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Case Keenum is not throwing catchable balls

Case Keenum was missing badly in the first half vs the 49ers, Nick Mullens was not missing at all

By Joe Mahoney
NFL: Denver Broncos at San Francisco 49ers Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Case Keenum was off-target early and often against the 49ers. I looked at every throw he made in the first half. On those throws where he was attempted to complete a pass (not throwing the ball away) he was accurate on eight of fourteen. Overall he was 7 of 15 for 43 yards in the first half. Below is an analysis of all 17 of his throws (one was negated because of the roughing penalty and one was negated because of the grounding penalty).

throw # Accurate? Result
1 No - way off, would have taken a great play by Sutton incomplete
2 No - into the ground to the right and in front of Lindsay incomplete
3 Yes complete for 7 yards
4 No - out in front of Lindsay, he had to make a one-handed snag complete for 7 yards
5 No - in front an high targetting Patrick incomplete
6 Yes - hits Patrick in-stride complete for 15 yards
7 Yes - hits Patrick in hands - dropped almost picked incomplete
8 No - throw is too far in front of Lindsay who had room to run incomplete
9 Yes - Booker has ball knocked out of his hands incomplete
10 Yes - good throw to Sutton complete for 4 yards
11 Yes - Keenum expects Hamilton to make defender miss - he doesn't complete for -1 yard
12 tried to throw ball away - called for intentional grounding grounding penalty
13 Yes - screen to Lindsay on 3rd and 26 complete for 4 yards
14 No - overthrown to Sutton - holding on Sherman incomplete
15 Yes - dump off over the middle to Booker with pocket collapsing complete for 7 yards
16 beached to avoid sack - thrown at feet of receiver incomplete
17 thrown away to avoid sack incomplete

When he was missing, he was missing badly.

First throw of the game from Keenum - Sutton would have had to make a spectacular catch to grab it
This was Keenum’s second throw - Tim Tebow approves of this throw to the grass in front of Phillip Lindsay.
Keenum’s 4th throw - Lindsay has to make one-handed snag.
5th throw - high and way in front of Patrick

I think you get the picture.

Keenum, who is supposed to be a very accurate passer, was not in the first half on Sunday. Many of these throws were not under pressure, so he has no excuse for his inaccuracy.

Why does this bother me so much? Because Nick Mullens was accurate with almost every pass he threw in the first half. I looked at all of his throws in the first half. Here is the same analysis for him. Remember that he is their 3rd string QB called up from the practice squad making his 5th NFL start.

throw # Accurate? Result
1 Yes - hits Kittles in-stride tackled immediately complete for 5
2 Yes - hits Bourne no defender within 5 yards complete for 10
3 Yes - hits Kittles behind the LBs on right complete for 31
4 Yes - hits FB in the flat complete for 4
5 Yes - FB drops pass that hits him in the hands incomplete
6 beached it do avoid sack incomplete
7 Yes - Simmons was holding Kittles incomplete - penalty
8 ? Tipped at LOS incomplete
9 Yes - hits Kittles in-stride tackled immediately complete for 6 yards
10 Yes - screen pass to Morris complete for 3 yards
11 Yes - ball is caught then knocked out by Yiadom incomplete
12 Yes - good throw to Goodwin complete for 13
13 Yes - Kittles hit in-stride missed tackles abound complete for 52
14 Yes - Kittles his behind the blown coverage complete for 85 TD
15 No - throws it right into Jewel's back incomplete
16 Yes - hits Jurcyzyk in-stride complete for 17
17 ? - tipped at LOS, caught by Joe Staley complete for -5
18 Yes - Goodwin catches and then fumbles negated by penalty
19 ? - tipped at LOS by Shelby Harris incomplete
20 Yes - hits Bourne on 10-yd IN complete for 12
21 ? - tipped ball by Von incomplete
22 Yes - Cravens makes a good play on the ball - call for DPI negated by penalty
23 Yes - hits Bourne over the middle in-stride negated by penalty
24 Yes - Hits Kittles over the middle complete for 13
25 ? - tipped by Shelby Harris at LOS incomplete
26 Yes - another catch by Kittles complete for 18
27 Yes - dump off to Wilson behind LOS complete for 6 yards
28 ? - thrown into ground in front of receiver who tripped on his own feet - DPI called on Yiadom penalty
29 Yes - fade route to Pettis complete for 1 TD

Even if we call his tipped passes inaccurate throws, Nick Mullens was accurate on 22 of his 29 throws in the first half against us. He had six passes tipped at the LOS and finished the first half 16 of 24 for 271 yards and two TDs. If we leave out the tipped passes, he was accurate on 21 of 23 throws.

And yes, I know that we were playing a street free agent that was signed a few days prior, Jamar Taylor, and a rookie with very little game experience, Isaac Yiadom, at cornerback, but it should not be that easy to throw the ball on ANY NFL defense.

I also know that we shut their offense down in the second half; Mullens was 4 of 9 for 61 yards and an INT in the second half. They scored zero points in the second half. Why did it take us the entire first half of the game to adjust? Also can someone explain to me why our $18 million/year QB couldn’t get it close to his intended receiver most of the first half while their undrafted practice squad QB looked like Tom Brady?

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