Taysom Hill exclusive: Talking life on and off the field with Meghan Payton (1 Viewer)

[Jesse Custer]

Man this is awesome. Whoever wins the QB job I’m definitely going to feel bad for the man who doesn’t.

This is going to be the most exciting training camp I’ve ever experienced as a fan.

Agreed. I'm excited for this season, no matter what happens or who wins the job.

 

[nakadish]

He wasn't playing under center for entire games before. He had 10 fumbles last year. How do you not think that's an issue? It's as much of an issue as Jameis's proclivity to throw to the other team.

Yes, it's an issue. But, I don't think it's reasonable to expect Taysom to keep fumbling at the same rate as last year. Mark Ingram had several games in a row where he fumbled. It happens.

If he starts off preseason with the same fumbling issues, then I think you have to take him out of the running for QB1. But given the previous years, I'm at least hopeful that last year was an anomaly.

Same with Winston's 30 interceptions. It's silly to expect Winston to do that every year.

 

[jasonsw]

Agreed. I'm excited for this season, no matter what happens or who wins the job.

Im as excited for this season as @MamaRoux on a Hot Tin Roof

 

[Saint Taysom]

First, he'd have to be able to throw a touch pass to the most dynamic RB in the NFL. Which he hasn't shown he can do yet. I honestly have to wonder if I was having a stroke when I was watching those games with Taysom in at QB. People keep crowing about the 3-1 record while ignoring he was flat-out awful in stretches and the defense stepped their game up to be absolutely dominant in three of the four games. He also coughed up the ball rather than recognizing man coverage on Deonte Harris and instead held the ball and fumbled. I don't know what people saw that makes them sure he'll easily beat Jameis out. He wasn't playing hero ball, he showed he has fundamental flaws while playing full-time QB. And as I've said before, when you play him at solely QB, you miss him at TE. You miss him on special teams (remember his punt block against Tampa that lit a fire under the team?). Dude is an AMAZING football player. But as a full-time QB, his potential is wasted.

4 starts... Taysom Hill went 3-1 in his first 4 starts in the NFL, after a multi-year layoff from playing full-time QB, after a truncated offseason, and not focusing fully on QB until the week before his 1st start... in a meaningful stretch of games!
He didn’t know WTH he was doing!!!! ...and he won 3 NFL games! That’s amazing!

Give him nothing but 1st team reps with the starters... have CSP design an offense to make accentuate his strengths, and watch him.

 

[Jesse Custer]

4 starts... Taysom Hill went 3-1 in his first 4 starts in the NFL, after a multi-year layoff from playing full-time QB, after a truncated offseason, and not focusing fully on QB until the week before his 1st start... in a meaningful stretch of games!
He didn’t know WTH he was doing!!!! ...and he won 3 NFL games! That’s amazing!

Give him nothing but 1st team reps with the starters... have CSP design an offense to make accentuate his strengths, and watch him.

You're ignoring how well the defense played in those games. The one game they didn't play like the best defense in the NFL, the team lost. Confirmation bias is fine, but let's not kid ourselves.

 

[Saint Taysom]

You're ignoring how well the defense played in those games. The one game they didn't play like the best defense in the NFL, the team lost. Confirmation bias is fine, but let's not kid ourselves.

If the defense would have just “shown up” for the Philly game, Taysom goes 4-0.

I get it... there’s a line in the sand... You either believe in Taysom or you don’t.

I’m just on the side that realizes it’s very hard to win a game in the NFL... and QB is the hardest position in the game. Taysom needs more than 4 games to know what he can do

 

[gregg2g]

Kamara was targeted four times for nine yards on two catches in games against ATL last season. That's not getting him involved in the passing game.

How do you know that wasn't the game plan? They may have been trying to keep Kamara fresh for the running game.

 

[Groovepro]

In the first Atlanta game Hill had over 200 yds passing at 78.2% completions. Murray became the pass catching RB that game. For rushing, Murray had 49, Hill had 49, Kamara led touches with 13 for 45 and Harris had a single 23 yard run for a total of 166 rushing yards. Thomas and Sanders were 170 of those passing yards. Kamara was utilized (although not as pass catcher) and pretty balanced, efficient attack.

In the second game, Hill was 73% completions with over 200 passing again and 2 TD's. Thomas, Smith, Sanders and Cook were over 200 of those passing yards. Kamara had the most carries of game with 13 for 88 yards and a 5.9 yards per rush avg. Hill had 83 yards with a 5.9 avg rushing. Over 200 yards rushing and passing and pretty evenly distributed around. That is game flow. That is taking what the defense gave and not forcing. Hill played loose, had good reads and mechanics, especially in the 2nd contest. He was looking off safeties. He wasn't "tuck and run first". Hill mechanics look very good and quick feet and looked downfield, got the ball out quick. Atlanta isn't just a whipping post when they play us and step up.

The Eagles game: missed FG at beginning and Kamara popped up a ball right in his hands for the INT. TQS dropped a 1st down (a bit led inside but should have caught). Hill hit Kamara on dumps, made quick reads most of the game and we moved the ball. He chucked it downfield very well and had tight window throws. He held on too long looking for a chunk play and should have tossed to Kamara who was open and took the sack. It wasn't until the end when they had longer developing plays and trying to get back in with chunks he held a bit long waiting for it to develop and Eagles just brought it all game. It was a speed defense and speed offense from Eagles. Hill didn't look pedestrian or lost by any means and he didn't lose us that game. The fumble sucked and he held on too long on that one, I can give you that. Hurts looked like Primte Time Randall Cunningham and he seemed to have at least 2 receiver wide open almost every passing play that wasn't a swing or a screen. Our defense was in slow chase mode that whole game. Jordan looked like Will Smith coming out of retirement. Hill had sacks counted that were runs that didn't make it across the LOS.

Hill was 74% completions for 291, 2 TD's which were nice deep balls and 1 INT that was a pop up by Kamara. The ball was spread around to 9 different receivers and decent balance and productive numbers from MT, TQS, Sanders, AK, and Cook with between 37yds to 84 yds each. It was more of a passing game scheme than run due to how the Eagles play. Hill only had 5 carries and Kamara only had 50 yds with 96 total rushing. Hill didn't lose that game by a MARGIN. Watch the replay of the game highlights. There is a LOT to like, even in the lose, except some pretty embarrassing defense play. I haven't seen that many wide open routes and YAC in a LONG time...and that isn't even touching on Jalen Hurts. He looked unbeatable on all aspects of passing, running, eluding our "pass rush", etc.

As Latt said, if the defense had just even done more than "show up", we had every chance to win that game.

Hill is a better QB than given credit for and showing what he can do. He was not one dimensional in his starts except when followed a very strict game plan with the Denver game that was chess matched from CSP purposefully. There was a lot of balance in the starts with production.

Does Winston have every chance to progress...YES...and he WILL have every opp, but his collection of pro football has shown serious deficiencies that LOSE games to this point. There lies the reason people are going by what they have seen over POTENTIAL and that Winston "coulda, shoulda, woulda" better. If he shows it and outright wins the starting job, he will have won it HANDS DOWN...but a short leash until about week 5 to see how he handles pressure situations and if can elevate to taking the team on his shoulders AND stopping knee jerk, perplexing decisions. I go by what I see and I have played, coached and trained a lot of high level football in my life working with and playing with CFL, NFL, AFL players and there are just certain things you can see and will gravitate to for evaluation. Can Winston succeed...YES, but he has a long "HILL" to climb over at this point. If he does...we ALL WIN and I will never root against him. BUT, I want the player who best gives us a chance to WIN and not LOSE games.

 

[dr61258]

First, he'd have to be able to throw a touch pass to the most dynamic RB in the NFL. Which he hasn't shown he can do yet. I honestly have to wonder if I was having a stroke when I was watching those games with Taysom in at QB. People keep crowing about the 3-1 record while ignoring he was flat-out awful in stretches and the defense stepped their game up to be absolutely dominant in three of the four games. He also coughed up the ball rather than recognizing man coverage on Deonte Harris and instead held the ball and fumbled. I don't know what people saw that makes them sure he'll easily beat Jameis out. He wasn't playing hero ball, he showed he has fundamental flaws while playing full-time QB. And as I've said before, when you play him at solely QB, you miss him at TE. You miss him on special teams (remember his punt block against Tampa that lit a fire under the team?). Dude is an AMAZING football player. But as a full-time QB, his potential is wasted.

I wonder how Payton Manning did in his first 4 starts ? Was he flat out awful in stretch’s ?

 

[Jesse Custer]

I wonder how Payton Manning did in his first 4 starts ? Was he flat out awful in stretch’s ?

Are you seriously trying to compare Taysom Hill to Peyton Manning? Is this where we are now? It's more of a stretch than people who try to compare Winston to him.

 

[Jesse Custer]

How do you know that wasn't the game plan? They may have been trying to keep Kamara fresh for the running game.

Yes. I'm sure Payton's focus was on removing Kamara as a pass-catching threat.

 

[Groovepro]

I wonder how Payton Manning did in his first 4 starts ? Was he flat out awful in stretch’s ?

What you saw in Manning's case was still quick reads, great feet, good touch/anticipation and I forgot how he could really sling the ball...you get sidetracked by the older, neck injured, weaker armed game manager of later years Manning. He did have times of holding the ball long and a few just bad balls, but it wasn't the full definition of who he was as a QB. He still showed that "something", even with the bads. He showed he had something special...it wasn't "hit or miss". The second game of his career against the Pats...they brought some serious D...it was big time scheme, rush, disguised looks, et all. What a division of defenses to start out with in those years, too. It wasn't like watching Jeff George or others where you went...WELLL...MAAYYBBEE on their future success. What are the goods and what did it all show as a whole, which is what I think you are saying.

You can't just micro-mange some bads and not look at the whole picture. 4 games with definite progress and LOT to like is a bit different than 6 years of pretty much the same decision making and mindset, mechanics, etc...BUT the past is the past and Winston should be judged by with clean slate here. (but the resume is there for all to see). I am not disagreeing with you, just adding!

 

[AgnesT]

As I have said before. I would rather see fixable fumbles when a player is taking a play out of nothing to something...the effort of knowing this could be a special play and it result in a fumble. A pick 6 on a throw that just boggles the mind is a different type of turnover. I do not knock the times Winston has gotten out of trouble, weaved strangely through defenders and threw a pick with time running out or if fumbled on a play that was 50/50 glory or not choice. BUT, it is the mind numbing What the Fork! plays that are QB 101 that concern. That is a lot more to fix than effort causing a fumble. I don't like either, but the categories are very different. ...people discount his play in the ATL game. It was a solid play at QB with some runs...Kamara was involved, as was the full running game. Their was balance...in both contests.

I have said it before and I will say it again. Taysom would be a great QB, BUT HE NEEDS TO LEARN TO HANG ONTO THE FOOTBALL. A fumble is every bit as bad as a pick. You are still giving the ball to the other team.

 

[Groovepro]

I have said it before and I will say it again. Taysom would be a great QB, BUT HE NEEDS TO LEARN TO HANG ONTO THE FOOTBALL. A fumble is every bit as bad as a pick. You are still giving the ball to the other team.

First and foremost, I completely agree!!! ...but his fumbles also didn't come from just playing full time QB/starter, but through his time touching the football as a Saint. You don't magnify the special effort of even a Brett Favre who had fumbles and INTS but look at the big picture and the whole collective of those WOW plays. Without certain amounts of these "take in onto your shoulders to win", you have few or no fumbles/turnovers, but you are left without the special plays, too. There were fumbles in some situations while making a something out of nothing play...not all of them, granted. I would rather see a fumble or even an INT on a play would have been an OMG play or a 50/50 chance play that changes the game than a really poor, mind boggling decision. There is a difference in those situations.

 

[gregg2g]

Yes. I'm sure Payton's focus was on removing Kamara as a pass-catching threat.

That's not what I meant and you know that.