On the first play of the game, Jason Campbell took a three-step drop, readied himself and … didn’t throw the ball. Instead, after locking on receiver Santana Moss, he hesitated. The linemen, knowing it was supposed to be a quick release, stopped blocking.
And Campbell was sacked for an eight-yard loss.
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Was that a result of a learning curve in the West Coast offense? Or is that something more basic that Campbell must solve?
That wasn’t the only play on which Campbell struggled in Washington’s 16-7 loss to the New York Giants Thursday night. Campbell, and the offense, sputtered most of the game. The fourth-year Campbell completed 15 of 27 passes for 133 yards with a touchdown.
And the first play is what coach Jim Zorn criticized about Campbell’s play.
Zorn wrote it off mostly to Campbell’s inexperience in the offense. However, locking onto a receiver is something covered in Quarterback 101.
“I really grilled him on it,” Zorn said. “I should move on from it, but it really bothers me and it’s where we need to improve.”
But Campbell said he hesitated on the play because, “I couldn’t see him. … I tried to stick with him too long.”
“Being able to get off one read and go to the next is something you’ve got to do,” said receiver Antwaan Randle El. “But I’ve seen him do it a lot.”
After one game, it’s a bit early to make grand proclamations on Campbell in the West Coast offense, though in quarterback-centric Washington – and with December star Todd Collins on the bench – rash judgments are always sounded. Developing a rhythm and timing on various routes could take time because it’s a new system. But other problems – locking onto receivers or reading defenses – are basics. Campbell will need more time with Zorn to determine how he’ll be in this offense.
Multiple interviews with personnel people, scouts, a defensive backs coach and a general manager all revealed the same thing last winter: they felt Campbell had a chance to succeed in this offense because of his athleticism. Zorn believes that as well.
“He has enough athleticism to speed up his game in certain situations,” Zorn said. “Part of that, I’m hoping, is just the idea of understanding the offense better. He’s not there yet.”
Campbell likes to throw downfield, which might be difficult given the pressure the line has allowed this summer. So he must learn a new offense plus alter his mindset a little bit, settling for dump-offs if a downfield option isn’t available.
On one second-and-6 play in the third quarter, Campbell learned another lesson. With a defender rushing at him, he stepped to the side. In doing so he lost sight of receiver Santana Moss, who had broken open downfield. When the ball wasn’t thrown, Moss slowed. Then Campbell threw the ball and Moss couldn’t speed back up in time; it fell incomplete.
“That’s a play we have to make,” Zorn said. “We’ve run this drill at camp. Jason has to avoid, reset and throw. He avoided, started to move around and looked to see if there was someone else who was going to hit him and we lost the opportunity.”
Said Campbell, “That’s difficult to do. … You lose the guy for a second and you’ve got to find the guy again.”
Again, is that a symptom of the West Coast or of ineffective quarterback play? It’s a question that will be asked until Campbell settles into a groove. It may be that it’ll take something like using more no-huddle or shotgun plays to help him get there.
“I’m completely comfortable in the shotgun,” he said. “I could see my receivers run routes [better]. We moved the ball better and it got me more comfortable.”
Zorn said, “I’m not discouraged with a lot of things he did. I’m just wanting him to get better.”
