Michael Egnew

slickj101 · Aug 26, 2012

phinsational said:

Anyone else's eyes quickly drawn to the Dolphins logo?
Click to expand...

What logo?

RickyNeverInhaled · Aug 26, 2012

ckparrothead said:

I think maybe we need a good discussion about how good/not good Egnew is doing. It seems to be a really hotly debated item on other boards but not so much here.

Personally, I think Egnew is the biggest official casualty of Hard Knocks' super in depth analscope. The Hard Knocks cameras are everywhere, and the NFL Films people like storylines, and an intriguing storyline is a 3rd round pick that had coaches scratching their heads at times.

I've heard everything about Egnew at this point. He's a bust because he can't catch a ball to save his life. He's a bust because he has a blank face while getting yelled at. I guess if he practiced a good pirate face while being yelled at, he wouldn't be a bust. He's a bust because he doesn't get separation in single coverage. He's a bust because he forgot to block for a wide receiver after the receiver caught the ball while Egnew was running routes. He's a bust because Mike Sherman said he'd cut him during a yell session.

The ironic part to me is that if not for the Hard Knocks cameras it's clear to me that most people would watch the preseason games and think that Egnew is having a so-so camp, or maybe even a good camp.

They'd see the plays where his obvious size and athleticism make him an intriguing target up the seam. They'd see him getting open. They'd see him competently blocking defensive ends in both the run and in pass protection, surprisingly well. They'd see him level that DB in the Carolina game. They'd see him make a SUPERB catch on a tipped ball as he was going to the ground for a big 31 yard gain. They'd see him make another catch in traffic, and a nice catch on a ball that was placed poorly around his knees.

But they'd also see the two drops. They would also see him have some poor blocking plays. I very much doubt that many people here or elsewhere could point out the play where Dan Campbell yelled at Egnew for not blocking, unless they had a heads up about it. But there were others. One play in particular Egnew is in the backfield lead blocking for Lamar Miller like a fullback (not his strong suit, you can imagine) and Egnew was too hesitant. Miller ran up behind him, reached out his hand and pulled the Brendan Fraser/Matt Damon maneuver from School Ties.

I think the conclusion would be, he has ups, he has downs, he shows flashes, he makes mistakes...he's a rookie. That would be the conclusion in my honest opinion.

But because Mike Sherman yelled and because he doesn't lacks a pirate face, people are legitimately talking about him being cut.

Let me share with you a play that might have helped him stem this overwhelming tide of negative attention. It was a play at the end of the Tampa Bay game.

My initial read on the play was that Egnew got a step on Jacob Cutrera the linebacker, but that Devlin put the ball too low and I'm not sure why Devlin chose a low heater to his tight end in the back of the end zone like he's throwing to Denarius Moore, rather than a high ball which is more typical when you're throwing to a tight end in the back of the end zone.

The controversy stems once again from Hard Knocks. On initial viewing in real time it's not necessarily crystal clear that Cutrera knocked this ball away. And during Hard Knocks, immediately after the play they showed either someone up in the booth or maybe down on the field, I forget their exact words but whoever it was essentially treated it like a drop. They were clearly frustrated with Egnew on the play.

After examining the play very closely, I come to the same conclusion on that end zone play that I originally had on first viewing. Michael Egnew clearly had a step on Jacob Cutrera the linebacker, as he crossed the back of the end zone. However, Jacob Cutrera has 4.6 speed in his own right and as Egnew drifted his depth to the back of the end zone looking for the jump ball, this created an angle that allowed Cutrera to make up about half a step.

Even so, if the ball is placed correctly, this is a touchdown. Because it wasn't, Cutrera was able to slap it away.

That's the initial view which emphasizes that Egnew had a step on Jacob Cutrera. Below you'll see the final frame.

As you can see, I've captured the exact moment when Jacob Cutrera's outstretched hand got between the ball and Michael Egnew, slapping it away.

What you're seeing in that final picture is that Egnew had plenty of space in front of him. There was a safety in front of him but he was not close enough to threaten Egnew even if he jumped for the football. The safety was not a threat.

Michael Egnew had floated to the back of the end zone expecting a high ball as is most often the case with a tight end, as opposed to a wide receiver. The problem is Pat Devlin did not place the ball high. He placed the ball at chin level. The optimal placement would have been high and to the front of Michael so that he could use his significant leaping skills (37.5 inch vertical, 11'3" broad jump) to go up and get it.

The thing is, if Pat Devlin places that ball correctly (something Egnew couldn't control), there is no talk about cutting Michael Egnew. There is no talk about him being a bust.
Click to expand...

i think you are absolutely right. i havent said one thing about him in this forum but truth be told...hard knocks made me think he sucks and u have changed my mind.

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Michael Egnew

slickj101 Is Water

RickyNeverInhaled Well-Known Member

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Michael Egnew

slickj101 Is Water

RickyNeverInhaled Well-Known Member

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