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Forum nameOkay Sports
Topic subjectI'm going to take this from another angle
Topic URLhttp://board.okayplayer.com/okp.php?az=show_topic&forum=8&topic_id=2101066&mesg_id=2101457
2101457, I'm going to take this from another angle
Posted by jorge123, Tue Jan-01-13 03:23 PM
The race is basically a dead heat. Some could argue RG3, some could argue Wilson, and both would have at least some good points. So we're essentially looking for tie breakers, right? So really, the question is which tie breaker is most convincing.

Here is the ultimate tie breaker -

RG3 basically fathered Russel's style. And I don't mean any disrespect to Russell because he is completely phenomenal and absolutely on RG3's level. But until his coaches started sprinkling in a little RG3 into his playbook, Wilson was not even on the OROY radar. Without RG3, Wilson is not in the discussion. Without Wilson, RG3 is having the exact same year he already had.

RG3 exploded onto the scene with the help of Kyle Shanahan's pistol zone-read scheme. And by mid-season, some of the most balanced and successful offenses in the league were featuring it heavily. San Fran is using the pistol. Washington is using the pistol. And, yes, Seattle is running the pistol now too. Read:

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2012/11/08/pete-carroll-draws-inspiration-from-rg3-redskins/

"The Seahawks were converting just 28-percent of their third down opportunities for the season and quarterback Russell Wilson had just thrown three interceptions in a 19-13 loss to the Rams. Wilson and the Seattle passing game had yet to throw for more than 160 yards in a game and Seattle had failed to score more than 20 points in three of their first four games."

Ouch. But don't worry, RG3 is here to save your OROY hopes, Russy -

"In the weeks since, Seattle has added more read-option to their offense and Wilson’s productivity has taken sizable steps forward. Wilson has thrown for nine touchdowns with just four interceptions over the last five games and has three games with a passer rating of 96.8 or better. Success getting the ball in the end zone has improved as well as the Seahawks have scored touchdowns on six of their last eight red zone possessions.

"“It was a good move for me and it’s helped up a little bit,” Carroll said. “I was influenced a little bit more than I thought when I first looked at. You see some of our stuff coming to life and it’s helping us.”"

But I'm not going to stop there.

RG3 didn't just father Russ' style. By doing so, he convinced a lot of analysts that the pistol and zone read are actually legitimate staples in future NFL offenses. Analysts are basically saying that the pistol offense, with the right personnel (i.e. an athletic but accurate QB and a RB who can do damage) is essentially unstoppable. This is now a legitimate part of the future of the NFL.

Shit, you could argue that RG3 ended Alex Smith's career. You think Kaepernick is keeping the starting job without a 2 month track record of the pistol having success in the NFL? CK was a pistol QB in college - you don't think Harbaugh was eventually going to go in that direction, and the proof on the field provided by RG3 ultimately sped that decision up by half a season or more?

Russell Wilson is an awesome QB and probably my second favorite in the league behind RG3 (and that is strictly because I am a Skins fan - if I were unbiased I would probably be pulling for the undersized late-rounder too). But RG3's performance didn't just end with what he did on the field. His success influenced the entire league, and is likely a big reason that Wilson turned his season around in the first place.