Are You Comfortable with the RB Position?

[AlexGreen#20]

Just now, Cadmus said:

1 Game does not make a season. 

It's something that came to my attention multiple times when as I watched JW. 

On the other hand... did anyone else realize that Devante Mays can actually catch the ball? 

 

Is there a game that you can call out? He was very strong against Utah as well. Spent most of that second half offering shade help on Hunter Dimick who was killing the BYU RT (I think it was Lapuaho)

[Cadmus]

59 minutes ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

Is there a game that you can call out? He was very strong against Utah as well. Spent most of that second half offering shade help on Hunter Dimick who was killing the BYU RT (I think it was Lapuaho)

Mississippi State. 

[Cadmus]

On 7/20/2017 at 2:23 PM, CentralFC said:

Read somewhere Jamaal Williams had the worst (or among the worst) created yards per attempt of the drafted running backs in the 2017 class. I'm interested to see how his vision translates to the pro game given the chatter around him being "pro ready."

 

 

Dead last in this metric on runs out of the shotgun.

[AlexGreen#20]

5 hours ago, Cadmus said:

Mississippi State. 

http://archive.draftbreakdown.com/video/jamaal-williams-vs-mississippi-state-2016/

Something is very wrong with your pass protection rate metric if this is the worst game of the worst pass blocking RB among the top 15 guys drafted.

I've got a questionable play at 2:44 that looks more like the FB whiffed on the blitzer.

I've got a questionable play at 4:50 where he's isolated on an edge rusher. His cut isn't magnificent but it was a completion for a long gain, and the edge guy didn't hit the QB. It was a pressure allowed.

I've got a questionable play at 10:01 where he's isolated on an edge rusher off of play action. He cuts, puts the defender on the ground. The defender gets up and makes a strip sack. That's a QB mistake. If your RB is isolated on an edge guy off of play action, and he gets him on the ground, you need to have the ball out. 

I think a fair coach probably hits him with a pressure at 4:50. 

Am I missing anything? Maybe this is a poor sampling by draft breakdown and the game had more details but there are some damn good blocks in here.

8:23 is a very similar play to the one that everybody lost their mind over with John Kuhn on Julius Peppers in 2012-2013.

[Pugger]

On 7/30/2017 at 11:12 AM, CWood21 said:

But you're assuming that Montgomery stays healthy and/or the rookies don't have so many issues in pass protection that McCarthy can't afford to play them.  Then you're relying on Rip to be our running game.

Of all of the positions a rookie can come in and contribute in a significant way it is RB.  I don't think we'll need the second coming of AP to have an effective running game this year.

[MacReady]

Are people maybe a little bit too worried about pass protection from a RB when, in obvious passing situations, we'll probably have Ripkowski in anyway? 

I don't get the fuss over worrying about pass protection from our RB when we've already got a pretty good one for situations where that's imperative. 

[PackFan4Life]

Yes Rip will probably be out there more then the other options, and that is the problem. Rip is not the explosive threat that the other options are. If one of the other RBs out there would show a bit more ability in sniffing out where the free man is coming from, I think they will be ok. Unfortunately, they flat out do not pick them out in time to square up and take them out of their lane to the QB. That has been the biggest issue so far in camp with the RBs in camp. Monty also can get overwhelmed. Williams is willing but again, is late picking up the guy and then it does not matter what effort or ability he has in that capacity- when you are late at this level it is game over. Rip just has a knack of knowing who is coming from where....even Kendricks has been better then the other RBs so far in camp when give a chance in those sets and blocking opportunities.

 

 

[CentralFC]

On 7/31/2017 at 6:40 AM, persiandud said:

Ty is going to have a great season. I think anyone with concerns about his workhorse ability will change their tune after the season ends. He's working out with the Footwork King, he's talked specifically about pass protection being key for him, and he's said that he's much more comfortable now and he "sees the game better". He's going to be better than Lacy ever was. 

I really like Jamaal Williams and Aaron Jones too. Our RB position looks strong. Not concerned at all, in fact very excited 

It's not ability, it's his body, and whether he can handle a bell-cow workload (he can't). Look at his carries per game down the stretch in 2016 post-Lacy going on the IR. It's disconcerting. Is he a valuable weapon in a league that's matchup-oriented? Yes, 100 percent, and a damn lethal one at that. Especially with an extra year to develop vision, strength, etc. But will he ever be featured? No. Our drafting three running backs, coupled with his known health concerns, proves that IMO. 

 

[CentralFC]

10 hours ago, HorizontoZenith said:

Are people maybe a little bit too worried about pass protection from a RB when, in obvious passing situations, we'll probably have Ripkowski in anyway? 

I don't get the fuss over worrying about pass protection from our RB when we've already got a pretty good one for situations where that's imperative. 

 

The idea is that it'd be great to have a legitimate running back who can also protect. Rip can run the ball, but he's not a "legitimate running back." Lacy was, but then he got fat and lazy, and that whole experiment went to hell. 

[Cadmus]

14 hours ago, AlexGreen#20 said:

http://archive.draftbreakdown.com/video/jamaal-williams-vs-mississippi-state-2016/

Something is very wrong with your pass protection rate metric if this is the worst game of the worst pass blocking RB among the top 15 guys drafted.

I've got a questionable play at 2:44 that looks more like the FB whiffed on the blitzer.

I've got a questionable play at 4:50 where he's isolated on an edge rusher. His cut isn't magnificent but it was a completion for a long gain, and the edge guy didn't hit the QB. It was a pressure allowed.

I've got a questionable play at 10:01 where he's isolated on an edge rusher off of play action. He cuts, puts the defender on the ground. The defender gets up and makes a strip sack. That's a QB mistake. If your RB is isolated on an edge guy off of play action, and he gets him on the ground, you need to have the ball out. 

I think a fair coach probably hits him with a pressure at 4:50. 

Am I missing anything? Maybe this is a poor sampling by draft breakdown and the game had more details but there are some damn good blocks in here.

8:23 is a very similar play to the one that everybody lost their mind over with John Kuhn on Julius Peppers in 2012-2013.

1) I haven't watched any Jamaal Williams games since March or April so I'm just going off what I had written down. 

2) I never said that it was my pass protection metric, that definitely came from a football writer whose work I regularly read. 

[AlexGreen#20]

1 minute ago, Cadmus said:

1) I haven't watched any Jamaal Williams games since March or April so I'm just going off what I had written down. 

2) I never said that it was my pass protection metric, that definitely came from a football writer whose work I regularly read. 

I'm not busting on you. Do you mind if I ask which writer? The Williams pass blocking discussion is completely bimodal. There are those that think he's pretty darn advanced, and those that think he's terrible. There's not much in the middle (which truthfully is probably where he's at) You're not alone in holding the opinion that you do. I'm in the former category and would like to see more of the work behind those who are reaching the opposite conclusion. 

[Gopackgonerd]

I won't make my judgement till I see these guys play in a live game, not gonna go off of training camp reports. My prediction though is that Ty and Williams will split time throughout the season with Jones sprinkled in. Don't think one guy is gonna be the mainstay though, from McCarthys past seasons its whoever has the hot hand.

[CWood21]

On 7/31/2017 at 6:53 PM, Cadmus said:

THIS. So much this. 

Not only did he look bad when I charted him, but others I trust have noted the same thing. 

He was dead last in pass protection rate among the Top 15 RBs in the 2017 Draft Class. 

Glad to know I wasn't the only one who had issues with Williams in pass pro.  I don't recall which games stood out, and I can certainly dig it up.  I won't pretend that I charted his pass pro snaps, but I always came away unimpressed.

[CWood21]

13 hours ago, Pugger said:

Of all of the positions a rookie can come in and contribute in a significant way it is RB.  I don't think we'll need the second coming of AP to have an effective running game this year.

Again, my issue with the young RBs isn't their ability to run the ball.  Quite frankly, I think any of the four RBs on the roster can be a capable runner.  My concerns comes that Mike wants RBs to do two things: not make critical mistakes and pass protect reasonably well.  The latter has more to do with technique and fundamentals than instincts like running the ball is.  Yes, you can get better with reps but it's not a trait that RBs usually are considered strong in coming out of college.

[Norm]

Maybe not Williams bad but isn't that pretty typical these days?

Some guys never turn it around, some do. I will always trust a guy who seems to care about it, even if he sucked caring in college lol.