Anthony Miller 2017 Review: Week 3
In the second part of our season long Anthony Miller breakdown, we dig into his week three performance against Southern Illinois
As we approach a long offseason it is time to put every player under the microscope to see what is to be had in 2018. We have looked into Roquan Smith and now is time for Anthony Miller.
This is part two of the series that is a game by game note diary of where Anthony Miller lines up, what routes he ran, and what he looked like and did on tape. In part one, we looked at his first two games. In Part Two, his week 3 game against Southern Illinois.
Week 3
I bet if you asked Miller about his performance against Southern Illinois, he would talk about how frustrating it was. Anthony Miller was targeted 12 times, and ran the ball three times, but ended up six just six receptions for 47 yards and five rushing yards.
It did start with a touchdown, though. Early into the game Memphis was going to the undersized receiver at the one yard line with a fade type of route.
In the first post it was questioned how great his hands were in tight windows. He was able to get off of the ball quick and show off that trait in a red zone spot, somewhere that is not always associated with his name.
However, the next target was a pass thrown slightly behind Miller, and Miller dropped it. You could tell he wanted that one back, and from there, he seemed to be pressing to get it going.
Riley Ferguson missed him deep on their next target. You could see the frustration from Miller, who knew he beat his man and thought he could have made something happen there.
From there, the two struggled to get together down the field.
Memphis got Miller the ball in the short passing game, and
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created there a bit. He ended up with just 47 receiving yards in this game, but added 41 yards after the catch to his total.
Still, 40 of those yards after the catch came on three receptions, and Ferguson finished his day 6-12 looking that way. They tried to get Miller going in the running game but even that just ended with frustration.
Below was his best run of the three. He burst into the open field and then tripped over his own feet, picking up just four yards in the process. Again, you can sense his frustration as the two other carries combined for one yard.
The two passes highlighted above where Miller dropped it when thrown a bit behind and saw one fall off of his fingertips deep down the field were the only two misses in which Miller had any chance to haul in the pass.
Ferguson was not strong in this game and Miller was paying the price with a poor stat line against a weaker foe. Still, Miller was pressing out of the gate to try to put on a show and at times it cost him with the ball in his hands.
He had four screen passes that picked up 34 yards, and three rushes for five yards. He was pressing and not creating. Here are his overall splits through two weeks
Routes:
Screens: 7-10, 65 yards
Curls: 2-3, 17 yards
Post: 2-4, 76 yards
Go: 2-6, 34 yards, 2 TDs
In: 2-2, 24 yards, 1 TD
Cross: 1-3, 5 yards
Slant: 1-2, 34 yards
Comeback: 0-1
137 yards after the catch