely unaware of the blocker...zoned out per se.
After reading this article I have something to kind of cement my thoughts. No this isn't a me picking on Anthony thread...his was just the example I clearly remember in my head where i first said it to myself.
Very wonderful read. This is the guy also responsible for the Michael Thomas route running video I've posted.
Enjoy!
https://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2016/10/27/the-nfl-lens-economy-of-movement-with-michael-bennett/
Take Anthony's knee injury in the pre-season game. My immediate thought was his lack of awareness/over analyzing things in front of him didn't allow him to play the game cognizant of things going on around him. Thus he was completely unaware of the blocker...zoned out per se.
After reading this article I have something to kind of cement my thoughts. No this isn't a me picking on Anthony thread...his was just the example I clearly remember in my head where i first said it to myself.
Very wonderful read. This is the guy also responsible for the Michael Thomas route running video I've posted.
Enjoy!
It’s antithetical to what impresses a lot of people who watch football. They confuse the raw tools of great athletic ability with good players.
A great athlete possesses some or all of these qualities: size, speed, strength, hand-eye coordination, and/or flexibility. A good practitioner of his profession understands how to use these raw tools in a variety of situations.
A great athlete that lacks a baseline technical facility at his position can do some incredible things based on his reaction to what’s immediately in front of him. But it’s a limited and often dangerous proposition for him long-term.
Because he lacks a strong library of experiences, technique, and mental understanding of the game, he’s in a vulnerable position on the field far too often. Good players with these skills have greater success dictating the game within the game.
When they cannot, these skills help them maintain control of their bodies to a degree that they’re more often in a position to protect themselves when their opponent wins the match up. Don’t get me wrong, good players get hurt all the time, but there is a difference between freak injuries, injuries caused by situations a player cannot anticipate no matter how good they are, and injuries due to a player’s lack of skill or preparation.
Michael Bennett got hurt the week before the play I’m about to share with you. Jake Matthews cut him at the knees, an act that embodies the fine line between the need to have awareness and understanding of the game and not letting this knowledge limit your aggression. While I have no proof, based on my experience studying the game, I’d bet Bennett’s injury would have been much worse if he wasn’t as experienced and technically sound at his craft.
https://mattwaldmanrsp.com/2016/10/27/the-nfl-lens-economy-of-movement-with-michael-bennett/