JS has been a good GM, except in his O-line choices. Yes Cross and Lucas(if he can ever return and remain healthy) were good choices. BUT over the years there has been a decision to go cheap and old. It normally takes a season sometimes a season and a half for an O-line to truly jell and understand each other and their tendencies to be able to know and feel what each other are going to do and do that together as a unit. The only thing that makes any sense to me is that JS, scouting and talent evaluators just don't have a good feel or understanding on O-linemen. There is a long enough track record to feel that way, IMHO.
I wonder if he doesn't fit the scheme, if he's physically too small -- no matter his heart -- to play in the defense being installed? My impression is the Baltimore secondary runs large and the LBs are new breed smallish... And/or if the instability at LB is impacting the secondary as they try to cope?
Getting a good offensive line is tough, and I think the Hawks have been a bit snake-bitten.
We went through a couple of early round draft choices looking for a replacement for Marshawn Lynch, who succumbed to the injury bug right after they started with us (Rashaad Penney, for example). We lucked into a couple of late round picks who did well before they fell to injury (Chris Carson, for example).
For the offensive line, we've had the same luck in that players who looked really good in their first year have gotten the injury bug, too. Also, knowing that it takes longer to develop a good offensive line player than a running back, we've given longer chances to average/poor players who did not turn out well. Tom Cable even tried experimenting with using players from other positions. George Fant was the only recent one who was moderately successful, and it took him longer to develop. So we've also bought players from other teams who were on the down side of their careers. If I wanted to fault anyone, it would be the conditioning staff.
The Forty-Niners seem to be total flops at picking early-round quarterbacks, but lucky in the late rounds. Tom Brady was also a late-round pick.
Detroit came back last night because Coach Campbell wasn't happy. It's a game of Passions and Campbell recognizes that. It takes time. Always. That's what I am seeing this year.
JS has been a good GM, except in his O-line choices. Yes Cross and Lucas(if he can ever return and remain healthy) were good choices. BUT over the years there has been a decision to go cheap and old. It normally takes a season sometimes a season and a half for an O-line to truly jell and understand each other and their tendencies to be able to know and feel what each other are going to do and do that together as a unit. The only thing that makes any sense to me is that JS, scouting and talent evaluators just don't have a good feel or understanding on O-linemen. There is a long enough track record to feel that way, IMHO.
Q. Is Witherspoon having a " sophomore slump"?
Do you think he is trading upwards or downward with his stock. Last year around this time there was talk about him being RMVP.
I've heard nothing about him in that regard this year
I wonder if he doesn't fit the scheme, if he's physically too small -- no matter his heart -- to play in the defense being installed? My impression is the Baltimore secondary runs large and the LBs are new breed smallish... And/or if the instability at LB is impacting the secondary as they try to cope?
Getting a good offensive line is tough, and I think the Hawks have been a bit snake-bitten.
We went through a couple of early round draft choices looking for a replacement for Marshawn Lynch, who succumbed to the injury bug right after they started with us (Rashaad Penney, for example). We lucked into a couple of late round picks who did well before they fell to injury (Chris Carson, for example).
For the offensive line, we've had the same luck in that players who looked really good in their first year have gotten the injury bug, too. Also, knowing that it takes longer to develop a good offensive line player than a running back, we've given longer chances to average/poor players who did not turn out well. Tom Cable even tried experimenting with using players from other positions. George Fant was the only recent one who was moderately successful, and it took him longer to develop. So we've also bought players from other teams who were on the down side of their careers. If I wanted to fault anyone, it would be the conditioning staff.
The Forty-Niners seem to be total flops at picking early-round quarterbacks, but lucky in the late rounds. Tom Brady was also a late-round pick.
We just gotta keep trying.
Detroit came back last night because Coach Campbell wasn't happy. It's a game of Passions and Campbell recognizes that. It takes time. Always. That's what I am seeing this year.
Personally, I never enjoy the process of watching bad football. Ever.