Next Day Thread: WFT Jedi Mind Tricks the Evil Empire (No, not the Yankees, the Raiders)

[Spaceman Spiff]

14 hours ago, Skinsinparadise said:

 

 

 

They need to keep this going and not stray from it.  Even if Dallas comes out and scores a TD early and there are a couple 3 and outs, don't stray from it on Sunday.  

 

I've always wondered what would happen if coaches coached to specific metrics such as winning the TOP battle...and you always see those on screen tv graphics "They're 8-0 when the running back gets 20 carries, 0-3 when he doesn't."  Well, get that running back 20 carries.  Etc, etc.  

 

14 minutes ago, steve09ru said:

The Gibson usage for me, I'm fine with - I agree that he's probably getting used a little bit more than what we would like to see but I think with his limited RB/touches experience that this will help him build up that stamina.  Even with the heavy usage, he's been a key on our end of game drives to burn the clock.  Averaging 4.4 yards per carry on carries 20-29.

 

I'm fine with the usage too although he makes me gasp at least two or three times per game because he looks like he's got a great chance to fumble it.  But he's played a huge part in winning the time of possession battler lately, it's hard to give that up.  

 

I agree with @Warhead36, I'd like to see him split out wide more.  For a former college WR, that seems like a no brainer.  Or more swing passes out of the backfield.  

 

I've said numerous times that I want to see two back sets with Gibson and McKissic...either both in the backfield or one in the backfield and one split out wide.  There seem to be so many packages/combinations that could be created with having two great pass catching backs on the field at the same time.  I don't know why they haven't done this but it seems like a no-brainer to me.  

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

 

 

 

[mistertim]

On 12/7/2021 at 4:23 PM, FootballZombie said:

I've seen enough, I'll say it.

 

O-line play continues to be downright elite in pass pro. No other word for it at this point. Top 3 in win rate and grade.

Its not a hot streak or an anomaly. They are simply an elite unit, even in the wake of injuries

 

 

Our OL has been very highly rated by PFF for most of the season as well. LV gave them some fits, but overall they've been absolutely tip top in pass pro. And even in the LV game, we do see the pressures and sacks, but we also saw plenty of times where Heinicke had all day to throw.

Edited December 8, 2021 by mistertim

[Always A Commander Never A Captain]

1 hour ago, mistertim said:

 

Our OL has been very highly rated by PFF for most of the season as well. LV gave them some fits, but overall they've been absolutely tip top in pass pro. And even in the LV game, we do see the pressures and sacks, but we also saw plenty of times where Heinicke had all day to throw.

 

Heinicke does make the OL look better with his pocket awareness, but it's still solid.

 

We've got an above average OL, thankfully due to depth.  I do hope game action makes Ismael realize what he has to work on in the off-season.

 

When does Cosmi and Schweitzer come back?  That'd do a fair amount to making me feel better about our now barren depth.

[mistertim]

45 minutes ago, Alcoholic Zebra said:

 

Heinicke does make the OL look better with his pocket awareness, but it's still solid.

 

We've got an above average OL, thankfully due to depth.  I do hope game action makes Ismael realize what he has to work on in the off-season.

 

When does Cosmi and Schweitzer come back?  That'd do a fair amount to making me feel better about our now barren depth.

 

PFF grades based on how well the OL do at their individual assignments, so they try to take things like QB out of the equation as much as possible. Which makes sense, since we've seen crappy OLs make great QBs look bad and great QBs make crappy OLs look good.

 

So our OL is actually just really good at executing, possibly regardless of QB.

Edited December 9, 2021 by mistertim

[Koolblue13]

12 hours ago, Alcoholic Zebra said:

 

Heinicke does make the OL look better with his pocket awareness, but it's still solid.

 

At times he might, but he also likes to hold the ball and take sacks. He strains the oline more than he helps them imo

[Skinsinparadise]

27 minutes ago, Koolblue13 said:

At times he might, but he also likes to hold the ball and take sacks. He strains the oline more than he helps them imo

 

I generally agree.  He's elusive in the pocket but he also holds on to the ball often or so it seems to wait for someone to get open.  This O line has been borderline special if you consider how they've handled injuries and still played well.  In other seasons in the past, injuries to the O line has unraveled things.

 

As far as personnel goes.  Flowers.  Schweitzer.  Leno.  Lucas.  All gotten on the cheap was brilliant.  Cosmi looks like a good pick but he needs to stay healthy.

 

Some were upset about letting Moses go but they in the end were right in that we didn't need him and they saved some dough on the salary cap by releasing him that hopefully helps them keep Leno among others. 

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[DWinzit]

12 hours ago, Alcoholic Zebra said:

 

When does Cosmi and Schweitzer come back?  That'd do a fair amount to making me feel better about our now barren depth.

I believe Cosmi is eligible to come off the 21 day IR after next weeks game. Sure need him to get back and loose the injury bug.

 

Is it me or have there been an abnormal number of hip injuries this year?

[Skinsinparadise]

Caught up with the Rivera-Junkies interview.  Talking about the defense's resurgence.  He credited it for these reasons:

 

Dominating time of possession -- defense is more rested and that helps

Pass rush more unpredictable -- using more blitzes coming from the secondary partly because they can't rely anymore on Sweat and Chase since they are gone

Better communication among the players on the secondary

the Landon Collins move to Buffalo nickle -- better spot for him, among other things he blitzes well from that spot. 

 

Some other points he made:

 

They are using Jamin Davis more to rush and threaten to rush especially up the A-B gap.    They are using him to influence their opponent's protections.  I liked hearing that because one of my main points about Jamin before the draft was while Kentucky didn't use him to rush much, he looked good when he did.

 

He also suggested Chase and Montez are really good but teams game planned really well for them at the beginning of the season.  So they were relying perhaps too heavily on those two at the beginnng of the season.  He didn't flat out say it this way but he seemed to be implying that the game plan on defense was heavily reliant on Chase and Montez to create havoc and opponent's offensive coordinators basically knew that and counter punched well -- and in turn outwitted them on that front.  Now that's out the window.  So in an odd way, their defensive game plan now is a harder read for opponents. 

 

Edited December 9, 2021 by Skinsinparadise

[Skinsinparadise]

 

 

[wit33]

If he could just figure out how to make that last line of defense miss on occasion. 

[tomwvr]

On 12/6/2021 at 9:35 PM, ODU AGGIE said:

Actually, I think TH does deserve a star for his play yesterday. What about that opening drive for a TD? He completed 76.7% of his passes. He had a 101.5 passer rating. He threw of 2 TDs. He led a come from behind game winning drive for a FG in the closing minutes. The Team flew home with a win, and he deserves a reasonable share of the credit. Just a thought. Cheers, all!

Just heard a stat today 

in the last 3 seasons the team has a total of 4 games where they came from behind to win a game in the 4th quarter. This year TH has 3 games that he has done that 

On 12/9/2021 at 7:01 AM, Skinsinparadise said:

 

I generally agree.  He's elusive in the pocket but he also holds on to the ball often or so it seems to wait for someone to get open.  This O line has been borderline special if you consider how they've handled injuries and still played well.  In other seasons in the past, injuries to the O line has unraveled things.

 

As far as personnel goes.  Flowers.  Schweitzer.  Leno.  Lucas.  All gotten on the cheap was brilliant.  Cosmi looks like a good pick but he needs to stay healthy.

 

Some were upset about letting Moses go but they in the end were right in that we didn't need him and they saved some dough on the salary cap by releasing him that hopefully helps them keep Leno among others. 

 

Holding the ball too long is an issue with almost every elusive qb. They think they can escape and make a play so they wait until the last moment. Just look at Wilson, Jackson and mahomes .