Is it me or does this guy make it happen out on the field? I would toss him in with the starters and see what happens, as he has a really nice build and seems to catch the ball smoothly. Naanee should be cut with the performance he tossed up this preseason and I think most of you would agree. If they cut Mathews I'm going to be fairly jacked, sorry if there was a post on this guy already. I didn't watch the preseason under a microscope so I want to hear your thoughts.
Thanks, I've been out of the game for quite a while. Just wanted to hear other fan's opinions on him.
I think he's been pretty decent. And, I hope he makes the team. I also think Nanee has been very inconsistent - for a veteran, especially.
He's done some good short to intermediate stuff... now if he can just get some separation on a deep route I'd be coo coo for cocoa puffs.
The guy seems to get open and make good clean catches so it wouldnt upset me to see him make the team. I am also on the cut Nanee bandwagon the guy doesnt offer us anything besides dropping passes and if we wanted that we would have kept Ted Ginn.
I've been very impressed by Matthews. He's a player. He reminds me of Devone Bess in a lot of ways, although he is bigger. He also reminds me of Anquan Boldin in his build and physicality. He is faster than Boldin and I wouldn't conclude that he can't get separation downfield -- we really haven't tried that with him much in the preseason, at least as far as I've seen. I'd be pretty disappointed if he doesn't make the roster.
Ive liked what Ive seen from him. He's made some nice plays, helped move the ball for us. IIRC he had a few nice returns in the first few games as well. I'm sure he sticks. I'm guessing Cunningham does too since they were both new draft picks this year.
The guy I'm not as high on as everyone seems to be after the game is B.J. Cunningham. He didn't do anything we didn't already know he could do, or anything that poses a danger to the defense. Rishard Matthews did. Cunningham continues to be a guy you can throw to on the drag or slant, or a middle screen...basically in-breaking routes against zone or man. But he won't wow you with run after catch on those plays, and you don't want to get him the ball on perimeter routes. He can run the slant but is questionable on the sluggo, for example. Rishard Matthews actually separates and gets open, and he flashed the ability to make back shoulder plays last night which is key. Clyde Gates belongs because you can see in objective, observable ways what his speed does to a defense. And he also showed me (surprisingly) an ability to get open on routes versus press coverage this preseason. The only other guy I feel fairly confident that gets open against man coverage after those two and Bess/Hartline...is Marlon Moore, who is also killing it on STs.
I stopped watching the game after halftime, but I really like Rishard's first catch on the comeback route. Even Irvin was talking about how he sold the going deep really well and then came back.
Got to give credit to CK on this one, he targeted the player from the get, with draft value being a big part of it and was right. I'm a Colin Kaepernik fan, so ive seen him make some big time plays in college.. Matthews is strong, like what Fineas said, Potential of Bolden strong. If you watch the comeback route in yesterday's game, not the one where he slipped, but the other one, he caught ball without lookin at it, I saw him identify where he wanted to go before he caught the ball. Welcome to the team.
At Nevada, Matthews was the guy who made the play when the Pack needed one. He seemed to always do the right thing at the right time. He had a knack for getting separation using a a ton of different strategies, finding the right lane, breaking that tackle when it was crucial, etc. It was hard to say whether he was just that nuanced or was simply more athletic than he looked. It was probably a combination of both. He was the one receiver out of the new group of Egnew, BJ, Fuller, Nanee that I believed the strongest in.
We have nothing to lose at this point. Might as well start him and see what he's got. We pretty much know what Naanee is going to provide. A whole lot of suck.
I know, but I still like his moves. I don't know why they didn't let him run with the starters last night. I guess they have already made up their minds.
http://www.thephins.com/forums/show...Draft-Thread&p=1747754&viewfull=1#post1747754 I drafted this guy in the GM League
Omar is advocating that Naanee make the roster. He has said no other receivers other than Bess and Hartline had earned the opportunity. He must have ignored Matthews.
Omar tends to latch on to a few guys and seriously advocate for them. I have a bad feeling about Matthews not making the roster.
Matthews played gunner pretty well too when given the chance. Against the Panthers, he tackled Joe Adams 1 on 1, and threw him down with the force you see when watching WWF. Adams went down and he went down hard.
Are you being sarcastic, or do you believe that? I tend to think the former. Omar may be right, but it will not be because I think he knows what he is talking about.
I don't mind Matthews being cut if he is being replaced with competent guy, but Naanee shouldn't be in that group. I found it interesting that Barry Jackson mentioned that Nat Moore was even critical of one of Naanee's two receptions on Wednesday. Moore said he used his body to catch the ball vs. his hands.
Most definitely Matthews should stay. He's been consistent in the pre season games. I like how he plays....he has good hands. He can give you some kick returns so he helps in special teams. I would keep hima nd if Ireland cuts him I would be pissed too.
i really don't know, but i remember an interview with former dolphins CB vontae davis were he praised naanee for his run blocking....maybe thats the reason...its the only one that i can think of really
I only went to 2 practices, but he looked pretty damn good in those 2 practices, so I was actually pretty hopefull about him. I've been really disappointed in what he looks like on game day. Regarding Matthews though, I've been liking him ever since Week 1 of the preseason when he made plays as a returner. Then, the next week he made some plays as a WR and on kick coverage. He made some tough catches taking big hits, caught that one while slipping, and powered his way for a TD. I am a pretty big fan. With everything else I'm seeing at the position, he better make this team...