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Thoughts on last nights game

AL R

AL R

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Since I said I would do it last nigbt- here is a quick recap of my thoughts from last night.

- Stadium looks even better than last year. Pedestrian flow from the parking lot to the stadium is muh easier and streamlined. You can't just enter from anywhere like before.
- Encouraged by the play of the D line. I thought for the most part they controlled Atlantas run game at the POA - Second level will be more of a challenge should they defeat the DL though I suspect. Looks like we MAY be able to get through the year at DT etc
- Thought the OL played a lttle better than expected especially with everyone out- QB's had time on most - not all- plays and running backs found some room.
- We still can't get off the field on 3rd and long consistency, it almost seems like the longer the yards needed, the higher the probability that the other team will convert.

- Thoughts on some players-

- Storm Johnson has a chance to make the team if he doesn't put the ball on the ground (my complaint with him at UCF was too lackadaisical about ball security).
- Like to see more of Lacey just to get more of a read on him.
- Carroo made a great late adjustment on that catch. I was watching the play all the way and said to my wife he has him if he cuts inside of him an boom it happened and he held on. Similar to a play Stills made last year to ice a game.
- no complaints about Grant last night- made catches and fielded kicks with confidence- one punt that was dying quick I thought he should have let bounce out of bounds but came up and made a diving slidding catch.
-The punter job could become a competition.

Interested to see your guys thoughts on the game.
 
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I will try later at the office. I didnt take too many just a few.
 
The 2nd and 3rd string players showed well. Perhaps that's an indication the depth on the team has improved. The embarrassment of riches at the WR position was on full display. I'm in love with OT Eric Smith and C Jake Brendel. Both played very well and looked like they belonged. In the case of Smith, I think he can transition into a starter in the near future, quite possibly as early as 2018. He's got talent. Davon Godchaux has been a true revelation at DT, because he didn't play like this too often at LSU. He showed flashes but never was consistent. But as someone pointed out, he's got heavy hands that helps him gain leverage. I may be going out on the lim here, but, this could be the last we've seen of Philips. I just don't see him past 2017, with the 2 DT's playing better than expected.
 
dolfan91 said:
The 2nd and 3rd string players showed well. Perhaps that's an indication the depth on the team has improved. The embarrassment of riches at the WR position was on full display. I'm in love with OT Eric Smith and C Jake Brendel. Both played very well and looked like they belonged. In the case of Smith, I think he can transition into a starter in the near future, quite possibly as early as 2018. He's got talent. Davon Godchaux has been a true revelation at DT, because he didn't play like this too often at LSU. He showed flashes but never was consistent. But as someone pointed out, he's got heavy hands that helps him gain leverage. I may be going out on the lim here, but, this could be the last we've seen of Philips. I just don't see him past 2017, with the 2 DT's playing better than expected.
Click to expand...

I believe Slimm or j-off thought Smith could maybe play at guard, but he definitely looked comfortable at RT
 
Travis34 said:
I believe Slimm or j-off thought Smith could maybe play at guard, but he definitely looked comfortable at RT
Click to expand...
I was a bit baffled as to why Smith went undrafted. It was Slimm and J-off who picked him out as a sleeper when Miami signed him. If he can play OG, it only enhances his chances. That whole unit that played the 1st half played way better then I imagined. Smith lead the charge.
 
I thought the 2nd and 3rd strings were remarkably better than in seasons past. They were actually executing at a professional level and making plays. Usually by the 3rd quarter in the 1st or 4th preseason games, it would be such a dozer because nobody could ever make a play...usually just a lot of incomplete balls on offense and breakdowns on defense. Guys on both sides were flying around last night and making plays. I think the crowd noticed the difference because they were into it.
 
Albert Romano said:
Since I said I would do it last nigbt- here is a quick recap of my thoughts from last night.

- Stadium looks even better than last year. Pedestrian flow from the parking lot to the stadium is muh easier and streamlined. You can't just enter from anywhere like before.
- Encouraged by the play of the D line. I thought for the most part they controlled Atlantas run game at the POA - Second level will be more of a challenge should they defeat the DL though I suspect. Looks like we MAY be able to get through the year at DT etc
- Thought the OL played a lttle better than expected especially with everyone out- QB's had time on most - not all- plays and running backs found some room.
- Thoughts on some players-

- Storm Johnson has a chance to make the team if he doesn't put the ball on the ground (my complaint with him at UCF was too lackadaisical about ball security).
- Like to see more of Lacey just to get more of a read on him.
- Carroo made a great late adjustment on that catch. I was watching the play all the way and said to my wife he has him if he cuts inside of him an boom it happened and he held on. Similar to a play Stills made last year to ice a game.
- no complaints about Grant last night- made catches and fielded kicks with confidence- one punt that was dying quick I thought he should have let bounce out of bounds but came up and made a diving slidding catch.
-The punter job could become a competition.

Interested to see your guys thoughts on the game.
Click to expand...
Agree on most of it other than the o-line opening holes for the running game. I really didn't see much of that happening other than 2 or 3 times there just wasn't much there. I like the energy I saw from Harris but I was hoping to actually see him make a play. He had zero tackles. I know you can't grade a DE only by the number of tackles. He was coming but was biting hard on just about everything. Still, I believe he'll make some plays for us this year. I believe Hull, Allen and Lacy all had some good moments but remains to be seen if either of them will be good enough to start and play well. I'm not sold on Hewitt yet.

Ozzy rules!!
 
Danny said:
Agree on most of it other than the o-line opening holes for the running game. I really didn't see much of that happening other than 2 or 3 times there just wasn't much there. I like the energy I saw from Harris but I was hoping to actually see him make a play. He had zero tackles. I know you can't grade a DE only by the number of tackles. He was coming but was biting hard on just about everything. Still, I believe he'll make some plays for us this year. I believe Hull, Allen and Lacy all had some good moments but remains to be seen if either of them will be good enough to start and play well. I'm not sold on Hewitt yet.

Ozzy rules!!
Click to expand...

Might have been a little generous on the running lanes comment - I did like a few runs from Drake and Storm though- still the YPR was only 2.7... so point noted.
 
Another game like last night, maybe against the B-team defensive opponents and it will be impossible to hide Stringfellow on the PS.
 
Slimm is the guy that picked Eric Smith out of a hat, ranked him very high on his lists at a time when the media had him nowhere to be found, recommended that we all get a look at him as well. Credit to him where it's due. A few others of us liked what we saw after his recommendation. He had a good game. I thought Avery Young also had a decent game. They made a good combination on the right side, probably the only highlight of an otherwise sub-par line unit.

The story for me was the defensive depth particularly in the front seven. Every linebacker that got on the field looked pretty good and made some plays. Just about every DT did as well. Terrence Fede had a great game, as did Joby Saint Fleur for those who managed to pick him out on his 10-11 snaps.

Damore'ea Stringfellow did things we know he's capable of but he also did things that illustrate why he is where he is. He dropped two catchable balls, drew two unnecessary penalty flags. Every fourth or fifth catch, Stringfellow looks like he's trying to catch the football with two tennis rackets. BUT, the guy can run, he can get open, and when he does catch it, he can do things after the catch. The irony is you want to use him on YAC plays because of his RAC skills but those plays have to be high percentage and too often in college (and already in his first preseason game) he makes those plays into lower percentage plays because he fights the ball off like it's coated in anthrax.

Francis Owusu was the guy that surprised me. What I saw of him in college he didn't look like a real receiver, despite that one highlight reel catch for which he's singularly famous. I thought he should move to defense. But he finished two catches last night the way real receivers finish catches. We know he's a great athlete, compelling size/speed/athleticism guy. I guess never count out those great athletes with Stanford degrees.
 
Vaark said:
Another game like last night, maybe against the B-team defensive opponents and it will be impossible to hide Stringfellow on the PS.
Click to expand...

I was laughing my butt off on that 99.5 yard TD run. He juked the CB and starting running his a$$ off like a horse to the barn. The safety said **** it and didn't want no part of him. For a guy his size (listed as 6'2 and 222lbs) he is deceptively fast. We seem to be doing a good job with our WR's. Too bad we don't have any real up and comers in the LB room (could really use a guy to take control like Zack did his rookie year). Not complaining too bad, though. I am still upset about losing McMillian. Happy some of our guys are developing!!!
 
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