Will Brandon Banks Cost us a football game this year???

[JeepRyder]

People are crying way to much about Banks. He is gonna be fine. I think the coaches know a little more than people on here. Banks dropped one punt he had no business catching anyway. It wasnt like it went right through him like you saw a lot of PR drop during the preseason. He was backing up and off balance. Shouldnt have even tried to catch it. Danny Smith I am sure will be working with him a lot more to get him ready but I dont think you will see him returning kicks or punts until he is comfortable. Expect to see Thomas and Buchanon as your return guys. But you dont just a cut a guy with Banks' return ability. He is a rookie. Give him some time to get it together and he will be ok. He hasnt even played a game in the NFL yet. People are seriously overreacting on this guys fumbling issue.

[Riggins77]

No, individuals don't lose games, teams and/or bad officiating do. But in society, everyone seems to only remember the individual failure at the end of the game under crucial circumstances;

i.e. Favre's int against the Saints. Favre did not cost the Vikes the game or a trip to the SB. His WRs and RBs had like 5 fumbles during the game, 4 of them in the redzone and 2 of those 4 within 10 yards of the end zone. That's a minimum of 12 points, assuming the defense held them to only FGs. Game over, Vikes win by 12. Plus, their defense allowed Brees to move down the field in OT.

Will he cost us some points or field position that will hurt us? Probably, will the final score show us losing by 6 and 7 of the opposing teams points come from a muffed punt and recovery allowing them to score a TD? Maybe, and everyone will point to Banks saying if he didn't muff they wouldn't have scored and we would have won by a point.......

In reality, our WRs will have dropped passes that stop drives, our QB will over/under throw our WRs or toss a pick that will stop drives. Or our defense will miss an assignment that allows the other team to score or keep a drive going. This is every game in the NFL.

[Veretax]

I say no, because I think he'll be inactive most of the games this year.

Is that reason enough?

[CommanderDOOM]

I say no, because I think he'll be active most of the games this year.

Is that reason enough?

Inactive??

[SnyderShrugged]

I don't believe any single player can "lose a game". If the score is so close that one mistake, from anyone, ensures the other team wins,then there must have been a slew of other mistakes leading up to it as well.

[riggo44miami]

I wonder if he will win us a game (so to speak-never one that wins or loses it) this year?

[CrypticVillain]

I think Banks hands is too small to get a tight grip on the football, so he may need to change his technique on how he holds the football. But he won't cost us a game this year. Speed kills in this league. He has it and we need it.

[tr1]

I believe his speed and elusiveness at wide out is what kept him on the team.

I think that's where he'll contribute at first.

[Veretax]

Inactive??

Yeah I thought I initially typed inactive, but when I reread it the IN was missing. So I fixed it probably before you posted. Sorry Haven't been sleeping well lately.

[Burgold]

It'll be interesting. If they trust him to be the primary returner, then he'll be on the field a lot. If they don't I suspect he'll be inactive every game this season. He's too small to block on returns and probably wouldn't be a good tackler on teams and as a fourth/fifth receiver you need to fill other roles.

[MrJL]

no, he won't play enough to do that.

[SkinsWizCubsDukes]

I don't believe any single player can "lose a game". If the score is so close that one mistake, from anyone, ensures the other team wins,then there must have been a slew of other mistakes leading up to it as well.

Well said. I feel that Brandon Banks is a huge asset to this team and will do great things. I see him making big plays.

[SWFLSkins]

I still have a feeling he may not be on the 53 come opening night. Looking at our roster our WR corp is one of the weakest on paper in the NFL IMO. Banks as the 5th guy on that list could be bumped onto the PS by us bringing in someone who just got cut (TJ Housh?) or pulling a trade.

If he makes the 53 I think he will not be on the active list as we will probably only dress 4 receivers.

I just dont think he is game ready. I would be very nervous watching him wait under a punt Sunday against Dallas.

I tend to think your right and it is the reason I voted NO. If the Skins get someone else he probably is the one going to PS anyway.

[Pitbull]

I think we have smart coaches who will help bring him along and develop him into the punt returner we need him to be. Guys the fumbles is a behavior that can be corrected ie......Tikki Barber....

The speed and elusiveness Banks possess cannot, that is natural ability, that we have not had for sometime. In 4 preseason games Banks has more punt return yards than Randle El had all last season even with the fumbles, so he is an upgrade.

Banks posses more than enough talent and ability to have made the roster, and he will be a dangerous punt returner before the year ends. I highly doubt they will put him back there against Dallas to return kicks this week.

I personally dont think you will see Banks in the game unless we have a good lead or the coaches have become really comfortable with his development.

[TLusby]

Always the negative from this board! How about will he "WIN" us a game this year! Positive vibes...no negative vibes!

[PCS]

Always the negative from this board! How about will he "WIN" us a game this year! Positive vibes...no negative vibes!

I can agree with this to a certain extent. While one asks the question in the op,(of course,we could direct that question at several players on the team),one could/should ask the reverse as well.

[HBnotBlades]

If the question is: If Banks is the full time returner, will he fumble the ball at a critical time this year?

I would say yes.

However, I don't really think he'll be used full time, specifically because of how fumble prone he is.

Also, I don't see the comparisons to Tiki. Tiki had fumbling issues because he held the ball low and away from his body when he was young, not because he lacked the strength to hold on to the ball. As soon as he started holding the ball high and tight his fumbling problems went away.

Banks actually holds the ball in the ideal position almost all the time, including when he fumbled against the Jets. At 150lbs he simply doesn't have the strength to hold onto the ball if a 240lb linebacker gets his hand on it. That's not something that gets fixed by learning a new technique.

I don't mean to be negative, it just seems like an issue that shouldn't really be ignored. There's a reason why no one his size has contributed to any NFL team in the last 30 years (except a couple kickers). Still, I hope he's special and can over come all these issues, it's been a while since we've had a threat in the return game.

[darrelgreenie]

Although i want him to return punts there's always the possibility that he never returns a punt for us.

Buchanon(4.3-40) is supposed to be the opening day PR and if he is good Banks might not even get a chance.

Does anyone know if Banks had a history of fumbling in college because i never heard that.

His recent fumbles could simply be a by product of the pressure of knowing that he has to do something spectacular while trying to do the unheard of which is play in the NFL at 5'7 ish and 150 lbs-ish.

He might not actually be a fumbler at all it could just be extreme case of nerves.

[SkinSabbath]

I think he'll win us one and then cost us one.

Let's just hope the "win us one" comes first

[hfmonk]

Better question....How many games will Big Al cost us because he isnt in shape and doesnt want to go full steam every play?

[HailGreen28]

I actually voted "yes". Sure he'll cost us a game this year with a muff. Just like McNabb will cost us a game with an INT, CP will cost us a game with not breaking a weak tackle, Cooley will cost us a game with a drop.....

But I bet Banks will help us win games, like the other guys.

[gutlead74]

The ball is bigger than he is. With most ball carriers the ball is much less exposed tiny little arms and hands with a tiny torso he will never improve ball security.

[21AllDay]

I know there's been a lot of heat on this topic, and I know I'm probably going to get it in here, too. But the question begs to be asked with a poll, so I had to do it.

I'm going on the record with "No":

Someone else started a thread and brought up a valid point that one of Brandon Banks returns versus the Cards the other night made him worthy of a roster spot, even if he's fumbled three times in four games. Two I remember being muffs, so that's technique and can hopefully be corrected with coaching. Banks is at the very least our "last resort weapon", the poster said, and we shouldn't see him returning punts unless we're desperate or he's earned some good faith. I agree and believe we'll see him mostly at WR in a limited capacity until he learns to become less of a possible liability in the return game.

I can live with that. And Shanny is not like some previous coaches we've had, that will keep the same player doing the same thing because I guess that was just the natural order of things. **** that, this man single-handedly brought down the Cult of Colt and has Big Al possibly playing second string against the Cowboys. Banks will have to continue to earn his spot on the roster just like everybody else. If he doesn't improve, Shanny won't waste his time with his possible "potential" then he has anybody else we had hope or faith in. He doesn't care, and I love that.

Anyways, keep it civil, take time to listen to each other, and make time for family. I gotta be at work tomorrow at 7am then going to see my dad and do a lil scouting...

:helmet:

Edit: And don't get hyper-sensitive with "oh, what if it's early in the game you can't blame that entire game on him!" You know what I mean by cost us a game. Some typical Redskins BS like week one against Dallas with barely any time left, and a field goal wins the game; some painful, obvious crap like that.

Something about this thread I could have guessed in my sleep, and something shocked me to the point where I just about fell out of my chair upon reading.

When I noticed this thread, I scrolled down one line and seen that renegade7 had written it. "Figures", I said. No bias intended, and I do not know renegade personally but threw the past week, I've realized he "does not care" for BB too much, using the phrase "does not care" lightly. Then comes the thing that shocked me. I figured, upon selecting the thread, that his stand behind this topic would be YES, that Banks would lose a game, maybe two. But he said NO! Given your probably saying that he wouldn't get the chance too lose a game but you still said NO. Shocking. I'm not starting an argument, just simply pointing out what I've observed. I like Brandon, and have jostled back and forth with ya in previous threads about him so I like that you've given him a chance, unless I've missed something and I'm horribly wrong, in which I am sorry.

Now back to the topic at hand, I voted No. I'm guessing he will return just a few kicks this year if any and I don't think he'll necessarily "lose a game" for us but the possibility remains. Assuming we do not go after Housh, and throw Banks on the practice squad, I think he'll see his first action as WR before KR.

In my opinion, Banks' speed is killer in space and I could def see Kyle throwing him out wide with a taller receiver lined up inside him and dialing up a WR screen. That way his man is blocked and he's got about 3-5 yards to make a move and hit that burst button. I like his chances but patience and the ability to listen is going to play a big roll in this kids career. But all this is resting on that final 53. Pencil him in Shanny!

[#98QBKiller]

He won't cost us a game but he will make some boneheaded plays that we will shake our heads at, then he'll make some great plays that will makes us happy. Not sure what to make of Banks yet. He could be a two steps forward, one step back kind of player.

[smurfs86]

I voted No, simply because I don't believe that one play causes the entire outcome of a game. If the rest of the team takes care of business like it should it should never come down to one play. That said, yes he will fumble/muff at least once this year.