BTB: Carpenter Play By Play

[BAT]

The way the 3-4 is designed, the strongside inside linebacker (Bradie James' position) has to take on a lineman on most plays, while the weakside inside linebacker is more free to make plays.

I believe Carp spent most of his playing time in the regular defense at SILB because we lack a true backup to James. He's better suited for the WILB spot, which is his regular position in this defense.

I think BOTH Carp AND JWill played some MIKE. I even saw Keith Brooking taking some reps there w/the second team.

 

[fortdick]

I think its pretty evident that Carpenter is what he is. What I find odd is so much handwringing and ridicule over Carpenter, yet Anthony Spencer in comparison gets a free pass and has accomplished equally as much nothing coming into his 3rd year in the league and Carpenter last year. I mean, at least I can point to a stellar game from Carpenter's rookie year from the Seattle playoff game ... I can't point to a memorable Anthony Spencer game, other than when he was pancaked on those two long Raven touchdowns in maybe the most embarassing choke in franchise history.

I find it much more troubleing and worrisome that we're asking a guy coming off a 1.5 sack season to be a 3 down player as the the starting SOLB, with absolutely no depth behind him to challenge him, than I am about Carpenter playing nickel LB as a pass coverage. It's not like Carpenter has huge shoes to fill left from Kevin Burnett.

Careful IR, Spencer is a sacred cow around here. You can't use facts to make a point. It cause some people's head to hurt.

 

[fortdick]

Can you say nickel linebacker... He can blitz and cover. That's it.

Isn't that enough?

What do people expect? The guy is in opnly his second season playing the same position. He has been bounced in and out by coaching changes. Give him this year to get some playing time. He was looking real good after his rookie year, then Wade came in.

I guess no one remembers what the opinion was of Aikman after his third year.

 

[Doomsay]

I think its pretty evident that Carpenter is what he is. What I find odd is so much handwringing and ridicule over Carpenter, yet Anthony Spencer in comparison gets a free pass and has accomplished equally as much nothing coming into his 3rd year in the league and Carpenter last year.

Ellis was holding Spencer back . I do hope that he shows something this year, we need him - Carpenter on the other hand, has had a handful of solid plays in his entire Cowboy career, hopefully we pull the plug early on this huge bust and give somebody else a season to contribute. Also, looking back at the Raider game, I think that the play by play accounting of Bobby at the beginning of this article was a bit of a stretch.

Although quick, his speed usually seems to place him at the scene of a play after the tackle has already been made - rarely does he turn around to impede a potential blocker, he more often than not chases plays harmlessly.

Burnett is 3x the 3rd down LB that Bobby is.

 

[gimmesix]

I think BOTH Carp AND JWill played some MIKE. I even saw Keith Brooking taking some reps there w/the second team.

I believe Brooking was only in the Mike position in the nickel defense, next to Carp. He didn't play on the second-team defense, only when the first team came back in to play the nickel in place of the second team.

As far as Jason Williams goes, I didn't notice him playing the SILB spot any, but I wasn't paying complete attention to where he and Carp were lining up, so he could have been.