B.J. Raji

[Patler]

I intended to write an upbeat thread about him. Camp reports have been good. In his interview on Sunday, he said he was "Man enough to admit" that after winning the Super Bowl and being a Pro Bowl player after just three years in the league, he had become complacent, and lost focus on the goal.

But, this morning I read this:



■ B.J. Raji has had his share of good days in camp but hasn't made his presence felt in games. The statisticians haven't credited him with a tackle in his 36 snaps.

Has anything really changed?

[Pugger]

I thought he played well in NE...?

[hoosier]

How many of those 36 were running plays? What was Raji doing: was he getting moved off the LOS or was he tying his blocker up and forcing the runner toward the perimeter? I have no idea because I haven't watched either preseason game, but my first reactions are that 36 is a small sample size and that sometimes good play at NT doesn't show up in the stats lines.

[Patler]

Then there is this about the last game:


Mike Pennel had another top-notch showing. In just 18 snaps, he bull-rushed his way to three pressures, including one that led to Damarious Randall's interception. He also stuffed right tackle Marcus Gilbert, disengaging and then engulfing Le'Veon Bell for no gain.

[sharpe1027]

Maybe nothing has changed, but looking at the number of tackles in 36 snaps is a pretty meaningless statistic.

His tackle totals are:

2009 - 25(19-solo)
2010 - 39(29)
2011 - 22(14)
2012 - 26(16)
2013 - 17(12)

He was a work horse for many of those years, with some websites crediting with between 600-1000 snaps in a given year. A stretch of 30 some odd snaps without a tackle is to be expected.

[Patler]

Yet, Pennel has managed to make some plays in each game, sometimes with and against the ones, sometimes with and against the twos. Has Raji ascended to the position held by a few Packers every season, players for whom we find reasons and make excuses for continued poor play?

[Bossman641]

I thought Raji played well against NE. From what I saw against Pitt he didn't look as good. I'll chalk it up to sample size.

[Tony Oday]

I think you will see his value more in the 3rd and 4th Q against good running teams.

[3irty1]

A special NT is rare and a non special NT is almost a situational player these days.

I've given up hope that Raji will ever be a special NT. He's just never really developed into as stout of a defender as you'd expect from a guy his size and shape. Raji may have more talent in his big toe than Pennel or Guion but I still don't think he's enough of an upgrade over the others to affect an offensive game plan.

[sharpe1027]

Yet, Pennel has managed to make some plays in each game, sometimes with and against the ones, sometimes with and against the twos. Has Raji ascended to the position held by a few Packers every season, players for whom we find reasons and make excuses for continued poor play?

I don't hear any excuses, but to say he is playing bad because he has not had a tackle in 36 snaps is silly. In his Pro Bowl year, he averaged about one tackle in the same number of snaps. Let's flip it around. If he had two tackles in 36 snaps, would we then assume he is hall of fame material?

[Patler]

I think you will see his value more in the 3rd and 4th Q against good running teams.

But, in the 3rd and 4th quarters won't those good running teams be passing in a desperate effort to catch up? :-)

[pbmax]

If he is the base NT, then I prefer him playing this way, being stout (which I have saw versus the Steelers) and not getting to a ball carrier headed somewhere else.

What I haven't seen is his quick launch in pass rush.

[Bossman641]

If he is the base NT, then I prefer him playing this way, being stout (which I have saw versus the Steelers) and not getting to a ball carrier headed somewhere else.

What I haven't seen is his quick launch in pass rush.

I thought he had a couple quick get-offs against NE.

[Tony Oday]

But, in the 3rd and 4th quarters won't those good running teams be passing in a desperate effort to catch up? :-)

Then he and Pennel can get after the QB! ;)

[Fritz]

I thought he had a couple quick get-offs against NE.

Still not as quick as my get-offs this morning.

Mebbe Raji is saving himself for the regular season.