(07-10-2021, 02:09 PM)NYC4jags Wrote:

(07-10-2021, 01:59 PM)SeldomRite Wrote: I keep saying why, I think if he's actually great at making explosive plays he'll get decent stats this season. If he's not then his stats might still be decent, but I think he'll be a bad draft pick and won't put fear into defensive coordinators.

Do you think there's going to be defensive coordinators up all night on Saturday thinking about how to stop him from getting 70 yards on 20 carries with someone running him down from behind on the off chance he manages to get past the linebackers?

No - I think that if he breaks off enough chunk yardage plays early in the season, then he becomes an element coordinators will have to consider while scheming against an offense that will likely already provide challenges for them. 

Coordinators don't simply look at production to determine how to match up with an offense. 

You hear the phrase "limit explosive plays" constantly from the mouths of DC's for good reason. 
If weeks one through four include 3 "explosive plays" from Etienne, then the week five opponent is going to look at the tape, determine which formations vs which coverages Etienne had success from and seek to counter that. All the while having to consider Robinson, Chark, Shenault and Jones. 

Etienne's impact could be significant without big production numbers and it's not that tough to see why.

Not 70 yds on 20 carries that you suggest.
That's not his role.
It's 50-80 yds on 8-10 touches with one of them being an explosive play that will get coordinators attention.

We are thinking along the same lines.

I believe one of the best things that could happen for us this season is for Etienne to take a screen pass 40 yards or more for a score against a blitzing defense im the first 2-3 weeks of the season, especially against Houston.  Immediately it would demonstrate that TL is capable of beating a blitz, and that Etienne is capable of the big play.  

If it'll make coordinators more hesitant and less aggressive...less apt to blitz our rookie QB behind a shaky O-line, that's a win for TL and the team as a whole.

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