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Nathan Miller: Robert Griffin III – First Ballot Inductee? Not so Fast…

0 Comments read Matt Waldman
Contributing writer Nathan Miller believes Robert Griffin is an excellent prospect about to meet a brick wall. Miller thinks Griffin’s deficiencies have been masked by his gaudy box score totals and defenses that didn’t get to scout his tendencies. Photo by Mike Davis.

By Nathan Miller 

Nathan Miller is a guest contributor as a part of an invitation to readers and writers to submit material. You can find his other post on Darren McFadden here. 

First-ballot Hall of Famer. Sounds ridiculous? Well it should. Griffin has ridden a wave of excitement into the league and expectations are stratospheric thanks to the deafening sound of RG3 Groupies.

Some argued that he was the better choice than Andrew Luck in the NFL Draft. Others felt he was trying too hard to earn this No.1 overall pick and questioned his true intentions. They talk about Griffin’s football intelligence, his athletic prowess, and game-changing ability. Although Griffin has rewarded many fantasy owners who drafted him in the mid-rounds of their summer drafts, there is more to a quarterback’s game than great athleticism. Ask Michael Vick, Vince Young, Cam Newton, Steve Young, John Elway, and Terry Bradshaw.

It would be arrogant to not recognize his gifts as an athlete, and an inspiring captain of his offense. Robert Griffin has demonstrated that he is capable of playing at the highest level. He is an accurate passer, an intelligent player, and a super-human athlete. He will likely graduate into the company of elite players in the future, but only after honing his skills at the highest level and upon closer evaluation, this might take longer than many think.

The reason for the longer time frame is a two-fold question where the answers might prove troublesome: Can Griffin stay healthy long enough to realize his potential and can he correct a tendency to tip his hand to the defense? Continue reading →

Sunday Fantasy Mailbag 10/14/2012

0 Comments read Matt Waldman
A.J. Green and Matt Stafford for Jimmy Graham and Michael Vick? Are you really going to ask a UGA employee this question? See below. Photo by Football Schedule.

The weekend mailbag is back! I’m also going to field Twitter questions. I think “new” technology like Twitter is fantastic and fantastically comical because as people we’re always behind the curve with how to use new tools. So I’m probably going to make fun of the questions I get on Twitter. If I rag on you or your question, I will provide a serious answer. Continue reading →

Reads Listens Views 10/12/2012

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Football Reads/Listens/Views

Alfred Morris’ ability didn’t surprise me, but the opportunity to get a real shot as a rookie did. See his 2012 Rookie Scouting Portfolio analysis below.

Alfred Morris RSP Evaluation – I grade on a 100-point scale. Morris received an 89 on my scale when I watched him play Auburn last year. An 89 is an immediate starter grade. I only watched one game and was reticent to rank him higher than 20th among backs because I didn’t get to see a strong sample size. However, I think you’ll find the details about what I saw commensurate with what you’re seeing from him in Washington. Continue reading →

Zone Blocking: The Anti-McFadden

0 Comments read Running Back
One of my early thoughts of McFadden at Arkansas was that he struggled with decision-making in non-angle blocking (zone) situations. Contributor Nathan Miller shows where McFadden and most of all, his offensive line, is struggling to pick up the zone blocking scheme coach Dennis Allen brought to Oakland. Photo by TipsterHog.

By Nathan Miller

Another season, another less than electric year for Darren McFadden. But this time it isn’t due to a lingering injury suffered on the field, in practice, or doing it Gangnam style across his imported mahogany floors. The culprit this time is a change in the Raiders offense to a zone blocking scheme during the offseason. Past history lulled us into thinking the change wouldn’t be a problem, but it is rearing its ugly head once the real games were underway.

Newly anointed head coach Dennis Allen installed Oakland’s new zone blocking scheme. The switch carries along with it a learning curve that can take time, and significant chunks of practice, to master. This is not only true for the front line that will be carrying out the new tasks, but also for the backs attempting to bounce through the holes the unit creates. Continue reading →

USC WR Marqise Lee

0 Comments read Players, Wide Receiver
Marqise Lee has the athleticism to become a terrific NFL receiver. Find out what he needs to do to keep his athleticism from getting the best of him. Photo by Neon Tommy.

Last year, there were two basic camps among talent analysts when it came to freshman receivers.Clemson wunderkind Sammy Watkins and USC stud Marqise Lee. Both camps appreciate the skills of of the other player, but each side seems vehement about “their guy.” This will undoubtedly change as the years pass and we watch these players develop into upperclassmen.

Thus far, I’m a Watkins guy and for two reasons: I’m a magnet for troublemakers and Watkins pot arrest once again validates my compass for dysfunction is in good working order. And secondly, as odd as this sounds following the first statement, I believe Watkins is a more focused, aware, and mature player than Lee once the two step on the field. Of course Michael Irvin was a sage on the field even if you never wanted to play barber shop with him off it. Continue reading →

Reads Listens Views 9/28/2012

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Do you understand this? Can you write about it? Can you diagram it over a photo of an actual game? Do you want to write about stuff like it here? Keep reading. Photo by Avinnash Kunnath.

Seeking Writers

Unlike my pals Cecil Lammey and Sigmund Bloom, I have a a day job that does not involve football. It means that I have to cut back on some of my football writing at certain points of the year. One of those difficult choices involved saying good bye to my in-season version of my Weekly Gut Check columns (I’m still writing the column from May through late August) and it has meant fewer posts with this blog – the two football vehicles I love the most.

It won’t always be like this, but in life one has to bob and weave with the times and even a stubborn guy like me learns the ropes at some point. One of these moves is having a guy like Nick Whalen provide his analysis at the blog. I’m looking for more writers to do the same. Continue reading →

What is Wrong With Jay Cutler?

0 Comments read Players, Quarterback
Jay Cutler cursing out Mike Martz on the field? Dare I say awesome? I should say no, but..HECK YEAH! Jay Cutler awesome on the field? I should say yeah, but HECK NO! Photo by Mike Shadle.

By Nick Whalen

Nick Whalen is a former high school quarterback with experience as an assistant student coach with Drake University, Carthage College, and Montana State. He also spent two years as an assistant student coach with Western Kentucky. He has been a quarterback, wide receiver, and defensive back coach for three different high school teams. Whalen is a writer at Dynasty Rogues. Here’s his RSP Writer’s Team and Q&A. He’s sharing an enlightening take on my favorite quarterback anti-hero, Jay Cutler.

Special moments in life are associated with where you were when they happened. First kiss. 9/11. Hearing about the death of someone close.  But a new one for me happened on April 2nd 2009: The day the Chicago Bears traded for Jay Cutler.

I had just finished watching film from spring practice when I turned on ESPN.com and experienced instant euphoria.  As a Bears fan living in Wisconsin, my lifelong pain of watching Cade McNown, Henry Burris, Rick Mirer, Chad Hutchinson, Shane Mathews, Jim Miller, and Kordell Stewart was over.  The Bears had finally acquired a quarterback capable of leading the team and not simply “managing” the game.

Or so I thought.

During Jay Cutler’s first three years, I found myself making excuses for his play.  His offensive line is bad. His weapons aren’t talented. His offensive coaches aren’t playing to his strengths. No more excuses. I decided to break down Jay Cutler’s game versus Green Bay to illustrate what he needs to fix. Continue reading →

Big Bad Utah War Daddy Star Lotulelei

0 Comments read Players
Is Star Lotulelei the next impact DT along the lines of Ndamukong Suh? Find out at Football Outsiders. Photo by Jeffery Beall.

War Daddies. Chris Brown introduces this coach’s term of endearment for big, bad defensive tackles that man the middle of a defensive front in his ode to the position at Grantland. Brown, the author of the always excellent Smart Football, explains that when it comes to prioritizing the factors that make a good defensive tackle, size is only a fundamental consideration.

What separates a defensive tackle who earns an invitation to compete for a roster spot from a defensive tackle that has an integral role for an NFL team is fluid athleticism and a good football IQ. It might be important to have (Read the rest at Football Outsiders)