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Living in the past?
- 1 2
May 7, 2010 at 4:30 PM
- saj4423
- Veteran
- Posts: 2,021
when everyone is going in one direction you will find your niche going in the other direction.
May 8, 2010 at 9:45 AM
- Nes49
- Veteran
- Posts: 6,105
Originally posted by DertyDonahue:Originally posted by Nes49:
Future - Bad
Past - Good
As in the past since 2003?
As in 80's.....the best era...ever.
May 8, 2010 at 10:30 AM
- bret
- Veteran
- Posts: 1,167
It boils down to this: McCloughan successfully raised the talent level on our club. However, in one area the jury is still out (QB), and in one other, he failed miserably: O-Line!
To run a power offense we need strong, tough linemen. But the strong, tough linemen McCloughan brought in were also (generally) SLOW The two best linemen on our club are Staley and Heitman, and they are also the quickest! Speed kills in this league!
Our best picks in the first round have been Willis, Davis and Staley. And they might be the three quickest players at their positions in the entire league. The only "speed" player who hasn't done that well is Manny Lawson. And frankly, just because he doesn't have the bulk and secondary moves to be a great pass rusher, doesn't negate the fact that his speed is an asset in pass coverage and in sealing the edge against the run. Crabtree may not have Ginn-type speed, but he's amazingly fast out of his breaks, which is why he always seems to be open.
Of the later round picks, we have tended to take strength plus character over speed. You can gain strength through training. But you're born with speed. And that's why I think our middle round picks have been only marginally successful The ones that are exceptions all have compensating factors: Gore is not that fast, but he is insanely quick to hit the hole; Delani Walker is very quick for his position; Morgan's speed is adequate getting out of his breaks without being field-stretching; and Goldson seems to have better than timed speed on the playing field.
The two exceptions in drafting seem to be Ray McDonald (who has been a great situational pass-rusher because of his speed), and Jason hill, who has performed well when given opportunities, but who has had injuries stand in the way. Even so, I suspect that his straight line speed doesn't translate well into the speed at which he plays the game.
I'm hopeful that with the additions of Davis and Iupati, we will finally have strength AND speed on our line! (And Taylor Mays MAY be a bust, but his speed gives him the potential to be a difference-maker like we've rarely seen on this team after the first round!)
To run a power offense we need strong, tough linemen. But the strong, tough linemen McCloughan brought in were also (generally) SLOW The two best linemen on our club are Staley and Heitman, and they are also the quickest! Speed kills in this league!
Our best picks in the first round have been Willis, Davis and Staley. And they might be the three quickest players at their positions in the entire league. The only "speed" player who hasn't done that well is Manny Lawson. And frankly, just because he doesn't have the bulk and secondary moves to be a great pass rusher, doesn't negate the fact that his speed is an asset in pass coverage and in sealing the edge against the run. Crabtree may not have Ginn-type speed, but he's amazingly fast out of his breaks, which is why he always seems to be open.
Of the later round picks, we have tended to take strength plus character over speed. You can gain strength through training. But you're born with speed. And that's why I think our middle round picks have been only marginally successful The ones that are exceptions all have compensating factors: Gore is not that fast, but he is insanely quick to hit the hole; Delani Walker is very quick for his position; Morgan's speed is adequate getting out of his breaks without being field-stretching; and Goldson seems to have better than timed speed on the playing field.
The two exceptions in drafting seem to be Ray McDonald (who has been a great situational pass-rusher because of his speed), and Jason hill, who has performed well when given opportunities, but who has had injuries stand in the way. Even so, I suspect that his straight line speed doesn't translate well into the speed at which he plays the game.
I'm hopeful that with the additions of Davis and Iupati, we will finally have strength AND speed on our line! (And Taylor Mays MAY be a bust, but his speed gives him the potential to be a difference-maker like we've rarely seen on this team after the first round!)
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