Kyle Juszyzck...I'm confused.

[Random Thoughts]

And I guarantee we will begin to see this, but people are overreacting about not seeing him in the first game. This whole playbook thing is just one of the reasons. This coaching staff makes rookies earn their playing time, as we have seen this year with Brown and Elam and in the past

I just hope we don't shun the young players' growth nor do we keep them from playing for an extended period of time...

I am all for the rookies to earn their stripes; however, let them get their feet wet sooner than later with limited snaps or such. I have little faith that we will do that given our history.

[wickedsolo]

I am amazed there is this much consternation over the underutlization in game one of a rookie, late 4th round, second team fullback.

He is 6'1. 250 and runs a 4.7 in the 40. The route tree is pretty limited there, folks.

So what?

The point is this offense is a work-in-progress and is going to be that way for a while. When the chips are down, why not try some new packages/personnel combinations? It just doesn't make sense to me.

We said the same thing for years about moving Boldin to the slot rather than lining him up at the X or Z receiver position. When it finally happened, it clicked.

I don't care if you're 5'8" or 6'8", number one overall pick or Mr. Irrelevant; if you can't catch then you can't catch. That is something that can be worked on, but that isn't something that can really be coached like learning how to run a route or learning new blocking techniques. The fact is, KJ has good hands and was used as a receiving TE in college and lined up in the slot and as a motion TE during the pre-season.

Those plays exist. Limited or not, the offense needed a spark against Denver and maybe that would have provided it. Who knows?

[Random Thoughts]

I am amazed there is this much consternation over the underutlization in game one of a rookie, late 4th round, second team fullback.

He is 6'1. 250 and runs a 4.7 in the 40. The route tree is pretty limited there, folks.

This has more to do with our history of letting rookies riding on the pine for an extended time... We usually play the rookies whenever the veterans get hurt rather than ease the rookies into the rotation.

We don't do what we did with Suggs when he was a rookie... Suggs is now one of premier and complete OLBs in the league, but he was one-dimensional during his RDPOY campaign. This is something we don't do anymore.

[HotInHere]

There are worse things than not being able to catch. Running the wrong route, which can lead to a pick-6, for example. (Remember the preseason play with Doss?) Missing a blocking assignment, which can lead to a strip-sack, or getting your QB killed.

"Knowing the playbook" does not mean "if play X is called, I run an out-route at 5 yards." Not in today's NFL. "Knowing the playbook" means "if play X is called, I run an out-route at 5-yards. Unless the WLB comes on the blitz, in which case I block him. But if the MLB blitzes too I run to the flat as an outlet. Unless the QB checks to a secondary play at the LOS. Then I go in motion across the formation, read the strong safety, and depending on the coverage, I either run a slant or yadda yadda yadda." Harvard or no, you don't absorb all of that in a few months.

The coaches see these guys in practice. They know more about what they are capable of and what they are not.

[wickedsolo]

There are worse things than not being able to catch. Running the wrong route, which can lead to a pick-6, for example. (Remember the preseason play with Doss?) Missing a blocking assignment, which can lead to a strip-sack, or getting your QB killed.

"Knowing the playbook" does not mean "if play X is called, I run an out-route at 5 yards." Not in today's NFL. "Knowing the playbook" means "if play X is called, I run an out-route at 5-yards. Unless the WLB comes on the blitz, in which case I block him. But if the MLB blitzes too I run to the flat as an outlet. Unless the QB checks to a secondary play at the LOS. Then I go in motion across the formation, read the strong safety, and depending on the coverage, I either run a slant or yadda yadda yadda." Harvard or no, you don't absorb all of that in a few months.

The coaches see these guys in practice. They know more about what they are capable of and what they are not.

I would disagree about your premise that running the wrong route is worse than not being able to catch. The example you use with Doss was a miscommunication error, it had nothing to do with the wrong route being run.

You can coach someone on running the right routes.

It is a lot harder to coach someone on how to catch the ball.

Every time a player drops a pass, it kills moment and confidence.

[Random Thoughts]

There are worse things than not being able to catch. Running the wrong route, which can lead to a pick-6, for example. (Remember the preseason play with Doss?) Missing a blocking assignment, which can lead to a strip-sack, or getting your QB killed.

"Knowing the playbook" does not mean "if play X is called, I run an out-route at 5 yards." Not in today's NFL. "Knowing the playbook" means "if play X is called, I run an out-route at 5-yards. Unless the WLB comes on the blitz, in which case I block him. But if the MLB blitzes too I run to the flat as an outlet. Unless the QB checks to a secondary play at the LOS. Then I go in motion across the formation, read the strong safety, and depending on the coverage, I either run a slant or yadda yadda yadda." Harvard or no, you don't absorb all of that in a few months.

The coaches see these guys in practice. They know more about what they are capable of and what they are not.

I beg to differ here... I do see your overall premise here, but I simply do not cosign....

It is true that there is more to a player's responsibility than it may have been suggested. I think that we are mindful of the complexity of the job; however, that does not mean a young player should not be eased into the game. If a veteran can immediately play, why not a younger player? Granted, the veterans have been in the league longer and probably much more familiar with the game than the younger player... .However, what good will that veteran do for the team if he is too slow to play the position or unable to catch the ball that is required of his position?

Yes, those coaches see these guys in practice. Not to be critical of this coaching staff, but some of their decisions call into questions such as under-utilize Boldin... Being predictable... .lack of in-game adjustment... etc... We have historically tried to fit players into the system rather than the other way around.

[BigPlayReceiver]

Two of the best route runners from the slot in this era of football; Welker and Cruz.

9 years ago, Wes Welker did this: 4.65 / 4.01 / 7.09 [40 time / 20 shuttle / 3 cone] at his pro day...and Welker is not running a 4.65 today in 2013.
3 years ago, Cruz at his pro day: 4.47 / 4.17 / 6.96
Oh hell, I'll add Randall Cobb from 2 years ago as well: 4.46 / 4.34 / 7.08

At his pro-day; KJ timed: 4.71 / 4.19 / 6.93

Now, I'm not saying put the boy in the slot full-time, but KJ is no heavy-footed bowling ball. Overall, KJ has a combination of greater agility/acceleration times plus a greater vertical (37") than most WRs of any Draft class (Combine or Pro Day numbers) going back to 2006. But way more than that, he was valued and taken in the 4th by a team now hurting in the TE department. He's gotta have better hands than Dickson and what Clark has demonstrated so far.

Of course, I don't know what goes on during closed practices and what may happen going forward, so I'll say it this way...not attempting to leverage his skill set to create match-up advantages seems foolish to me.

[wickedsolo]

Two of the best route runners from the slot in this era of football; Welker and Cruz.

9 years ago, Wes Welker did this: 4.65 / 4.01 / 7.09 [40 time / 20 shuttle / 3 cone] at his pro day...and Welker is not running a 4.65 today in 2013.
3 years ago, Cruz at his pro day: 4.47 / 4.17 / 6.96
Oh hell, I'll add Randall Cobb from 2 years ago as well: 4.46 / 4.34 / 7.08

At his pro-day; KJ timed: 4.71 / 4.19 / 6.93

Now, I'm not saying put the boy in the slot full-time, but KJ is no heavy-footed bowling ball. Overall, KJ has a combination of greater agility/acceleration times plus a greater vertical (37") than most WRs of any Draft class (Combine or Pro Day numbers) going back to 2006. But way more than that, he was valued and taken in the 4th by a team now hurting in the TE department. He's gotta have better hands than Dickson and what Clark has demonstrated so far.

Of course, I don't know what goes on during closed practices and what may happen going forward, so I'll say it this way...not attempting to leverage his skill set to create match-up advantages seems foolish to me.

[Bigfish]

Couldn't resist:

KJ: 4.71 / 4.19 / 6.93
AB: 4.72 / 4.33 / 7.35 (2003)

[bighoop70]

Couldn't resist:

KJ: 4.71 / 4.19 / 6.93
AB: 4.72 / 4.33 / 7.35 (2003)

And I don't get why people automatically say he can't play te. We should be using him the same way the 49ers used Delani walker. They are the same height and weight ( although he runs a 4.4)

[Terpsfan82]

I am amazed there is this much consternation over the underutlization in game one of a rookie, late 4th round, second team fullback.

He is 6'1. 250 and runs a 4.7 in the 40. The route tree is pretty limited there, folks.

:word

[jimjim5]

And I don't get why people automatically say he can't play te. We should be using him the same way the 49ers used Delani walker. They are the same height and weight ( although he runs a 4.4)

Because Delanie Walker is runs at 4.4 an not a 4.7. And DW appears to much stronger. Duh!