Obviously if you'd asked the Jags brass in August where they'd be in week 6 with the running game - they wouldn't have said "evaluating." But they are.
Gerhart is likely a bad signing with a rapidly closing window to prove otherwise. D-Rob still shows signs of being a dynamic C.O.P. back. Storm is an exciting prospect and Todman is an effective KR that catches the ball pretty well and has a decent short burst on the edge.
The common denominator among all of their inconsistencies or lack of success is an O-line that has finally settled into a steady group of starters and showed signs last Sunday of cohesion.
For better or for worse this line is very, very inexperienced and the only true vet among them has sorely underperformed.
I think this might be the week it all comes together. Dare I say…. a perfect "Storm?" Ba-doom-crash! Ok,Ok - terrible jokes aside - let's take a look at the tacks run defense.
They are 26th against the run thus far in 2014 - giving up 136 yds per game on average. They've held a few decent backs to modest gains in certain games, but have given up a few big runs to skew the average and on the whole aren't strong against the run.
So finally - I think the Jags have a real shot at pulling it together on the ground this week. If they can manage 20+ rushing attempts I think they may gain 90 yards without the help of Bortles which should get them over the 100 yard mark. The question is: who will get the carries?
I think we'll see some more evaluation - but I think Johnson/Robinson may be the committee of the future in the Jags backfield.
I'd like to see Toby on a few third downs and catching the ball out of the backfield on other downs occasionally - while letting D-Rob and Johnson share the early downs most of the time.
Just play Johnson and Robinson. Gerhart/Todman probably gone after this year anyway.
My vote is Johnson/Robinson. I think the Gerhart signing was like Henne for Bortles. It provided extra time for Robinson and Johnson to learn and prepare. I don't know if they will really stop using Gerhart right now, but with the way his contract was provided, he's definitely not the future.
GO JAGS!
Quote:Just play Johnson and Robinson. Gerhart/Todman probably gone after this year anyway.
I agree with this.
Storm Johnson is pretty much the only true NFL prototypical HB we have on the roster. Gerhart and Todman have warts (figuratively) to their game's and Denard, like it or not, is still a niche player and in all honesty will likely remain that for his NFL career. Not to say that Robinson doesn't have a place here, but he's not, nor ever will be a starting RB on any team.
Please dear god no more Slowby
It is sooooooo sad that the best RB on the roster (Storm) is a 2nd to 3rd string caliber back. Hopefully we seriously upgrade this position in the offseason and all 4 of these guys are gone except maybe Todman because of his return ability.
Quote:It is sooooooo sad that the best RB on the roster (Storm) is a 2nd to 3rd string caliber back. Hopefully we seriously upgrade this position in the offseason and all 4 of these guys are gone except maybe Todman because of his return ability.
You don't know what he's capable of at this level until he gets a fair chance to be the starter and tally up 15-20 carries per game.
Quote:You don't know what he's capable of at this level until he gets a fair chance to be the starter and tally up 15-20 carries per game.
What is the amount of games you consider to be a fair chance?
Quote:What is the amount of games you consider to be a fair chance?
I'd say at least 3-4 games as the featured back to get an idea of what he's capable of.
Quote:I'd say at least 3-4 games as the featured back to get an idea of what he's capable of.
Ha, no, really? 3 to 4 games at 15-20 carries, so 45/60 to 60/80 total carries? If that is what you consider a fair chance I simply don't know how to respond............... Wow.
Quote:Ha, no, really? 3 to 4 games at 15-20 carries, so 45/60 to 60/80 total carries? If that is what you consider a fair chance I simply don't know how to respond............... Wow.
To get a reasonable look at a RB?? Its plenty.
Some of you are funny with the way you think it takes 75 games before you can evaluate a player.
It took Fred Taylor all of one game as the featured back to show he belonged. RB is not a position where it takes a zillion games to find out what you have or don't.
It is frustrating as a fan to watch the sad excuse of what was at one time a formidable running offense. I'm not hanging on to the past though, the game has evolved into a 'run to set up the pass type game'. It's just that when I watch Toby Gerhart and then read the 'drivel' from him about 'I'll keep trying'....
It's not that I'm against a 'power back' in theory; it's just that when I watch Toby I keep asking myself, "where's the power'? The man has a ridiculously low yardage production, yet he is getting the same average amount of pay as much more productive backs elsewhere. Our 'premier' running back? Not.
On top of this, Fisch has tried over and over to run this guy outside. Toby may have been able to do this in college or with Minnesota, but he's too [bad word removed] slow to do it with this offensive line. I guess I understand, given the money that's being wasted on him, why the team is reluctant to give up on him; I mean after all, it's pretty obvious to everyone who hasn't overdosed on the teal kool aid that this season is just a series of training games for our offense. So what difference does it make if they keep wasting downs on Toby? From a practical point of view, none.
However, it should not be overlooked by anyone that in just the few plays that Storm Johnson was on the field last Sunday, he overshadowed everything done previously by Toby, Todman or DRob. How?... he made plays! Storm is obviously more motivated than those other guys; he actually wants to make big plays. I just don't get that feeling from Toby; I don't get that sense of urgency like I do from Storm. With Toby it feels like 'just another day at the office...', with Storm it feels more like 'my life depends on running forward with the rock!'
I hope we see a lot less of Toby the rest of the season; imo, he was a miss by Dave Caldwell. I get a lot more excitement watching either DRob or Storm out there. I had said after the 'skins' game on this board that I thought Toby would fit better as either a situational back or as a fullback. He clearly isn't the 'main horse' for us...
I'd like to see Storm/DRob with Gerhart as the FB
Quote:I'd like to see Storm/DRob with Gerhart as the FB
Thats actually the best option, right there.
I think Storm and Denard will get the bulk of the rushing attempts but Gerhart will still play on 3rd down.
Quote:Just play Johnson and Robinson. Gerhart/Todman probably gone after this year anyway.
There's a concern inside the stadium about Johnson's durability, and that was validated to a certain extent last week.
To be honest I don't think our RB of the future is on the roster right now, Johnson is the only one who shows a glimmer of vision, with the ZBS you have got to have a back with great vision, holes are fluid in the NFL, I truly think the declining emphasis on the RB position is a misnomer, quality running backs are not a dime a dozen but more like a where's Waldo picture
Who cares, either way you'll be scratching your head indefinitely.
I think Toby might be a little more banged up than he's letting on. So I hope Storm can contribute. I think the amount of touches Denard is getting is pretty good though.
I was so excited after we signed Toby cause I remember how great he was at Stanford, but after seeing the way he tries to attack the line is just pitiful. He never was explosive in college but he was more of diesel engine, gaining power and speed when he came on. He has lost that... The way Storm attacked and adjusted this last weekend was ridiculously way better than I thought a 7th round pick would do (I know it was a deep offence draft). I want to see what he can do with a decent work load. I have always liked Robinson. I just think they still don't know how to use him yet. He is a good runner with decent if not great hands (after the rehab). The way he fights for yards is awesome. I would like to see more options/screens with him used. A bail out plan for Bortles. Several NFL teams are using it, we are not. Use it on a deep play call with Robinson being the third read...Boom, Boom, first down....