There's been a lot of doom and gloom post loss to San Francisco, and we seem to be tunnel visioned on all the bad and who played poorly; but I think a lot of positive developments from last weekend got lost in the wash a bit, the 5 biggest I noted are:
Travon Walker!!!! He had himself a GAME!!!! He got cheated out of a sack on that intentional grounding call which had the call stand upon review. But he was just killing the RT all day, he blew up the run lanes, impacted the passer with bull rushes and some moves to shed the blockers. He's starting to align his ridiculous athletic traits with game knowledge now that he has experience in the league at a single spot. I think him and Allen are the pass rushing duo of the future and I don't think we've even approached seeing the best of Travon Walker yet. I'm really starting to see why he went #1 overall despite all the question marks.
Walker Little is just fine. There were calls to cut him or perma bench him due to his performance; but keep in mind he's at a brand new position, against a tough DLine, and is coming off an injury. It also doesn't help that he's 6'7" playing on the interior; most guards are usually a little smaller height wise as it allows them to play with more leverage. If he had this performance at LT i'd be concerned, but he's filling in just fine until Ezra Cleveland is ready to step in at LG.
Ridley is still impacting the game outside of the stat sheet. He drew several flags from defenders which helped move the chains and is drawing the top DB's and coverage to him game after game. I still think Zay Jones absence has him miscast running deeper routes and clear outs when his bread and butter is really the underneath and timing routes. I still think he should be resigned even though the production is underwhelming relative to expectations.
D'Ernest Johnson. Had a couple nice runs, and really sparked the offense a bit. Unlike Bigsby, I trust him to not fumble or have a fluke interception off his hands. D'Ernest runs hard, and seems to pass block and do everything else pretty solidly; i'd like to see him rotated in with Etienne to give him a breather more.
Greg Junior stepped in after Campbell tweaked his hamstring again and held his own! I didn't notice many plays where he was burnt, out of position etc. he looked like he belongs and is a young ascending player for the secondary.
Little is not a guard. He needs to replace Harrison for now and put Ezra at LG
Ridley seems to struggle a bit getting off blocks at the line of scrimmage. But he does make some great plays occasionally and helps take attention away from Kirk. Just wish he was more reliable. Walker and D'Ernest Johnson did play well, too bad it was for naught in this game but it's a positive development going forward. Didn't think anyone on the OL played well, including Little tbh. I think Engram has been quietly having an outstanding year, he's third in the league in overall receptions for TEs and has played 1 less game than the leader!
And let's not forget, they are 6-3, which is hardly a disaster even if they aren't really serious SB contenders just yet.
So yeah, definitely still some positives.
They have to start moving Ridley around more and getting more creative with him to create miss matches. I'd like to see him in the slot more and in motion.
(11-14-2023, 11:03 AM)flgatorsandjags Wrote: [ -> ]Little is not a guard. He needs to replace Harrison for now and put Ezra at LG
I don’t think they are taking the rookie out. They like him a lot and probably don’t want to bench him. Walker will be fine at lg. the 49rs is the best defense line he will probably go against except for maybe the browns, so hopefully he will be ok. No need to panic so fast.
(11-14-2023, 11:03 AM)flgatorsandjags Wrote: [ -> ]Little is not a guard. He needs to replace Harrison for now and put Ezra at LG
This.
Also the only positive for the offense was Johnson. Please put tank in the shadow realm, unless every RB on the roster is hurt he needs to be inactive every week.
Walker did have a studly of a game, let's all hope he can keep that going.
(11-14-2023, 11:14 AM)MarleyJag Wrote: [ -> ]. I think Engram has been quietly having an outstanding year, he's third in the league in overall receptions for TEs and has played 1 less game than the leader!
Kind of hard to believe as it has felt so unimpactful. Less than 10 yards a catch and no TDs. Too much dink and dunk. We need to throw it down the field.
(11-14-2023, 12:40 PM)rfc17 Wrote: [ -> ] (11-14-2023, 11:14 AM)MarleyJag Wrote: [ -> ]. I think Engram has been quietly having an outstanding year, he's third in the league in overall receptions for TEs and has played 1 less game than the leader!
Kind of hard to believe as it has felt so unimpactful. Less than 10 yards a catch and no TDs. Too much dink and dunk. We need to throw it down the field.
So much this! And add some slants and in-breaking routes. This offense is so predictable. Less than 10 yard throws and on the outside.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
We're going to be fine folks. Two weeks from now, when this team is up 8 - 3 and they've smoked the tacks and tinhorns. We're going to look back at this beat down by the 49ers and thank them for it. Because the team needed it. Just like they needed that thumping in Detroit last year.
Good times ahead down the half way stretch. Keep the faith. Have the faith. Will it into existence. It's just a little speed bump by one of the NFC's biggest, baddest bullies on the block. We're not on that level yet, but, we're moving along towards that.
I particularly like the commenter calling out that this is likely a Baalke leak trying to move the focus off his terrible work with the O-line onto a scapegoat.
(11-14-2023, 01:12 PM)nhiverson Wrote: [ -> ]https://twitter.com/_Raising_Kane_/statu...1284969549
https://twitter.com/E_Dilla/status/1724035910545686638
https://twitter.com/E_Dilla/status/1724448653157290195
It'll be very telling what happens moving forward. I know a lot of people have their feelings about Press Taylor. Myself included. I was a defender of his, especially earlier on when the team was really not executing when the football was in their hands or the turnovers kept coming up.
I think, and, again, it's all speculation, but, when we go back to that home win against the clots I think it was, where, we were up, game was out of reach, and, we had Lawrence run that little funky bootleg out and it ultimately got his knee hurt. There was that little odd looking exchange post game between Doug and Press in the tunnel.
Body language wise it didn't look like a comfortable exchange. Then, again, a lot of the nonsense on 3rd and short had been bothering me as a spectator throughout the year. Dempsey made a fair point. We scored 3 points at home. I don't care what defense it is. That's embarrassing.
The Browns managed to score 19 points with P.J Walker as their QB and that's an offense that lost Nick Chubb weeks ago and outside of who, maybe, Amari Cooper? They don't have too many big names out there that really scare you on paper. They just slug it out on defense like the Steelers and Ravens do in that division as well.
Something had to give. I just hope Doug's ego isn't his swan song here soon like it was with the Eagles. That's my biggest concern now. Can he swallow his pride now and go back to play calling duties or will it be something that continues to crop up out of pride and ego? If it's indeed even the case. That's all speculative there in those tweets.
Coach pederson needs to earn his money by calling plays. He’s too good of a talent to not use that resource. Press can help a lot by game planning and all the important things the head coach might need help with but come on. There are only 17 plus opportunities to call plays in a season. Don’t sit these few crucial times out.
(11-14-2023, 01:21 PM)Caldrac Wrote: [ -> ] (11-14-2023, 01:12 PM)nhiverson Wrote: [ -> ]https://twitter.com/_Raising_Kane_/statu...1284969549
https://twitter.com/E_Dilla/status/1724035910545686638
https://twitter.com/E_Dilla/status/1724448653157290195
It'll be very telling what happens moving forward. I know a lot of people have their feelings about Press Taylor. Myself included. I was a defender of his, especially earlier on when the team was really not executing when the football was in their hands or the turnovers kept coming up.
I think, and, again, it's all speculation, but, when we go back to that home win against the clots I think it was, where, we were up, game was out of reach, and, we had Lawrence run that little funky bootleg out and it ultimately got his knee hurt. There was that little odd looking exchange post game between Doug and Press in the tunnel.
Body language wise it didn't look like a comfortable exchange. Then, again, a lot of the nonsense on 3rd and short had been bothering me as a spectator throughout the year. Dempsey made a fair point. We scored 3 points at home. I don't care what defense it is. That's embarrassing.
The Browns managed to score 19 points with P.J Walker as their QB and that's an offense that lost Nick Chubb weeks ago and outside of who, maybe, Amari Cooper? They don't have too many big names out there that really scare you on paper. They just slug it out on defense like the Steelers and Ravens do in that division as well.
Something had to give. I just hope Doug's ego isn't his swan song here soon like it was with the Eagles. That's my biggest concern now. Can he swallow his pride now and go back to play calling duties or will it be something that continues to crop up out of pride and ego? If it's indeed even the case. That's all speculative there in those tweets.
Why don't you go back to the link you posted earlier where they rate the O-lines by unit and you'll figure out the answer to your question in 3 tries.
(11-14-2023, 12:17 PM)Jag88 Wrote: [ -> ] (11-14-2023, 11:03 AM)flgatorsandjags Wrote: [ -> ]Little is not a guard. He needs to replace Harrison for now and put Ezra at LG
I don’t think they are taking the rookie out. They like him a lot and probably don’t want to bench him. Walker will be fine at lg. the 49rs is the best defense line he will probably go against except for maybe the browns, so hopefully he will be ok. No need to panic so fast.
They probably won't but it doesn't mean they shouldn't. Little is a better tackle than Harrison right now and Ezra is our best guard right now. I think Shatley is also a better center than Fortner. Simmons is just as good as any DT on the 9ers and the Browns dline right there with the 9ers.
(11-14-2023, 01:41 PM)flgatorsandjags Wrote: [ -> ] (11-14-2023, 12:17 PM)Jag88 Wrote: [ -> ]I don’t think they are taking the rookie out. They like him a lot and probably don’t want to bench him. Walker will be fine at lg. the 49rs is the best defense line he will probably go against except for maybe the browns, so hopefully he will be ok. No need to panic so fast.
They probably won't but it doesn't mean they shouldn't. Little is a better tackle than Harrison right now and Ezra is our best guard right now. I think Shatley is also a better center than Fortner. Simmons is just as good as any DT on the 9ers and the Browns dline right there with the 9ers.
So we have 4 games to get this line whipped into shape.
(11-14-2023, 01:37 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ] (11-14-2023, 01:21 PM)Caldrac Wrote: [ -> ]It'll be very telling what happens moving forward. I know a lot of people have their feelings about Press Taylor. Myself included. I was a defender of his, especially earlier on when the team was really not executing when the football was in their hands or the turnovers kept coming up.
I think, and, again, it's all speculation, but, when we go back to that home win against the clots I think it was, where, we were up, game was out of reach, and, we had Lawrence run that little funky bootleg out and it ultimately got his knee hurt. There was that little odd looking exchange post game between Doug and Press in the tunnel.
Body language wise it didn't look like a comfortable exchange. Then, again, a lot of the nonsense on 3rd and short had been bothering me as a spectator throughout the year. Dempsey made a fair point. We scored 3 points at home. I don't care what defense it is. That's embarrassing.
The Browns managed to score 19 points with P.J Walker as their QB and that's an offense that lost Nick Chubb weeks ago and outside of who, maybe, Amari Cooper? They don't have too many big names out there that really scare you on paper. They just slug it out on defense like the Steelers and Ravens do in that division as well.
Something had to give. I just hope Doug's ego isn't his swan song here soon like it was with the Eagles. That's my biggest concern now. Can he swallow his pride now and go back to play calling duties or will it be something that continues to crop up out of pride and ego? If it's indeed even the case. That's all speculative there in those tweets.
Why don't you go back to the link you posted earlier where they rate the O-lines by unit and you'll figure out the answer to your question in 3 tries.
You can keep making the excuses all you want. I presented you with plenty of other teams below us on that list. Still moving the needle way more than we do on offense.
My point was that they didn't have their best QB on the field nor arguably the best RB in the NFL for weeks now with Chubb out.
There needs to be ownership here. They got it done last year with suspect line play. They were actually worse off at this same point last year. Play calling needs to change, concepts need to change, a better offensive mind with a better sense of the game needs to reinsert himself before we get dragged under the [BLEEP] table by the tacks and tinhorns over these next two weeks.
(11-14-2023, 12:20 PM)JagsFanSince95 Wrote: [ -> ] (11-14-2023, 11:03 AM)flgatorsandjags Wrote: [ -> ]Little is not a guard. He needs to replace Harrison for now and put Ezra at LG
This.
Also the only positive for the offense was Johnson. Please put tank in the shadow realm, unless every RB on the roster is hurt he needs to be inactive every week.
Walker did have a studly of a game, let's all hope he can keep that going.
Kirk had a good game as well. True, he had the fumble but that's his first of the season IIRC and it was hardly a "callous disregard for the ball", the defender just made a great play.
(11-14-2023, 01:53 PM)Caldrac Wrote: [ -> ] (11-14-2023, 01:37 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ]Why don't you go back to the link you posted earlier where they rate the O-lines by unit and you'll figure out the answer to your question in 3 tries.
You can keep making the excuses all you want. I presented you with plenty of other teams below us on that list. Still moving the needle way more than we do on offense.
My point was that they didn't have their best QB on the field nor arguably the best RB in the NFL for weeks now with Chubb out.
There needs to be ownership here. They got it done last year with suspect line play. They were actually worse off at this same point last year. Play calling needs to change, concepts need to change, a better offensive mind with a better sense of the game needs to reinsert himself before we get dragged under the [BLEEP] table by the tacks and tinhorns over these next two weeks.
And my point is that having a great offensive line covers a multitude of other problems while having a bad one overshadows a multitude of talent. It's not an excuse to tell you the reason; It's just a simple fact. The team is 6-3 and the players are plenty good enough to win more. The Achilles' Heel of this team is the line and the ownership for that problem sits in the GM chair. But you're are hung up on the coach, like some have been all season, never considering that maybe they've already wrung every bit of talent and execution out of this bunch that they can and the next step is just about getting better players. We're a 10 or 11 win team if we execute and a 13 or 14 win team with a couple better players. But that won't happen until next year, so enjoy this ride for what it is.
(11-14-2023, 04:16 PM)flsprtsgod Wrote: [ -> ] (11-14-2023, 01:53 PM)Caldrac Wrote: [ -> ]You can keep making the excuses all you want. I presented you with plenty of other teams below us on that list. Still moving the needle way more than we do on offense.
My point was that they didn't have their best QB on the field nor arguably the best RB in the NFL for weeks now with Chubb out.
There needs to be ownership here. They got it done last year with suspect line play. They were actually worse off at this same point last year. Play calling needs to change, concepts need to change, a better offensive mind with a better sense of the game needs to reinsert himself before we get dragged under the [BLEEP] table by the tacks and tinhorns over these next two weeks.
And my point is that having a great offensive line covers a multitude of other problems while having a bad one overshadows a multitude of talent. It's not an excuse to tell you the reason; It's just a simple fact. The team is 6-3 and the players are plenty good enough to win more. The Achilles' Heel of this team is the line and the ownership for that problem sits in the GM chair. But you're are hung up on the coach, like some have been all season, never considering that maybe they've already wrung every bit of talent and execution out of this bunch that they can and the next step is just about getting better players. We're a 10 or 11 win team if we execute and a 13 or 14 win team with a couple better players. But that won't happen until next year, so enjoy this ride for what it is.
Wrong again. I was pissed about Baalke's draft last year and this year. Was probably higher on Jamaree Salyer than most around here being a Bulldogs fan. I think it's disgusting that we only used a 1st RD pick and a 7th RD pick to add new offensive lineman to this roster.
I was on the fence about Robinson since last year and didn't like him in the long term. I was on the fence about Fortner when people, such as yourself, kept insisting it was just a rookie issue and he would improve in year two. I wasn't sold on Scherff who has played a little bit better this year.
The team was built backwards by Baalke. We all clearly see that now. Next step is better players. I agree. However, that's a problem to address next year. Right now? Failing to do anything about the current issue is still a failure on the coaching staff. It's important to protect Lawrence.
Especially this late into the year and with them more than likely gaining some degree of a shallow play-off run. Maybe an early bounce or a lucky break with a win, etc. However, letting him continue to sit back in the pocket with this interior by design is not going to help him over these next eight games.
They have to get him moving more, doesn't have to be in every game, doesn't have to be on every possession. But, they need to do something by play call and design before they royally [BLEEP] up down this stretch which could carry over into next year if we're not careful with his health.
That's all I am saying. I get your stance. The five we have is bad. No matter what they do they're [BLEEP]. Got it. Message heard. I am saying, to hell with that, you navigate around that [BLEEP] and you do the best with what you've got while you can before it gets worse.
Getting past teams like Baltimore and Cleveland now are going to be a [BLEEP]. The tacks are also going to be a lot more physical when they see us twice this year. As will the tinhorns in Houston. The intensity is fixing to go up.
Cannot keep operating the way they've been operating offensively.