Re: Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith
Quote:
Originally Posted by
lobachevsky
:word How many time have we seen Torrey seemingly blanketed by a secondary when he kicks in the overdrive & blows right past them? And once the DBs learn from bitter experience & give that top gear the respect it deserves, all the underneath routes open up.
That is why we see the safeties so deep on his side. When Jim Caldwell took over, he did a better job of utilizing the shorter routes and even using some more of the intermediate in routes that cut the safety off, before he can get to the play.
Torrey did a better job this year, of fighting through the jam. If he gets a little more upper body strength, he is going to be even more dangerous. Then, with Caldwell continuing as the OC, you have to believe that some of those slants and hooks we saw in Indianapolis will be used more. Especially, with Torrey Smith, as they set up the deeper routes (Slant and go, stutter and go).
Re: Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith
Quote:
Originally Posted by
StingerNLG
Mark Clayton was a bust to me long before he left the Ravens. From dropped passes against the Patriots to never being able to get open even though he was fast. He was a first round pick that never worked out.
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He never seemed to be able to handle physical CBs and that is something Jerry Rice talked about, apparently, in regards to the forty yard dash. Whenever you saw Clayton have to make a contested catch, you rarely saw him make it. He either couldn't shake the press coverage or was too concerned with the contact near the point of the catch, it just seemed like unless he shook the coverage, he was not going to catch the ball. As you eluded to, he had a hard enough time catching some of the easier passes.
Re: Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RavenScallywag
Jerry Rice, suprisingly, was talking about the 40 times today at the Combine (according to Scott and Jeremy). Said that taking a 40 time isn't a good indicator of things like "can a WR beat a jam off the line and accelerate downfield to get open?"
With Torrey, you can see that he has a tremendous 2nd gear. He'll be running full speed, spot the ball in the air, and suddenly his speed jumps to catch up to the ball.
You also have to remember...Clayton with Joe only was 2008 and 2009. Those were the prime years of the Cam-cuffs, Joe wasn't doing anything like he is now with Torrey. That's not to say that Torrey isn't a superior WR, but I don't think you can showcase Clayton's speed as much when Joe's passes were mostly out patterns.
Agreed. It's almost as if DBs aren't impressed with his 40 time and play him accordingly without accounting for his acceleration. I remember the (2011) 90-yard drive against Pitt how he, inexplicably, got behind the DBs twice in the last 40 seconds.
Re: Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith
You can run a 2 second 40, but if you can't get off the 5 yard bump and can't catch balls that hit you in the hands then you won't amount to much in this league.
Re: Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith
Torrey has an afterburner.
Re: Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith
Week 1 of 2010 certainly looked amazing for Clayton...10 catches for 119 yards vs Arizona. The next week, he only had two catches, but each were in the endzone.
But yeah, I think he's bounced around the league trying to come back, but I think he doesn't have anywhere close to the same abilities as he did before.
Re: Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith
Quote:
Originally Posted by
StingerNLG
Mark Clayton was a bust to me long before he left the Ravens. From dropped passes against the Patriots to never being able to get open even though he was fast. He was a first round pick that never worked out.
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This.
Torrey is a football player who is fast. Clayton was fast but was never really had the heart of a football player. There were many who thought we should have never drafted him.
Re: Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith
Quote:
Originally Posted by
PurpleApocalypse37
Torrey Smith ran a 4.43 40 yard dash. Mark Clayton ran a 4.41.
How does that happen? Watching them on the field, Torrey Smith looks 10 times faster. Torrey looks like he runs a sub 4.3, but Clayton looked like he ran a 4.5 or so. He was barely any faster than an old Derrick Mason.
Easy, put on pads and a uniform. It's a whole new ball game.
Re: Mark Clayton and Torrey Smith
Quote:
Originally Posted by
RavenScallywag
Week 1 of 2010 certainly looked amazing for Clayton...10 catches for 119 yards vs Arizona. The next week, he only had two catches, but each were in the endzone.
But yeah, I think he's bounced around the league trying to come back, but I think he doesn't have anywhere close to the same abilities as he did before.
I think that had Clayton been drafted when Smith was, he would not have been seen as a bust. Clayton had a good season with McNair at QB. He had to deal with Billick and Boller from the start. He also was too similar of a skill set to Mason and one of them had to be on the LOS. He did not pan out the way everyone hoped, but I do not think he was a bad pick or a bad player. He was stuck in a bad offense, he was a little injury prone, and then he got really hurt, right after he started to prove that maybe he could be a good starting WR.
He certianly had his moments, like his downfield blocking on long Ray Rice runs such as the stunner in NE that has been my sig pic for a while now.