First, a person can use PAPER to make a player look like an all-pro, or at least like an above average level starter at the position. People did it with Hartline for YEARS until it became self-evident of the player that he was, and vast limitations exposed by being asked to be a complete WR.
Second, if "not horrible" is the standard for a player that you are then supposedly cool with being a starter, that whole mindset is how teams are perennial 8-8 or worse. That same level of thinking was used to justify the train wreck of Jonni Martin, right up until the time he dropped his lunch tray after someone snapped his bra.
I wouldn't be surprised if the same people that defended giving Joni Martin more chances are using similar arguments for Dallas Thomas -- "Well, if you look at this angle, or this position, during this time frame, it wasn't soooo bad..."
Right. Those kinds of players get DESTROYED by top level competition. Miami needs an interior line that can dominate against good DLs. Especially in this division. We're freekin' lucky that RT17 isn't already concussed out of the league.
LD
at buffalo week 2
thomas comes in at the 9:19 mark 3rd quarter for shelley smith (who got abused up til that point) and miamis down 16 to 3...make no mistake about it smith was awful in the first half especially...oversetting or getting walked back into the backfield and on skates etc...really poor
+1 combo block pass pro engage at the los with the center keeps his outside arm free after engaging and his head is working back outside to the tackle to see if he needs inside help
+1 gets jarred off the ball but works to maintain contact down the field on a wide run (looking for work)
+1 rb screen play slghtly oversets outside but recovers laterally to engage the dt and impede before release
+1 walk up edge lb blitzer means his responsbility is the de who bull rushes him ball comes out quick but he's in good position had the play taken longer
+1 bull rush with dt dareus mirrors well laterally side to side
+1 dt dareus takes an outside shoulder set shifts laterally firing well off the snap and engages and maintains long enough for the ball to go to the other side on play design
+1 screen to the tight end moves laterally off the ball engages the dt williams and then releases to go find work to the opposite play side
-1 bull rush kyle williams gets up under his pad level and just drives him right back into the qbs pocket...too high off the ball lost the leverage battle
-1 unable to match kyle williams secondary spin move who powers thru him for a arm on the qb as he's releasing the ball...hands to the face early to try and offset williams but it doesnt work..just spun right off
+1 screen gets to the lb on the perimeter but doesnt really drive or bury him (this is where you want more pop especially at right guard but it's not a negative effect on the play gain)
+1 engages and sustains a moving laterally dt trying to cross his face and plug a running lane (ideally he keeps that dt from getting into the lane but it would be pretty harsh of me to negative this one)
+1 stunt dt and de engages the dt pushes him towards his rt help picks up the loop around to the inside de as he should
+1 zone blocking pass pro gets a hand on a man off the ball but no one comes into his zone sits and looks to make sure no one is coming as he should
+1 too high off the ball imo works to the 2nd level to try and get on a lb never materializes (gift +1 here)
+1 takes a pass pro drop set off the snap barely makes contact although in good position to do so and the balls gone
-1 false start on a wide run play where he's itching to get out in front and leaves too early
+1 pass pro able to match lateral quickness easily with a depth dt who tries to cross his face
-1 pass pro defense play design is to slant the dt williams inside and rub the delayed lb blitzer off of him once that hole is created...may be more miller taking the bait than the right guard or may be lack of experience at play and being preyed on
+1 bull rush guard center combo engages and comes off to pick up the lb with the right tackle
-1 leans and lunges and has his hands as a result in poor position for kyle williams lateral move who gains the inside shoulder and clears him and thomas goes to ground even as qb climbs the pocket vs clean williams and eludes the should be sack
+1 mirrors kyle williams laterally ball comes out quick
+1 depth dt slant down inside across his face and he rides him on of the play letting his momentum carry him almost into the throwing lane
+1 zone pass pro engages with one hand off the ball and has his head on a swivel looking for work in his area nothing comes so works back late to his initial engagement
+1 inside outside stunt picks up the de williams
+1 pass pro sets up nothing in his zone looks for work shoulders the edge rusher late to assist his right tackle
+1 pass pro dt loops outside wide pushes him past and releases him to the right tackle
+1 gets jarred off the ball up under his chin by the dt williams but never outright loses on the play...
-1 blown up off the ball by the dt williams who had it been an inside hand off on the read option would have been a 3 yard loss
+1 takes too deep a set in pass pro allowing for the dt to cut off any escape route but the plays blown up because of others not helping the qb in pass pro
+1 punches a dt who goes to ground after off balance (looked more dts doing that thomas doing but it was effective)
-1 bull rush gets walked back into the qbs lap never able to anchor
-1 bull rush gets walked back again right into the backfield unable to ever anchor (collapsing pocket)
+1 dt slants down across his face engages and releases picks up the clean edge rusher olb lawson looping around way inside
+1 pass pro takes his set barely touched looks for work
+1 combo block with the center releases and picks up the looping edge rusher lawson
+1 combo block engages and gives ground but able to keep dt at bay relatively easily
+1 combo block engages and releases
4 more plays no real action in any of them but all would be graded as +1
my game takeaways...heads on a swivel looks for work...seems to understand his assignments...lateral short area abilities look ok at guard feet do also...biggest problem i see is a lack of strength...just plays a very soft right guard...rarely jaws anyone rarely knocks anyones head back...needs more pop in his punch...does fine with guys he can match lateral quickness and feet with has problems with lateral quickness that also possesses power and strength...especially guys who if thier initial rush move is cut off have a redirect secondary...at times plays too high and loses leverage battles as a result...
ideally right guard gives you more pop even in a zone scheme...
This was one of two run downs from Hoops after watchin every snap from Dallas in the game. Not paper but actually watching what he did.
