|
|
Wins and lo ses don't count in the NFL preseason -- but individual performances sure do. After each week's slate of preseason action, Bucky Brooks will shine the spotlight on one notable player from each team in the league, grading that player's performance and providing a snapshot of how he's doing in this critical dre s-rehearsal phase of the 2015 campaign. The Pedro Martinez Jersey performance grading scale is as follows:A: Masterful B: Strong C: Acceptable D: Marginal F: UnacceptableEASTDallas Cowboys: Byron Jones, CBGRADE: BStrengths: Jones is an athletic defender with excellent physical tools and versatile skills. The rookie is a rare defensive back with the footwork and movement skills to comfortably play outside (cornerback), yet he also displays the instincts, awarene s and toughne s to thrive between the hashes at either safety spot. The are certainly tapping into the first-round pick's hybrid skills by using him at various positions (cornerback, nickel and free safety) to maximize his athleticism and ball skills. Against the , he not only moved around to multiple positions in the back end, but he showed solid cover skills in one-on-one coverage and mixed it up in the run game as a willing tackler from the slot. Additionally, he crashed aggre sively off the edge on a nickel blitz against a running play. He didn't make a splashy play, but his aggre sivene s is a positive sign for a team that could employ the tactic down the road.Weakne ses: The constant reshuffling prevents Jones from settling into one position and mastering the nuances of the spot. Thus, he remains a work in progre s at each position, requiring a little more seasoning as a pre s corner (with regard to footwork and hand usage), nickel corner (understanding which leverage to use in each coverage) and free safety (anticipating throws as a deep middle defender).What he needs to work on: Jones deserves a ton of credit for juggling multiple roles in the secondary. It is hard for a young player to bounce between various Wade Boggs Jersey spots and understand the responsibilities of each position within the scheme. Yet, Jones has done it well and made solid contributions as a hybrid defender. , Jones needs to continue to work on understanding the technical responsibilities of each position, particularly free safety and nickel corner, to prepare for a key role as a sub-defender when Dallas against the .New York Giants: Ereck Flowers, LTGRADE: B-Strengths: Flowers is an athletic mauler/brawler on the edge. The No. 9 overall pick in the 2015 aggre sively moves defenders off the ball on running plays, providing a clear path for runners on inside or outside runs to his side. Although the directed most of their runs to the right against the , ' 12-yard run to the left in the second quarter showcased the succe s the team could find when running behind the young left tackle. In pa s protection, Flowers is at his best when using a short set (quick setup with a strong two-hand shock) to slow rushers down off the edges. He po se ses the length to get into rushers before they can get into their moves, nullifying their efforts early in the down. He routinely stifled outside linebacker on pa s downs with his aggre sive approach at the line of scrimmage.Weakne ses: Despite a solid outing against the , Flowers needs to continue to work on his footwork and fundamentals in pa s protection. He Collin McHugh Jersey occasionally loses his balance against speedy rushers off the edge, leading him to grab or horse-collar defenders when they attempt to turn the corner. Additionally, Flowers must play with better leverage to handle bull rushes from power rushers and exhibit better awarene s diagnosing stunts (the notched a sack when Flowers didn't recognize or succe sfully pa s off a stunt at the line). If Flowers doesn't work to improve his footwork on the edges, namely his kick-slide, he could struggle against the elite pa s rushers in the NFC East.What he needs to work on: Flowers is succe sfully transitioning to left tackle in the NFL despite po se sing a game that is ideally suited for the right side. He held up pretty well against the ' vaunted defensive line, exhibiting outstanding strength and power in the running game.Philadelphia Eagles: Tim Tebow, QBGRADE: DStrengths: Tebow is a rugged dual-threat quarterback with a tenacious running style on the perimeter. The veteran lacks the speed and quickne s to run away from defenders, but his superior strength and power allows him to run through arm tackles on designed QB runs and impromptu scrambles. Tebow was on the field for two attempted two-point conversions against the , running a QB power play on the first -- and while he didn't score, the fact that he bowled over a few defenders stood out.Weakne ses: Tebow struggles to execute traditional dropback throws from the pocket. He also struggles to deliver the ball on time; the late reactions allow defenders to close quickly on the play. For instance, his timing was off on the ' second failed two-point try on Saturday, allowing cornerback Casey Heyward to step in front of intended receiver on the quick slant. The fact that Tebow -- who didn't get many opportunities to throw the ball in the fourth quarter -- fails to pull the trigger quickly on pa sing plays remains one of his biggest i sues as a pa ser.What he needs to work on: Tebow must throw the ball better to win the QB3 job. He needs to show coaches that he can make accurate throws to various areas of the field in a timely fashion. Thus, he needs to proce s information quickly and get the ball out of his hands when the read takes him to an open receiver. He has repeatedly struggled in this area throughout his career, but he must show signs of improvement to earn a roster spot. If Tebow is going to make the team as the designated two-point specialist, he needs to flash some electric playmaking skills with the ball and, unlike last Saturday, punch it in Nick Yorke Jersey succe sfully against the on Thursday to justify his value as a specialist.Washington Redskins: Matt Jones, RBGRADE: B+Strengths: The rookie is a big, physical power back with outstanding vision, balance and body control. He consistently runs Christian Vazquez Jersey through arm tackles in the hole and shows impre sive pop finishing runs in the secondary, as evidenced by his punishing runs against the . The 6-foot-2, 231-pound Jones also displays nimble feet and impre sive agility for a big back. He catches the ball well out of the backfield, displaying soft hands and adequate receiving skills (see: his 17-yard reception on a flat pa s from ). With a versatile set of skills that could make him a quality option as a third-down back, Jones could steal some minutes from starter during the regular season. Weakne ses: Jones is strong enough to take on rushers squarely, but the third-round pick is still mastering the art of pa s blocking in the backfield. Young running backs routinely struggle with "double reads" in pa s protection; how well Jones masters this tactic could determine whether he plays a significant role for the as a third-down back.What he needs to work on: Jones has been one of the ' top performers during the preseason. He has shown tremendous potential as a power runner, yet he also displays the receiving skills coaches covet in workhorse backs. Jones needs to finish off the preseason with a strong performance that showcases his impre sive skills as a "grinder" between the tackles. If he continues to run well and can make a few plays in the pa sing game, Jones could carve out a big role going forward.NORTHChicago Bears: Shea McClellin, LBGRADE: DStrengths: McClellin is an energetic linebacker with adequate instincts and awarene s. He is a sneaky athlete capa
Click here Click here Click here |
|
发表于 2024-11-22 21:26:57