Heroes & Goats

[bobblehead]

Anyone notice DJ Willaims played a handful or two snaps of FB? Weird. Everyone was calling him a zero and he played over Quarless.

That was one of the things I was saying way back after the draft...that I expected us to line up TE's at FB at times to counter a dime defense and run the ball from that formation. No clue if we ran with DJ at FB or not. Anyone remember?

[bobblehead]

Yes I noticed and I kept commenting to my brother why is Williams motioning to FB. I think they ran out of that setup every time too. I could understand trying to throw it to DJ but having him lead blocking....what???

Answered...thanx boss.

[bobblehead]

Hawk made the play of the game at the end. It's a shame the guy with the bad angle overruled the sideline guy. If you noticed, those officials were yelling at eachother as they were conferring about the "DPI" that was called on Hawk at the end of the game. It was a clean play, he only made contact with Sproles after he made contact with the ball, and was playing the ball all the way. It was an incredible play, and I'm sad that some hotshot referee had to ruin the ending of an amazing game like that.

I thought he got there about a millisecond early, but NO WAY that flag gets thrown on 2nd and 10 from the 50 in the 3rd quarter.

[Bossman641]

Didn't think Bishop played particularly well. He missed what should have been an easy tackle on Pierre Thomas.

[Fritz]

Some things I saw:

I can't believe more people have not commented upon James Jones's disappearance. My buddy and I kept wondering if he was hurt - we didn't even see the guy on the field. Then suddenly he catches one third down pass, I think, for like one yard, and off he goes, never to be seen again. How many snaps did he even play? What the hell is going on with him? Is he maybe hurt still? But if he is, why even put him on the field at all?

Secondly, Jarius Wynn played a hell of a game, I thought. Even against the run he looked pretty good.

I was so pissed when Masthay hit that really shitty punt - his second one, I think, the line drive that Sproles returned. The dude punts like an All Pro all camp long, then comes out when it counts and poops the bed, pees his pants, shrivels his scrotum, etc.

I am dying to start a "Fire Slocum" thread. I can't bear to give him much credit for the return game, since Cobb seems an incredible talent Slocum's had dropped into his lap. And of course there were the usual special-teams gaffes - a penalty on what would have been a big return by Cobb, and the huge, huge holes for Sproles. And what the hell was up with effing with Crosby's kickoffs? The dude, early in the game, was nailing the ball into the back of the end zone on kickoffs. And then suddenly somewhere around what, the third quarter, he's trying to kick it to the right and it only goes to like the goal line, then he's kicking it some other direction and Sproles returns it. I get the pop-up at the end so Sproles couldn't touch it - except Crosby early in the game was kicking right to the back of the damn end zone. Did the wind change direction or speed? Honestly. Fire Slocum. I know I'm being a fan on this one, but their special teams just pisses me off. Except for Cobb on returns.

I was not impressed overall with Finley's (lack of) blocking. He whiffed on a few. Starks missed some reads too when he stayed back to block.

Ryan Grant just does not look like as good a runner as Starks.

I see that Bush is ahead of Lee in the cornerback sweepstakes. It was Bush who came in for Williams, not Lee.

Walden had a couple good plays, but most of the time he was getting blocked or run by, it seemed to me.

Desmond Bishop was invisible.

Hawk had and up and down game, but that was not a penalty at the end. He absolutely touched the ball before he touched the receiver.

Outside the two false starts, I thought TJ Lang played rather well. Better than Colledge, I'd say.

I thought Quarless, for the most part, blocked well.

[woodbuck27]

Nice crditable post Vince.

Driver - is obviously still a weapon getting open in big situations and the on-side kick recovery was a great play at a critical time.

Nice news !

GO PACK GO !

[smuggler]

I think the non-call on the block in the back on the Sproles return was stupid. The guy is trailing our dude, grabs hold of the front of our player's jersey and then pushes him down from behind. He "engaged" from the front/side, so the block in the back is okay?

Block in the back is designed to protect players from being pushed down from behind. The reason the call was terrible (don't anyone let Cris Collinsworth know, I guess) is that the intent of the rule didn't make it to the field. And... our guy was right there to make a play.

Kuhn's IBitB penalty was well away from the play, and considerably softer. The referees are over-thinking shit and not translating the intent of the rules to the field.

[Brandon494]

Hawk, dude can't even make a simple wrap up tackle which leads to Williams getting injured.

[Packers4Glory]

IDK where Jones was, but I don't think Cobb is ready for a ton of snaps offensively. He admittedly ran the wrong route, so the fact he scored is a bit of a fluke mixed w/ a lot of raw ability. Cobb obviously has a lot of work to do w/ knowing the playbook. He may become more of an offensive threat late in the season as he learns a role. I'd be shocked if he makes much of an impact going forward the first half of the season at WR.

[Packers4Glory]

Hawk, dude can't even make a simple wrap up tackle which leads to Williams getting injured.

I like hawk...but he gets top goat. Missing a tackle, that looked fairly easy as far as tackling a NFL player goe,s that ended up w/ Williams getting injured along w/ the PI in the end zone. Even tho I think the PI was an iffy call at best.

I'm grading him the King goat mostly for possibly costing our best cover corner games.

[KYPack]

When you use your arm to "engage" the tackler on a return, that's called holding 99% of the time and it doesn't negate the contact that ensues.

Ryan Pickett had a flat out spectacular game. The Saints G C G bunch is as good as there is in the league and Big Ryan and Raji kicked ass against 'em all night long.

Cobb? He's my boy and he did UK proud last night.

The more you are exposed to Randall, the more impressed you are. Post game, he explained how both his touchdowns were blown assignments. He broke the ST rule on kick-off by running one back that was deeper than five in the EZ. On his TD catch, he missed an audible and ran the original route instead of the drag route Rodgers had changed the play to. Rodgers hit him anyway and Randall converted the play into a score. He stressed that he had made mental errors and he would work to get that corrected. This kid is one in a million. He will be in the film room today, getting everything right.

All that said, I still don't want to see this kid return kick-offs. His natural aggressiveness couples with his return syle and we risk losing him to serious injury every time he grabs a KR. He's great to watch, tho, ain't he? I had to add this, it makes you feel old. Randall Cobb was born in Aug. of 1990, makiing him the first NFL player born in the 90's. Cobb was born just a year before the Saints kicker started in the NFL.

James Starks had one that made me laugh. In the 4th quarter, the Saints blitzed to his side. He was determined to get the blitz pick-up done. You can see he's been working on it. He read the blitz and stepped up. He engaged with the proper footwork. He used his hands working with his body to sustain the block. And he finished the block, stoning the blitzer in the process. And Rodgers got sacked, dumped on his ass by the other blitzer. Starks got fucked by the old guy. Saints DC Gregg Williams ran a trail blitz to James' side and the second man in the double storm got home. That's OK, kid, it was a scheme thing. Let Coach McStubb figure that all out. You did your job, sometimes that's all you can do.

[mmmdk]

Rodgers, GJ & Cobb were out of this world and the rest of the offense did great too.

I won't point fingers at one defender 'cos the lack of consistant pressure and, at times, sloppy coverage has me worried. Sure 3 sacks but mostly Saints picked our interior pressure up easily and even burned our blitzes. Yet not more worried than I recognize that Saints are a pretty good team.

Masthay needs to angle the punts to the sidelines; but don't Slocum call those? Masthay can punt the rock where he wants; he's that good. This gotta be on the playcalling.

[pbmax]

I think the non-call on the block in the back on the Sproles return was stupid. The guy is trailing our dude, grabs hold of the front of our player's jersey and then pushes him down from behind. He "engaged" from the front/side, so the block in the back is okay?

Block in the back is designed to protect players from being pushed down from behind. The reason the call was terrible (don't anyone let Cris Collinsworth know, I guess) is that the intent of the rule didn't make it to the field. And... our guy was right there to make a play.

Kuhn's IBitB penalty was well away from the play, and considerably softer. The referees are over-thinking shit and not translating the intent of the rules to the field.

Who is overthinking this?

[Fosco33]

RE: Slocum and the popup kickoffs....

I'm guessing he's played through various scenarios and was doing tests. The hunch - given the coverage unit is 5 yards closer - if you give them 4.5-5 seconds, they can get to the 25 and engage with goal of having the opponent start inside their 20. We'll have to see if other teams try this on Sunday...

Are the few yards and possible fumble worth the risk of a TD or injuries? I have to presume they know the answer.

I'm definitely not a Slocum fan or apologist. STs have been our Achilles Heel for too long and wouldn't mind new leadership here.

[pbmax]

At some point, the youngsters just have to play to get themselves straightened out. Walden isn't going to get better unless he plays. And like Lurker, I expected Zombo to get more credit for setting an edge in the run game, but the reports all camp were Walden having an edge in rush D, despite the fact that he gets sucked inside and is vulnerable to cutbacks. I hope he solves it before we swap in Zombo to decide which narrative is true.

If Matthews is getting double-teamed, someone else needs to get home, don't care who it is. This pass D reminded me a lot of the Arizona playoff game. Wynn played better than expected, but someone needed to land hard on Brees to knock him off stride.

Lang was a monster in some of his run blocks (so was Wells who drive back a DT on Starks TD run like I haven't seen in years, Lang took out Shaun Rogers on another play that nearly made me cry) and gets a week to take some ginseng, fish oil and ginkgo biloba to try to remember the freaking snap count.

Someone posted that Grant and Starks were closer than generally realized in delivering a blow in the running game. Bull feathers. Starks may not be a 60 yd TD back, but he runs like he is 20 lbs heavier. I like the combo though, and hope M3 continues to run and pass with both in the game.

Long live the HIPPO formation.

Bush had a good game and deserves an apology thread. He actually located the ball in coverage and made a play. He may have a future as a DB.

Larrivee said in the post game that Boomer Esiason (Westwood One Radio) observed after the game that the tackling was brutal due to short camp, no offseason and lack of padded practices. I hope that was it and that it will get better as the season progresses. Hawk and Bishop were the only two who looked surprised to be in a game, though Hawk did have some good coverage and batted pass I think.

Finley cannot be covered by conventional means, and Jennings isn't far behind.

Everyone stop with the James Jones is done nonsense. Last year after the first game, everyone expected Hawk to be put on waivers by Tuesday after the Eagles game. Its one game. Give it some time.

DJ Williams. Remember that he was an in-line TE in college and had more experience blocking than Ryan Taylor. It might not have been coincidence and injury that he ended up in the backfield, though I have no idea who else would have been inactive if Taylor was healthy.

I take it all back Scott Wells, favoring Spitz over you, you crazy, bald wrestler you.

Plans to kidnap Strength and Conditioning staff are still on and they are taking Slocum too if at all possible. I don't mind the 39 yard punt to the sideline with no return. Nothing wrong with a 39 Net and no threat of return. But the other punts to Sproles were a hot mess.