A few takes from the game/preseason so far

[BADOLBILZ]

The good:

 

-EJ looked better. It was nice to see him make relatively accurate throws right out of the gate. He is a notoriously slow starter so Hackett needs to give him comfort throws to start and I think he did last night.

 

-Seantrel Henderson played well again. The guy is a grizzly bear when he wants to be. The sack Hardy got against him was on Manuel (and Richardson). Hardy is far better than JPP so it was a good test early. Henderson nearly made a GREAT block on the 4th down play and let his man get away after pushing him into the endzone but he knew it and that was a good learning experience, IMO.

 

-All the running backs looked good. Bryce Brown has GREAT talent. I am as concerned as anyone about his lack of smarts, his loaf of bread ball handling and his propensity to head for the outside but talent-wise he has as much as anyone on the team.

 

-WR corps looks to be outstanding. EJ will have no excuses with the WR. The TE's are another story.

 

 

The bad:

-EJ still staring down and patting the ball prior to pass.....the pat thing ends up being the equivalent of a slow release. He needs to just keep both hands on the ball until throwing if he needs to stabilize the ball before releasing it. His accuracy looks improved but he still doesn't put the ball where it needs to be to allow playmakers to make plays on shorter throws. Hopefully he keeps progressing and doesn't plateau then decline like Trent/JP/Fitz once opponents had film on them.

 

-Linebacking corps is big and slow. They are excellent at the POA but QB's are going to continue to have lots of room to run on these guys if Schwartz doesn't get creative. Pettine was excellent at getting that instant pressure that prevents a QB from getting thru the end of his drop and being able to step up with power. Saw good "natural" pressure last night from the front 4 but the QB's were abie to wait for a hole to open up and step up and run for huge gains. In the open field Spikes and Rivers are lost. I would prefer to see "bad Tannehill"...like last year...as opposed to the guy who ran wild on Wanny's D a couple years ago so Schwartz needs to be up to the task of mixing things up. The D was more vanilla last night than against NYG but I will admit that I don't like Schwartz or his wide nine and I don't trust him to adapt his gameplan from week to week.

 

-No depth at DE. Jerry Hughes looks improved over last year but he is going to provide diminishing returns if forced to play the kind of snaps Mario does and Lawson is not good as a down DE. Again, Pettine was able to be creative and get the most out of guys like Lawson and Hughes. It will be a big challenge to get those kind of results in a Schwartz 4-3. I would love for them to be looking for DE help.

 

-The OL struggles in short yardage because they can't get low. Not just the several 6'8" guys either, even Wood and Urbik. On the 4th down play at the goal line Wood had been stood up the play before so he overcompensated and flopped on the ground and his man went over him and got to Jackson's feet. I know people think Wood is great here but that inability to hit that low point and still be in control in short yardage is what keeps him from being in that pro bowl class. Urbik is stout but he's not athletic enough to turn his defender and seal and he definitely can't get low. Not sure who had the idea to put him at TE but you'd be better off with a TE out wide on a DE IMO. Not sure we are going to see improvement in these short yardage situations this year. There is a lot of talent on the OL but they are better equipped to pass block.

Edited August 9, 2014 by BADOLBEELZ

[Madbillsfan]

I agree with you so that means you'll be flamed soon.

[GG]

I thought it was Urbik that got stood up on Fjax 4th down run? The guards are still the weak spot on that line. Hopefully something will gel by September.

 

I also thought Iggy played well against the scrubs. Didn't notice anything good out of the second level DEs.

[bananathumb]

Good insights. Your concerns make me nervous! (because I know Schwartz won't be up to Pettine's scheming)

I also have big doubts about the OC and his ability to make use of our offensive talent like CJ and Watkins.

[BADOLBILZ]

I thought it was Urbik that got stood up on Fjax 4th down run? The guards are still the weak spot on that line. Hopefully something will gel by September.

 

I also thought Iggy played well against the scrubs. Didn't notice anything good out of the second level DEs.

 

The hole should have been behind Henderson who was working to seal his block to the inside but the defender was able to step back and disengage and fill the hole. The penetration when the tackle went over Wood disrupted Jackson's path and allowed Henderson's guy a split-second to recover. Urbik did get stood up as well. Henderson got an NFL lesson in the value of making sure to stay engaged to your defender instead of trying to highlight block/pancake him. In college that defender just turns his back to the block to avoid getting planted and accepts defeat. Not so with a DL from one of the NFL's best defenses.

[Max997]

Where are these concerns about lack of smarts and Bryce Brown coming from? The guy made a mistake and ran out if bounds, it happens but certainly doesn't mean he has a lack of smarts.

 

Are your concerns about his ball handling based on what he is doing now or what he went through 2 years ago?

[chris heff]

Re-watching game, third and short on first drive is on Chandler, he completely whiffed on Hardy.

[BADOLBILZ]

Where are these concerns about lack of smarts and Bryce Brown coming from? The guy made a mistake and ran out if bounds, it happens but certainly doesn't mean he has a lack of smarts.

 

Are your concerns about his ball handling based on what he is doing now or what he went through 2 years ago?

 

I think poor decision making has been his calling card to date. That's how you go from being the top HS RB in the country to a non-existent college career and nearly undrafted despite first round ability and good health. He then showed two poor on-field decisions last night. He was knocked in Philly for running to the sidelines and not finding the cutback opportunities and that may be a football IQ thing as well.

 

I am concerned about his ball handling because he had a problem two years ago and still carries the ball FAR away from his body. He lost the football at the end of one of his runs last night. With his past history and the urgency he should have to prove himself(and get paid) he should be carrying the ball high and tight like Tiki.

[Max997]

A couple mistakes by a player on a new team in a new system while trying to impress his coaches doesn't mean a guy has a lack of smarts. It also isn't easy for young RBs with speed who are used to getting outside to suddenly change and start cutting back inside. This also does not mean a lack of IQ.

[Lofton80]

Brown also carries it in the wrong hand a lot. Explosive talent though.

[Coach Tuesday]

Anyone else notice that Alan Branch appears to be totally washed up? Wtf happened to him? I'm wondering if he gets cut and Cohen makes it in his place.

[BADOLBILZ]

Good insights. Your concerns make me nervous! (because I know Schwartz won't be up to Pettine's scheming)

I also have big doubts about the OC and his ability to make use of our offensive talent like CJ and Watkins.

 

Last year I wasn't as down on Hackett as some. I thought they really needed to establish a physical inside game to take pressure off of EJ and his non-existent receiving corps. This year I expect less give-away downs. Whether Hackett/Manuel oblige remains to be seen but there is no reason yet to expect that there will be less of them. One thing I think is certain, if they intended to run up the middle a lot they should have gotten an OG who can impact the run game.

[chris heff]

Holding call on Lee Smith on CJ run was a bad call.

[dave mcbride]

The good:

 

-EJ looked better. It was nice to see him make relatively accurate throws right out of the gate. He is a notoriously slow starter so Hackett needs to give him comfort throws to start and I think he did last night.

 

-Seantrel Henderson played well again. The guy is a grizzly bear when he wants to be. The sack Hardy got against him was on Manuel (and Richardson). Hardy is far better than JPP so it was a good test early. Henderson nearly made a GREAT block on the 4th down play and let his man get away after pushing him into the endzone but he knew it and that was a good learning experience, IMO.

 

-All the running backs looked good. Bryce Brown has GREAT talent. I am as concerned as anyone about his lack of smarts, his loaf of bread ball handling and his propensity to head for the outside but talent-wise he has as much as anyone on the team.

 

-WR corps looks to be outstanding. EJ will have no excuses with the WR. The TE's are another story.

 

 

The bad:

-EJ still staring down and patting the ball prior to pass.....the pat thing ends up being the equivalent of a slow release. He needs to just keep both hands on the ball until throwing if he needs to stabilize the ball before releasing it. His accuracy looks improved but he still doesn't put the ball where it needs to be to allow playmakers to make plays on shorter throws. Hopefully he keeps progressing and doesn't plateau then decline like Trent/JP/Fitz once opponents had film on them.

 

-Linebacking corps is big and slow. They are excellent at the POA but QB's are going to continue to have lots of room to run on these guys if Schwartz doesn't get creative. Pettine was excellent at getting that instant pressure that prevents a QB from getting thru the end of his drop and being able to step up with power. Saw good "natural" pressure last night from the front 4 but the QB's were abie to wait for a hole to open up and step up and run for huge gains. In the open field Spikes and Rivers are lost. I would prefer to see "bad Tannehill"...like last year...as opposed to the guy who ran wild on Wanny's D a couple years ago so Schwartz needs to be up to the task of mixing things up. The D was more vanilla last night than against NYG but I will admit that I don't like Schwartz or his wide nine and I don't trust him to adapt his gameplan from week to week.

 

-No depth at DE. Jerry Hughes looks improved over last year but he is going to provide diminishing returns if forced to play the kind of snaps Mario does and Lawson is not good as a down DE. Again, Pettine was able to be creative and get the most out of guys like Lawson and Hughes. It will be a big challenge to get those kind of results in a Schwartz 4-3. I would love for them to be looking for DE help.

 

-The OL struggles in short yardage because they can't get low. Not just the several 6'8" guys either, even Wood and Urbik. On the 4th down play at the goal line Wood had been stood up the play before so he overcompensated and flopped on the ground and his man went over him and got to Jackson's feet. I know people think Wood is great here but that inability to hit that low point and still be in control in short yardage is what keeps him from being in that pro bowl class. Urbik is stout but he's not athletic enough to turn his defender and seal and he definitely can't get low. Not sure who had the idea to put him at TE but you'd be better off with a TE out wide on a DE IMO. Not sure we are going to see improvement in these short yardage situations this year. There is a lot of talent on the OL but they are better equipped to pass block.

 

Thanks! In Europe on vacation now, so I can't see anything. Great wrap-up.

 

 

 

I think poor decision making has been his calling card to date. That's how you go from being the top HS RB in the country to a non-existent college career and nearly undrafted despite first round ability and good health. He then showed two poor on-field decisions last night. He was knocked in Philly for running to the sidelines and not finding the cutback opportunities and that may be a football IQ thing as well.

 

I am concerned about his ball handling because he had a problem two years ago and still carries the ball FAR away from his body. He lost the football at the end of one of his runs last night. With his past history and the urgency he should have to prove himself(and get paid) he should be carrying the ball high and tight like Tiki.

He reminded me of Wendell Tyler when I watched him play for Phillly!

[BADOLBILZ]

Anyone else notice that Alan Branch appears to be totally washed up? Wtf happened to him? I'm wondering if he gets cut and Cohen makes it in his place.

 

He played with the reserves last summer too. If you recall a lot of us thought he was being set up to be cut but I think this is just basically how they get him in shape. He looked like crap last preseason. If the guy kept himself in shape he'd be a beast. At one point early in his college career at Michigan there was talk about him potentially being the #1 overall draft pick later down the line. I think he has settled for being what he is and he gets paid like it.

[CBD]

I thought it was Urbik that got stood up on Fjax 4th down run? The guards are still the weak spot on that line. Hopefully something will gel by September.

it was, Urbik was lined up at TE outside of Henderson

[Alphadawg7]

Just watched the game again...my notes...

 

1. Spiller is going to have a big season. He looks explosive and decisive and the staff seems to finally get that they need to get him the ball in space. Even with all the RB talent on this team, Spiller will eclipse 1200 yards, 40 recs, and 10 total TD's with a YPC above 5. Even if we have no injuries, Bryce Brown and Anthony Dixon are still going to have an impact this year as well. Both are great pickups that not only will contribute but can be significant players if injuries happen.

 

2. EJ is making progress. He made some really good throws, looks confident, and getting more comfortable. Lets keep in mind he only has 10 games under his belt. I think he could have a comparable season to what Russell Wilson did last year statistically. We are still going to run the ball a lot, and he isn't going to have to carry this team...just make plays when we need to and be smart with the football. With all the WR talent on this team, he should be poised for just that.

 

3. The WR depth is insane. I will say this right now that I feel we have one of the top 5 WR cores in the NFL. Watkins is not only going to be a star, but he will be a star this year. Mike Williams and Robert Woods could easily be battling for #1 WR spots on many teams in the NFL right now, and one of them is actually going to be our #3 come week 1. Goodwin has the speed and talent to be anything from Lee Evans to Steve Smith IMO and if he was say in NE or NO, this kid would be a huge breakout candidate. On this team, his opportunities will be limited, thats how deep we are. Hogan is another guy who could go somewhere like Den or NE and catch 100 balls out of the slot IMO. He is a great route runner and has as good of hands if not better than Edelman. But he's a guy that has to be in the right situation to be a major impact.

 

4. Seantrel Henderson may just be the steal of last years draft...not just for us, but biggest steal in the whole draft. This is a kid who could have been a first round talent if he didn't have a 7th round mentality in college. I think he's been humbled and has a fire lit under him to prove what kind of player he is. I actually think if he had been drafted in the first he would have been much more a bust candidate because of the attitude. But almost not getting drafted and his whole off field stuff I think really helped him turn a corner that needed to happen.

 

5. Our starting D looks as good as advertised. Even that TD that Gilmore gave up, the kid was blanketed and the ball had about a 2" window to get in there. Every DB gives up TD's, even Revis...but you would be hard pressed to find better coverage than what he had on him, the rookie just made an exceptional play.

 

6. I don't envy the coaching staff having to decide between Woods or Williams starting. Both are going to have a strong case...Mike with his size, Woods with hands and routes...both are playmakers. I wouldnt be surprised if we got trade offers from teams hit by an injury for one of them before week 1...and if we did, I wonder how serious the FO would consider it...and NO, I am not suggesting we should trade one, I like the depth, especially for our young QB. But, if I was a team looking for a WR, this is one team I would look hard at.

 

Cons:

 

My biggest concerns are at TE and OL. Not seeing a whole lot out of our TE's thus far. Chandler is Chandler...we pretty much know what we are getting from him. But I would like to see Gragg get more reps and see if he can blossom into a real receiving threat to create matchup issues.

 

OL has been shaky up the middle and on the right side still on passing downs. And not getting any push on short down situations is also concerning. We don't have our best lineup at OL out there right now, especially with Cordy out, but hopefully when he gets back it can help solidify the line, especially if Seantrel keeps improving and can slide over to starting RT.

Edited August 9, 2014 by Alphadawg7

[Sisyphean Bills]

A couple mistakes by a player on a new team in a new system while trying to impress his coaches doesn't mean a guy has a lack of smarts. It also isn't easy for young RBs with speed who are used to getting outside to suddenly change and start cutting back inside. This also does not mean a lack of IQ.

 

Does he bring anything to the table in terms of special teams? Fumbling is a no-no, but that's been touched on. Can he keep his QB from getting killed? Unless he fits the part of an NFL RB, he could be a rocket surgeon in his spare time and will get cut.

[67 Lion]

I was at the game and was impressed with Preston Brown's speed and ability to get very deep in pass coverage...especially on one third down throw over the middle. He was in perfect position. Coaches are still experimenting with LB combinations in third down passing situations

 

Short yardage run game is still a problem. However, we need to make better play calls. Slow developing run plays don't work at the goal line because they allow for penetration. Blockers do need to get lower for leverage, but the play calls don't make it any easier for them. Would like to see more quick hitters from the FB position or even QB sneaks.

[thebandit27]

Best point in the OP was the recognition of "comfort throws" for EJ.

 

That's something that Hackett didn't do at all last year, and it really hurt the offense IMO.

 

Hopefully we'll see more of that.