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The Bears obviously need to upgrade the WR position in a dramatic way this offseason. So I’ll take a look at all the free agent options starting with the top free agent, Jarvis Landry.
Full disclosure, I was never a Jarvis Landry fan. I had this preconceived notion that he was just a run of the mill slot receiver who got fed easy passes on check downs. But after watching his 2017 tape, my opinion on Landry has drastically changed. There are things that stats can’t gauge, and all of those things are what make Jarvis Landry so great.
Landry is such a unique player in slot. He’s like a unicorn, the only one of his kind. He possesses the elusiveness of a great slot receiver, the hands of an elite outside receiver, and the tackle breaking ability of a power running back. One of the toughest football players you will ever see, and that’s really saying something at the wide receiver position.
These are all very strong words, and I will break down all the reasons why. Landry does all the little things so well, and it really adds up. Then add to that Landry’s insane effort level, where it just looks like he obviously wants it more than anyone on the field. Mix that in with his unbreakable toughness. And this is what you get.
QB PLAY
First of all, no matter how good a WR is, they can’t do much with shit QB play. And boy oh boy, did the Dolphins have some shit QB play. Fales/Moore/Cutler were all an absolute train wreck. Jay Cutler, specifically, was jaw droppingly awful. There were prolonged sequences of play where Cutler could not throw an accurate pass to any part of the field.
Here Cutler overthrows a wide open Landry in the end zone with a clean pocket. Simply unacceptable..
CUTLER SUCKS
Throws it behind Landry with a clean pocket.
PATHETIC
Terrible pass moving to his right.
JUST SAD
Cutler can’t hit the side of a barn
BRUTAL
Off his back foot
VINTAGE JAY
Cutler almost ends Landry’s career here
DONT CARE
These were only a small sampling of how truly bad Cutler was this past season.
HANDS
Now that I’ve established what Jarvis Landry was working with this past season, you can also see what a disadvantage he’s been in. But Landry is a special player, and because of this he was able to mitigate a lot of this horrid inaccuracy.
You see, Jarvis Landry has the strongest hands you’ll ever see. I mean, the dude must have been using that hand gripper thing since he was 5 years old. If he can get one hand on the ball, it’s a completion most of the time. If it wasn’t for Landry, Cutler would have been benched before the end of September.
Deflected passes don’t bother Landry
BOSS
The difficulty level on this catch is off the charts
NOT AGAIN JAY
And here is Matt Moore trying to make life difficult for Landry
REALLY?
Landry makes it look easy on another Cutler fuck up
RETIRE ALREADY
Another one handed catch on Cutler’s trademark fadeaway jumper
DEJA VU
Jarvis Landry also does something that Alshon Jeffery is known for. With a tightly contested pass, Landry will keep the ball out in front of him instead of pulling it into his body so that the DB has no chance of breaking it up.
ALSHON
Elusiveness
Now, in the few times where the Miami QB’s actually lead Landry with the pass, he is absolutely deadly in open space. He has a blend of quickness, agility, and vision that is extremely hard to find. He is so aware of everything around him, and it’s fun to watch.
Here Landry slithers through the defense
LIKE BUTTER
If Landry can’t get around you, he will go over you
HURDLE
Landry uses a plethora of moves
SPIN MOVE
Landry can make something out of nothing
STOP START
Landry is faster than you think
ACCELERATION
Miami even has designed run plays for Landry
SMOOTH
Will and Power
As I mentioned before, Jarvis Landry is tough as nails. He’s the toughest WR I’ve ever seen play. So when he’s not running around you or over you, he is running through you. This guy single handedly decimated and demoralizes secondaries. And he goes at you at 100 mph on every single play in single game.
You can actually see the will of the secondary breaking every time he gets the ball. He is like a power back, and that is how Miami used him. Get him the ball past the dline, and he will punish defensive backs all game long. It’s quite phenomenal to watch.
Landry embarrasses the DB here with a vicious stiff arm
GET THE STRETCHER
Jarvis Landry just wants it more than you
UNSTOPPABLE
This play is dead from the very beginning, yet Landry gains 5 yards out of sheer will.
WOW
This is unbelievable. Landry drops the SS with a stiff arm and then decapitates the FS.
RIP
Moving the Chains
1st downs are a pretty big deal in the NFL, and Jarvis Landry has an uncanny ability of getting said first downs. No matter where on the field he gets the ball, Landry seems to always know where that first down marker is and how to get it.
You can’t stop Landry from getting that 1st, dude is just on another level
OUCH
This just isn’t fair
LOL
Landry swats the defender away for the first down
MOVE BITCH
Huge 3rd and 9 late in the 4th quarter. Landry gets the ball 5 yards short. He takes shots from 6 defenders and still converts the 1st down. Can your slot receiver do this? Can any other receiver do this?
DETERMINATION
Route Running
Here is where all the consternation comes in when it comes to Landry. Why does he play the slot, why can’t he play outside? Well, I believe Landry can play on the outside. But by playing him on the outside you take away some of the things that make him so special. You want him in open space, you want him leveling defenders and wearing them out. But he can get open and produce anywhere on the field.
Landry does his homework, he can find the soft spots in the zone
ZONE
On the outside here with a beautiful in route
IN ROUTE
Landry is a very smart and savvy route runner. He knows when he can push off to gain separation
PUSH OFF
Here Landry wisely breaks off his route to give Cutler a target
BREAK
Fantastic route on the outside
OUTSIDE
Great body control and adjustment
BODY CONTROL
The DB had no chance, got beat immediately
BEAT
Landry gets a lot of respect from opposing DB’s
RESPEKT
Fearless
Another reason Landry is so valuable in the middle of the field is because of his absolute fearlessness. The guy will go wherever he has to go, and he’ll love doing it. You’re not going to intimidate him. It’s Landry who inposes his will on the defense, never the other way around.
Right in front of the safety
SAFETY
Right in front of the linebacker
LINEBACKER
In between 3 defenders
THREE
This is an awful pass, and Landry knows if he wants to catch it he will have to put himself in a very vulnerable position
VULNERABLE
Belichick Effect
The last thing I curiously noticed was how Bill Belichick defended Jarvis Landry. And I was surprised to learn that Belichick specifically keyed in on Landry when playing the Dolphins. He did everything he could to make sure Jarvis Landry did not beat him. Here are a couple of examples of what I mean.
Watch the safety on this play. He never once even looks at Cutler. He keeps his eyes on Jarvis Landry throughout the entirety of the play.
ATTENTION
This next play is pretty mind blowing considering the position Landry plays. It’s my favorite Landry play. Belichick actually has one of his linebackers chip Landry at the snap of the ball. In addition to that, the CB tries to jam him. But Landry somehow gets through it without disrupting the timing and makes a spectacular catch.
CHIP JAM
Conclusion
Is Jarvis Landry an all pro wide receiver in the traditional sense? I don’t know. What I do know is that Jarvis Landry is an all pro football player. If the Bears do sign Landry, there will surely be some fans upset with the signing. But after the first quarter of game number one, everybody will be a Jarvis Landry fan.
Full disclosure, I was never a Jarvis Landry fan. I had this preconceived notion that he was just a run of the mill slot receiver who got fed easy passes on check downs. But after watching his 2017 tape, my opinion on Landry has drastically changed. There are things that stats can’t gauge, and all of those things are what make Jarvis Landry so great.
Landry is such a unique player in slot. He’s like a unicorn, the only one of his kind. He possesses the elusiveness of a great slot receiver, the hands of an elite outside receiver, and the tackle breaking ability of a power running back. One of the toughest football players you will ever see, and that’s really saying something at the wide receiver position.
These are all very strong words, and I will break down all the reasons why. Landry does all the little things so well, and it really adds up. Then add to that Landry’s insane effort level, where it just looks like he obviously wants it more than anyone on the field. Mix that in with his unbreakable toughness. And this is what you get.
QB PLAY
First of all, no matter how good a WR is, they can’t do much with shit QB play. And boy oh boy, did the Dolphins have some shit QB play. Fales/Moore/Cutler were all an absolute train wreck. Jay Cutler, specifically, was jaw droppingly awful. There were prolonged sequences of play where Cutler could not throw an accurate pass to any part of the field.
Here Cutler overthrows a wide open Landry in the end zone with a clean pocket. Simply unacceptable..
CUTLER SUCKS
Throws it behind Landry with a clean pocket.
PATHETIC
Terrible pass moving to his right.
JUST SAD
Cutler can’t hit the side of a barn
BRUTAL
Off his back foot
VINTAGE JAY
Cutler almost ends Landry’s career here
DONT CARE
These were only a small sampling of how truly bad Cutler was this past season.
HANDS
Now that I’ve established what Jarvis Landry was working with this past season, you can also see what a disadvantage he’s been in. But Landry is a special player, and because of this he was able to mitigate a lot of this horrid inaccuracy.
You see, Jarvis Landry has the strongest hands you’ll ever see. I mean, the dude must have been using that hand gripper thing since he was 5 years old. If he can get one hand on the ball, it’s a completion most of the time. If it wasn’t for Landry, Cutler would have been benched before the end of September.
Deflected passes don’t bother Landry
BOSS
The difficulty level on this catch is off the charts
NOT AGAIN JAY
And here is Matt Moore trying to make life difficult for Landry
REALLY?
Landry makes it look easy on another Cutler fuck up
RETIRE ALREADY
Another one handed catch on Cutler’s trademark fadeaway jumper
DEJA VU
Jarvis Landry also does something that Alshon Jeffery is known for. With a tightly contested pass, Landry will keep the ball out in front of him instead of pulling it into his body so that the DB has no chance of breaking it up.
ALSHON
Elusiveness
Now, in the few times where the Miami QB’s actually lead Landry with the pass, he is absolutely deadly in open space. He has a blend of quickness, agility, and vision that is extremely hard to find. He is so aware of everything around him, and it’s fun to watch.
Here Landry slithers through the defense
LIKE BUTTER
If Landry can’t get around you, he will go over you
HURDLE
Landry uses a plethora of moves
SPIN MOVE
Landry can make something out of nothing
STOP START
Landry is faster than you think
ACCELERATION
Miami even has designed run plays for Landry
SMOOTH
Will and Power
As I mentioned before, Jarvis Landry is tough as nails. He’s the toughest WR I’ve ever seen play. So when he’s not running around you or over you, he is running through you. This guy single handedly decimated and demoralizes secondaries. And he goes at you at 100 mph on every single play in single game.
You can actually see the will of the secondary breaking every time he gets the ball. He is like a power back, and that is how Miami used him. Get him the ball past the dline, and he will punish defensive backs all game long. It’s quite phenomenal to watch.
Landry embarrasses the DB here with a vicious stiff arm
GET THE STRETCHER
Jarvis Landry just wants it more than you
UNSTOPPABLE
This play is dead from the very beginning, yet Landry gains 5 yards out of sheer will.
WOW
This is unbelievable. Landry drops the SS with a stiff arm and then decapitates the FS.
RIP
Moving the Chains
1st downs are a pretty big deal in the NFL, and Jarvis Landry has an uncanny ability of getting said first downs. No matter where on the field he gets the ball, Landry seems to always know where that first down marker is and how to get it.
You can’t stop Landry from getting that 1st, dude is just on another level
OUCH
This just isn’t fair
LOL
Landry swats the defender away for the first down
MOVE BITCH
Huge 3rd and 9 late in the 4th quarter. Landry gets the ball 5 yards short. He takes shots from 6 defenders and still converts the 1st down. Can your slot receiver do this? Can any other receiver do this?
DETERMINATION
Route Running
Here is where all the consternation comes in when it comes to Landry. Why does he play the slot, why can’t he play outside? Well, I believe Landry can play on the outside. But by playing him on the outside you take away some of the things that make him so special. You want him in open space, you want him leveling defenders and wearing them out. But he can get open and produce anywhere on the field.
Landry does his homework, he can find the soft spots in the zone
ZONE
On the outside here with a beautiful in route
IN ROUTE
Landry is a very smart and savvy route runner. He knows when he can push off to gain separation
PUSH OFF
Here Landry wisely breaks off his route to give Cutler a target
BREAK
Fantastic route on the outside
OUTSIDE
Great body control and adjustment
BODY CONTROL
The DB had no chance, got beat immediately
BEAT
Landry gets a lot of respect from opposing DB’s
RESPEKT
Fearless
Another reason Landry is so valuable in the middle of the field is because of his absolute fearlessness. The guy will go wherever he has to go, and he’ll love doing it. You’re not going to intimidate him. It’s Landry who inposes his will on the defense, never the other way around.
Right in front of the safety
SAFETY
Right in front of the linebacker
LINEBACKER
In between 3 defenders
THREE
This is an awful pass, and Landry knows if he wants to catch it he will have to put himself in a very vulnerable position
VULNERABLE
Belichick Effect
The last thing I curiously noticed was how Bill Belichick defended Jarvis Landry. And I was surprised to learn that Belichick specifically keyed in on Landry when playing the Dolphins. He did everything he could to make sure Jarvis Landry did not beat him. Here are a couple of examples of what I mean.
Watch the safety on this play. He never once even looks at Cutler. He keeps his eyes on Jarvis Landry throughout the entirety of the play.
ATTENTION
This next play is pretty mind blowing considering the position Landry plays. It’s my favorite Landry play. Belichick actually has one of his linebackers chip Landry at the snap of the ball. In addition to that, the CB tries to jam him. But Landry somehow gets through it without disrupting the timing and makes a spectacular catch.
CHIP JAM
Conclusion
Is Jarvis Landry an all pro wide receiver in the traditional sense? I don’t know. What I do know is that Jarvis Landry is an all pro football player. If the Bears do sign Landry, there will surely be some fans upset with the signing. But after the first quarter of game number one, everybody will be a Jarvis Landry fan.
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