Chicago Bears Wide Receiver Anthony Miller 2017 Review: Week 7
In Part 6 of our Anthony Miller 2017 season review, Miller has an up and down game against a high level opponent in Houston.
Part six of our running Anthony Miller 2017 season review diary will feature his week 7 performance against Houston. Part one covered a highlight caliber game against UCLA. However, in part two and part three we look at two down performances against Southern Illinois and UCF.
Part four saw a huge bounce back against UConn and another strong performance in part five. How did he fare against Houston?
Week 7
Anthony Miller had one of the more quiet 10 catch, 178 yard performances in recent memory. The crazy part is that it could have been more. This game could be broken down into the bad, the good, and the what could have been.
The Bad
One of the storylines that I have followed with Miller around this season are how consistent his hands are. Over the past couple of games he began to put that to rest with contested catches and one handed hauls. However, it is brought back up with a poor performance against Houston in this regard.
Anthony Miller dropped four passes near the line of scrimmage and right in his bread basket.
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On top of that, he struggled to fight for a jump ball in the end zone with his lack of strength and size. Miller has been targeted in these jump ball situations three times so far and has one touchdowns, one incompletion and one interception.
For the fourth time this season, Memphis lined Miller up as the flexed out tight end and looked to get him the ball in the flats. He caught this one, and turned it up field for 15 yards, making him 2-3 with 24 yards on these plays.
However, this play is being shown in the bad. The fumble at the end is tough and does speak to the up and down nature of his ability to be a physical receiver.
The Good
However, it can be argued that for as many passes as Anthony Miller dropped against Houston, he made up for. He did put up 178 yards after all. Three times Miller was able to make an excellent play towards the sideline, two resulted in first downs.
You can see his tremendous body control and understanding of where the sideline is to haul in these passes. This is something he has shown throughout his tape so far. What is so impressive is how consistently turns these into “NFL catches” with two feet.
So, by the half way point of his 2017 season it can be fair to admit that every once in a while he is going to cost you a catch you think he should have had. However, at the same clip, he is making a catch you did not think he would have.
What could have been?
Yes, he could have done more than 10 catches and 178 yards. Miller drew a pass interference in the end zone that resulted in points. What stands out in this play is his ability to fight back through the ball in traffic. His shortcomings in physicality are not effort based.
On top of that, Anthony Miller was able to get deep twice on Houston only to stand around and wait for the ball to come his way.
Below, he has a step on two Houston defenders. However, 50 yards down the field Miller has to undercut the safety to make the catch, but lose all yards after the catch.
Ferguson is throwing from the far hash, and those are further than the NFL hashes. However, this 31 yard pass has Miller waiting for the ball to come to him, which again cuts off all yards after the catch ability.
Eight catches of 10 yards or more and two catches of 30 yards or more and you are feeling like much more could have been had. Miller has flaws, and most of them are things out of his control. However, Miller brings it, and with an NFL quarterback, you have to like what you are seeing from Miller so far.
Routes:
Screens: 22-29, 176 yards
Curls: 5-7, 49 yards
Post: 6-10, 198 yards 1 TD
Go: 6-15, 133 yards, 5 TDs
In: 2-2, 24 yards, 1 TD
Cross: 6-8, 75 yards 2 TD
Slant: 3-7, 71 yards
Comeback: 4-5 39 yards
Out: 1-3 9 yards
269 yards after the catch