Atari Bigby

[Scott Campbell]

I think he's playing much better since getting healthy.

[Bossman641]

Each year, JSO surveys one scout from each NFC North team at the end of the year to rank the players on the other teams to establish an All Star team. Bigby was the unanimous choice for #1 at SS, the first unanimous selection at SS since Butler.

Where did you see that posted at JSO?

McGinn did an insider article where he asked personnel from each of the North teams to rank the starters for each position for each team in the division. Bigby got the #1 pick from every scout.

[hoosier]

thanks

[HarveyWallbangers]

Re: Atari Bigby

Bigby has had big issues related to coverage responsibilities. I once used the term that "Bigby couldn't cover with a blanket", and though that has improved, he is still not good in coverage.

I hear people say this a lot, but is it true? Compared to other STRONG safeties, not free safeties, is he bad in coverage? My impression is that he isn't, personally.

I hear people say he can hit a lot, but is that true? I think you can still count his regular season "big hits" on one hand over his career here, and really they weren't any bigger than any other safety teeing off over the middle.

The guy has big hair and a funny name. Take that away and you really don't have much that distinguishes him from any other slow, injury prone, non instinctive safety with stiff hips that any team would be trying to replace at the earliest opportunity.

I'd disagree with this. Count on one hand? Come on man. Dude brings the wood. Almost every game he lays the wood coming up in run support or blasts a receiver going over the middle. Bigby has had a solid year. Anybody remember him breaking down much in coverage this year? I haven't. That's the #1 thing I look for in a safety. We've also limited big plays--which I think attests to Bigby's ability to get the right calls to people.

[Bossman641]

Re: Atari Bigby

Bigby has had big issues related to coverage responsibilities. I once used the term that "Bigby couldn't cover with a blanket", and though that has improved, he is still not good in coverage.

I hear people say this a lot, but is it true? Compared to other STRONG safeties, not free safeties, is he bad in coverage? My impression is that he isn't, personally.

I hear people say he can hit a lot, but is that true? I think you can still count his regular season "big hits" on one hand over his career here, and really they weren't any bigger than any other safety teeing off over the middle.

The guy has big hair and a funny name. Take that away and you really don't have much that distinguishes him from any other slow, injury prone, non instinctive safety with stiff hips that any team would be trying to replace at the earliest opportunity.

I'd disagree with this. Count on one hand? Come on man. Dude brings the wood. Almost every game he lays the wood coming up in run support or blasts a receiver going over the middle. Bigby has had a solid year. Anybody remember him breaking down much in coverage this year? I haven't. That's the #1 thing I look for in a safety. We've also limited big plays--which I think attests to Bigby's ability to get the right calls to people.

I agree. I don't think Bigby is all-world or anything, but he has been solid this year. He certainly doesn't flash like Collins does, but I don't think he has the skills or opportunities the way that Collins has.

I don't know if the scheme is covering him, he's playing better, or he's just not being put in terrible positions but he certainly hasn't been exposed the way he was last year. As long as he makes a few hits, picks off a couple balls, and doesn't give up the big play I'm OK with him.

[Patler]

Re: Atari Bigby

I don't know if the scheme is covering him, he's playing better, or he's just not being put in terrible positions but he certainly hasn't been exposed the way he was last year. As long as he makes a few hits, picks off a couple balls, and doesn't give up the big play I'm OK with him.

I don't think he can be judged on last year. He was healthy for a game and a half. After that, he missed 5 games, was in and out for 5 and then was put on the shelf the remainder of the year. He played very little, and did so injured except for the first game and a half.

[Bretsky]

Never that high on Bigby. Still not high on Bigby. He's played well the last two games. I can't name the other three safeties in our division for him to compete against but since I have no idea who they are it would not surprise me if Bibgy was the top one.

[Bossman641]

Re: Atari Bigby

I don't know if the scheme is covering him, he's playing better, or he's just not being put in terrible positions but he certainly hasn't been exposed the way he was last year. As long as he makes a few hits, picks off a couple balls, and doesn't give up the big play I'm OK with him.

I don't think he can be judged on last year. He was healthy for a game and a half. After that, he missed 5 games, was in and out for 5 and then was put on the shelf the remainder of the year. He played very little, and did so injured except for the first game and a half.

Oh I totally agree. Last year he looked awful - the Saints game comes to mind. I thought his coverage was better this year than it was in 07 though.

[gbgary]

[mission]

I like him and think he'll continue his hot play in the playoffs.

He's not a franchise guy, but close for his position. Might never end up reaching that point but I definitely see a different player the second of this season. Seems health has been a major factor.

[retailguy]

Each year, JSO surveys one scout from each NFC North team at the end of the year to rank the players on the other teams to establish an All Star team. Bigby was the unanimous choice for #1 at SS, the first unanimous selection at SS since Butler.

Sorry. I know Leroy Butler. Atari Bigby is no Leroy Butler.

That's kind of my point and my comparison. Happy that the scouts like him. Still don't believe he's all world. Maybe if he does it consistently for a while, but it's been up and down with him.

Again - he's better than anything else we've got. Maybe he's better than anybody else in the NFC North, but plenty in the league better than him. Just a guy right now, maybe on the cusp of being a lot better, but he's getting a little old for that, though he has been out injured, so maybe. Not yet, but maybe.

The brilliance of your post here, RG, is that you can now take credit for having foreseen the disaster, the ordinariness, or the eventual supremacy of Atari Bigby.

In my home state of Minnesota we tended to talk the same way.

"I don't suppose it'll do any good but I might as well take the Ford up to Mankato and see if they can fix her up. I heard there's a mechanic up there that got Wally Severson another 8 miles to the gallon better out of that F-1 of his so maybe the guy can smooth out the idle and do the same for me but with my luck I'll probably have to junk the old rust bucket. At any rate if we can get the old Ford through harvest we'll be good."

Good luck with the Ford. As to Bigby, not a chance I would ever "take credit" for predicting he's good. I'd be blown away and admitting it. I am not a Bigby fan. Never was a Bigby fan.

Don't expect him to change, was merely pointing out he's had his fair share of injuries. He's been in the league long enough to likely "be as good as he'll get", but I wanted to acknowledge the possibility that since he's been hurt so much, it's still technically possible that he'll improve further.

Again, I don't expect it, and Swede, I PROMISE, I will not attempt to take credit for it if it happens.

[retailguy]

All of you Bigby defenders, go back and read the original post. It was Harrell's goal to start a bunch of crap and it worked.

His point was to "ridicule me" and praise vince as a "visionary". I think vince would be the first guy to tell you he isn't a visionary, he just liked the guy, was excited about what he saw and wanted to share how glad he was that guys like Mike Hawkins, and Mark Roman were gone. That's fair enough. He wanted to throw a bunch of money at the guy in his excitement and I ridiculed him for it. I shouldn't have, and later apologized. I did mean it in fun, and was admittedly poking the bear a bit.

Keep in mind that this entire discussion happened after FOUR GAMES. FOUR GAMES. You guys are defending Bigby based on THIS SEASON. What did he look like after FOUR GAMES? Best in the NFC North? Nope, I don't think so.

I said he was better this season than the others. Still don't like him. You do. GREAT! We disagree. So what?

Justin wanted to "stir up shit", and he did, and got ALL of us. I'm done with this crap. Hope you will be done also. The next time Harrell stirs shit instead of creating good discussion, I'm trying damn hard to not respond. Hope you'll all follow suit.

[SkinBasket]

All I owe him is the common courtesy of knocking his nutsack out your mouth before the constant suction prevents him from ever having children.

[pbmax]

Actually, I think RG has a point. Why does the lead post in this thread talk more about posters than Bigby? That is usually a bad sign.

[Joemailman]

Re: Atari Bigby

Bigby has had big issues related to coverage responsibilities. I once used the term that "Bigby couldn't cover with a blanket", and though that has improved, he is still not good in coverage.

I hear people say this a lot, but is it true? Compared to other STRONG safeties, not free safeties, is he bad in coverage? My impression is that he isn't, personally.

Then I guess you, vince and Justin can "lock him up". I still won't be signing off on that deal because he isn't worth that kind of contract.

Exactly what kind of contract are we talking about here?