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Bryan Broaddus
Football Analyst/Scout
Here are some thoughts from practice during Organized Team Activities:
Football Analyst/Scout
Here are some thoughts from practice during Organized Team Activities:
- I have to admit that I have been very critical of the play of Phil Costa, and I fully supported the front office making a move to try and upgrade the position. Costa managed to play a limited amount of plays against the Giants on opening night after missing the majority of the pre-season, then came back against the Ravens and played a significant role in the offensive output in that game before he suffered another injury the following week against the Panthers that ended his season. The front office did draft that center that I thought they needed in Travis Frederick and have put him in the lineup here day one. For Costa, it has never been easy, and despite the fact that he is running with the second line, he has honestly had reps in this zone scheme where he has been better than Frederick. The one trait that Costa has always had is his ability to play on his feet and when he is required to do that, he has been good. When Costa has been asked to play with power one-on-one, that’s when you see him have the most trouble. From what I have observed in the way that this group is now trying to run the ball, he really is better suited to take a hard step play side, grab his man with his free hand, then hook him for position. There have been plays in pass protection where he has been helpful to these young guards in keeping his position on his set, not getting turned and keeping the front of the pocket square. To Costa’s credit, you do see him working to finish blocks when given the opportunity which is far better than I believed that he could do.
- There have been plenty of folks on Twitter that have asked me what my thoughts were for this season’s break out player which makes me always think about who I said last year’s player was. Sean Lissemore was that player for me, but injuries robbed him of a great deal of his season. Still I am not trying to make excuses for him, but I really thought that he was going to be that rotational player that was going to play 25 to 30 snaps a game with plenty of pressures and tackles behind the line. For Lissemore, it was a struggle once he came back into the lineup and quite frankly wasn’t the same player from the previous this season. Well this week, Lissemore was back in the mix and he looks healthy. The quickness and the power appeared to be back on several reps like it was two seasons ago when he played inside as a nickel rusher. What I have always liked about Lissemore is his ability to work his way up the field but using pass rush techniques and there were times last season where I didn’t see that but it appears to be back. This scheme which is allowing him to play as a one is a much better fit than when he had to play as a nose. When he can line up on the inside shoulder of the guard and attack that gap instead of having to play with his hands and two gap, he is a more productive player. Maybe he will have that break out season that I expected in 2012.
