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Analysis: The John Beck Era begins slowly, but shows promise

If John Beck’s debut tells us anything, it’s that there’s promise. And that’s where you want to start when evaluating your possible future franchise quarterback. The final score and stat line don’t exactly jump out at you. 9 for 22, 109 yards, 0 TDs. But judging Beck’s first start as Dolphins quarterback must go beyond the initial stats. We need to look into the deeper game to gain some perspective. The final stats don’t show us the entire picture. What does show us the entire picture is what most NFL scouts look for in a franchise quarterback: Leadership, presence, a strong accurate arm, a quick release, footwork and pocket presence. While the loss and the notion of the team being 0-10 stings, the fact is, Beck’s debut was more about the big picture: is he the long-term solution at quarterback for the Miami Dolphins?

First, the negatives. Entering his first pro game on the road against a blitz-happy defense, Beck showed all his rookie colors. Many of his passes were rushed, he overthrew his receivers and he aimed some of his passes rather than throwing the football and trusting the development of the routes. He threw 22 passes, completing only 9 of them, and the offense was a horrid 2 for 11 on 3rd down conversions. Beck clearly looked like a kid thrust straight out of college and into the lion’s den. And that was to be expected.

However, the positives were pretty self-evident. Starting with the most fundamental principles for a quarterback – no turnovers and no delay-of-game or intentional grounding penalties.

Beck proved that, when he lets the game progress as it should and doesn’t try to force the game, he could make deep, accurate throws, as he demonstrated on Miami’s second possession of the first half. Facing a 3rd and 12, Beck stepped into a precise pass down the middle to rookie receiver Ted Ginn Jr. for 22 yards and the first down. On the very next play, he threw another strike to Ginn for 17 yards, showcasing not only his accuracy but also his quick release as he avoided the pressure. Beck also exhibited exceptional pocket presence, sensing pressure and displaying terrific footwork. Again, on the same drive, Miami needed two yards for a first down. When the pocket collapsed and all his options were covered downfield, he sidestepped an Eagle defender and scrambled forward for three yards and the first down.

From the get-go, Beck seemed to take command of the Miami huddle, drawing praise from Ginn who, after the game, said he saw leadership in Beck’s first start. Yes Beck rushed his passes at times, but what was encouraging was seeing the way he managed the game-clock, something that shouldn’t be overlooked for a rookie QB. He showed composure and prudence when breaking the huddle, never rushing or allowing the game clock to run down. Even when there was confusion on a play-call from the sidelines, Beck calmly took control of the situation by calling a timeout instead of rushing things. He was also able to call a few coverage audibles at the line of scrimmage — something of a rarity for rookie quarterbacks — whenever he saw a certain blitz package was coming.

Overall, it was clear that the game-plan for Beck was very stripped down and simple. Even so, he needs to clean up his rookie mistakes and vastly improve on his third down conversions. But it was also clear that Beck knew the offense well and seemed to have a connection with his receivers. More than that, he seems to have built good chemistry with fellow rookie Ginn, whom he targeted more than any other Dolphin receiver. And while he may have rushed some of his passes, the fact that he was able buy that extra second or two to make a play displays that he has very good football instincts and raw natural ability that separates mediocre quarterbacks from good ones.

John Beck needs to get acclimated to the speed of the NFL. He also needs to trust his receivers. Rushing his passes has been something he’s struggled with even throughout mini-camp. But that’s something that can be fixed with experience and sound coaching. The rest is something you cannot teach. Poise, footwork, ball delivery – these are all things Beck did very well with on Sunday. And with time and experience, as well as some added play-makers into the mix to help him out, he should only get better.

Obviously one game doesn’t make or break an entire career. There is still a lot more evaluating that needs to happen before we can christen John Beck the savior of the franchise. But, at the very least, Beck gave us a glimpse into how good he can be if he continues to work hard and smooth out his rough edges and rookie jitters.

So while the 9 for 22 and 109 yards stat line doesn’t look very appealing, be encouraged Dolphins fans. The deeper game shows us that Beck has promise.

And that’s a start.

This entry was posted on Monday, November 19th, 2007 at 1:46 am and is filed under John Beck, Analysis. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.