A Few Defensive Thoughts After Watching The All-22

[Yakuza Rich]

When was McClain at WILL or SAM?

Preseason.

 

[Zman5]

It's been reported Mo is a slow learner. I get the feeling Mo is type of player who needs practice reps and playing time to be at his best.

Unfortunately , he's been injured so much he hasn't practiced and played as much as other full time starters since he's been drafted.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

Great post OP. I wondered how well or bad Claiborne played because the first thing I saw on this site was Claiborne was a bust.....which I thought was poor timing because factoring in it was his 1st game back from injury....I didn't think it was terrible.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

It's been reported Mo is a slow learner. I get the feeling Mo is type of player who needs practice reps and playing time to be at his best.

Unfortunately , he's been injured so much he hasn't practiced and played as much as other full time starters since he's been drafted.

Yeah its not even just practice....he's not get preseason reps at all. I don't think he's played in any preseason games yet has he? He really needed that this year. So now he has to get the rust off during the regular season again. But all things considered, I didn't think he was bad on Sunday.

 

[Fla Cowpoke]

Didn't Claiborne get like a 4 or 6 or something really awful on the Wonderlic? It would indicate that he isn't going to be able to learn by being shown or reading play diagrams.....he is going to have to actually be on the field being shown what he is supposed to do. Since he misses so much practice, seems pretty clear why he might not be able to perform in game time. Also looking for this cocky, combative guy from training camp. Where is he?

 

[xwalker]

Preseason.

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I'm fairly certain that he only played MLB in the preseason.

 

[Toruk_Makto]

The best thing I took from Sunday is that Rolando McClain is a better player than Sean Lee when he's into it.

Please go sit in the corner. Before getting hurt last year Lee was leading the NFL in tackles and interceptions.

 

[Cowboys606]

Didn't Claiborne get like a 4 or 6 or something really awful on the Wonderlic? It would indicate that he isn't going to be able to learn by being shown or reading play diagrams.....he is going to have to actually be on the field being shown what he is supposed to do. Since he misses so much practice, seems pretty clear why he might not be able to perform in game time. Also looking for this cocky, combative guy from training camp. Where is he?

Mo on his Wonerlic score
“I’m human, so some of the things that were being said on twitter got to me,” Claiborne said after his selection. “That test don’t tell me who I am and what type of guy I am and what kind of ability I have. That test cant drop me.

“They say it’s an IQ test. I came to the combine for football. I looked at the test, and wasn’t any questions about football. I didn’t see no point in the test. I’m not in school anymore. I didn’t complete it. I only finished 15 or 18 questions.”

 

[Everson24]

- I do not think Selvie can play the LDE. I think this is why the teams has been signing and trading for LDE. SF could run on his side whenever they wanted to. He's a nightmare in the run game.
Selvie looked really strong at the beginning of the preseason. I remember posting that he was much stronger than I remembered and I think Broaddus even commented on it. I assume his problem now is the shoulder injury. That will probably never be right this season. As you said, they have other options at LDE.

- R.McClain is a violent player. We all remember the few hits he had on the RBs and on the QB, but he abused SF's offensive line. The difference in hand strength between McClain and Carter is so obvious on tape.
No doubt. It's rare to see the OL step back when they engage with a 4-3 LB, but I see it happen with McClain. It's the fact that he runs really well to go along with the power that makes him elite.

- I like J.J. Wilcox, but he does a lot of the same things as Barry Church. Pairing those together means TEs are going to be a problem every week.
Yes, but I think it's for different reasons. Wilcox is delayed because he's a step slowing processing the play. Church is just a limited athlete.

- SF has a terrific offensive line coach. The way that SF can switch between zone-blocking to down-hill run blocking is really something to watch. Their offensive line is coached very well. Everyone has solid technique.
Much like the Cowboys, they have both talent and excellent coaching on the OLine. IMO, the best coaching on the Cowboys is done by Pollack and Callahan. IMO, despite the added talent, I don't think the Cowboys OL would be as good if they still had Houck as the OL coach. The techniques with this current OL are terrific, especially in the running game. They have a lot of blocks where I would describe it as having a primary and a secondary responsibility. The idea being to make absolutely certain that you get the primary responsibly and then do your best on the secondary responsibility. On a run right, Tyron must absolutely get his block the inside even if that allows the outside rusher to come free. His secondary responsibility is to see if he can get back out an get a hand on the outside rusher, but it's not his primary responsibility. Back in the Houck days, each player needed perfect execution for the run to succeed. In the current scheme there is room for error as long as you always error on the side of least significance.

They even had Doug Free playing decently. There is a lot of scheming and technique that has gone into getting better play from Free because he still has limits due to some weird lack up upper body strength.

- I don't think Morris Claiborne played that bad of a game considering he missed a lot of TC, all of PS and was matched up with Michael Crabtree most of the day without safety help.
Yes, I don't remember him getting beat deep. I think some of peoples frustration is scheme related. On 3rd down it frustrating to see them give such big cushions underneath, but that appears to be more of a scheme issue than a player specific issue.

- Justin Durant got hurt celebrating.
Really? I didn't notice that.

I really thought he should have been given that INT but I never seem to fully grasp the possession rule. He had possession when his knee was down and then when his elbow was down and after that the ball came out.

The Cowboys had LB blow out his knee on a celebration years ago. His name is not coming to me at the moment.

- At this point in his career, Carter is a much better blitzer than anything else and I'm not trying to be negative about it. He does a really good job at getting to the quarterback as a blitzer. I would like DAL to use him more in 3rd and long situations.
I didn't notice any significantly bad play from him otherwise, but I haven't focused too much on him in my initial review of the game.

The linebacker was Godfrey Myles in Super Bowl XXVII. Great post.

 

[links18]

Lee is done. Some bodies just can't carry steroids; they break down. And without them, he's a 210-pound guy.

Ouch.

 

[CF74]

Second season in a row we see Selvie start off strong and then fade away with shoulder issues...

 

[xwalker]

The linebacker was Godfrey Myles in Super Bowl XXVII. Great post.

Thanks, that's definitely who I was trying to remember.

Remember when one of the Gramatica kickers injured himself celebrating? I think he was playing for Arizona at the time.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Mo on his Wonerlic score
“I’m human, so some of the things that were being said on twitter got to me,” Claiborne said after his selection. “That test don’t tell me who I am and what type of guy I am and what kind of ability I have. That test cant drop me.

“They say it’s an IQ test. I came to the combine for football. I looked at the test, and wasn’t any questions about football. I didn’t see no point in the test. I’m not in school anymore. I didn’t complete it. I only finished 15 or 18 questions.”

 

[NeonDeion21]

Thanks, that's definitely who I was trying to remember.

Remember when one of the Gramatica kickers injured himself celebrating? I think he was playing for Arizona at the time.

Yep. Tore his ACL jumping around.

 

[ElGatoGrande]

No, I like McClain, but sorry. Lee has one glaring weakness and everyone knows what it is. He's injury prone. That's about it. He's as complete as a linebacker can be. Whether it be run support, coverage, or rushing the QB. He's a stud who can't stay healthy.

Do I think Rolando was ever on Lee's level in terms of being complete? No. Do I think he can get there? Yes. Rolando probably has a higher ceiling and he has all of the tools. But his NFL career can't be compared to Lee's. Not just yet.

Well, if you're going to have one glaring weakness, that's the absolute worst one by a longshot...

 

[Neverhood]

The best thing I took from Sunday is that Rolando McClain is a better player than Sean Lee when he's into it.

LOL funniest thing I've read on here in a very long time

 

[MichaelWinicki]

Versus the run McClain is better. Overall as a LB it isn't even close unless you count that Lee is always on the sideline in street clothes.

Lee's recognition, ability to get the defense set and defeat plays before the snap plus obviously his pass play is the best in the league.

I think Lee is good vs the pass but not the best in the NFL. There were many times last year when he failed to get deep enough into his drops.

If Lee and McClain were on the field at the same time for the Cowboys McClain would be the Mike and Lee at either "wing".

 

[visionary]

Mo on his Wonerlic score
“I’m human, so some of the things that were being said on twitter got to me,” Claiborne said after his selection. “That test don’t tell me who I am and what type of guy I am and what kind of ability I have. That test cant drop me.

“They say it’s an IQ test. I came to the combine for football. I looked at the test, and wasn’t any questions about football. I didn’t see no point in the test. I’m not in school anymore. I didn’t complete it. I only finished 15 or 18 questions.”

that is just ignorant

surpassed in ignorance only by the FO of the team that drafted that player using their 1st and 2nd round picks without bothering to interview him

 

[Yakuza Rich]

I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I'm fairly certain that he only played MLB in the preseason.

I saw downs where he was clearly not the MIKE.

And those were downs were he didn't look like his heart was into it.



YR

 

[djmajestik]

No he's not.

Great rebuttal.