Cam Ward, the highly anticipated No. 1 overall pick of the NFL Draft, made his debut on Sunday at the Denver Broncos’ stadium. Knowing he would have only about six hours to impress during his visit, Ward came in with some lofty goals. His debut didn’t go as planned with a 20-12 loss to the Broncos. Though it was a disappointment, Ward showed flashes of his talent. He really impressed with playmaking ability and touched on his need to improve all game long.
In what turned out to be a brutal matchup for all rookie quarterbacks, Ward was off all night. He certainly didn’t help himself though. He only completed 12 of 28 passes for 112 yards. His performance resulted in an abysmal 7.3 quarterback rating, the second worst for any No. 1 overall pick since at least 2002. It was his coaches and teammates who saw Ward’s brightest flashes. His creativity was most evident in the way he would dissect coverages and make tactical decisions during the course of play.
Early Moments and First Impressions
Ward’s first successful third-down conversion was one of their best plays of the game, coming early in the contest. He deftly moved up in the pocket. He then found running back Tony Pollard in the flat, displaying his ability to extend plays. This first touchdown was an indicative taste of what he could offer as a dynamic weapon in the offense.
Despite the pressure from the Broncos’ defense, Ward managed to connect with tight end Gunnar Helm for his first NFL catch on a deep out-breaking route. He displayed his incredible arm strength and accuracy. One notable play was a laser to Helm cross field on a corner route.
As the game unfolded, protection became a challenge for Ward, and so did pulling the trigger with authority. Mims = Muffed Broncos returner Marvin Mims Jr. muffed a punt in the second quarter. He then compounded things by taking three consecutive sacks, killing his team’s scoring chances.
“There’s plays that are called when sometimes we’re getting a bad look,” – Nick Holz
Holz’s commentary sheds light on the persistent struggles that often emerge when an offense fumbles to connect correctly with defensive counter schemes.
Learning and Adjustments
From the opening through the final week, Ward demonstrated an eagerness and ability to know things must change and go faster. That was at the forefront of Coach Brian Callahan’s post-game tirade on this development.
“Cam did a great job getting us out of those bad looks.” – Nick Holz
Ward’s ability to check plays at the line of scrimmage stood out most of all. He picked up a max pressure blitz from the Broncos and made a real nice adjustment out of it that Coach Callahan was really, really happy with.
“It was a pure protection check on his own,” – Callahan
Ward was particularly proud of his ability to keep the offense flowing at the line of scrimmage. He emphasized that play-call manipulation was one of his top skills.
“We’re building that, and I think that’s one of Cam’s superpowers — that’s one of the weapons that’s going to make him a really good player in this league, his ability to operate at the line of scrimmage and manipulate the offense the way he sees fit.” – Callahan
This deep understanding of the game shows Ward’s upside moving forward as he grows into his new role as a full-time starting quarterback.
Mixed Results and Future Potential
Though disappointing in overall execution, Ward’s performance featured some great highlights that give hope for his potential going forward. He showed ability to thread the needle with pinpoint accuracy, but still had some drives that were undermined by inconsistent placement. The smartest check he shouldered at the line came on one repetition. Without sound execution, the play went for lost yardage.
While Ward is disappointed with how his NFL debut turned out, he’s glad that there is still plenty of time to develop and grow. His ability to get rid of the ball quickly has become crucial in avoiding costly sacks that can derail offensive momentum.
Though he had his struggles, the coaching staff was still very encouraged by Ward’s development. They feel like with more time and development under their belt, he can become a professional player who makes a difference at the next level.
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