Any chance Eddie Moore unseats Greenwood?

[ckparrothead]

And if you're wondering about my statement that Morlon is "below average" for a starting outside linebacker, let me just give you a peek at what I was thinking when I made that statement. Lets do a quick survey of the AFC. There's 32 OLBs in the AFC...and controlling for some 3-4 alignments, you can probably eliminate (and I did) about 2 or 3 guys who are really DEs but being officially called "OLBs" on the depth charts (guys like Jason Babin, Tyler Brayton, etc). I didn't bother with the NFC, because I don't have the time and I feel that the AFC alone proves my point.

Below is a list of OLBs that I find OBVIOUSLY better than Morlon Greenwood, based on a number of things, like reputation (deserved reputations), stats, pro bowls, etc. I know some of these names might not be as obvious to you as they are to me, so for some I provided 2003 stats to back that up.

Takeo Spikes
Rosevelt Colvin
Teddy Bruschi
Peter Boulware
Brian Simmons
Kendrell Bell
Warrick Holdman
David Thornton (145 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT, 5 PD)
Keith Bulluck
Jamie Sharper
Shawn Barber
John Mobley
DJ Williams
Napolean Harris (110 tackles, 2 sack, 3 FF, 2 PD)
Ben Leber
Donnie Edwards


Now, below, I have a list of names that, sensing the amount of homerism in the room, most of you will want to say Morlon is as good or better than...but the bottom line is in 2003, which was Greenwood's BEST YEAR, he did not outperform ANY of these guys in terms of big plays, and I took into account playing time...because there's some guys who are starting this year at OLB on this next list who were part timers in 2003.

Jeff Posey (6 sacks, 4 FF)
Eric Barton (133 tackles, 1 sack, 1 FF, 6 PD)
Victor Hobson (part timer, 2 sack, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 PD)
Adalius Thomas (4 sacks, 1 FF, 1 PD)
Kevin Hardy (2 sacks, 1 FF, 1 PD, 1 defensive TD)
Gary Brackett (1 sack, 1 INT, 1 INT TD, 1 PD)
Greg Favors (76 tackles, 1 FF, 1 PD)
Scott Fujita (114 tackles, 4 sacks, 1 INT, 1 FF, 2 PD)


And finally, we've gotten to the bottom of the barrel, guys who I'll admit, might be worst than Morlon...and definitely performed worst or are just too inexperienced to put on the same playing field.

Peter Sirmon
Clark Haggans
Chaun Thompson
Tommy Hendricks


There you have it. 28 starters in the AFC (subtracting a few 3-4 DEs) and I can really only place Morlon's name ahead of 4 of them based on statistics and barring further film evaluation. This of course, is just me. But, I encourage you to take a look at the list, take a look at the big plays that OTHER OLBs are making, then tell me about how "secure" Morlon Greenwood's job is from controversial 2nd round pick Eddie Moore.

 

[Ohio Fanatic]

Thats simply misleading. Corey Jenkins caught peoples eye because of good reasons and bad reasons. His tackling was horrendous. He was a QB moved to safety, then moved to LB. Of course he's going to have a natural feel for coverage and watching a QB's eyes, that doesn't mean he was in the spot he was supposed to be in 90% of the time. It also doesn't mean he was good at man to man coverage, which is what we require our LBs to do a lot. I like Jenkins, but he'll never be more than a part-time player, who will probably come in on passing downs because of his natural ability to read a QB. Moore was impressive enough to a coach's eye, to put the strong side linebacker position up for grabs, pretty unexpectedly.

Greenwood is in on enough plays that he should have made more big plays than he has. Remember that "big play" meter that we used to evaluate Sammy Knight? Well in 3 years Greenwood has 4 big plays...all sacks. No forced fumbles, no fumble recoveries, no interceptions...heck only even 2 passes defensed. So either this guy is the Deion Sanders of linebacking, or he's just not making the big plays we need our linebackers to make considering the responsibilities our linebackers have.

And if Morlon only plays 50% of downs, thats not an excuse...it just means that he can't beat an aged, slow Junior Seau out as a nickel coverage backer. Remember when Junior got beat down the sidelines in preseason by Michael Pittman and Jaws said "Pittman challenged Junior Seau to see what he has left in the tank, and the answer was nothing" well if the coaches are keeping THAT Junior Seau on the field during pass coverage downs instead of Morlon Greenwood, how is the fact that Greenwood is only on the field 50% of the time, a DEFENSE of his lack of plays?

Hey I was pleasantly surprised by some of the plays Morlon made this season trust me I thought he was finally coming around but that doesn't necessarily even make him an "average" outside linebacker and when we drafted Eddie Moore, we were going for someone we thought would be the next Al Wilson.

I would have to agree with your assessment of Greenwood. He's steady, but not spectacular. Kind of like our Jay Fiedler on defense.

 

[CrunchTime]

I'll trot out my usual Morlon Greenwood song and dance.

The opportunities he has, and the positions he is put in do not give him the opportunity to shine.

He plays approximately less then 50% of our snaps. Only base 4-3. I dont think he plays goal line defense(Hendricks replaced him last season). He doesnt play nickel, dime, etc.

When he DID play Nickel(due to injury_, or the team played base 4-3 for most of the game, he did very well. He more often then not LEAD the team in tackle, and in all but one game I think, he had more then 7 tackles.

Not only that, but his position, but Zach and Seau dont allow him to shine. Greenwood plays Strongside backer. He deals with the Tight End. On passing plays, he's got to cover him. On running plays, he's got to deal with the Tight End targeting him almost every play.

Seau is the aggressive, blitzing, forward-moving OLB. Zach is the tackle machine. Greenwood is stuck in his position.

Maybe he can shine at MLB?

That pretty much covers it.Do you think these Greenwood bashers will ever get it.I doubt it?

I hope Greenwood gets a chance to play another position to show that hes not a bad athlete.

 

[Shula Fan]

...There you have it. 28 starters in the AFC (subtracting a few 3-4 DEs) and I can really only place Morlon's name ahead of 4 of them based on statistics and barring further film evaluation. This of course, is just me. But, I encourage you to take a look at the list, take a look at the big plays that OTHER OLBs are making, then tell me about how "secure" Morlon Greenwood's job is from controversial 2nd round pick Eddie Moore.

D@mn CK...good work

 

[Ross]

Stats don't ever make a case on their own. Big plays never equal out mistakes. The man rarely made mistakes. Rarely did big plays come against him even though opposing O's had to think he was the weak link. That is playing big-time football.

--Ross