by Cian Fahey

The success of Cam Newton and Russell Wilson would lead you to believe that the stigma surrounding quarterbacks who can run is dissipating. Newton was the MVP of the league in 2015 while rushing 132 times for 636 yards and 10 touchdowns. He also thrived as a passer, but his running ability was a foundation for the success of the Carolina Panthers' offense. Ron Rivera and Mike Shula incorporated Newton's rushing ability into their scheme, designing plays around his threat with and without the ball in his hands.

Newton was forced to fend off a late surge from Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson over the second half of the season. Like Newton, Wilson thrived as a passer while rushing 103 times for 553 yards. Pete Carroll doesn't incorporate Wilson's rushing ability into his scheme to the same degree as the Panthers do with Newton, but the coaching staff in Seattle does embrace Wilson's creativity and encourage him to use his legs when plays break down.

Both the Panthers and Seahawks have reaped rewards from allowing their quarterbacks to explore their own skill sets. Neither franchise has tried to force its young quarterback into the stereotypical idea of what a quarterback should be.

Unfortunately, the Panthers and Seahawks are still the exceptions to the rule.

NFL teams are more willing to commit to an incompetent statue than an inconsistent spark of athleticism. The explanation for this is typically that pocket passers are more likely to run the offense as designed. In theory this is a good explanation; any quarterback who wants to use his running ability has to be able to run a functional passing game first or his rushing ability won't be valuable. However, when you're talking about the lower-level quarterbacks -- not the Cam Newton, Aaron Rodgers, Peyton Manning types -- you're talking about quarterbacks who are incapable of running a functional offense. Those quarterbacks don't run to ruin the offense, but they do stare down receivers, miss open men, collapse against pressure, and fail to move in the pocket. They can't run a functional passing game, but they fail in a way that NFL teams apparently prefer. It's why a player such as Terrelle Pryor ends up converting to wide receiver, whereas a Mark Sanchez or Brian Hoyer is afforded opportunity after opportunity to prove himself. Even if he fails, he'll find a comfortable role as a (very rich) backup.

It's easier to buy into Newton and (to a lesser degree) Wilson, because their talent has always been obvious. The second-tier quarterbacks who rely on running as a significant part of their skill set are the ones who suffer from the stigma. Arguments can be made for a few quarterbacks, but Tyrod Taylor is the only other player who definitively fits the mold that Newton and Wilson share. Taylor was the only other quarterback in the league to rush more than 100 times (104) and for more than 500 yards (568) last year. Offensive coordinator Greg Roman, someone who has previously found success with a rushing threat at quarterback in Colin Kaepernick, allows Taylor to be creative when plays break down while also designing specific plays that put the ball in his hands attacking the line of scrimmage. Taylor is a great athlete, someone who can make defenders miss in space, outrun angles with his acceleration, and break off big plays with his long speed. More importantly, he's a smart quarterback who understands when to run and when to keep his eyes downfield to find an open receiver. Charting for the Pre-Snap Reads Quarterback Catalogue revealed that Wilson and Taylor had 13 avoidable sacks last year, second only to Blake Bortles who had 20. Those 13 avoidable sacks are problematic, a specific flaw in each player's skill set, but that flaw is mitigated by how many sacks each player avoids and, more importantly, how many first downs they can create in situations where less athletic quarterbacks would be forced to attempt passing plays they are incapable of making.

Taylor ran for 28 first downs last year. Take out kneeldowns and he had 87 rushes, for a first-down rate of 32.2 percent. That was the third-highest rate in the league. Newton was first, and Wilson was second.

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This play comes from Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts, Taylor's first ever start in the NFL. The quarterback faces a third-and-4 at the Bills' 48-yard line with 1:20 left in the second quarter. This is a pivotal point of the game, with the Bills leading 10-0. Because it's third down, Chuck Pagano's defense is masking its intentions in the hopes of confusing the inexperienced quarterback. Pagano threatens double A-gap pressure with two linebackers while a cornerback moves into a blitzing position before the ball is snapped. Taylor can see the right-sided safety rotating down, hinting that the blitz is coming from that side of the field. As a result, Taylor's first read when he gets the ball is to that side, the offensive left side of the field. He wants to throw behind the blitz to expose the preferable matchup. When the ball is snapped, the defense bails out, blitzing with one linebacker up the middle while dropping the other into man coverage. The cornerback does the same, dropping into man coverage so the defense is playing Cover-2 man.

If Taylor was a statuesque starter, he would need to bring his eyes from the far left to the far right to gain a first down on this play. He would need to do it quickly. His only open option was the in route on the opposite side of the field.

This image shows off the pivotal point of the play. Sammy Watkins was the first read, but Vontae Davis is sitting on his route. The slot receiver inside of Watkins is running a route that will take too long to develop and is running into the teeth of the coverage. The slot receiver to the other side of the field is going to encounter similar issues. Taylor doesn't have time to slowly work his way across the field. For the play to work for a statuesque passer, it would have had to have worked quickly. The Colts didn't rush contain, they sent every defender aggressively after the quarterback in the pocket without leaving a spy in behind. Against a quarterback with the running ability that Taylor possesses, this was a major mistake.

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"Rushing contain" means to rush with discipline. Every pass rusher works together, moving downfield like a Roman army in formation. They close off running lanes and keep their eyes up so they can react to any movement the quarterback makes. Because the defense rushes aggressively, Taylor can slip out of the pocket with ease and immediately find space. With the defense playing man coverage and no linebacker spying him, Taylor can gain an uncontested first down. From there, he makes one defender miss to continue downfield for a 31-yard gain that moves the Bills offense into scoring position. One more 5-yard scramble from the quarterback leads to a 26-yard touchdown run from Karlos Williams, giving the Bills a commanding 17-0 lead at halftime that they wouldn't relinquish.

Not all quarterbacks who can run are the same. Some are just fast; some are fast and quick but are only elusive in open space. The very best runners are able to create in tight areas, elude defenders in space, show off explosiveness in space, and possess an understanding of timing and patience to work with his blockers. Taylor isn't just a great athlete, he's a great runner. He will thrive in both designed runs and scrambling situations because of his vision.

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Taylor consistently makes the right decision on read-option runs. Read-option runs are ideal for opening up running lanes for the running back and managing situational football to keep the offense ahead of the down-and-distance. In the above play against the Kansas City Chiefs, Taylor reads Tamba Hali's positioning extremely early to escape outside. He turns a second-and-10 into a third-and-1 without any risk.

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The above play against the Dallas Cowboys is a startling one that comes in the final moments. This first down ices the game for the Bills. Having this weapon in this scenario is valuable for the Bills, but more significant is the fear that Taylor puts in the linebacker Anthony Hitchens. Hitchens is terrified of Taylor because he has eluded defenders in space all game. He concedes so much ground to the quarterback that the first down is gained almost unopposed. This fear is justified because Taylor can break off huge gains on designed runs.

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In this play, Taylor again makes a good, quick decision in the read-option to cross the line of scrimmage, but it's after the line of scrimmage where he makes his biggest impact. Less intelligent runners will immediately run towards the sideline in this situation. Taylor doesn't do that. Taylor recognizes the blocking in front of him and presses the inside, forcing the cornerback to engage the tight end ahead of him. That tight end didn't even need to execute his block, Taylor forcing the cornerback to commit gave the quarterback the opportunity to turn back and escape around the outside unopposed. An extremely difficult first-and-17 becomes an ideal second-and-1.

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Not all designed runs are options. The Bills don't rely on designed runs but they do sprinkle them into the game plan. In the above play against the Tennessee Titans, the Bills were missing their top receivers and had struggled offensively throughout the first three quarters. A previous scramble from Taylor had set them up in scoring position, and Roman turned to a designed run so Taylor could escape to the second level. Taylor was met by one defender in the hole who he easily bent his run away from; he was then immediately met by a second defender, who he avoided with a jump cut. From there, the quarterback had the awareness to look for the sideline and the speed to reach the end zone.

Designed runs are safer than scrambles because the quarterback can't miss an opportunity downfield by dropping his eyes to run too early. Taylor is an extremely patient quarterback, to the point that it can get him in trouble. His patience makes him a reluctant runner, allowing him to search out open receivers downfield on a consistent basis.

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In the four plays above, Taylor reacts to the situation that develops in front of him. He hasn't decided that he is going to run immediately if his first read isn't there. This is an important evaluation to make, because one of the pitfalls of evaluating quarterbacks who can run is presuming that they are all the same. There are quarterbacks who can break off big gains and elude defenders in space, but they don't necessarily show off the awareness and patience with their eyes that Taylor does. Taylor is able to strike at the perfect time because he gives passing plays every opportunity before looking to run.

These plays aren't just window dressing. He does regularly find receivers downfield after the initial stage of the play.

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Against the Miami Dolphins on second-and-1, shown in the above GIF, Taylor is executing a straightforward bootleg play-action. He has one receiver underneath running parallel with him. That receiver is covered by a linebacker. He has another receiver running deep down the sideline, Sammy Watkins. Watkins was slow to release because of the underneath coverage, throwing off the timing of the play. Taylor is forced to hold the ball longer than intended because his intermediate crossing route, Charles Clay, is now running to a spot where Watkins and the left cornerback are. That cornerback is playing Cover-3, so he is the player the offense is targeting with this passing concept. As the timing of the play is thrown off downfield, Taylor is being pursued by two Dolphins defenders. As they close on him, he remains poised, showing off the correct posture to throw the ball comfortably and keeping his eyes downfield.

Taylor holds the ball just long enough for his tight end to uncover, but he knows he has to take a hit. The impending hit doesn't impact his mechanics as he delivers an accurate pass to Clay.

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One thing that potentially makes Taylor unique is his ability to throw while moving left. Over the course of this quarterback series, I've found that quarterbacks struggle significantly throwing down the left sideline. For example: Andrew Luck was accurate on 55.6 percent of his nine attempts that travelled 21-plus yards downfield and Aaron Rodgers hit just 31.8 percent of his 22 attempts. Taylor was accurate on 54.8 percent of his 31 attempts that travelled 21-plus yards downfield despite regularly attempting throws on the move such as the three shown above.

Making plays outside of the pocket is more valuable than the NFL realizes, but the foundation of any quarterback's success will be from the pocket. That is because NFL coaches design their offenses to function with the quarterback in the pocket. The pass protection and route combinations only work as designed if the quarterback delivers the ball from that specific spot. That doesn't mean you need to ask the quarterback to do exceptionally difficult or technical things to be effective from the pocket. Greg Roman's offense perfectly played to the strengths and weaknesses of Taylor's skill set.



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Tyrod Taylor Accuracy Chart, 2015 Yardage Within 5 6-15 16-25 26-plus Outside Numbers Left 88.2% 34 72.7% 33 66.7% 18 52.2% 23 Outside Hashes Left 95.5% 44 87.5% 16 0.0% 1 25.0% 4 Between Hashes 100.0% 12 100.0% 9 100.0% 3 66.7% 3 Outside Hashes Right 90.0% 30 85.7% 14 33.3% 3 100.0% 1 Outside Numbers Right 85.7% 42 68.6% 35 60.0% 15 50.0% 16

The above chart reflects Taylor's accuracy for the season as a whole. Charting for the Pre-Snap Reads Quarterback Catalogue gave Taylor a 77.4 percent accuracy rate, ranking him 16th in the NFL. Considering how often he threw downfield, that ranking doesn't do his performances justice. It may be tough to see in the above chart, but the Bills built an offense that was focused on taking shots down both sidelines. The below chart offers a better visualization.

Taylor was essentially a rookie last season, so protecting him as a passer was always going to be a priority. Roman did this by crafting an offense that aggressively took shots downfield while almost completely avoiding the middle of the field on intermediate throws. Throwing outside is easier than attacking the middle of the field because you don't have lingering linebackers or safeties waiting to tighten windows or come from blind spots. In this offense, Taylor flourished. He ranked eighth in interceptable passes, throwing one every 34.6 attempts. Roman could afford to completely avoid intermediate throws because Taylor compensated by creating plays with his feet, and his deep ball was extremely impressive.

The former Baltimore Ravens backup has impressive arm talent. He can drop the ball on a dime from 50 yards away with relative ease.

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Over the second half of last season, Taylor showed off more comfort in the pocket, which allowed him to be more aggressive. This is what allowed Sammy Watkins to shine. Watkins and Taylor, as can be seen in the above GIFs, developed a rapport that allowed both players to thrive. Watkins can beat any defensive back in the league; he's the next in the line of great receivers to emerge. Combining him with a precision deep passer like Taylor and a scheme that encourages the quarterback to go deep should only elevate both players over the coming years. Watkins' and Taylor's connection on deep throws was a big reason the Bills ranked first in play-action effectiveness, something Sterling Xie wrote about on FO this week.

Roman deserves a lot of credit for how he worked with Taylor last year. Taylor deserves a huge amount of credit too, particularly for his poise in the pocket, especially when throwing against pressure.

The final aspect of the offense that Roman emphasized was route combinations. He didn't rely on isolation routes, Roman attacked a specific area of the field with multiple receivers on different levels. This allowed Taylor to show off his acumen in reading coverages without asking him to go through a progression from one sideline to the other.

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The Bills use stacked receivers a lot. Roman wants to keep his receivers together, so stacking them on top of each other makes sense. Even when they are not stacked on top of each other or in a three-man bunch, he will line them up tight to each other more often than most coordinators. In the above play against the Philadelphia Eagles, that tight alignment can be seen in the right slot, where Robert Woods and Charles Clay are. Clay leads Woods down the seam. Against this zone coverage, both receivers are being left to the lone deep safety. Clay takes the safety away from the middle of the field before Woods breaks behind him. Taylor was reading the deep safety and knows he can safely deliver the ball down the middle of the field to Woods. Had the defense played man coverage and neither Woods nor Clay been options, Taylor had LeSean McCoy running underneath into his line of vision for a check-down completion.

Making this coverage read isn't necessarily easy. It's more that the read itself doesn't require Taylor to move his body while he moves his brain. Regardless, he delivers the ball with timing and accuracy, even if Woods falls over after catching it.

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Signs exist that suggest Taylor can take on a more expansive passing game next season. In the above play against Washington, Taylor holds the deep safety with his eyes against the Tampa-2 coverage. With perfect timing, he brings his eyes away from the deep safety to read the outside cornerback. If the cornerback stays outside, he can hit his inside receiver. If the cornerback jumps inside like expected, Taylor has the arm talent to take advantage of the safety's held positioning for a first down. As he regularly was during his rookie season, John Miller was beaten quickly on the play so Taylor had a blocker arriving in his lap as he released the ball. The defender pushing Miller back hit him low after the ball had been released.



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None of that bothered Taylor as he remained poised and executed the play perfectly... from the pocket.

Expecting Taylor to develop much past who he is right now is unrealistic. He may have only started for one year, but he will be 27 years old before the start of this season. Taylor was forced to waste the early stages of his career as a backup because of his style of play. The narrative that he took major strides forward is tough to swallow because he was showing off the traits that are the foundation of his skill set right now back during his first preseason in the league. What should be comforting to Bills fans is that he doesn't need to develop any further to be a quality starting quarterback. He can be an above-average starter so long as his athleticism remains close to where it was in 2015.