Jake Long struggles as challenging season awaits http://miamiherald.typepad.com/dolp...ong-over-matt-ryan-the-dolphins-seemed-v.html Jake Long learning from exhibition-game mistakes http://www.palmbeachpost.com/dolphi...olphinsnotes.html?cxtype=rss&cxsvc=7&cxcat=46
So in 3 games he has 4 "negative" plays that are worth pointing out. One was in the first game where everyone is really wearing pads for the first time, and one is a false start. No big deal. I just doubt he forgot how to be a top 5 LT in the offseason.
I think it's a good thing. Gives him and the coaches a chance to look at and correct some problems before the games start to count. At the end of the day, I think he'll continue to get better at the position.
I wonder if we will see some slight regression on his part. The exact same thing happened to both Joe Thomas and Marcus McNeil in their sophomore seasons. I'm not sure why it happened to them but it could happen to Long.
I didn't notice him struggling that much. I think that article is a huge reach from a moron with nothing to write about.
Just the simple fact that someone wrote an article about this bothers me a little bit. Now, if he were making these mistakes in the regular season, I'd understand, but he had a couple preseason errors and these writers are all over it. It's their right, it just bothers me. The last thing we need is Jake reading these things and overthinking his play now.
I watchee the Broncos game last night. Clady was flagged 3 times and should have been flagged a 4th. For some reason, they picked up the flag. I think Long will be ok.
Well, playing tackle myself its really not that bad that hes had only 4-5 'negative plays'. Actually i look at them somewhat positively because preseason is where you make these minor mistakes as a lineman and learn from them. Also, no lineman is perfect and sometimes when you are good you tend to feel as if you're going through the motions. It's at that point when you make a mistake you wake up and learn.
Joe Thomas didn't regress. He actually had a better year in pass protection than his rookie year. McNeil did struggle but moreso because of injuries.
How about Edgar Thompson, Tim Graham and ... Tony sparano? http://blogs.palmbeachpost.com/thed...and-bad-of-dolphins-hollow-10-6-win-in-tampa/ http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/2177/sparano-confident-lt-long-will-eliminate-errors
Point is, Armando's stuff has a very negative and ominous tone to it. Which is par for the course for the Jet loving hack. Sparano's comments are very, "what's the big deal".
So long as the standard for evaluating laft tackles is pass protection Jake Long will always be just outside the top tier. But Jake Long punishes you in the run game which is what Parcells valued over perfect pass protection. Jake will be fine and become one of the best if not best run blocking left tackles in the game. So long as he's top ten in pass blocking we'll be fine
well said. I don't think any of us expected him to be as good as pass pro as he was last year. 2.5 sacks given was great. Give me 5 this year from him and I'll be happy as long as he's mauling people in the run game.
If he consistantly gives up 2.5 sacks a year (one was on a bad leg after an injury too) he will be top tier pass blocking.
I don't disagree. But just wanted to note that Sparano did acknowledge some dropoff, but not that it was extremely out of the ordinary or anything to get riled up over. Everyone did their job here, but Armando is just a drama queen who wants the hits so he will be, what he's always been. A Hi Fiver
jake long is a weird cat to watch in pass protection. he actually gets beat quite a bit by the first step of a speed guy but he's so huge that he's able to get part of his body in the way and still prevent any damage from being done. I will be very interested to see how he does in pass protection this year. I think he'll be facing a tougher test this year than last in the quality of DEs and OLBs he'll face. If he has another 2.5 year then that will be amazing IMO. But even if he gives up 5 as was stated before by Eop05 that will be an accomplishment when you consider what he brings to the run game