besides waddle do you think we have a starter in the unit That would be a starter elsewhere?
Do you rate Gaskin bottom third starter in the NFL?
we know the line is the worst as it relates to protecting a Qb.
I mean the point is, watching him perform at a certain level with these unfavorable variables, then you can get an idea of the ceiling with favorable variables.
I think for Tua and his skillset, the oline becomes the priority, I say that because I’m really starting to see him operate at this level when he can set his feet, things go wrong when he can’t.
If you have a better back who can get you some chunk plays and better down and distances then that’s going to help his ability to fool a defense, keep them from teeing off, and allow him some extra time to settle his feet and throw.
I think they’re quite a few teams that are in worse shape than we are. Look at Jax Detroit NY Jets and teams like that. Yeah I know each of them may have a guy that’s known but I’m talking about as a whole. My point is no QB in the league is ever going to have all of his weapons available every week. Franchise QBs overcome and that’s what makes them franchise guys. The last few weeks Tua has started to do this exact thing which is giving me renewed hope for him.
I remember seeing quite a few posters here during the offseason that were talking about how excited they were to have Albert Wilson coming back even though I’ve never thought he was all that great personally. Mack Hollins is by no means a superstar but he’s a solid guy that has absolutely made some plays for Tua when he gets a ball his way. He won the Arizona game last year. Reeled in a long TD last week against the Jets. I actually think Hollins is a solid 3/4 option in a WR core. Tua obviously trusts him bc he’s found him at important times over the past 2 seasons. Ford came up huge against Baltimore a couple weeks ago. Caught a nice ball today.
Point is I fully agree these guys aren’t superstar players but they are better than what most here are giving them credit for. I’ll even go a step further and give Tua some more credit and this actually makes my point about Tua. Hes playing so well right now that he’s making Wilson Ford and Hollins look better than they probably actually are. That is the sign of a franchise level QB. That’s what those guys have the ability to do is make average players good players. Good players into great players. Great players into elite players. Tua absolutely deserves credit for that.
I just think some here want to see Justin Jefferson at one WR spot Waddle in the slot and Davante Adams at the other. We’re never going to have those level of guys all on the same team. 85-90% of the teams in the league have 1 big name guy and then solid yet unspectacular #2/3/4 WRs. I just think with this mentality that you’re actually doing a disservice to Tua and his development by saying oh those guys are scrubs and wouldn’t start for anyone else and that’s just not true. It’s a credit to Tua for elevating those guys and giving them the opportunities he has to allow them to make plays and not just plays but plays in crucial spots. 90% of teams in the league have those exact level guys of Wilson Hollins and Ford playing and getting snaps for their team.
Of course I wish we had better I mean all of us wish we had all pros at all 22 starting spots but that’s never going to happen. Franchise QBs take those type of guys and make them solid reliable players and that’s exactly what Tua is doing.
The OL is in the same position Tua is/has been. They are young. All the Tua supporters here have swore up and down he needed time to grow and develop and yes he did no doubt. But why does that only apply to Tua and not the young OL? Why aren’t they being given the same time to grow and develop? Most posters here repeatedly post about how bad they suck and obviously they haven’t been good but point is how can we expect them to be what we want if we don’t give them time to grow and develop into the starting positions? They are probably the youngest OL in the league as a group. The only way they’re going to get better is to play together and gel. That’s what we’ve all been told Tua needed and look at how he’s playing now. Just like today no the OL wasn’t perfect and they made mistakes but they honestly controlled the trenches pretty much the entire way. They are getting better and showing improvement just like Tua has but bc they are OL and Tua is a QB Tua needed time but most here have already labeled the young OL as busts or that they suck like they can’t possibly get better and that’s just not true. They’re absolutely getting better.
Tua did not win these last 4 games all by himself. It hasn’t been 1 vs 11 with Tua just doing everything. Obviously he gets the most credit bc he’s the QB but let’s give these guys that most call scrubs some credit. They are contributing and making plays and coming up big when we need it. It’s the same thing with our tailbacks. Yes I’d love a featured tailback and hope we upgrade but Gaskins is not some scrub. He’s not a starter but he’s definitely capable of being a 3rd down back. Just like the OL most here swear sucks and that’s not true. We’ve actually ran the football rather decently over this 4 game streak. No it’s not anything world beating but it’s been enough to help us to a 4 game winning streak.
It’s ok to give guys other than Tua some credit. It doesn’t take anything away from Tua. As I said if anything it does a disservice to Tuas development bc he’s taking these type of players and getting them to produce at a level that’s above their head. That’s the sign of a true franchise QB.
