While watching last week's Saints game, I saw Jimmy Graham targeted for a pass at the sidelines and he chose not to stretch out for the ball because he was worried about getting laid out by the Safety. Classic case of alligator arms. Then, later in the game, he pulled an Issac Bruce and immediately went down after catching the ball to avoid contact. I kind of laughed about it and felt like posting something snarky on Facebook to piss off all my Saints friends, but decided against it. I was listening to sports talk radio down here in New Orleans yesterday and the host was talking about how Graham is in a contract year and that his people and the Saints are in contract discussions. He's looking for highest paid TE in history money. And he deserves is! Then, the host mentioned those two plays and said how he thought Graham might be playing defensively to protect his body more than he would have otherwise. Granted, the guy caught 9 balls for 134 yards and two TDs.....but surely our Defensive Coaching staff noticed this possible trend as well. So let's knock the everloving snot out of the guy!!!!!!!!!
Gregg Williams approves Gardenhead's message. I think CK mentioned it in another thread, but a lot of pressure will be on Reshad Jones. If anyone on our D, it is Jones that can lay the hit to knock Graham off his game. Lets hope that we call Jones' name more than we have in the first three games.
Playing physical against Graham has to be a priority regardless of contract situation. Graham is not as strong against linebackers as one might think. He's victimizing a lot of DBs out there that are afraid of being physical in their coverage on him and looking to play more containment on him than anything else. If you have the opportunity to get physical with him at the line or in the 5 yard space, you need to take that opportunity. He's not as scary as people think when you do that. In my game planning notes I show a play where the 270-280 pound defensive end Adrian Clayborn covers him one on one on a flat route. He was able to do it because he got a nice jam on him at the line. That route could have turned into a wheel route and I'm not sure it would have opened up right away as you'd normally expect with someone as athletic as Graham going up against a DE like Clayborn. All because of the jam. If the wheel takes a long time to develop it helps get your pass rush back into the picture. Olivier Vernon can and should do this, on occasions when the alignments permit.
Any theory on why Coyle doesn't like to jam TE's off the line? I can't remember the last time it was a part of the game plan.
The only running theory I've got is because he likes to get Phil Wheeler on the inside of the formation faking blitzes (or executing blitzes) and Koa Misi is actually a weak side linebacker in this scheme so he's not able to line up and get a jam on the tight end. Wheeler does it some though. Just not very often.
Graham definitely seemed a bit wary of hits last week - but I attributed it more to getting his head taken off the week before by Bucs safety Ahmad Black in a vicious, illegal hit that cost Black $21,000.
When the offense flows through you and you are targeted 20 times a game... you need to protect yourself.
I actually hate how we never jam TEs or WRs. or very rarely. Even when we blitz we play off coverage. Yes it has worked so far but I almost always believe you at least show jam when blitzing. THe extra .5 sec to get off the line could be the difference in a pressure or sack. Drives me nuts
Ya that gets on my nerves too...maybe they're saving it for N.O., or N.E., or something...or nothing....hell I dunno...just keep winning!
I guess if you watch the play of any NFL player, you can find something to say about them negatively. All I know is that Graham was playing in the Dolphins backyard in college and they totally messed up in not drafting him. Just as they messed up by not drafting T.Y. Hilton in the 2012 draft. Graham is the best TE in the NFL right now, alligator arms or not. With the problems the Dolphins have covering average TE's, I can easily see Graham having BIG game this Monday night. Ten or eleven catches for over 150 yards and at least two TD's wouldn't surprise me in the least.
Our front office kept talking about looking for and needing a Tight end and that we needed red zone help. Then we get blessed to have our coaching staff coach jimmy graham in our house at the senior bowl, and we still miss on the guy. Unfookingbelievable! I feel like our team operates soley to be in business and not to succeed.
Yeah we should be 3-0 right now but instead we are...... You realize another 29 teams didn't make him a priority either? It happens.
Shocked? He might not force a fumble, however I wouldn't be shocked if he gets another holding call, downs a punt in the 5 or makes an awesome hit.
