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Some positives from a dismal game

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oasis

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We all know how bad this game was, but I thought I'd list a few positives that caught my eye during the game.

* Quentin Moses - this guy was getting good pressure all night long - he looks really fast off the edge and his motor seems to be running at a much higher level than I've seen from him before.

* Nathan Jones - the rascally CB does it again, getting completely lost among the big uglies and sneaking in for the sack. The throwdown of McCown to finish the sack was a nice touch.

* It was nice to see Soliai get his giant paws around the QB. I think he's really stepping up and just might make our need for a NT a little less urgent. At least we can hope.

* Langford has been rushing the passer well. That strip sack early in the game was nice - those are game changing plays...very JT/Porter like.

* Hartline - I really like what I see from this kid, and I'm definitely one who hasn't been sold on him. He caught the deep ball well, seemed to really get into #27's head all game long, and basically made an impact. Yes, he had a few drops as well, but he's showing he deserves to be on this team and he is looking like he very well might be the starter opposite Ginn, especially since Camarillo looked a little gimpy out there.

* Walden & Kershaw both tried to make cases for themselves tonight. Walden had an awesome chasedown of Freeman for a late sack right in front of Sparano. Kershaw was in on several tackles including a nice run stuff late in the game. I'm thinking Walden makes the team.

* Bess - no, he didn't have a great (or even good) game, but how about that INSANE catch out of bounds??


That's all I can think of right now (funny how it's the negatives that keep popping into my head, lol). Feel free to add other positives from tonight to this thread, but I'd like at least this thread to remain about only positive stuff to come out of the game.
 
i would add the deep balls from penny were nice.

im thinking nate jones may be ahead of davis on the depth chart, but davis is a great tackler.

cameron wake was also putting alot of pressure on the qbs. our olbs our deep.

ginn was good on kickreturns.

1st stringers didnt give up and showed fight to keep us in the game and come back to take the lead.
 
cljh19 said:
i would add the deep balls from penny were nice.
Click to expand...

For sure. Both were right on the money to Hartline. And the 55 yarder was thrown while on the run and it was a perfect strike. He threw it from his own 35 and hit Hartline in stride at the Bucs' 15. That's 50 yards in the air.

Since we've seen glimmers of a reasonably strong arm from Penny, part of me wonders whether he might be holding back showing it off. If he really has worked on his deep ball and arm strength, it would certainly play to our advantage to not showcase it. Teams would go in thinking they could do the same ol' with Penny on defense, and he might torch a team for a quick score or two that way. Of course, I'm setting myself up for disappointment with that thought, but I know he has put the work in this offseason....and his QB coach is a tricky *******.
 
oasis said:
For sure. Both were right on the money to Hartline. And the 55 yarder was thrown while on the run and it was a perfect strike. He threw it from his own 35 and hit Hartline in stride at the Bucs' 15. That's 50 yards in the air.

Since we've seen glimmers of a reasonably strong arm from Penny, part of me wonders whether he might be holding back showing it off. If he really has worked on his deep ball and arm strength, it would certainly play to our advantage to not showcase it. Teams would go in thinking they could do the same ol' with Penny on defense, and he might torch a team for a quick score or two that way. Of course, I'm setting myself up for disappointment with that thought, but I know he has put the work in this offseason....and his QB coach is a tricky *******.
Click to expand...

I think the real problem is that everyone assumes Penny can't throw the deep ball because he has a weak arm. He threw some nice ones last year, like that one real nice TD to Ginn in the end zone (forget which game).

Penny doesn't have zip but he certainly has touch. While he's not the guy to throw it over the middle, Ginn and now Hartline can both get open on streaks and Penny can get the ball to them in stride- accuracy that a strong arm does not ensure.

Penny gets criticized for underthrowing wide open guys on some of our trick plays, but I'm starting to think that he underthrows intentionally to ensure that he makes the completion, rather than gunning it and risking overthrowing the ball.
 
Think you have to include Cameron Wake in there. He seemed to be consistently crashing through the pocket and coming within a breath of having 2 sacks.
First time that i could see was in the second quarter, pushed through the tackle and almost had a hand on McCown before ole Luke took off running for a first down.
Second was against Freeman in the fourth. Was literally dragging him to the ground when Josh shuffle passed it for a incompletion at the last possible moment.

Less then a second(combined) and that would be 2 sacks in my opinion.
 
Spesh said:
Think you have to include Cameron Wake in there. He seemed to be consistently crashing through the pocket and coming within a breath of having 2 sacks.
First time that i could see was in the second quarter, pushed through the tackle and almost had a hand on McCown before ole Luke took off running for a first down.
Second was against Freeman in the fourth. Was literally dragging him to the ground when Josh shuffle passed it for a incompletion at the last possible moment.

Less then a second(combined) and that would be 2 sacks in my opinion.
Click to expand...

Wake is going to put some pressure on the QB this year but I think we are going to see more near-sacks (which are still important) than actual sacks. He'll help our defense, no question, but he is probably in line for just a couple sacks and not the double digit sacks that people are hoping for.
 
Agree on Wake - totally forgot to put him in there.
 
I have to disagree with Ginn looking good on kick returns....

I don't know why Sparano doesn't like him returning kicks...but I know why I don't...

He's too damn predictable.....he does the same thing everytime....head for the edge of the field...the sidelines...

Patrick Cobbs ran straight ahead right up the middle of the field...

If Ginn would do that once in a while...I think he could find a seam easier and break one....but you're limited when you head to one side of the field everytime...
 
TedSlimmJr said:
I have to disagree with Ginn looking good on kick returns....

I don't know why Sparano doesn't like him returning kicks...but I know why I don't...

He's too damn predictable.....he does the same thing everytime....head for the edge of the field...the sidelines...

Patrick Cobbs ran straight ahead right up the middle of the field...

If Ginn would do that once in a while...I think he could find a seam easier and break one....but you're limited when you head to one side of the field everytime...
Click to expand...

Bess does the same thing...runs east/west all the time.
 
fishypete said:
Bess does the same thing...runs east/west all the time.
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He thinks he's got the speed to get around the corner but he gets dragged down before he can turn it every single time. He does much better when he shifts around going straight up the middle breaking a few tackles. You know he's never going to break one, but at least he gets a few extra yards that way.
 
oasis said:
Since we've seen glimmers of a reasonably strong arm from Penny, part of me wonders whether he might be holding back showing it off.
Click to expand...

No, he is not holding back. All of his good throws are when he has his feet set.
 
TedSlimmJr said:
I have to disagree with Ginn looking good on kick returns....

I don't know why Sparano doesn't like him returning kicks...but I know why I don't...

He's too damn predictable.....he does the same thing everytime....head for the edge of the field...the sidelines...

Patrick Cobbs ran straight ahead right up the middle of the field...

If Ginn would do that once in a while...I think he could find a seam easier and break one....but you're limited when you head to one side of the field everytime...
Click to expand...

Is anyone else scared to death though when Ginn is back there returning kicks? I feel like he's going to get injured every time. We really can't afford him gettin hurt back there.

I liked seeing Cobbs returning kicks, powerful with speed, get us to the 35 yard line and I'm happy.
 
oh and I absolutely LOVE watching Nathan Jones come in on the CB blitz...he always seems to add pressure or get the sack
 
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