Players that impressed and those that didn't vs the Cowboys.

Ray Feinga impressed me at LT especially considering he never played there in games before.

Larry Johnson impressed me with his TD run, but overall, he would just take what was there, and not try to get cute to make a big play and risk a likely loss.

Marlon Moore...to me he is not far behind Hartline as worthy of being one of the top 3 WRs.

Ryan Baker made some nice plays. Tackling a runner while being blocked, not to mention his sack. Saw him whipping Dallas blockers on several plays.

All the ones you said Paul.

 

Henne, Bush and Marshall didn't impress me at all. It was like they were invisible out there, and the stats sheet backs me up.

 

I thought Edds played decently at times. He was at least there consistently to get carried.

Will Allen is so much better than Sapp. I just worry about his health. but still worth the gamble, IMO.

 

Since they didnt play and were sitting on the bench the handwriting is on the wall for them.They will be among the first cuts.

 

Hehehe..

Just wait, I'm sure someone will be in with something Henne did wrong while standing on the sideline.
"he didn't look poised over there"
"he could've listened to this playcall in his helmet but he didn't"
"i don't think he shaved today!"

 

Feinga is Polynesian, but whether he is Somoan I'm not sure. Could be Hawaiian or Tongan background. I think Matt Kopa is too for that matter.
If you feel up to it, go back and watch Kopa in the past few games. I think he blocks really well and hope we can at least get him on our PS. I'm curious if you see anything noticeably positive about him. Like does he catch your eye, or as Tony says, do ya feel Kopa out there. I was feeling him, especially in the Carolina game.

Checked Feinga's BYU bio and his parents are from Tonga.

 

I think we need them both though. We can never have enough good cover men and those two are 3rd and 4th. Jimmy will be there in the foreseeable future I think and hopefully Carroll. I'd keep 6 CBs and 3 safeties.

 

Devlin was great 3/3 would have been 4/4, but the penalty. Was poised and had a perfect pass over the middle to Livas in stride on 4th down.

Livas is an outstanding punt/kickoff returner. Makes the right decisions and never makes mistakes. I know he will be a good receiver too.

Spears looks good.

Gates showed why we brought him in.

Brett Bracket looked solid in the few plays he was in late in the fourth quarter--caught a couple nice passes.

Aside from the TD, not too impressed with Larry Johnson. What happened to Hilliard? Is he injured? Havn't seen much of him in preseason.

O'Connel looked lost out there.

Not really impressed with Ikaika Francis.

I think Devlin and Livas made the team tonight. Hopefully we keep Brackett instead of Mustred, Epps, Schuler, even though he didn't get much playing time this preseason--he showed nice hands for a TE and good running ability.

 

Sparano is on the suck for Luck campaign, its obvious now that he's already benched Henne.

Enjoyed the early morning laugh Sam thanks.

 

i just think Gates is gonna have a lot of big plays for us this year... he is so fast its ridiculous... you watch that replay from his catch, the CB tried his hardest but couldn't even get a hand on him...
http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-game-highlights/09000d5d821e3c43/Gates-42-yard-catch

as his route running develops i can see even more of the big play potential out of him... i wouldn't be surprised if he supplants Hartline as the starting WR opposite Marshall going into next season...

 

Gates outran his coverage so bad he had to slow down a bit to catch the ball.

 

yeah if it was thrown out in front of him, that was 6... Safety had a small angle but i dont think would have caught him

 

I think your right.

 

I liked the experience shown on Larry Johnsons TD run he had just enough patience for the blocks and a great eye to find just enough room to find the endzone.

Wasn't happy with Edds tackling he is there but wasn't impressing on useing his body or wieght to make a solid fast tackle.

 

I really get bugged by these kinds of statements. The guy had a really nice run and showed some real skill on his TD, and you want to just ignore it, because his other preseason plays weren't as good.

 

MrC ... Kopa is very inexperienced -- if i remember right he switched to the OL late in college .... so he has a ways to go, but if he is showing signs that is a positive. i thought he'd be destined for the PS, but it's hard to say - since i think we poached him late ast year from a PS. i think Jerry for sure and even Berger will be cut. Feinga is questionable, but Murtha and Garner are keepers .... which still gives us flexibility for additions post cuts. Feinga showing well should make Pads happy.

i think Spears is more like a young JT .... i don't see him as a young Wake, like Wallace and Moore last year -- don't see us letting him go thru waivers. the choice is do you keep 9 LBers .... if so, choice is between Trusnik and IKE for the last spot. Freeny probably goes to the PS

Mastrud probably secured his making the team with the TD .... still need to improve the position like CK has intimated though

Talked about Hartline during the offseason and got blasted -- gotta love the blue collar worker ... but preseason performance of Gates, Moore and Wallace ... not to mention Livas puts him in a tough spot. Moore has come around much better than i thought he would.

Will be interesting to see what happens with Hartline, Merling and Allen .... certainly wouldn't 'cut' any of them - so can only assume Ireland will be working the phones hard over the next 24 hours. We still need one more OL for the right side (G or T) and i think we can plug the other from within

I'm not excited about LJ ..... would think we can do better post cuts

i wouldn't keep Sapp .... unless you trade Allen - otherwise i'd stick with Carroll. Restelli, i'd put on the PS and make a decision between Alexander and Culver

Edds was always around the ball - but just like when we drafted him .... i thought he needed to get stronger - still does

the challenge is how to balance the guys that still need that year to be solid contributors vs keeping average guys for depth.

overall, our roster is still 'up and coming' ... and we are very close to where we need to be less the OL, RB and TE .....

 

Post of the preseason, made me laugh out loud.

My only thoughts are we need to keep Devlin over O'Connel, simply put Devlin played as well but is a rookie, he has more potential. Maybe not elite starting level but he could become a solid backup spot starter, I domnt think O'connell ever gets past 3rd

 

Don't agree. This guy has been in or around MANY tackles in every aspect of special teams all preseason. I like him, hes firery, and a good ST player imo.

 

I get bugged by folks who let players slide because they make 1 play despite doing nothing in their other 9 plays.

 

Frank Kearse.

That's two straight games he's flashed for me.

Ireland hit on both his 7th rounders this year.

 

Hmm...9 average plays with a nice popped run...sounds like the life of a running back to me. I'd say he did just fine.

 

Another bash henne thread. SAme ol, same ol. Why doesn't henne throw more tds. Why doesn't henne have a better pocket prescence. Why doesn't henne start himself. The same ol arguments from you.

 

It wouldn't shock me at all if Polite was axed and we saw Lexy as a full time FB. I don't actually think that will happen, but it wouldn't shock me. Then you have Bush, Thomas, and LJ...which, if they stay healthy, could be a decent set of backs.

 

Nice run down again Paul, and agree on all. I think LJ is competing more with Polite's roster spot than Hilliard's. I believe we keep Clay and Lex, along with LJ, as for now.

I also some some good things from "Starvin Marvin" Mitchell at LB. He's a ST's stud, and good depth with flexability at LB.

 

Could you imagine if Moore is running onto the field, and then Henne jogs on the field and gets into the huddle also.....

Moore: ok guys (cut off by henne)

Henne: ok guys, Z right, 35 belly on 2......(cut off by moore)

Moore: (louder) y left, 48 toss right on 1....

Henne: (yelling over moore) READY...BREAK....ok guys come on....*runs towards line of scrimmage with no one following*

 

Moores eyes fill up with tears and he runs off crying yelling out "What the **** Chad"

 

Sounds like Phil Livas finally got a chance to show something as a receiver, which I'd been hoping for since Week 1 of the preseason. I think he needs to make the team.

Pat Devlin though...I don't know. I have a tough time believing he wouldn't make it through waivers to the practice squad.

I'll have to make sure I watch the game as it seems like Quinton Spears did some good work. He's one I would want to see make the team.

 

I'll have to take a second look at Frank Kearse. He and Ronald Fields are in direct competition for me and I like Fields better as of right now.

 

One person I thought is very hit or miss is Wilson, there were some plays throughout preseason where he was out of position or just got beaten like a drum. Then again, he plays with fire and hopefully they were just rookie mistakes.

I think last night made it harder to make the final calls when it comes to cuts.

 

So no one was impressed by the QB Moore?

 

Matt Moore had some great stats in the game. If you look at all the QBs in the offense they've all had great stats this preseason which speaks really well to Brian Daboll's offense...so far.

It's interesting looking at who played and who didn't. There were 23 players that never hit the field. Most of them were starters but some were not. Jason Taylor, for instance, never played. Koa Misi did. On the offensive line, six guys didn't play. The were the starting five, but the sixth? Lydon Murtha. Anthony Fasano didn't play, nor Lou Polite...but you know who else didn't? Charles Clay. Brandon Marshall and Davone Bess didn't play, but Brian Hartline did. Just some interesting things to take note of, I particularly found the fact that Murtha sat out to be interesting as I wonder if they really are considering him an option at RT with Jake Long back, if Colombo still isn't cutting it.

 

This system seems very QB friendly...hopefully it lasts all season.

 

Aren't the Fins a sponsor for Tobacco Free Florida? So why is Henne chewing a dip? SMH...

 

In addition to that, he also cleared the entire sideline out for Hartline to make a couple decent catches from the slot early in the game. Teams seem to know about his speed at this point, so even if he doesn't put up big numbers he's going to create space for our other WRs to work.

 

Not much to it, Murtha and Clay are nursing injuries. They haven't practiced since last week. If Columbo struggles then I definitely think we'll give Murtha a long look at RT. I think Sparano prefers Columbo b/c of his physicality but if Henne's getting beat up then he may not have much of a choice.