Pat Kirwan brought up an interesting point in one of his blurbs this week. He noted that Holcomb has only had 9 throws all summer during preseason. I was thinking about it, and the turn of events that have transpired this off season from last are quite interesting and ironic (in a sense).
I'm not dismissing Losman's efforts. I really think the kid has come a long way from a year ago. However, the conspiracy theorist in me has me wondering how much all of this wasn't planned from the get go. Seriously. Let's look back at camp a few weeks before the first preseason game. The QB race was a dead heat. Well, at least between Holcomb and Losman, although Nall was coming into his own before the injury anyway.
Holcomb gets the start and gets pulled after just one quarter of football. Granted he played terribly flat and couldn't get the ball moving to save his life, but it seems to me that in a true sense of a QB competition you would have let him at least attempt to struggle through most of the second to regain some lost effort.
Now, I know they also wanted to see Losman with the first team, so giving him the second QRTR makes sense, but letting him ride through with the second and third team to the middle of the fourth QRTR leaves me scratching my head.
I can except the fact that they wanted Losman to attempt to gain momentum againt Carolina. An attmept to build his confidence.. but the fact that they didn't extend Holcomb the same opportunity the following week has me wondering if the coaching staff hadn't set JP up to easily succeed.
Much like Losman a year ago, doesn't the decision of the coaching staff, of having pulled Holcomb without any reservation, help destory a little of his confidence ever so slightly? I think the reports of his performance in practice the week before the Bengals game certainly provides evidence in the case.
In preseason week 2 Nall is back and they want to give him full on opportunity to prove himself. JP starts, has a very flat first qrtr, yet is allowed to to stay in through the 2nd qrtr to redeem his abilities. Its seemingly hypocritical that Holcomb was not offered the same opportunity the week prior. Almost immediatly Losman nails a strike to Evans downfield and his confidence excells, his momentum continues and his landing the starting job is now even more secured.
Holcomb is given just the 3rd QRTR to out play his young competitor. 3 short drives and he's out. Nall comes in and has some success moving the ball. Holcomb again slides in confidence as well in his own ability. Once again his performance at practice proves this theory.
If all of that wasn't interesting enough, in game three, Holcomb isn't even given the chance to play. Losman comes into the game not having to look over his shoulder as much as weeks past as he knows that Kelly will be riding pine and Nall still has much to prove. JP puts up his best game yet and is announced Week 1 regular season starter days after.
Now, it's possible that I could be reading too much into this, but it seems to me as if Holcomb was phased out. Rather than losing the position he was set up in a lose-lose scenerio.
With all that being said, I've always been a Losman supporter, but I just can't help but notice the events that have occured through the course of this so called "QB Competition".
Any thoughts?
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Originally Posted by L.A. Playa
What camp was he watching?
