ES Coverage & Interactive Pre Season Game Day Thread - Skins at Titans

[ArmchairRedskin]

I thought Helu looked pretty good. Especially considering its his first action after a foot injury. It's not like Morris blew the doors off in his first preseason action last year. 15/54 yards 3.6 average with a long carry of 6 yards. Against backups in the second half. Don't judge Helu too harshly. Just hope his health holds up because he's tailor made to be behind Robert in the pistol. 

[DMVLeGenD]

OT: LOL at Danny Smith! Steelers already have a punt blocked in the first 5 minutes of there first preseason game!

[Boss_Hogg]

LOL at Danny Smith.

First attempted punt - penalty

Second attempted punt - block

Get used to it Steeler fans.

[Voice_of_Reason]

LOL at Danny Smith.

First attempted punt - penalty

Second attempted punt - block

Get used to it Steeler fans.

not sure this is the right thread or forum.

but....

hhahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[CRobi21]

OL is gonna have its hands full next monday. Steelers DL and LBs look very tough, as always. Even with their 4th quarter backups in. A nice test for our guys.

[TSO]

Can't believe some here had a problem with how Helu looked. Sure, he goes down on initial contact more often than not, but I think we've gotten so used to Al we expect our RBs to break at least one tackle a run. Fellas, that's what makes Morris awesome.

Helu, however showed his burst again, something we haven't seen since mid-2011 season and managed to get yards even when the titans defense really played our zone run well.

I was extremely pleased with his performance. And Royster somehow looked like the smooth back he did a couple years ago again.

I think Helu has solidified his spot at this point so long as he can make it through preseason healthy. And he deserves it. Can't wait to see the rooks run the ball!

[London Kev]

I like the competition between Helu and Royster. Just going by the numbers they were about the same.

 

Royster: 14 Att, 62 Yds, 4.42 Yds/Att, 0 TDs, 15 Lng.

Helu:      13 Att, 57 Yds, 4.38 Yds/Att, 0 TDs, 13 Lng.

Neither player caught a pass.

 

Obviously Roy was going up against better opposition in the first half than Royster was in the 2nd and numbers don't tell the whole story. To my un-trained eye Helu just looked a bit quicker in his decision making and a bit smoother. I'll have to watch again to comment on their pass protection.

 

I wonder if Evan gets the first half against the Steelers and Helu the 2nd. Will the rooks get any carries?

 

As has already been commented on, I think it's refreshing to be discussing 2nd/3rd string battles for a change and realising that we are gonna have to cut some good players this year.

[RandyHolt]

Helu looked a bit slower or less dynamic than 2 years ago.  Maybe i forgot what he looked like, off for an entire year. 

 

Some will be quick to say it was game 1, but I counter that with concerns over a double Achilles. Is it 100% that he is no worse for wear from his injuries? 

 

He could well have been holding back, working himself into shape before going full bore. 

[ArmchairRedskin]

I rewatched the game and I really like the young cornerbacks. Amerson, Minnifield and Crawford all showed really good. I was really pleased with the tackling efforts in run support and the coverage by all three. 

 

It was pointed out that Amerson lowers his head and doesn't see what he's tackling sometimes. I noticed that as well. He needs to work on that. Seems like pretty basic technique. He also shoulder tackled a few times. I'd rather he wrapped up. 

 

Minnifield, on the other hand, did wrap up. Good technique. 

 

Noticed that Lance Lewis nullified his own TD by not being up on the line. Unless 13 was supposed to be in the slot. I can't be sure, but Lewis had to know that if there's no man between him and the LT that he should be on the line. 

[Dont Taze Me Bro]

 

Pat White looks good running the option and I agree if he plays well in the next 3 games we should take him as #3. But I wouldn't cut Grossman until then, hell PW might stink it up in the next game and what then...

 

Rex sucks at all levels, its time to let him go imo.  I know we got the mega discount on re-signing him for one year to be a 3rd stringer and all, but honestly, Pat White can't be any worse than Rex at this point in either of their careers.  I know Pat was out of football for three seasons, but the guy looked pretty sharp, so he still has potential.  Rex has looked and played like he was out of football for the past three years.

 

We are talking about our 3rd string QB.  If RGIII and Cousins both go out with injury and we are on the 3rd stringer, then I'd prefer White to Rex any day.  He brings more to his overall game than Rex because of his speed/legs.  We already know what we got in Rex, someone that shows flashes, can march you down the field at times, then make the ****ing dumbest throw into coverage you have ever seen, resulting in a pick.  At least with White, we can still run the option and rely on his ability to make plays. 

Rex Grossman started a Super Bowl, Pat White has yet to complete his first pass in a regular season NFL game. Rex moved the offense as well last nigh a scored a TD. Rex is a veteran who has seen a lot in the NFL who can mentor two young QBs and also if disaster strikes give you some chance of coming in and looking like an NFL offense.

White played well but it was against scrubs lets not overreact.

Yes Rex managed a team to the Super Bowl.  I know it's not how you get there, but getting there.  However, one cannot argue that Rex was a game manager and the defense carried them towards that record and Super Bowl appearance.  Hell, if you look at how he did that season, the game against AZ where Rex threw for 144 yards/4 INTs/no TDs.........but they won because the defense had two fumble recoveries for TDs and Hester ran back an 86 yard TD.  It was like almost every other game Rex would do ok/good followed by a game where he tossed more picks than TDs.  

 

Everyone knows that run to the Super Bowl was based on the Defense, running game and Rex not being Rex at the wrong time and ruining it for them.  Rex finished that season with a 54.6% completion rate, 3200 yds passing, 24 TDs/20 INTs.  The RBs that year combined for almost 2000 yards, the defense had 40 sacks, 24 INTs, 26 fumble recoveries, 3 TDs.  Not to mention, they had the #3 overall defense that season.

 

I'm tired of hearing the argument that "Rex lead a team to the Super Bowl" so he must be good for the team.  They had the 14th overall offense and 15th overall rushing, but due to the defense and special teams, they had great field position and were the #1 scoring offense.  But that wasn't because of Sexy Rexy's stellar play lol.  Historically, he was nothing more than an average/below average QB.  He had probably two of the worst performances ever in the playoffs, in the NFC Championship and Super Bowl.  He did good enough to win the divisional game, 282 yards/1 TD/1 INT, in OT against SEA.  

 

Then vs. NO, 144yds/1 TD, and in the Super Bowl against IND, 165yds/1 TD/ 2 INTs.

 

Rex had one good year where Rex had to protect his team against himself, and managed to do that for the most part, the entire season while the defense, running game and field position (from ST) carried him and disguised his up/down inconsistent play.  We run an offense with plenty of option looks.  Rex is not capable of running that.  And before you say Cousins isn't either, you're right, but Cousins is better than Rex (at this point in Rex's career) and doesn't appear (I say this off the minimal sample size of games played, and against 2nd string in preseaon last year) to need the option to be successful on the field.  

 

If it comes down to the 3rd stringer.  Based off what I saw Thursday night from Pat White, I'd rather have him in with the starters than Rex.  At least he can run the option and make plays with his feet, still giving us a duel threat that Rex does not bring us.  Besides, again, we know what Rex can and cant do.  Nobody knows what Pat White could do with the 1st string if it ever came to that.

[CRobi21]

Holy **** Keith Bullock and Eddie George are annoying as hell.

[skinsmarydu]

Holy **** Keith Bullock and Eddie George are annoying as hell.

I finally got to watch the replay yesterday, and was almost thanking the angels above when I had to turn it down for hubby to take a phone call!  As we were starting our final drive, and they were talking about how much they just love OT in preseason...I guess we ruined that dream, huh?

That winning drive was friggin' awesome!  Of course, I had read all about it here, but seeing it ...  Pat had a hole a mile wide...and sticking with the play to get the 2...just awesome! 

[pjfootballer]

Why is everyone so down on Helu? Jesus Crimony the guy hasn't played a football game in a year. He had 13 carries for 57 yards, that's over 4 yards a carry (4.3 to be exact), showed a little burst AND had a 19 yard run called back. What did you expect him to do, have 150 yards? Tough crowd.

For me personally, I just don't see anything special with him. I know he's fighting for a backup spot and does not have to be special but we can find better.

This is a terrible example but just hear me out. Years ago when we had Jason Campbell you could just see the guy did not have that special quality. We gave the guy 5 years and he was nothing but mediocre. The second RG3 got on the field, as a fan you just knew he had it.

I know Helu is a backup thus my previous scenario is not a great example but take a look at Kirk Cousins. RG3 goes down and our back up is more than capable of holding the fort down while he gets up to speed (or so it seems).

This is Helu's 3rd year and we're still talking about possibilities and potential. Unlike a guy like Morris who just has it already. There is no potential or possiblity with Morris. He got his chance and took control of it. I'm not bashing the guy, though it does read that way. I just don't see any advantage to keeping him if the rooks show even a slight amount of talent.

His running motion is not smooth, that goes for pre-injury too. His footwork is choppy, he is not light on his feet (it looks like he is running while wearing those feet flippers that swimmers use), and falls automatically after contact more often than not. I don't think these are things you can improve on. The RB position is one that is hard and short lived. If Morris goes down, I want a very capable replacement to fill his spot until he gets healthy again (ala Kirk Cousins). What I don't want is someone like Rex Grossman coming in.

Running backs don't just "Run the football" they also "Pass Block" and "Catch Passes" (Roy Helu's strength). You keep helu because royster and him are the only back up running backs who you can trust to "Pass Block" and helu is a better pass catcher and runner than Royster.

It's easier to contain the run when RG3 isn't there, look at Alfred Morris in the browns game. Don't worry my friend, those holes will get a little bit bigger when it's RG3 handing off and faking the bootleg. lol

Agreed. Too many of our fans are in love with our rookies who haven't done a damn thing. Helu showed what he could do his rookie year. People need to give him a chance to get back into the groove of being in an actual game and stop comparing their injury recovery to Griffins. You could tell Helu was rusty. That's why Shanny gave him a lot of carries and when he ripped off that 19 yarder, you could see his burst coming back.

[pjfootballer]

You guys are WAY too critical over the first preseason game. They play these to get back into football shape, get the rust off and such. Someone mentioned Haslett's lack of adjudtments. Really? How long have you been watching football and did you really expect anything but the basics in a first preseason game? It's like some of our fans have never watched a game in their lives.