Week #5 is in the can, after a disaster of a 0-3 start, some positive trends are emerging: -Young players are stepping up every week -Cam Wake's 3 sacks and 4 TFL's against the Bills -Chad Henne's improving play -Oline is really coming together -Lou Polite is blossoming into a top 5 blocking Fb in the NFL -Greg Camarillo is back to being his old self, those two catches during crunchtime were huge and the sort of thing he did last season prior to his ACL injury. -Joey Haynos has developed into a Grade A run blocking Te. -JT has 1/3 of the tackles he had in Washington and virtually the same amount of Sacks with 3. All positive trends going forward, the negative trends, namely Sean Smith and Vontae Davis being targeted and other teams having success at throwing at them is a major negative trend, as is the poor Special Teams play, outside of the kickers and Jason Allen our ST unit has regressed with two punt fakes allowed and a holding call on a return, the ST is beginning to degrade a bit.
I think our corners will be ok. But I agree with everything you said. I know teams will have to respect us now. It might make some of these guys better. But next year there is no doubt we will be great.
Davis and Smith both are vulnerable to not getting their head around quickly enough on sideline routes, we saw the Bill's Owens and Evans burn them that way and Braylon Edwards burned Davis in the same manner. I thought Sean Smith did the best job on Edwards though, he burned Allen and Davis but not Sean Smith.
anyone notice this? we had one of the worst ranked pass defenses last season. we let goodman and hill go. both went to denver and now they have one of the better pass defenses. and we still have one of the lesser pass defenses.
Sean Smith is going to be a stud Vontae Davis on the other hand is a disappointment at the point. He is getting beat and taking poor angles on tackles. He is reminding me of Jamar Fletcher
I wouldn't go that far on Davis, I think his game needs some work, but it is not a lack of talent or field awareness it is more the difference in levels between all pro NFL wr and rookie NFL cb.
I wouldnt say Vontae is a disapointment yet. I'd put it that Sean Smith is just adapting to the NFL much better and faster then Vontae. Id say give him till atleast week 10 to throw judgment on him and even then thats too soon
Not giving up on him but a first round pick that isn't playing like one. Now hopefully I eat crow soon on this because I want to have lock down corners.
I forgot Jamar Fletcher blowing up two wide receiver screens and having an interception for a touchdown in his first 5 games. I do not see this greatly outplaying of Vontae Davis by Sean Smith. If the pass is an out or a quick pass I see Sean Smith behind Vontae Davis. If the play is a long ball I am seeing Sean Smith out play. If there is tackling involved AT ALL, then Vontae is absolutely destroying Sean Smith. Both players have positive and negatives, and honestly after 5 games in the NFL both have good promise
are you tlaking about the sideline play at the goal line? cause if you are can we just give Edwards credit for making a great (and I mean great) play. Davis was there... it is not like Davis was a couple yards away from B.E.
I would caution anyone who expects two rookies to perform consistently at this stage. Let alone two corners who have faced Reggie Wayne, Roddy White, Michael Jenkins, Braylon Edwards, Terrell Owens, Vincent Jackson and Lee Evans. Personally I expect them to both play up and down from play to play and game to game. Smith continues to show why people questioned his tackling ability and physicality in that aspect. Davis shows that he does have mental lapses and can be too aggressive at times. They both had these traits as collegians, and they have them now. And, it is 5 games.
smith just needs to get lower when tackling ... you just can't tackle at the shoulder pad level in the NFL unless you are incredibly strong.
smith is NEVER going to be a good tackler. hes a converted WR after all. He's probably always going to play like a girl in that sense.
Smith can be a good tackler if he wanted to work on it enough. It depends on his drive. there are a lot of tough wide receivers out there who can tackle.
He also was flagged on that play, there was ref who was totally in the Jets corner, Will Allen was flagged for illegal contact 6yds from the LOS, if you watch the replay of Ginn's 53 yd td, Revis was all over him down the field and there was no call. But either way, two weeks in a row, deep down the sidelines and Davis was torched a bit, he'll learn.
heck, even Madison learned to tackle under Saban ... so i think it is entirely likely that Smith will get better ... he is tall, so it takes 'extra' effort to get lower
