Anthony Dixon vs Rock Cartwright

Originally posted by Frisco69ers:
Pros for both

Dixon 6-1 235: can be a power back (esp. with Jacobs hurt), plays well on ST, and can play FB and block better than Rock.

Rock 5-8 215: has return skills, vet leadership & exp, also tackels well on ST, has shown some nice running ability at his age

Overall after the HOU game I have Dixon above Roc as of right now. Dixon made a nice catch and made good cuts on his runs. He also provides versatility b/c he can play FB as well. And yeah Roc has return skills but so does Ginn, Williams, LMJ, and Nelms.

All hail BIG DIX!

Rock can return??? And even if he can, it's irrelevant because no chance he would ever do any of that here.

Originally posted by cciowa:

Originally posted by Frisco69ers:
but if you watch that run from last week when he only had 1 yard the whole oline got torched and he nad nowhere to go. in the Hou game he had nice 9 yard run and made some nice moves on the defenders. Also you saying we can use Rock as a RB is crap, he will never get a run when Gore, Hunter, Jacobs and James are ahead of him, so he doesnt have value at RB. Also he wont ever be returing kicks back b/c of Ginn, Williams and James. So the only thing he provides to this team is a ST tackler and vet leadership. Now when you compare those 2 traits to what Dixon can proivde as a power back and a blocking RB/FB who also plays good ST, its an easy decison. IMO

what has james done so far to make you think he will be a good returner. rock has done it in the past in the nfl for several years. i will take production over "potential" any day. the words dixon and "power back' should never be used in the same sentence. i also believe in goal line situations, you will see jacobs and rock back there together.

Exactly, and college doesn't mean s**t to me when returning is involved. Much tougher in the Pro's. Give me guys like Ginn and Rock over Kyle and James. Do I think in long run James will be better? Hell yeah I do, but not now, he looks to shaky, and I wouldn't dare put him back there in game 1, talk about a no win situation.

Rock also has a cooler name but dixon is the better back and has more value. outside of jacobs we dont have another big back and dixon can block and run as an fb too if we need him too. also pretty solid on ST.

Neither will see the field as a running back unless there are a ton of injuries. The debate is entirely about special teams value and involves every bubble player, not just these two.

Originally posted by niners420:
Rock can return??? And even if he can, it's irrelevant because no chance he would ever do any of that here.

No chance? See: Kyle Williams, NFC Championship Game

Originally posted by hondakillerzx:
Rock also has a cooler name but dixon is the better back and has more value. outside of jacobs we dont have another big back and dixon can block and run as an fb too if we need him too. also pretty solid on ST.

I have serious reservations about Dixon's short yardage ability. He may be a good ST player, but Rock appears to be equal to or better in that department. I just think Rock is the more versatile player, Harbaugh loves versatility, thus Rock stays. Dixon only stays if Jacobs gets cut and that isn't going to happen.

Originally posted by midrdan:

Originally posted by hondakillerzx:
Rock also has a cooler name but dixon is the better back and has more value. outside of jacobs we dont have another big back and dixon can block and run as an fb too if we need him too. also pretty solid on ST.

I have serious reservations about Dixon's short yardage ability. He may be a good ST player, but Rock appears to be equal to or better in that department. I just think Rock is the more versatile player, Harbaugh loves versatility, thus Rock stays. Dixon only stays if Jacobs gets cut and that isn't going to happen.

weve got three backs that are small, gore is short but he isnt exactly small but he isnt really the battering ram that jacobs and dixon are. i think it would make more sense to keep the bigger back between rock and dixon. he didnt look too bad in the last couple games. he got stuffed once when our line got cut in half but he did a good job everywhere else.

Originally posted by niners420:
Rock can return??? And even if he can, it's irrelevant because no chance he would ever do any of that here.

yes he can and what makes you think he will never get a chance. if the season began today he may very well be the primary backup kick returner to ginn. you know ginn could get hurt. It is good we have some good backups like him and cox. the team is being pro active unlike last year when ginn got hurt and we had no back up plan other than get reggie smith back there to recieve kicks. the lack of respect for special teams stuns be around here at times

Originally posted by Frisco69ers:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DILc30T5i8

that is nice but this is the nfl,, moving forward what has he done so far ? now i am hoping the kid does turn out to be our main kick returner next year but for now,, no

Originally posted by midrdan:
I have serious reservations about Dixon's short yardage ability. He may be a good ST player, but Rock appears to be equal to or better in that department. I just think Rock is the more versatile player, Harbaugh loves versatility, thus Rock stays. Dixon only stays if Jacobs gets cut and that isn't going to happen.

exactly,, you and AB are spot on

Originally posted by cciowa:

Originally posted by midrdan:
I have serious reservations about Dixon's short yardage ability. He may be a good ST player, but Rock appears to be equal to or better in that department. I just think Rock is the more versatile player, Harbaugh loves versatility, thus Rock stays. Dixon only stays if Jacobs gets cut and that isn't going to happen.

exactly,, you and AB are spot on

based on the most recent game, even throwing in the first game...they are not spot on. Dixon has converted more 1st downs than Cartwright...much more I believe.

I went back and looked at game stats for week 1 and week 2.

Dixon had 3 1st downs in week 1 and Cartwright 2

Dixon week 2 1, Cartwright 0

Dixon has a whopping 10 yard more and 5 more carries averaging 3.4 yards, Cartwright has 12 carries for 48 yards a average of 4.0 yards

And both have 2 catches, Rock has 6 yards, Dixon 7 yards.

I don't say Rock has looked absolutely great, but behind a 2nd team OL vs 1 1st team DL isn't a big negative towards him. No run could run behind likes of Person, Hall, Beeler, Kilgore and get positive yards, no disrespect to them, but the DL of Houston is a great DL.

And I go off the fact Rock is 1. Fast, 2. a Vet with proven track record, and 3. cost as little as Dixon does. and a 4th IMO Dixon carries no value as a backup FB.

Dixon had 2 1st down conversion in the second game... the second one a catch and run for a 1st down, which I believe was on a 3rd down.

and if you watch him as a full back he has made some nice blocks, but MORE importantly, he has done Great in pass protection.

forget gamelogs AB, watch the footage of all the offensive snaps in that thread.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ymVU-4rntIA

most of Carts yards (for his higher carrying yardage average) was from that big run in the first game where there was a HUGE hole.

in the second game Cart did not have a good game running the ball...and dropped a key pass on 2nd and 7 that would've got us a first or closer for a shorter 3rd down...in fact we were at 2nd and 7, because Cart didn't get anything really on first down..even though no defender was in the backfield....you could see #67raising his hands at Cart after the play chatting with him after. (not in that youtube video because it gets cut off, but in the full game replay)3

and I disagree that Cart looks fast out there...he does not look quick to me or fast. Sure years ago..but not now.

For whoever cares, I am not arguing this anymore, people have right to their own opinions, I feel Rock has more value, and Dixon brings nothing of value right now. And I care about what Rock has done, and not what Dixon "could" be. We have Miller at FB, Hunter and James at HB/RB, so Dixon isn't needed anymore. But Just my opinion. I guess I should stick to salary cap work according to some.

Originally posted by susweel:
both

agree