Some coaches and quarterbacks over-analyze things at times. Sometimes it can be pitch and catch, let the play-makers make plays.
Throwaways are OK. When a quarterback throws the ball away in our system, that's a plus. That's a plus decision. That's the way I've always graded it.
There's just a misconception that comes with being a dual-threat quarterback. You run first, throw second. I've proven I throw first and then run if I have to.
The quarterback is in charge of the chuck wagon. He's handing it out here and there, but he can't just throw it out there indiscriminately or the wolves will get him.
I don't want to get good at throwing off schedule because I don't want to be off schedule. I want to have my protections to be solid, I want to be in the right play, and I want to get the ball out of my hands as quick as possible.
There's a lot of different ways of playing quarterback, and there's a lot of different situations. So that's why, for me, if I can keep my mindset the same, if I can stay consistent in how I prepare, then I'm good.
You watch the great quarterbacks like Peyton Manning and Drew Brees and Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers. They all play so fast, but it's under control because they know what the defense is presenting to them before it happens. It allows them to anticipate things a little quicker, and that makes all the difference in the world.
When we played against Dan Marino, the best defense was to keep him on the sideline. By keeping him on the sideline, you made him frustrated. You made him anxious. When he came on the field, he felt like he had to score every time. I think that is where Peyton Manning is.
With the quarterback position, because you're touching the ball every single snap, you want to make a play and you just have to guard against that. It's about making the plays that come to you, not necessarily chasing after plays.
When you really start figuring things out as a quarterback, you realize you don't have to be perfect every time, but you do have to be quick and decisive.
You have to approach it the same way with any quarterback. You're going to try to do the best for your guy.
It's a challenge for all quarterbacks, though: You want to make the big play; you want to throw a touchdown every single play. But at the same time, you have to know that it's a process.
A running quarterback, to me, is safer. Because, once I got out [of the pocket], I didn?t run where there were a lot of people. I ran where there was nobody.
It's always a danger when you've got a great quarterback that throws the ball well, that scrambles well. You may push him into his asset. You may force him to do what he does best. So you've got to be able to throw curveballs and stop the pass as much as stop the run.
There's gonna be ups and downs throughout the season. And what defenses do to try and attack different quarterbacks, I mean, you can definitely see it. It's how you respond to it. It's how you get over that next step.
I'm not fast, so I have to be able to throw from the pocket.
