Quarterback timing
 

What is your take on the "timing" rating for quarterbacks?

FOF2004 seems inconsistent on the subject.

According to the help file for the player information screen, quarterbacks are rated for their "ability to take advantage of defensive miscues (timing)"

According to the file format information in the player file generator, timing is the "ability to connect with receivers who deviate from the planned play."

These sound like two different things to me. If they are different, which one is correct?

And what does the term "defensive miscues" mean in the context of FOF2004?

Finally, in the context of FOF2004, what would make a receiver deviate from the planned play and how often does this happen?

I'm totally guessing here, but I'm going to go with the second option (deviating receivers) only because so many rookies come out with crummy ratings everywhere except Timing. It would seem to me that exploiting defensive miscues would be a skill that one would learn, not have inherently. Perhaps I'm overestimating the depth of FOF though.

As to your last two questions, I'm even less insightful.

FYI - here is a clarification from support at solecismic.

So I guess both explanations were right.

Looks like some of it then would be related to "hot" routes.

Hmm...I always thought timing was the same thing as "touch". That'll learn me to read the help file more often.

I guess I really must go and read the help file for every single stat. Expecting football terminology to mean in FOF what it means in real life seems very misguided at times. I assumed 'timing' would refer to a QB's ability in connecting on what are often called 'timing routes' in football.

Am I alone in finding it a little odd that FOF should use football terms in such eccentric ways?

Not at all.

What do you mean with support at solecismic? that you emailed Jim? Because if he answer that kind of stuff, i think i have some emails to send him. Of course if he answers i'll post here the info. There are some ratings thag i still don't underestand in FOF and that are impossible to issolate when runing multiple seasons tests.

Maybe we can also start a thread about all the ratings, posting what the manual says about them and then discussing about it. It could be even fun to see what we think about each rating and if we are right or not. Do you guys want to do it? i bet Quicksand would be volunteer to discuss about each rating as i have same thoughts than him about the provided info.

I offer myself to start that thread and post all the manual info for each rating for us to discuss. Of course if i'm the only one it won't be usefull at all.

You think this one is bad, what do you think the Getting Downfield rating for WRs refers to?

Luckily, through trawling the archives here, I was aware that it relates to yards after catch. Like just about everyone else, I previously naturally assumed it described a receiver's ability get off the line of scrimmage and/or run deep routes.

I think Jim has created an awesome game, but his football terminology beggars belief.

(I also assumed that 'volatility' referred to a player's personality - his likelihood of having bust-ups and so on. Maybe it was just me on that one. A better word might have been 'scope' or something?)

I email support at solecismic.com. The reply comes from [can't remember the guy's name right now], but I assume the answer is from Jim.

Wow, I always assumed timing meant something else. So it more means "improvisitational ability," talk about a mindfuck.

I find this interesting as well given that the data file that came with my mp league has my starting qb, Donovan McNabb, with a timing rating of 3/6! That means McNabb is apparently playing more like Trent Dilfer. No offense to all the Dilfer fans out there...