Lendale's replacement?

Discussion in 'NFL Draft' started by RollTide, Feb 24, 2009.

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  1. asus64

    asus64 Camp Fodder

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    My point exactly! However, when a play flows as the one we are talking about, we tend to overlook that picking the right lane is not something that always happens. I remeber last season (don't remember the game) CJ had the sideline to score an easy touchdown but he went down the middle and was tackled after getting the first down. Hey, what about when Jerome Bettis fumbled against the colts right before the endzone and the cornerback after the recovery had the sideline for a touchdown (..and their ticket to the superbowl) and instead ran into Rothlisberger. I really think that Lendale makes the most of his opportunities, and that's something that should be praised.
     
  2. Gut

    Gut Pro Bowler

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    Well...

    Without knowing which CJ play you're referring to, it's hard to comment. However you said he took the wrong lane AFTER the first down. Once in the open field...sometimes you go the wrong way when forced to choose. But on White's play, he made his initial cut and just had to run to the endzone.

    On the Bettis play, Bettis ran to where he was supposed to run. They were hoping he could push the one defender into the endzone but the guy popped the ball out. Bettis didn't have great speed...so what would be smarter for him...plow over a defender for a couple of yards and get a TD or try to outrace multiple defenders to the sideline?

    And if you look at the video, the DB isn't gonna run laterally to the sideline where a WR is likely to catch him...he's gonna run down the middle of the field where he picked up the fumble with only the QB to beat. 95% of the time, the QB doesn't make the play. That was just a great play by Big Ben!

    Gut
     
  3. asus64

    asus64 Camp Fodder

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    1. Never said took the wrong line AFTER the first down.
    2. Never questioned Jerome's play.
    3. Football 101 take the sidelines!
     
  4. Gut

    Gut Pro Bowler

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    Well...

    The first line in bold IS what you said...he went the wrong way.

    It doesn't appear Harper had the sideline for a TD. More chance he gets caught by a WR if he runs diagonally to the sideline than if he gets by Ben and goes straight for the endzone.

    JV Football 101 is bounce everything outside...usually because your fastest player can outrun 10/11 guys on D.

    HS Football 101 is teaching them to NOT bounce stuff to the outside automatically. Go where the play is designed but head for daylight. And yes, at this point you work the one cut drill...read the block.

    NFL football is similar unless you have ridiculous speed like CJ or ridiculous moves like Barry Sanders. There is a GREAT reason why POWER backs are referred as North/South runners...because you don't want them running for the sidelines. They aren't fast enough.

    Gut
     
  5. asus64

    asus64 Camp Fodder

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    1. I did say he took the wrong way...I didn't say he took the wrong way AFTER the first down. In this particular case it does make a difference.

    2. We are talking about a defensive back, so being tackled by a wide receiver when you have a 10 yard head start is unlikely.

    3. And like you said "..head for daylight", in this case daylight was not the middle of the field where you were being chased from all directions.

    At the end the point is: taking advantage of opportunities does not always happen.

    Had Lendale hesitated at all, he probably would have gotten the first down but not scored in such a long run. Nobody would be commenting on it because he is expected to be caught. But in the case like this, all of sudden people try to find ways to justify, or rather find excuses for his play. It is obvious that the line did its job, whenever there is a touchdown it usually means that more than one did his job. We should be criticizing things that could be improved, and not trying to undermine somebody's work when it was perfect.
     
  6. Gut

    Gut Pro Bowler

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    Lol...

    Basically White made the cut he's supposed to make and ran a straightline to the endzone. Even at my age, I would have gotten a first down on that play. Point is, I'm not undermining him for doing what he's supposed to do, I'm just not giving him extra credit for it. I give the extra credit on that play to the OL/TE/FB. Show me a play where the OL gets blown up and White breaks 2 tackles to get back to the LOS and I'll be giving him the credit and not the other way around.

    You understand that to get to the sideline he'd have to run very sharply to the sideline where a WR 10 yards back would catch up to him since they are running in a straight line. There were other players closer to him than that anyway. But we can agree to disagree on this.

    You're right. When you don't take advantage of something you should just by doing your job, it's a mistake. If White had blocking and had mistakenly made the wrong cut...it would have been a mistake. If the OL/TE/FB take out all defenders and all White has to do is read one block and sprint to the endzone untouched...he's doing his job. If White makes his cut and has to run over a safety and then rushes to the endzone, he did more than his job and excelled.

    Put another way...Collins hikes the ball and Gage runs straight down the seem. The D blows their coverage and leaves him uncovered but they have 2 free rushers to the QB. Collins has to choose whether to step into the throw and get blasted or take the sack. Collins steps into his throw and makes a perfect throw to Gage - hitting him between the numbers. Collins takes a vicious shot. Gage catches the perfect ball and continues untouched to the endzone. Are you saying that's a great play by Gage because he COULD have dropped the ball?

    Gut
     
  7. asus64

    asus64 Camp Fodder

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    I'd say is a GREAT play by Collins and a good catch by Gage but not a PERFECT play (there is a difference, you know?).

    A play does come to mind though, Bennet droping Mc Nair's pass against NE thus killing our chance to go to another SB.

    Doing what you are supposed to do, certainly makes the difference between winning and losing.
     
  8. Gut

    Gut Pro Bowler

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    Well...

    Doing what you are supposed to do can make a difference IF someone else is doing MORE than what they are supposed to do. The players who do MORE are the real difference makers. If you have a superior OL, all you need is a rb who does what he's supposed to do and he'll be excellent...mainly because of the OL. Put Barry Sanders on Dallas for his career and Emmitt Smith on Detroit and ES would not be a Hall of Fame RB in my opinion. Have a DL with AH forcing double and triple teams allowing one of the 3 other DL to beat their guy one on one...as they are supposed to. Take AH away allowing the D to double the next best guy and those guys just doing there job aren't going to cut it.

    White is a nice player and someone everyone would like to have...but he's not a difference maker......yet.

    Gut
     
  9. GLinks

    GLinks Second Gear

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    I agree, and I really would love for us to draft Johnson around the 4th. I think we could have more quickness without losing the TD production, which is my big concern with losing LenDale. Ian Johnson is extremely adept at getting TDs.
     
  10. asus64

    asus64 Camp Fodder

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    Yet again, we didn't win the SB with AH, did we?
     
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