I'm happy Penny seems to be playing well, but we'll see how the rest of the season goes. At this point, he's faced the run defenses ranked by yards per attempt that are 19th, 1st, 21st and 32nd in the league. He went for 2.5 Y/A against SF. The Seahawks still have to face SF again, the Rams twice (they are 9th), the Chiefs (2nd), the Jets (6th), the Raiders (8th) and this week the Saints (10th). Let's see how he does against those teams. I'm not convinced he's really that good given he faced 4 poor run defenses in those last 6 games last year and really struggled against the 2 good ones (SF, LAR). If he hits 5 Y/A this week, I'll be surprised. Happy but surprised. Is he a bust overall? Not really, but he is what he is and that's meh.
Penny's injuries sure made the pick look like a bust until late last season. Then he resigned with the Seahawks at a reasonable price. Just a one year deal but his camp indicated that there were offers for more. If so, his loyalty to the team for sticking with him and continuing to give him opportunities makes the initial pick go down a lot easier. This year would, without question, be the disaster I'd envisioned if he weren't on the roster. I love Walker but he's a rookie and does not appear to be ready to step in as the starter just yet. Perhaps by later in the season but it's a good bet we'd be 0-4 without a healthy Penny these last four games.
I'm super stoked for LJ Collier's return! It's his last chance this year. Just like Penny got, and made the most of, his last chance last year. At this time of the season last year, did anyone think Penny would be back? The more we write this guy off and the longer he lingers on the roster, the better the story gets when he breaks out. I don't really believe this will happen, but how fun would it be if LJ finished the year with eight sacks and a dozen tackles for a loss? GO LJ!!!
But yeah, I'm still more excited to watch Penny this Sunday.
Ken you know how I have always backed Rashaad Penny. He has always been a stud and scored some memorable TDs in his first three seasons. Two off the top of my head, first was around a 25 yarder against the Rams, in his first season. He took off towards the left side line, got three quarters of the way there, then reversed field and out ran the entire Rams defense and scored in the right corner. The other was a 50 yard beauty in the Steel city. Penny got the handoff from Russ almost at the same time their defensive end broke through the line of scrimmage on a B Line for Penny. Penny made one quick jab step to his right and left the D End grasping at thin air. All he did after that was out race the entire Steelers defensive backs scoring from 50 yards like he did against the Lions last week. I have always publicly backed him as he did show us enough that his talent was obvious. I really wanted to see Carson and Penny on the field at the same time, both are big enough to fill the Fullback spot. We have seen KW3 and Penny on the field together but it's always been Walker linning up at Fullback, Pete must have his reasons. For all who think Pete is far to enamered by running the ball, the Hawks had a successful coach in the early 80s who ran more. His nickname said it all "ground Chuck", Knox. We used a play that worked everytime and I think it would be great for our backs. In the dark ages maybe watching on black and white TV. John L Williams would line up at Fullback and Curt Warner would be the tailback. It was a screen to Warner in the flat or so everybody always believed. John L would run into the line put a rub block on who ever was there, then he would escape to the other side of the field unguarded..Pump fake the screen to Curt, and QB Dave Craig would sell it, then he would turn and throw to John L on the open side no one was ever with in 20 yards and that was if a defender was lying down hurt. The play never went for less than 30 yards, and they scored a number of times over 3 or 4 years. Can you imagine how well that would work for KW3. I have been thinking about it since I saw Walker line up at FB. A good runninback is worth his weight in gold and they should be paid on a higher scale in their first 4 years, a great majority get hurt and don't make it that long
In my view and not a coincidence, the 2011 players contract helped devalue the runners, which is right on your time scale.
Finally I apologize for the length there is one player you listed that I would have wanted more than Penny using 20/20 hindsight and that is the Dolphins Mike Gizeki, tightends are second in being under payed.
I've always loved Penny. More than I loved Carson. I thought he was the better runner by the second year, but injuries kept him from being available. Last year he got his chance and proved me right. Your insights are valuable. I remember when RB's were almost always taken early. Paul Horning was a god. Gale Sayers was/always will be the most graceful, and who would want to tackle Jim Brown?
Still I love today's game where violence is not indiscriminate.
Why do you think CB has become such an injury prone position? The only two reasons I can think of are an increased number of pass plays and the size and speed of today's wide receivers. However, not being invovled in as many run support plays would seem to favor less injuries.
I think the case against RBs comes down to two things, the first is questionable math in the analytics and the second was described in the beginning of this article: that there are so many good athletes at RB, that means there are good RBs available later. The most obvious problem with that narrative is that the overwhelming majority of RBs who have had success in the NFL in the past, or who are having success today - were picked in the first and second rounds. Occasionally the third. And more rarely after that.
What most talking heads forget is that the offensive line and the scheme has a huge bearing on a RBs success.
Remember the idiot Bill's never gave Beast Mode enough carries to establish a rhythm or wear opposing defenders down and they used OJ as a receiver until the coach was canned!
Some schemes are more amenable to RBs success than others.
And last but not least, there a more RBs in the HOF than any other position. A balanced offense is usually the most successful.
Evaluating any draft class at the time of the draft or even one year later is very risky simply because injury takes such a toll in this game. My own thought is that the mental aspect of the game is what washes some out and not others with similar atheletic traits, and perhaps Penny deserves some 'extra credit' here for persevering through his injuries to get to the point he is at now.
Is his current contract a good one? After 4 games, sure! If he keeps playing at the level he is at now it will look like a bargain. Every contract is a bit of a crap shoot (for both player and management) at the time it is signed (I mean, look at Geno's!!).
Staying with Penny, and looking at the player he is at this moment, he is not only worth his draft position but his contract as well. But we can't come to any final conclusions until the end of the season or really at the end of Penny's career whenever that is. There is no question his ceiling at this point is HoF-worthy, but we won't know if he gets there until all the games are played. Until then, yes, Penny makes the Seahawks a more entertaining product on the field.
Do we need to revisit this revisit now that he's out for another season?
Can't blame the guy for someone breaking his ankle but man another season of unrealized potential..
I'm happy Penny seems to be playing well, but we'll see how the rest of the season goes. At this point, he's faced the run defenses ranked by yards per attempt that are 19th, 1st, 21st and 32nd in the league. He went for 2.5 Y/A against SF. The Seahawks still have to face SF again, the Rams twice (they are 9th), the Chiefs (2nd), the Jets (6th), the Raiders (8th) and this week the Saints (10th). Let's see how he does against those teams. I'm not convinced he's really that good given he faced 4 poor run defenses in those last 6 games last year and really struggled against the 2 good ones (SF, LAR). If he hits 5 Y/A this week, I'll be surprised. Happy but surprised. Is he a bust overall? Not really, but he is what he is and that's meh.
Penny's injuries sure made the pick look like a bust until late last season. Then he resigned with the Seahawks at a reasonable price. Just a one year deal but his camp indicated that there were offers for more. If so, his loyalty to the team for sticking with him and continuing to give him opportunities makes the initial pick go down a lot easier. This year would, without question, be the disaster I'd envisioned if he weren't on the roster. I love Walker but he's a rookie and does not appear to be ready to step in as the starter just yet. Perhaps by later in the season but it's a good bet we'd be 0-4 without a healthy Penny these last four games.
I'm super stoked for LJ Collier's return! It's his last chance this year. Just like Penny got, and made the most of, his last chance last year. At this time of the season last year, did anyone think Penny would be back? The more we write this guy off and the longer he lingers on the roster, the better the story gets when he breaks out. I don't really believe this will happen, but how fun would it be if LJ finished the year with eight sacks and a dozen tackles for a loss? GO LJ!!!
But yeah, I'm still more excited to watch Penny this Sunday.
Ken you know how I have always backed Rashaad Penny. He has always been a stud and scored some memorable TDs in his first three seasons. Two off the top of my head, first was around a 25 yarder against the Rams, in his first season. He took off towards the left side line, got three quarters of the way there, then reversed field and out ran the entire Rams defense and scored in the right corner. The other was a 50 yard beauty in the Steel city. Penny got the handoff from Russ almost at the same time their defensive end broke through the line of scrimmage on a B Line for Penny. Penny made one quick jab step to his right and left the D End grasping at thin air. All he did after that was out race the entire Steelers defensive backs scoring from 50 yards like he did against the Lions last week. I have always publicly backed him as he did show us enough that his talent was obvious. I really wanted to see Carson and Penny on the field at the same time, both are big enough to fill the Fullback spot. We have seen KW3 and Penny on the field together but it's always been Walker linning up at Fullback, Pete must have his reasons. For all who think Pete is far to enamered by running the ball, the Hawks had a successful coach in the early 80s who ran more. His nickname said it all "ground Chuck", Knox. We used a play that worked everytime and I think it would be great for our backs. In the dark ages maybe watching on black and white TV. John L Williams would line up at Fullback and Curt Warner would be the tailback. It was a screen to Warner in the flat or so everybody always believed. John L would run into the line put a rub block on who ever was there, then he would escape to the other side of the field unguarded..Pump fake the screen to Curt, and QB Dave Craig would sell it, then he would turn and throw to John L on the open side no one was ever with in 20 yards and that was if a defender was lying down hurt. The play never went for less than 30 yards, and they scored a number of times over 3 or 4 years. Can you imagine how well that would work for KW3. I have been thinking about it since I saw Walker line up at FB. A good runninback is worth his weight in gold and they should be paid on a higher scale in their first 4 years, a great majority get hurt and don't make it that long
In my view and not a coincidence, the 2011 players contract helped devalue the runners, which is right on your time scale.
Finally I apologize for the length there is one player you listed that I would have wanted more than Penny using 20/20 hindsight and that is the Dolphins Mike Gizeki, tightends are second in being under payed.
I've always loved Penny. More than I loved Carson. I thought he was the better runner by the second year, but injuries kept him from being available. Last year he got his chance and proved me right. Your insights are valuable. I remember when RB's were almost always taken early. Paul Horning was a god. Gale Sayers was/always will be the most graceful, and who would want to tackle Jim Brown?
Still I love today's game where violence is not indiscriminate.
Why do you think CB has become such an injury prone position? The only two reasons I can think of are an increased number of pass plays and the size and speed of today's wide receivers. However, not being invovled in as many run support plays would seem to favor less injuries.
I think the case against RBs comes down to two things, the first is questionable math in the analytics and the second was described in the beginning of this article: that there are so many good athletes at RB, that means there are good RBs available later. The most obvious problem with that narrative is that the overwhelming majority of RBs who have had success in the NFL in the past, or who are having success today - were picked in the first and second rounds. Occasionally the third. And more rarely after that.
What most talking heads forget is that the offensive line and the scheme has a huge bearing on a RBs success.
Remember the idiot Bill's never gave Beast Mode enough carries to establish a rhythm or wear opposing defenders down and they used OJ as a receiver until the coach was canned!
Some schemes are more amenable to RBs success than others.
And last but not least, there a more RBs in the HOF than any other position. A balanced offense is usually the most successful.
Evaluating any draft class at the time of the draft or even one year later is very risky simply because injury takes such a toll in this game. My own thought is that the mental aspect of the game is what washes some out and not others with similar atheletic traits, and perhaps Penny deserves some 'extra credit' here for persevering through his injuries to get to the point he is at now.
Is his current contract a good one? After 4 games, sure! If he keeps playing at the level he is at now it will look like a bargain. Every contract is a bit of a crap shoot (for both player and management) at the time it is signed (I mean, look at Geno's!!).
Staying with Penny, and looking at the player he is at this moment, he is not only worth his draft position but his contract as well. But we can't come to any final conclusions until the end of the season or really at the end of Penny's career whenever that is. There is no question his ceiling at this point is HoF-worthy, but we won't know if he gets there until all the games are played. Until then, yes, Penny makes the Seahawks a more entertaining product on the field.