Bama dominated the game but their offense was so weak they didn't clinch it until there was like 2:00 minutes left. That's what happens when you can't pass. You keep inferior teams in the game. If this had been the NFL, Saban would have probably lost.
I think it's quite funny people trying to talk DOWN Thomas because he missed 2 tackles. Gents, one game does not a season make. Little reality check here. Eric Berry isn't much more physical than Thomas and talking about him being too small...he's one inch and 5lbs smaller than Berry. Ask McElroy how good Thomas is after so many coverage sacks. Ask Trent Richardson if he can tackle. And some of you will noticed that he was asked to play out of position at SS so by the very nature of that spot he was going to be playing run more. Donte Whitner was the 8th pick in the draft. Thomas is better than Whitner was. And whilst we'd be jumping through hoops if we got Berry, we'd be walking round the block in disgust if we drafted a guy for whom the only discernible differences between he and the Thorpe winner and best FS since Ed Reed are 1 inch, 5lbs and a slightly weaker ability to play run, married against the fact that he's actually better in coverage? Just can't abide that.. Enjoyed it too Finyank and Gman. Thanks. Hope you got good sleep.
I think that is my point brother, I look at Whitner and think awful at 8th, somebody has to be the 1st/ 2nd best safety coming out of the draft, however Sir it doesn't necessarily mean they are worthy of that top 15 pick.....like I said I like his skill set, he is fast, covers the field well, for the most part makes the tackle......however I don't like his tackling technique and after the game I scoped out video of him, and he seems to be that type of non-wrap tackler I hate...Bama's RB abused him tonight, what would happen against the likes of a AP, Grant, Rice etc...all of which Miami is playing this year coming up...you have to wrap those guys.....however I get he isnt needed as much in run support as FS.....but Boomer you think this guy is on the same level as Troy, or Ed Reed?
Thing is, YOU might have thought Whitner was a reach, but he wasn't for the Bills and generally he's played well. Very few people are Polumalu or Reed. But he has special talent.
Eh, Alabama let off the gas in the 2nd half. Understandably w/ the big lead at halftime and having McCoy out. They let their guard down... thats just human nature, especially for kids. As soon as Texas came out and scored a couple, it woke Alabama back up again, and they turned cruise control off and put the pedal to the metal again...
No he doesnt Boom. I love you bro, and RARELY disagree with you... but Whitner has been a massive disappointment as the 8th overall pick. Bills fans cant stand the guy. He takes horrible angles in the run game, and rarely makes a game changing play in the passing game. In fact, Whitner even lost his starting spot this year. Byrd took the FS spot and Bryan Scott took the SS. It wasnt until they had a lot of injuries at the LB position that they had to move Scott to WLB and put Whitner back in...
lol.. Whitner sucks Coming INTO the season Bills fans wanted him gone, before the season started.. when he then eventually hit the bench (again) because he is crap. Saying Whitner has generally played well as a top 10 pick is like saying your boy Teddy Bear Ginn has generally played well as a top 10 pick.
I understand what you are saying ... but my original point was you still cant take anything away from Texas' effort to get back into the game ... they did themselves proud IMO ... its no different then what Miami did against Pittsburgh & Tenn ... they battled back and nearly pulled out those games even though they were dominated for a large portion of the game. Its also why predictions of any team running away with the game is pointless because many things, including human nature, factor into it.
Right brother I do, and his lack of play has backed my thinking up 100%....thus poor choices in the draft are the reason the Bills are in last place, and in the middle of coaching changes...Whitner is a dog....glad teams make idiotic choices like this in the draft, and within the division is even sweeter
I'm not gonna knock Thomas for what I saw out of him last night. But, what I am going to say is if I have the choice between him and McClain at #12 (again, assuming McClain declares and is still there), I'm gonna take McClain and not even think twice about it. I know our safety situation is not good, as we field two SS's when we need a SS, and a true FS. BUT...I believe our LB situation is our biggest glaring weakness. And, IMHO McClain is already better than every ILB we have on our team. JMHO...
Back at ya dude, but I'm going to have to disagree with you on this one. First off with regards Bills fans, they spent half Jim Kelly's career calling for Frank Reich and on this very website, the supposed bastion of thoughtful posting, the Club Level has a number of 'Sparano and Ireland Should Go' threads so I think you can make a pretty compelling case that fans aren't the best judges. Whitner was rated in the 12-20 area. They went 4 picks early. That's not an issue for me. 100+ tackles his first two seasons and was playing very well in 2008 before he seperated his shoulder. He was playing safety and nickel corner and the Bills pass defense was 9th in the league when he was injured and fell to 17th when he was out. He never recovered his form and had a second surgery on it in the offseason. He missed half of this season with injuries including torn ligaments in his thumb which meant tackling was difficult, hence why Scott and Byrd played so much. He was also bothered with niggling injuries to his ankle and neck. In his first three years, he had 256 tackles, the 4th biggest number for defensive backs in the past decade over that period. He had three strong years and he struggled with the injury bug in 2009. Back to full healt in 2010 I fully expect him back at SS playing at the level he was pre the seperated shoulder, leading the defense.
Perhaps you should stick to facts rather than the fiction you so often peddle. Especially as you dine out on the stuff people post here, on other forums.
Well, I highly doubt this front office is going to take a safety who isn't physical in the running game. If Berry were to slide, which I don't think he will, then they might pull the trigger. I don't think they take Thomas though.
Well, I disagree back. Berry is better playing the run as I said. But he's not that much better and overall there's not much between the two. This season Thomas was much more deserving of the Thorpe.
Where abouts are you mate? It's about minus 5 here, snow on the ground and I have 2% of space left on the TiVo like machine we have over here and my family are complaining they can't record anything because of things like BC-USC and something called the Fiesta Bowl. I just can't face watching it tonight. My eyes are like pissholes in the snow.
The tackles are nice... but how much does that have to do with their run defense not being good. Is he making tackles b/c RBs are getting into the secondary far too often? He still takes terrible terrible angles when defending the run. And in 4 years, he has 4 INTs. And according to ESPN, he has only 12 passes defended in 4 years as well. YBell for instance, our SS, had 9 passes defended just this year, and 10 last year. YBell > Whitner... and YBell is good, but not some great SS either. Would YBell be worth the 8th overall pick? No way... He just isnt a very good Safety Boom. Its not just that he isnt elite. He just isnt good.
Just so we're clear, Gibril Wilson doesn't even have the most tackles of any safety on his OWN TEAM over a multi year period. Fact. As for the rest of your vacuous nonsense, remember this: a) I have no idea who you are so how you think you've 'schooled me' on anything is beyond me. Perhaps that falls into your 'fact' category.
I know plenty of people that would disagree with you and I repeat, until the seperated shoulder he was playing very well.
[mod] stay on topic[/mod] Gibril has more accumulated tackles since 2006 than any safety in the league. I guess you can't figure out what "multi-year span" means ?? So, by your rationale, that makes him great... since that is the criteria you use for another safety who stinks in coverage.
So you would be all over a possible trade of Bell for Whitner straight up then? (not factoring in age)
If I thought that Whitner would get a clean bill of health and given that he's a lot younger, then yes.
Love the analysis thank you, can we say Crowder is in fact not living up to his potential?? Granted when he is out they suffer on the aspect of R-D, I get that....however we should expect more at such an important position than just tackles, 1 pick in 4+ years, 3 sacks in 5 years.....Cushing eclipsed both categories in one year as a rook....I guess what I'm saying is tackles aren't the tell all....... Hey Boomer McKinght is coming where do u see him going not very big, but pretty explosive.....good KR....
Well, on reflection of the game, there were 4 or 5 players who moved the way that told me they were NFL players finishing their college careers: 1) Sergio Kindle, he can play in the NFL, would not use a high pick on him. 2) Evan Thomas seemed a step or two faster than the other people around him, even when he whiffed on a tackle/hit to drive him out of bounds, Thomas was moving at the mythical "100 miles and hour" I would almost bet his vertical leap at the Combine will be off the charts, a wild guess but I'm thinking 39 inches. 3. Mark Ingram, Soph I know, but he is a NFL player 4. Mike Johnson was simply erasing people on the move last night 5. #57 for Alabama, moves well for a large man. Honourable mentions: Houston for TX, Richardson AL, Shipley and I "think" #37 for Alabama a Db. What about Rolando McClain? Well, what I watched from him was a very smart, very well disciplined player, who can pick through the trash and the wash to make plays, he is not Pat Willis type of explosive though, he moves "okay" and I know some people love his game, his game is fine, his game speed not so much imho.
Rhode Island Boomer smallest state in the union my friend, not to be confused with Long Island, NY.....most people not from the northeast think we are from NY....Many Phins fans here, and beaches....mega cat mate hahahaha!!!
I dunno re: Crowder. How much potential did we see, especially given the knee issues. I know this: we miss him when he's not there, as evidenced last year against KC and in the final 2 games of this season. McKnight is tough because there's a kid with upside but he can't stay healthy. Great vision, great burst but can he stay fit?
'Gibril Wilson has more tackles than any safety over a multi year period' Trouble is scoop, multi isn't a number. Try figure the basics out first.
Ah, a Massachusetts man eh! Lovely part of the world. One of my favourite places is a small town a bit further up the coast in Maine.
yeah yeah I can see that with Mac...it isn't that I think he takes plays off, just that I think his start up speed so to speak isn't high, he reads and reacts pretty well however and his closing speed is decent...it just takes him a while....a guy like Ray Lewis, that dude boom starts off 100MPH and end at 110........ honestly I love Shipley man....he gets open, they were doubling up on him, decent hands...the CB bit so hard on his fake for the first TD he had....trade Cam....or CUT GINN....draft this cat....him, bess, hartline, run professional routes.....NEED THE ONE STUD!!!
RI is the state below Mass.....Maine is pristine, good lobster....but we have good lobster too...if you like boats come to RI....Yachting capital of the US...
I want to nominate F.O. for poster of the month. This is almost as good as Juan Huron comments in Draft Winds.
You live on an island for pete's sake Boomer... I guess "Life on a rolling wave" is not your cup of tea?
Can you believe this crap? Don't worry though as this is just more english rubbish with no facts to back it up! FLMAO
I used to vacation in Bar Harbor. No whale watching though. We can do that at Wal-Mart down here in FL any time we want.
LOL. Good point. I fly! If we take a ferry to France, it's never enjoyable. I own a canoe and have never barfed in that if that counts for anything!?
LOL @ Wal-Mart. Love Bar Harbor. Driving through NE from Boston with Bar Harbor as the final destination is a good place to be!