Originally posted by WRATHman44:
Originally posted by mkmasn:
Originally posted by Joecool:
So, Delanie Walker was our weakest blocking TE prior to 2011 season. If blocking is his primary role...then he can EASILY be replaced by a TE who can block better, yet still produce Walker's receiving numbers.
2006 Davis, Walker, Bajema, Jennings
2007 Davis, Walker, Bajema, Jennings
2008 Davis, Bajema, Jennings, Walker
2009 Davis, Walker, Brian Jennings
2010 Davis, Walker, Nate Byham. Injured.
Wooo... yea, worst blocker we've had. Where'd they go? Hell, Bajema was only 3 years into his career when we picked up Walker.... I wonder why?
Dude, you are being ridiculous. There are several #2 TEs in the league with better production than #1s in this league, which I guess is your excuse for failing to post vastly superior #s from many TEs around the league. Your assertion that you know why the 49ers put their team in certain personnel groups is comical, considering that they have stated and demonstrated to the contrary with great frequency. The 49ers have stated through the years (specifically, during this regime and before it) that they like using 2 TE sets because it makes them more dangerous as both a running and passing team, since they get the luxury of passing against run-stopping personnel. Walker was a WR in college and was a terrible blocker while he was learning his craft (about 2-3 seasons). The Matts reported it several times (often saying that his blocking was what kept him off the field) during those years. Another falacy that comes from interpreting stats instead of watching the games is that you discount plays like the wheel route he caught this year, where he beat single LB coverage on the sideline because VD pulled the secondary to the seam, Alex found him deep, and he ran the rest of the way untouched down the sideline for the score. It totally padded his YAC and YPC stats because he only had 18 other receptions on the year ( a year in which he only averaged 3.5 yards after the catch). They let go of Bajema because they knew they could draft a cheaper blocking TE (they drafted and cut Pascoe, then drafted and kept Byham). You don't pay veteran salaries for a skill set you can pay rookie scale for.
I watched or listened to every single game the past 10 years (tough to find an internet video stream with horrible net speeds in Afghanistan) and I seem to recall more plays where Walker was open underneath and ran for the extra yardage. And the stats back it up. That what stats are for...
Yea i agree, it's so comical to think a personnel grouping with blockers in it is going to end up running a play where we need blocking. Oops... sorry, forgot about the
few jumbo play actions plays to the big guys (wait, that's it, only a few?)...
How has this regime demonstrated anything other than what I have shown you they've DONE. Considering this was the only season this regime has been here, they can only demonstrate what their intentions were during that season. Since we know, FOR A FACT, Walker was utilized more in a blocking role than a receiving role, it seems what you would consider their intentions is far different than what their intentions were. They can tell the media their intentions are one thing and then your blocking TE gets hurt and, "oh no! we need you to block, Delanie." When Singletary was in charge, old man Raye would put us in 3rd and forever, forcing us to go deep, which is why you see Delanie have a few more longer receptions.
Haven't we already determined he's not being paid much? So we're better off drafting Fleener and pay him more money? I think we have more pressing needs at pick #30... OL, DL, WR, maybe another LB, CB, or S? I'd put my money on OL at 30.
And no, we're not discounting any big plays, those numbers are for his CAREER. But, just to show you how wrong you are, THIS year, 19 catches at an avg of 10.4 yds ~ 198 yds... which is what he had. 2 plays were for 20+ yds, longest was 29 yds. we're not discounting anything there...his next longest was 19 yds, then 10. So, out of 19 catches, only 3 of them were deep. The rest were where? 5-7 yds with a few YAC. Hrm... Odd.
A wheel route... You understand what that is, right? You start off running towards the flat just around the line of scrimmage, then turn upfield when you get outside the hash (or midway between the hash and sideline in the NFL). Depending on the primary read, you may get the ball at the LOS, and get some YAC, or, in the case you spoke about, the primary read (VD, in this case) is covered, as you progress through the reads, more time elapses and the wheel route gets pushed further down field. So, a designed 5-10 yard gain from a wheel route can very well be a 29 yd TD. In a trips bunch formation it is designed to be a little quicker because the route runner is already near the flat. It ends up being a misdirection, ISO, even a screen of sorts, depending on the offensive philosophy.
As I've said already (might be in another thread), with no legit #1, it is EASY to cover our threats. Every single play they can double cover someone AND keep a safety over the top AND keep the box stacked (no need to play the LBs deep to cover TEs with a S over the top), which is most likely why you remember him not being able to break free from a safety deep. The linebacker covers him until 10 yds, then he's got the safety to take over... simple zone coverage... Even in man there's still a safety over the top with crabs or VD doubled.
If you want to see the stats for ALL tightends, go look at them, I told you exactly where I pulled the stats from. Otherwise, be happy with the group of 6 or 7 in exact order to show that our #2 TE is in good company, and has similar stats. The only excuse for spouting off arguments without checking is laziness.
This year with a legit #1 and hopefully Byham back, both Walker and Smith are going to silence all you haters. Bank it.
[ Edited by mkmasn on Apr 23, 2012 at 5:14 PM ]
