H
HardRightEdge
Guest
Neal: The mystery has been revealed, and I'm thoroughly underwhelmed. I was right about this on three counts, more or less: (1) gadget, (2) psycho 2.0 and (3) Neal in place of Perry. The first time Neal took a snap standing up in STL's first series it was in a psycho-type set...3 man front with Matthews, Daniels and Neal...all standing up...with Perry dropping in coverage. No pressure. We were waiting for this? "Unimaginative" was the word I used for the predicted psycho 2.o, and that's what we got. Next, Neal was playing straight up strong side OLB in both base and nickel with the second team opposite Moses. Other than bouncing one run to the outside, Neal was non-factor.
First Team Pass Rush: Two games now without impressing.
Jolly: What can we say. He led the league in passes defended by a D-Lineman with 10 in 2009, and we saw why. They don't include these things in pressures, but they sure beat a "hurry" whatever that might be. Then he dropped in coverage for the pick, though after looking at that play a 1/2 dozen times I can't tell how that ball ever got through Means. Unrecognized in all that is playing well against the run. I'd like to see him get snaps with the first team so Raji can "rest".
Raji: He actually looked pretty good on a few run plays. For that we should pay what?
Wilson: He's the best run stopper on this team after Pickett. Is that enough? I think he's on the bubble. If he doesn't make it back, some other 3-4 team will be happy to have him in their rotation.
Moses and Lattimore: These guys looked confused or uninspired, I'm not sure which. Moses whiffed in space on a screen, I think it was, which is never a good look.
Francois: Two tackles for loss on run plays. He also blew up a kickoff return, shoving a blocker into the returner who fell down. He waved goodby to one runner with a half hearted arm tackle...out of position. The guy makes some mistakes, but he makes plays. He's passed Lattimore if he wasn't in front of him already.
Mulumba: Like Francois, he's out there making plays...a sack, a couple of other licks on the QBs, a tackle or two for losses. Watch out Moses.
House: It would be easy to overlook, but House made a nice comeback tonight. He had good coverage on a 3rd. down out that went incomplete, and nice coverage on a deep ball to Austin where he got behind the play. I don't otherwise recall hearing his name or seeing him, which is good for a cover corner.
Shields: He made a nice run stop for a loss and he defended a pass. Otherwise...I hate to be a broken record...they didn't throw at him.
Jeckell and Hyde: I saved the best for last. I've got more notes on Mycah Hyde than any player on either side of the ball.
First the Jeckell: He got beat early on that 57 yarder to Givens. It wasn't terrible coverage; he was in stride with a 4.3 guy one-on-one all the way down the field, but he was a step behind at the end, and Bradford did what Palmer didn't do last week against McMillan trailing by two steps...he dropped in a beautiful throw. It was an illustration of the difference between 4.3 and 4.5 in the NFL. I still have to give Hyde a -1 on the result. Then Hyde...err, I mean Jeckell... got picked off and knocked down on the goal line looking like he had not seen that at Iowa...but Bradford blew the pass to the wide open receiver so it would be easy to forget...but you know we can't.
After that it was all Mr. Hyde: The guy was all over the field, all around the ball, making plays. Here are my notes in no particular order. Early on he cut down a ball carrier on a run blitz for a loss. I have another note that says "run stopper" though I can't recall that play. He broke up a 4th. down pass. "Another Austin stop in the middle" I have written down...I think that was another pass defended. He had the nifty 15 yard punt return...quick feet side stepping a couple of guys; looked very natural on that one; we want more. He had the one sack and a QB hit, and was in the backfield the whole second half when he wasn't knocking down passes. We have our dime back, backup for Hayward at nickel and...dare I say...a legit challenger at safety. The league didn't want him for his size, but the guy plays bigger than he is and looks like he belongs. Game ball here, but I think he has to share it with Jolly.
First Team Pass Rush: Two games now without impressing.
Jolly: What can we say. He led the league in passes defended by a D-Lineman with 10 in 2009, and we saw why. They don't include these things in pressures, but they sure beat a "hurry" whatever that might be. Then he dropped in coverage for the pick, though after looking at that play a 1/2 dozen times I can't tell how that ball ever got through Means. Unrecognized in all that is playing well against the run. I'd like to see him get snaps with the first team so Raji can "rest".
Raji: He actually looked pretty good on a few run plays. For that we should pay what?
Wilson: He's the best run stopper on this team after Pickett. Is that enough? I think he's on the bubble. If he doesn't make it back, some other 3-4 team will be happy to have him in their rotation.
Moses and Lattimore: These guys looked confused or uninspired, I'm not sure which. Moses whiffed in space on a screen, I think it was, which is never a good look.
Francois: Two tackles for loss on run plays. He also blew up a kickoff return, shoving a blocker into the returner who fell down. He waved goodby to one runner with a half hearted arm tackle...out of position. The guy makes some mistakes, but he makes plays. He's passed Lattimore if he wasn't in front of him already.
Mulumba: Like Francois, he's out there making plays...a sack, a couple of other licks on the QBs, a tackle or two for losses. Watch out Moses.
House: It would be easy to overlook, but House made a nice comeback tonight. He had good coverage on a 3rd. down out that went incomplete, and nice coverage on a deep ball to Austin where he got behind the play. I don't otherwise recall hearing his name or seeing him, which is good for a cover corner.
Shields: He made a nice run stop for a loss and he defended a pass. Otherwise...I hate to be a broken record...they didn't throw at him.
Jeckell and Hyde: I saved the best for last. I've got more notes on Mycah Hyde than any player on either side of the ball.
First the Jeckell: He got beat early on that 57 yarder to Givens. It wasn't terrible coverage; he was in stride with a 4.3 guy one-on-one all the way down the field, but he was a step behind at the end, and Bradford did what Palmer didn't do last week against McMillan trailing by two steps...he dropped in a beautiful throw. It was an illustration of the difference between 4.3 and 4.5 in the NFL. I still have to give Hyde a -1 on the result. Then Hyde...err, I mean Jeckell... got picked off and knocked down on the goal line looking like he had not seen that at Iowa...but Bradford blew the pass to the wide open receiver so it would be easy to forget...but you know we can't.
After that it was all Mr. Hyde: The guy was all over the field, all around the ball, making plays. Here are my notes in no particular order. Early on he cut down a ball carrier on a run blitz for a loss. I have another note that says "run stopper" though I can't recall that play. He broke up a 4th. down pass. "Another Austin stop in the middle" I have written down...I think that was another pass defended. He had the nifty 15 yard punt return...quick feet side stepping a couple of guys; looked very natural on that one; we want more. He had the one sack and a QB hit, and was in the backfield the whole second half when he wasn't knocking down passes. We have our dime back, backup for Hayward at nickel and...dare I say...a legit challenger at safety. The league didn't want him for his size, but the guy plays bigger than he is and looks like he belongs. Game ball here, but I think he has to share it with Jolly.
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