1. Ginn needs to be returning kicks and punts. If he isn't good enough to be used as a WR, he needs to touch the ball somehow. He showed flashes of brilliance during his rookie year back there. I know he looked bad at kickoff returns in week 1, but Cobb looks just as bad. It may just be blocking and the new "wedge" rule. Having said that, let's at least put someone back there who MIGHT break one.
I'd stop using Ginn as a starter period until we proves that he can be a #1 WR. I'd use him as a retuner and I'd bring Ginn into games as the "other"type of slot WR. The kind used by the Rams years ago. He matches up against the defense's 3rd or 4th DB and tries to split the middle of the field for a quick strike touchdown.
We cannot just think of a slot WR as a short yardage WR. A lot of teams have also had ran them long post and streaks and have the outside WRs run short patterns. And since it take a stronger arm to throw to the deep outside then deep over the middle, this makes a lot of sense. Other pluses are the shorter time a pass over the middle takes. And that it is easier to split the Safeties coming from the slot. We have not did this lately partly because we do not have a QB who can complete a longer pass.
Just because atm other NFL are using slot WRs in one way does not mean we cannot use them in another. If you look up slot WRs in NFL history, they were often the WR with not many catches but with the longest YPC average. Again, look back the the Rams team that the Patriots cheated on to the win the Super Bowl.
I did not know any NFL that used the Wildcat either before last year. Sometimes it helps to think out of the box and often the "box" changes over time.
IMO, Brian Hartline needs to replace him as our starter on that side although I do not see it happening as long as Ginn is here. he has all the traits a NFL WR needs. The first trait a WR needs AFTER THE ABILITY TO GET OPEN is to catch anything that comes near him.
Others are:
They need great hands: He has excellent hands
They need good speed: Great speed is not a need but he is easily the 2nd fastest WR on this team. In fact, it is not even close.
They need great quickness: I'm not sure he has great quickness but I'm semi sure it is good enough (see the play mentioned below).
They need great ball skills: I think he rates close to Bess and Camarillo in getting to the ball. He is also bigger and can out muscle and out jump both of them. He has caught almost everything throw to him. In preseason it was said he missed one but that is because no one watched the play more then once. Hartline was open on a 8 yard curl in but Henne instead of standing tall, fell back under pressure and ended up throwing the ball several yards to the outside. Hartline made a very quick turn and made a flat out leap for the ball but was 2 feet short.
They need football intelligence: He was a ex-QB and Sparano said one of the things they liked about him was his very high football and basic intelligence.
They need toughness: This is another easy one. He is known as a head hunter on special teams and he has the size to back it up.
I see the problem with him every getting a lot of play time is Ted Ginn being here. He was being considered as the #2 WR as the season started but on that side he has to beat out the more experienced Bess and Camarillo.
It would be replacing one sure handed WR with another one which would make little sense. Our coaching staf is not ready to bite the bullet and bench Ginn because of his "potential" as a "playmaker". And coaches are subject to pressure from fans and sitting Ginn would cause a semi up roar.
Hartline needs reps and experience to improve and is not going to get it as long as Ginn is here.
2. Henne needs to throw 4-6 bombs a game, at least 3 of which need to be to Ginn. Even if they fall incomplete, they can do wonders by stretching out the defense, and enabling us to hit more underneath routes. With the way the league is now, I'll bet we get at least one pass interference call in our favor.
I will always remember that Gus Frerotte and Scott Linehan would call and run a couple of very long passes a game even though they admitted after the season that they did not think that they was a good chance they would complete many of them. It makes the defense defend against it and keeps them back.
3. We need to audible out of a few defensive play calls. We're too predictable. When the opposing QB fakes a snap, he then has a good idea of the defense we're in and can adjust accordingly. We need to AT LEAST fake as though we're changing things around.
I'm not 100% sure what we are really doing but I agree we should be doing this more.
4. Get Cameron Wake and Patrick Turner more involved. Hard to tell what these guys can and cannot do without giving them a chance. We don't have a ton to lose at this point.
Cameron Wake is at this time only a pass rusher. I'd use him as such from everywhere. ILB, DE, OLB.
ATM IMO Brian Hartline needs the reps more then Turner does.....
Do you agree or disagree with each?
