Thanks to Terry Pluto, whose statements I can rely on without fact-checking for this: David Veikune came in this season at 235.
This explains why Veikune has been working mostly at WEAK inside linebacker, where Jackson normally plays.
Casual fans don't know that weak inside linebackers tend to be quicker/faster than strong inside linebackers. Offenses tend to put the tight end on the right side, and use bulldozers at right guard. They're "right-handed" and tend to run to that side.
The strong inside linebacker is often a bigger guy who can take on offenseive linemen (like David Bowens). Now, here I need to mention that Eric Barton played here last season, and got pushed around. This is because he, like Jackson, is best as a weak inside linebacker. This season, Barton will almost certainly be a backup, and may not make the team at all.
When David Bowens took over at strong inside backer last season, he kicked butt. So much so that he should see more time there this season. At this stage in his carreer, he's probably a better inside linebacker than outside linebacker. Why don't people see that?
Anyway, back to Veikune: If anybody but some crickets ever read my blog, they'd know that last season when Veikune was drafted, I looked at his workout tapes. I even ran them and Kaluka...M's workouts alternately, and was pretty shocked.
Background: Kaluka Maiava was the "other" USC linebacker who some teams projected as a safety. Prior to his starting at weak inside backer due to injuries, he played a lot in his rookie season as a coverage guy.
Veikune was a 260 lb. defensive end. Two inches taller and thirty pounds heavier. What I saw in the Veikune tapes between these two players showed that Veikune was nearly as quick and fast as the guy many thought of as a safety--at 260 pounds!!!
Sure, he tripped a little once, and of course couldn't match the safety/linebacker hybrid step-for-step, but he made most of the other big guys look sick.
NOW he comes in at 235? WOW!
Because, see, here's another thing about this big Polynesian: He's stronger than many offensive linemen, and it's mostly natural "country" strength. Prior to Pluto's comment, I had him pegged as a strong inside guy, if not an outside linebacker. But now? Jackson needs to get his head out of his butt. Even after he comes back, he'll have to fight for his job.
David Veikune can do everything Jackson did, plus is stronger. Weak inside linebackers also tend to be the ones who drop into coverage, and based on those workouts, Veikune can do that even better than Jackson as well.
Welllll...okay that's a bit of a leap. He has the hips and speed, and he's got better length and reach. However, much of coverage is mental, and it's tough to predict how a guy two seasons removed from being a small-school DE will do.
We do, however, have training camp reports to go by, and I have yet to read any knocks on his coverage. On the flip side, I've read about deflections and interceptions.
Now, unlike a lot of doomsday posters, I like Jackson the player. He truly is a very good linebacker. No, he didn't make all his tackles five yards downfield. Bashers say that stuff like Al Sharpton cites racism. Jackson wasn't helped by a nose tackle who wouldn't play two-gap, or a strong inside partner who was his own size. He covered really well, too.
So I didn't come here to bury D'Qwell. However, I believe that Veikune may well be better--he can add more blitzing and penetration. He can stone big backs cold.
Everybody seems to have an agenda, and rely on "faith". Those who burn Mangini in effigy desperately want Veikune to fail. As of the third or fourth game last season, they were already gleefully declaring him a bust. Others who want him to succeed are calling Jackson an overrated bum. In either case, the actual performances of these two players will do little to change either opinion.
Here I've said watch out for Veikune at inside linebacker. And down the road apiece we'll see him outside as well. He's not a bust, and might be awesome.
I don't care who drafted him, or where. I only care how well he plays. Aint that refreshing?
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Tony, Tony--aw jeez...
The following is copied from a Tony Grossi column. My corrections are in color.
Will rookie Joe Haden and veteran pickup Sheldon Brown knock Eric Wright to the No.3 cornerback spot?
Wright is entering the final year of his contract and has given off vibes of expecting a big payday. While his coverage skills have steadily improved, Wright remains a liability in run defense.
While shorter than Wright, Haden is a more physical corner -- at least at Florida -- willing and able to stick his head in against the run. The seventh player taken in any draft is expected to be an instant contributor. And the Browns didn't give Brown $5 million after trading for him to play in sub defenses.
Of course, all three will receive considerable playing time as opponents field three receivers. But corners have to play the run in Mangini's defense and Wright had the benefit last year of being the best of a weak bunch.
Tony uses salary to pre-determine starters for him. Brown will play as much as the other guys, and it doesn't matter who gets called "starter". (Tony also likes labels and titles. Everything in it's little box...)
Wright has ALWAYS been good in coverage. He is a "man" corner, like tackling machines Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield. (Uh...that was a joke, by the way.) Sure, Mangini wants everybody to tackle. But Ryan's defense will blitze a lot, and man coverage is almost neccessary for that to work.
(Tony: man coverage is different from zone, ok?)
Tony seems to think that a guy who zeroes in on a reciever, first to get a jam on him, and then to run with him (with his back to the QB), is also expected to read the backfield, as if he was a zone corner starting out five or seven yards downfield.
Tony, coverage comes first in man coverage. Wright is a man corner, will be used as such, and will start.
• Will either rookie safety crack the starting lineup in his first year?
Second-round pick T.J. Ward has more coverage ability than fifth-rounder Larry Asante and both are big hitters. Asante's selection almost seemed like insurance because of Ward's injury history.
If Ward is able to stay healthy, he could be the enforcer so lacking in the secondary and set up a competition between Abram Elam and Mike Adams at the other spot. Asante should be expected to be a core player on special teams.
Mangini grabbed Elam because he was experienced and cheap. Please stop leaping to the conclusion that Eric loves the guy and will start him over a superior player. Elam probably backs up from now on.
IF IF IF Ryan uses a conventional coverage scheme rather than a two-deep, Sheldon Brown is almost interchangeable with Rodney Adamsfield at free safety.
But let's not get bogged down in labels, titles, and boxes. The majority of the time there will be five DB's on the field, and we have just named them.
Will rookie Joe Haden and veteran pickup Sheldon Brown knock Eric Wright to the No.3 cornerback spot?
Wright is entering the final year of his contract and has given off vibes of expecting a big payday. While his coverage skills have steadily improved, Wright remains a liability in run defense.
While shorter than Wright, Haden is a more physical corner -- at least at Florida -- willing and able to stick his head in against the run. The seventh player taken in any draft is expected to be an instant contributor. And the Browns didn't give Brown $5 million after trading for him to play in sub defenses.
Of course, all three will receive considerable playing time as opponents field three receivers. But corners have to play the run in Mangini's defense and Wright had the benefit last year of being the best of a weak bunch.
Tony uses salary to pre-determine starters for him. Brown will play as much as the other guys, and it doesn't matter who gets called "starter". (Tony also likes labels and titles. Everything in it's little box...)
Wright has ALWAYS been good in coverage. He is a "man" corner, like tackling machines Hanford Dixon and Frank Minnifield. (Uh...that was a joke, by the way.) Sure, Mangini wants everybody to tackle. But Ryan's defense will blitze a lot, and man coverage is almost neccessary for that to work.
(Tony: man coverage is different from zone, ok?)
Tony seems to think that a guy who zeroes in on a reciever, first to get a jam on him, and then to run with him (with his back to the QB), is also expected to read the backfield, as if he was a zone corner starting out five or seven yards downfield.
Tony, coverage comes first in man coverage. Wright is a man corner, will be used as such, and will start.
• Will either rookie safety crack the starting lineup in his first year?
Second-round pick T.J. Ward has more coverage ability than fifth-rounder Larry Asante and both are big hitters. Asante's selection almost seemed like insurance because of Ward's injury history.
If Ward is able to stay healthy, he could be the enforcer so lacking in the secondary and set up a competition between Abram Elam and Mike Adams at the other spot. Asante should be expected to be a core player on special teams.
Mangini grabbed Elam because he was experienced and cheap. Please stop leaping to the conclusion that Eric loves the guy and will start him over a superior player. Elam probably backs up from now on.
IF IF IF Ryan uses a conventional coverage scheme rather than a two-deep, Sheldon Brown is almost interchangeable with Rodney Adamsfield at free safety.
But let's not get bogged down in labels, titles, and boxes. The majority of the time there will be five DB's on the field, and we have just named them.
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Greetham, Taylor, and Poster Corrections
OK first of all, Elam is not terrible. You want him; need for him to suck because Mangini brought him over, and everybody he brought over has to suck. If he brought in anybody who was any good, it might make him look good. Can't have that.
In reality, Elam is a decent journeyman. He's a solid hold-the-fort guy who's niether great nor bad.
Others among you are absolutists. Absolutists generalize a lot. The secondary was bad most of last season, so you include the entire secondary because you are unable or unwilling to analyze individual players.
They had a problem with McDonald, and at times (rarely during the last six (not four) games), QB's had too much time. NO secondary can cover for longer than a few seconds. Every coach and player knows this.
Now, you guys at OBR need to go back and do some more research on Schaefering. He's only entering his third season, was a NOSE TACKLE in college, has nice speed and quickness for 3-4 DE, and what he did late last season is only the beginning for him. He's learned a new position and is maturing; still improving.
He needed to work on leverage and technique. He WILL BE in the rotation, and that does NOT mean that this defensive line is in trouble!
I can't believe you guys are throwing Kenyon Coleman out with the bathwater! He's only 31 and is a very solid DE! "Nobody else there"? You guys are normally pretty sharp, but that's assenine.
C.J Mosley has really emerged, too! He was best suited as a penetrator--quick and athletic. He needed to work on the two-gap and standing his ground when he was brought here, but he's done that, and if you'd paid any attention you would have seen it last season. Both he and Schaefering have also become really good at getting off blocks and making plays as soon as they see where to go.
Are you raising the bar again? Are Rogers and Rubin the new "average'? Kenyon Coleman, CJ Mosley, and Schaefering are "nobody" now, huh? Oh--I forgot: Mosely and Coleman are ex-Jets...you've got to keep the haters happy!
And Robaire Smith is getting up there, yeah--but he sure looks good for one more season, too.
Letting Rogers play defensive end: DUH! Part of the reason teams ran all over the Browns with Rogers on the nose is that Rogers freelanced. He was so disruptive that the Coaches let it happen, I believe.
Offenses adjusted their blocking and found ways to run around him...with hats on linebackers.
When they put Rubin in, he played two-gap like he was supposed to, and suddenly the linebackers stayed clean and stuffed people.
The disruption, by design, came from constant blitzes.
I'm not bashing Rogers here. It's just that if they put him at defensive end (more), he can go ahead and attack from an angle--they still have to try to stop him. They can run away from him, but proably not around him. They can let him go by and then block him from the backside to seal him away from the play, but he still shrinks the window for the back, and the pocket for the quarterback.
The man's a whole lot smarter than he looks, too. Put him outside and let him go.
Coleman and Smith are aging, along with Rogers, so the Browns do need more young players.
But Schaefering IS pretty good, and Mosley IS better than that--and I don't care where they came from--they're good enough to be in the rotation for several years.
Now just pay freaking attention to them and see if I'm wrong.
In reality, Elam is a decent journeyman. He's a solid hold-the-fort guy who's niether great nor bad.
Others among you are absolutists. Absolutists generalize a lot. The secondary was bad most of last season, so you include the entire secondary because you are unable or unwilling to analyze individual players.
They had a problem with McDonald, and at times (rarely during the last six (not four) games), QB's had too much time. NO secondary can cover for longer than a few seconds. Every coach and player knows this.
Now, you guys at OBR need to go back and do some more research on Schaefering. He's only entering his third season, was a NOSE TACKLE in college, has nice speed and quickness for 3-4 DE, and what he did late last season is only the beginning for him. He's learned a new position and is maturing; still improving.
He needed to work on leverage and technique. He WILL BE in the rotation, and that does NOT mean that this defensive line is in trouble!
I can't believe you guys are throwing Kenyon Coleman out with the bathwater! He's only 31 and is a very solid DE! "Nobody else there"? You guys are normally pretty sharp, but that's assenine.
C.J Mosley has really emerged, too! He was best suited as a penetrator--quick and athletic. He needed to work on the two-gap and standing his ground when he was brought here, but he's done that, and if you'd paid any attention you would have seen it last season. Both he and Schaefering have also become really good at getting off blocks and making plays as soon as they see where to go.
Are you raising the bar again? Are Rogers and Rubin the new "average'? Kenyon Coleman, CJ Mosley, and Schaefering are "nobody" now, huh? Oh--I forgot: Mosely and Coleman are ex-Jets...you've got to keep the haters happy!
And Robaire Smith is getting up there, yeah--but he sure looks good for one more season, too.
Letting Rogers play defensive end: DUH! Part of the reason teams ran all over the Browns with Rogers on the nose is that Rogers freelanced. He was so disruptive that the Coaches let it happen, I believe.
Offenses adjusted their blocking and found ways to run around him...with hats on linebackers.
When they put Rubin in, he played two-gap like he was supposed to, and suddenly the linebackers stayed clean and stuffed people.
The disruption, by design, came from constant blitzes.
I'm not bashing Rogers here. It's just that if they put him at defensive end (more), he can go ahead and attack from an angle--they still have to try to stop him. They can run away from him, but proably not around him. They can let him go by and then block him from the backside to seal him away from the play, but he still shrinks the window for the back, and the pocket for the quarterback.
The man's a whole lot smarter than he looks, too. Put him outside and let him go.
Coleman and Smith are aging, along with Rogers, so the Browns do need more young players.
But Schaefering IS pretty good, and Mosley IS better than that--and I don't care where they came from--they're good enough to be in the rotation for several years.
Now just pay freaking attention to them and see if I'm wrong.
Monday, June 7, 2010
Where's My Shovel?
1: Yahoo Sports: Jerome Harrison ran all over every team he's played against every chance he got, starting in his rookie season. He just never got a fair chance. Last season, he also racked up sweet numbers vs. Cincinnati...or are you raising the bar to 200-plus yards vs. good defenses now?
"Bust'? A guy who averages over 5 YPC can't be called a bust, especially when he was a fourth-rounder. You guys are clueless.
You rank this backfield LAST!? Peyton Hillis averages 4.9 YPC, they drafted a back who, if not for injuries, would have rated a first round pick, James Davis showed great promise before being injured last season, and somehow you find 31 teams with better backfields? What planet do you live on?
2: The offensive line was NOT "porous" last season, especially late. Both quarterbacks usually had more than adequate time to pass. They simply didn't deliver. People who say this just toss it in as a given, without real analysis.
3: Thank you Starting Blocks, and Bernie Kosar. Dropped and inaccurate passes are not on the offensive coordinator. And how do these knuckleheads who bashed Daboll (including my bro Eman) define "creative"? Is he supposed to always call a run when it's an obvious passing situation, and vice-versa? Or how 'bout having the wide recievers learn some dance steps to build into their patterns? I dunno--cartwheels or something?
4: Quit saying "wait til the pads are on". You don't sound smart except to dumb people. Repeating obvious cliches is really, really boring.
5: Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository is right up there with Terry Pluto as an analyst, but I got a problem with his latest analysis: He completely ignored Evan Moore, who looks like the Browns first option as a recieving TE.
Also, I'm not sure what he means by "playoff calibre". I mean, teams never have Pro Bowl quality guys at every position. By these standards, the Colts don't really have playoff calibre tight ends. Meanwhile, the Patriots are annual participants even when the only guy or unit that lives up to them is Brady.
Every team has strong points and weak points, including every single one that goes to the playoffs. In many cases, the "weak" points are competant journeymen--not really bad players.
Ben Watson is above average. I don't know about blocking, but Evan Moore is an elite reciever at that position. I think Steve was just afraid of sounding like a homer.
I do know that I sound like a Homer myself,. This is because I specialize in correcting negative stuff, and there's massive quantities of that.
Here's some negative stuff:
1: Delhomme scares the hell out of me, plus they paid him way, way, way too much.
2: If Capizzi doesn't emerge, we have nobody to take over at right tackle.
3: Harrison was suppressed by every coach, and is still not recognized.
4: Cribbs should be allowed to pass in the Wildcat offense.
5: Robiskie's emergance is not a given, Massequoi isn't a true burner (rather a YAC guy), and the new guy isn't ready, and might never be.
6: Opinions that Colt McCoy may only be good for the West Coast offense might be accurate. Maybe.
7: Every position group could be upgraded, except possibly the secondary and offensive backfield (I mean here on this planet.)
This is because not every player on this team is the best in the NFL at his position.
8: There are too many running backs here.
"Bust'? A guy who averages over 5 YPC can't be called a bust, especially when he was a fourth-rounder. You guys are clueless.
You rank this backfield LAST!? Peyton Hillis averages 4.9 YPC, they drafted a back who, if not for injuries, would have rated a first round pick, James Davis showed great promise before being injured last season, and somehow you find 31 teams with better backfields? What planet do you live on?
2: The offensive line was NOT "porous" last season, especially late. Both quarterbacks usually had more than adequate time to pass. They simply didn't deliver. People who say this just toss it in as a given, without real analysis.
3: Thank you Starting Blocks, and Bernie Kosar. Dropped and inaccurate passes are not on the offensive coordinator. And how do these knuckleheads who bashed Daboll (including my bro Eman) define "creative"? Is he supposed to always call a run when it's an obvious passing situation, and vice-versa? Or how 'bout having the wide recievers learn some dance steps to build into their patterns? I dunno--cartwheels or something?
4: Quit saying "wait til the pads are on". You don't sound smart except to dumb people. Repeating obvious cliches is really, really boring.
5: Steve Doerschuk of the Canton Repository is right up there with Terry Pluto as an analyst, but I got a problem with his latest analysis: He completely ignored Evan Moore, who looks like the Browns first option as a recieving TE.
Also, I'm not sure what he means by "playoff calibre". I mean, teams never have Pro Bowl quality guys at every position. By these standards, the Colts don't really have playoff calibre tight ends. Meanwhile, the Patriots are annual participants even when the only guy or unit that lives up to them is Brady.
Every team has strong points and weak points, including every single one that goes to the playoffs. In many cases, the "weak" points are competant journeymen--not really bad players.
Ben Watson is above average. I don't know about blocking, but Evan Moore is an elite reciever at that position. I think Steve was just afraid of sounding like a homer.
I do know that I sound like a Homer myself,. This is because I specialize in correcting negative stuff, and there's massive quantities of that.
Here's some negative stuff:
1: Delhomme scares the hell out of me, plus they paid him way, way, way too much.
2: If Capizzi doesn't emerge, we have nobody to take over at right tackle.
3: Harrison was suppressed by every coach, and is still not recognized.
4: Cribbs should be allowed to pass in the Wildcat offense.
5: Robiskie's emergance is not a given, Massequoi isn't a true burner (rather a YAC guy), and the new guy isn't ready, and might never be.
6: Opinions that Colt McCoy may only be good for the West Coast offense might be accurate. Maybe.
7: Every position group could be upgraded, except possibly the secondary and offensive backfield (I mean here on this planet.)
This is because not every player on this team is the best in the NFL at his position.
8: There are too many running backs here.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
"5-11"?
This is retarded.
1: CAN Delhomme/Wallace be as bad as the guys we had?
2: You do understand that at least the last four teams the Browns played last season knew that if they stopped Harrison (or even slowed him down), they'd probably win, right?
3: Both Massequoi and Robiskie were rookies...no? Massequoi averaged 18.4 YPC, didn't he? didn't that mean that at least the last four teams the Browns beat last season also knew that if they shut him down........?
4: Will the Browns secondary in any way resemble last season's? Think it might be a tad better?
5: Think Tony Pashos can be as good as Royal? (Haha!)
6: Do you think the QB will be able to make nice, safe throws to tight ends this season? What did Jurevicious do that Moore can't?
7: Is the offensive backfield looking ok? Better than last season?
8: Let's see: Offensive backfield, check. Secondary, check. Right tackle (AND guard) check. Tight end check. D-line check (see Rogers can play defensive end, and the young guys are massively underrated by blockhead memorex morons). Linebacker check (see Gocong is a 3-4 linebacker who played in a 4-3 with the Eagles, and Fujita is...Fujita and once again young guys are dissed by dimbulbs).
9: Wide reciever check. That's right. Massequoi has that experience now, and Robiskie has had time to ripen. Stuckey has his still-young feet wet now, and with Watson here Moore is a semi-wide reciever too.
10: Name one positon on this team that will be worse than it was last season.
Don't any of these national clowns do any homework at all? The Browns upgraded nearly everything, dominated the Stoolers, took Cinci to overtime, and will finish with the same record as last season? Really? That's retarded!!!
Rodney Lauvaofield is NOT a long-term project! He might not start this season only because there are solid vets in front of him, but start he will. He has the leverage, power, quickness and intelligence to be an excellent guard or center.
Capizzi is working with the second team at LEFT tackle. That's because he's a superior athlete. Compared to left tackle, right tackle is kid stuff, and he can move people. Stand by, MM's.
5-11...yeah the Stoolers are getting younger every season! Polumalu will be as good as ever! Yep! (No comment on Cinci or Baltimore--they'll be damn tough--but the Browns will have improved more, and closed the gap duuuuh!)
You could have said 7-9 and I would respect your opinion. 5-11 is just downright ignorant.
1: CAN Delhomme/Wallace be as bad as the guys we had?
2: You do understand that at least the last four teams the Browns played last season knew that if they stopped Harrison (or even slowed him down), they'd probably win, right?
3: Both Massequoi and Robiskie were rookies...no? Massequoi averaged 18.4 YPC, didn't he? didn't that mean that at least the last four teams the Browns beat last season also knew that if they shut him down........?
4: Will the Browns secondary in any way resemble last season's? Think it might be a tad better?
5: Think Tony Pashos can be as good as Royal? (Haha!)
6: Do you think the QB will be able to make nice, safe throws to tight ends this season? What did Jurevicious do that Moore can't?
7: Is the offensive backfield looking ok? Better than last season?
8: Let's see: Offensive backfield, check. Secondary, check. Right tackle (AND guard) check. Tight end check. D-line check (see Rogers can play defensive end, and the young guys are massively underrated by blockhead memorex morons). Linebacker check (see Gocong is a 3-4 linebacker who played in a 4-3 with the Eagles, and Fujita is...Fujita and once again young guys are dissed by dimbulbs).
9: Wide reciever check. That's right. Massequoi has that experience now, and Robiskie has had time to ripen. Stuckey has his still-young feet wet now, and with Watson here Moore is a semi-wide reciever too.
10: Name one positon on this team that will be worse than it was last season.
Don't any of these national clowns do any homework at all? The Browns upgraded nearly everything, dominated the Stoolers, took Cinci to overtime, and will finish with the same record as last season? Really? That's retarded!!!
Rodney Lauvaofield is NOT a long-term project! He might not start this season only because there are solid vets in front of him, but start he will. He has the leverage, power, quickness and intelligence to be an excellent guard or center.
Capizzi is working with the second team at LEFT tackle. That's because he's a superior athlete. Compared to left tackle, right tackle is kid stuff, and he can move people. Stand by, MM's.
5-11...yeah the Stoolers are getting younger every season! Polumalu will be as good as ever! Yep! (No comment on Cinci or Baltimore--they'll be damn tough--but the Browns will have improved more, and closed the gap duuuuh!)
You could have said 7-9 and I would respect your opinion. 5-11 is just downright ignorant.
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