MVP: James Starks

[wootah]

I like Starks a lot. The dropoff in talent when they hand it over the BJack is obvious even to my untrained eye.

What did worry me was that on his run to the left (right before the BJack TD), he tucked the ball away with his right hand. I'm still waiting the "James Starks Highlights" on nfl.com, but on his carries in the game resumé, I never saw him carry it in his left hand. I always thought not switching the ball away from traffic was a concern for fumbles, but maybe a more knowledgeable poster can shed some light on this topic. According to his college stats (link) he is everything but prone for fumbles; 0 fumbles after 698 carries, 0 fumbles after 127 receptions.

[Tarlam!]

I like Starks a lot. The dropoff in talent when they hand it over the BJack is obvious even to my untrained eye.

Don't need a trained eye to know what you enjoy watching and what you don't enjoy watching, wootah, and it's much more fun watching Starks fall forward for positive yardage than it is watching BJack stutterstep for no or negative yardage!

[sheepshead]

it just took too damn long for them to figure it out.

I'd also like to see a couple more good games out him before i believe

I was thinking the same thing. But he is somewhat raw the way Tramon Williams was. Some experience and coaching, we may have something.

[mraynrand]

No doubt, Mission, beilve that shit. But why in the HELL did we start run, run, pass, punt with 12 fuckin minutes on the clock....god that shit BLOWS my MIND! I hate the Pats, but at least they keep trying to score, F that run the clock shit.....sorry drunk messaging haha

This is the essence of STUBBY. McCarthy had a great gameplan, and was calling a great game. But he sometimes sticks with it just a little too long. The game plan was working perfectly - run and run the clock, punish philly for playing the pass. neutralize Philly's confusing pass coverage and blitz schemes. I don't know for sure, but once Stubby sees that Philly is now playing the run more seriously, he has to go against tendency. It's a subtle point, but it seems he holds to his strict gameplan too tight and too long at times.

[mraynrand]

I like Starks a lot. The dropoff in talent when they hand it over the BJack is obvious even to my untrained eye.

What did worry me was that on his run to the left (right before the BJack TD)...

I'd quibble one point with you - it's not a drop off in talent - they have different talents, as evidenced by the Jackson TD. Starks is a good downhill RB, BJack is a good shifty back, perfectly suited for screens, passes in the flat, check downs, etc. Plus, he's pretty damn awesome in pass pro. Good combination, when used correctly.

[bobblehead]

He had two drops; the first one was in a key spot and I think the second one was a 20-25yd ball downfield. I think the third one short hopped him if we are thinking of the same ball

almost exactly 10 minutes into the game he dropped one just like the first one on the 3rd and 7 play. Right in his hands at the top of his helmet.

[bobblehead]

Can you get me a down and distance or time? I like to see if I can find the replay. Don't remember it.

I just FF through the game, but didn't pick it out. Another poster mentioned it. The throw covered about 25 yards, jennings was past the defender and it dropped down into his hands and he dropped it. He did make a small adjustment to the ball, and I don't recall if anyone was behind him, or had an angle on him, just recall screaming "fuck, first Jones now Jennings. WTF!!"

Upon further review I will cut him some slack on the one at the 5ish minute mark in the 1st quarter. He jumped fully extended and it went through his hands and was almost picked. That was on Rodgers and wouldhave been a great catch.

[MadtownPacker]

Could somebody count on his 23 carries how many times did Starks fall forward? He runs so hard that it almost always seems like he is falling forwards. McCarthy commented on Starks falling forward and it makes sense. If you consistently fall forward, you're gaining yards. At 6'2" just by falling forward Starks gains an extra 2 yards. On the other hand, I shook my head with disgust when I saw Jackson get hit in the thigh by a cornerback and fall sideways. The kid is never going to understand the tough yards aspect of the game. Starks has a future as a premier back if he gets his touches.

Nice post. It is obvious he gets more outta nothing than Jackson gets out of something. He doesn't hesitate and the best part is he bounces off tacklers and keeps churning along. Last guy that did that in GB was Ahman. He is a horse the offense can ride thru a defense. The passing game is going to open up in ATL because the dirtybirds saw it too.

[denverYooper]

Could somebody count on his 23 carries how many times did Starks fall forward? He runs so hard that it almost always seems like he is falling forwards. McCarthy commented on Starks falling forward and it makes sense. If you consistently fall forward, you're gaining yards. At 6'2" just by falling forward Starks gains an extra 2 yards. On the other hand, I shook my head with disgust when I saw Jackson get hit in the thigh by a cornerback and fall sideways. The kid is never going to understand the tough yards aspect of the game. Starks has a future as a premier back if he gets his touches.

Not only does he fall forward, sometimes he does his crazy torpedo move where he gets his long frame real low and comes shooting out of a pile.

That and he looks to have one hell of a grip on the ball, 4 points of pressure.

[mraynrand]

Nice post. It is obvious he gets more outta nothing than Jackson gets out of something. He doesn't hesitate and the best part is he bounces off tacklers and keeps churning along. Last guy that did that in GB was Ahman. He is a horse the offense can ride thru a defense. The passing game is going to open up in ATL because the dirtybirds saw it too.

There will some advantage in ATL for what starks did in Philly. But a lot of his yards were specifically part of a game plan to exploit a defense that was concentrating on defending the pass, and has a pretty smallish and weak front 7. The Packers most likely will not be able to run on ATL like on Philly, and likely will not pound the ball quite so much. But it's good to give them something more to think about.

[denverYooper]

There will some advantage in ATL for what starks did in Philly. But a lot of his yards were specifically part of a game plan to exploit a defense that was concentrating on defending the pass, and has a pretty smallish and weak front 7. The Packers most likely will not be able to run on ATL like on Philly, and likely will not pound the ball quite so much. But it's good to give them something more to think about.

I'm with you that there was an element of surprise that helped the running game get going, but I don't think that Philly's front 7 is particularly small or weak, at least not up front. Parker and Cole are one of the best DE tandems in the league, much better than Abrahams (situational) and whoever else they have.

Philly does have Ernie Sims who, though not small or weak, is terrible. And they were without Bradley. That hurt them.

I'm not expecting 5.3 YPC because the Falcons will be ready for the run but I expect the running game will be more productive than last time.

[denverYooper]

I'm curious as to whether they work Starks into some of their short-yardage packages this week.

[mraynrand]

I'm curious as to whether they work Starks into some of their short-yardage packages this week.

They'd better

[denverYooper]

The Bears were going to draft Starks in the 6th round:

http://www.nationalfootballpost.com/NFL-playoffs-rookie-report-card.html

His most remarkable stat was during that two-year period he had 7 touchdowns of over 50 yards, including a 92-yard TD run.

As we got closer to our pick, Angelo made the decision for the Bears to draft Starks. When we drafted a player there was a protocol we followed. After the decision on who to draft was made, Cliff Stein (the Bears contract negotiator) would call the players agent and tell him we were planning on drafting his player. He would tell the agent that the wanted to get a 4-year contract with the player and wanted the contract done by a certain date. If the agent agreed then I would call the player and give him the news that the Bears were going to take him. This is exactly what happened with Starks. I was on the phone for a minute or so with Starks when Angelo walked in my office and told me he had changed his mind and was drafting LeFevour. I put Starks on hold and then said to Angelo that Stein had already talked to the agent and I had the player on the phone…we couldn’t do business like that. He said he was sorry but he decided he wanted LeFevour and the card had been turned in.

[MadScientist]

I'm curious as to whether they work Starks into some of their short-yardage packages this week.

Won't matter if they let a guy hit the RB 3 yards in the backfield.