DMN Blog: Assessing Miles Austin's Pro Bowl chances/Butler fails to impress

[WoodysGirl]

9:24 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Todd Archer/Reporter Bio | E-mail | News tips

Fan voting for the Pro Bowl stopped at 11 p.m. Monday and entering the final week of balloting Miles Austin was third among NFC wide receivers. Players and coaches/personnel people make up the other two-thirds of the vote and the team will be announced Dec. 29.

Four wide receivers are selected per conference, and Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald is a lock. After that? Austin has to be pretty quick in the conversation, I would think.

He is second in the NFC to Minnesota's Sidney Rice in yards (1,144 to 1,138). He is tied with Fitzgerald among receivers in touchdowns with 11. He is seventh among wide receivers in catches with 65.

The Giants' Steve Smith has 90 catches for 1,093 yards and six scored. Arizona's Anquan Boldin has the rep and more catches (78). Seattle's T.J. Houshmanzadeh has put up more catches, too but only three touchdowns. Philadelphia's DeSean Jackson is averaging 19.4 yards per catch with 1,087 yards on 56 receptions and he's scored eight times. I wonder if he makes it as a return man though.

My hunch - Fitzgerald, Austin, Rice and Jackson are the top four after the player/personnel votes.

Butler fails to impress
9:35 AM Tue, Dec 22, 2009 | Permalink | Yahoo! Buzz
Gerry Fraley/Reporter E-mail | News tips

Rookie outside linebacker Victor Butler received extended playing time in Saturday's win at New Orleans. To say he failed to impress would be an understatement.

``Victor played, but he didn't have a real great game,'' coach Wade Phillips said.

For Phillips, who puts a positive spin on nearly everything, that amounts to a body-slam.


Comments (1) Leave comment | E-mail entry

 

[AbeBeta]

Well, Butler has been focused on pass rush and he mostly spelled Ware in in run situations. What the hell did folks expect would happen?

 

[mldardy]

Well, Butler has been focused on pass rush and he mostly spelled Ware in in run situations. What the hell did folks expect would happen?

Austin is going to be selected to the Pro Bowl. There isn't any question about that. He has 11 TD's more than any receiver I believe.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

I saw Butler applying some pressure at times. He has been a pass rush specialist up to this point. Ware was basically playing Butler's role Saturday night. Butler has a bright future. I'm not worried about him.

 

[Boyzmamacita]

Austin is going to be selected to the Pro Bowl. There isn't any question about that. He has 11 TD's more than any receiver I believe.

11 and counting. He so belongs in the Pro Bowl.

 

[21Savage]

Well, Butler has been focused on pass rush and he mostly spelled Ware in in run situations. What the hell did folks expect would happen?

Him to take Spencer's job for good! Haven't you be here all season?

 

[bootyhunta]

While making the pro-bowl will look nice on Austin's resume, he won't be able to play in it since he will be preparing to play in the super bowl.

 

[Alexander]

It is interesting to see Phillips respond negatively to a question about a player's performance. I wonder if that is him actually trying to motivate someone.

I honestly thought he played decently, considering he was asked to do things he has not had much of an opportunity to do. Didn't the New Orleans paper recap talk about him making a nice play on a screen?

 

[JohnsKey19]

That's fine about Butler. These guys have to play to fail to even have a chance of ultimately succeeding. Other teams have been shuffling inexperienced LBs all season, the Giants and Eagles in particular.

 

[JBond]

Well, Butler has been focused on pass rush and he mostly spelled Ware in in run situations. What the hell did folks expect would happen?

Considering many here wanted Spencer to give up playing time to him, I would think he should have played much better. I have been told he is a great LB and he should be starting. The reality is he is just another young player who has a lot to learn.

 

[AbeBeta]

Him to take Spencer's job for good! Haven't you be here all season?

oh yes, I forgot that Spencer sucked. I loved hearing the other day that some of the defensive coaches think Spencer has played better than anyone on the D all year.

 

[AbeBeta]

It is interesting to see Phillips respond negatively to a question about a player's performance. I wonder if that is him actually trying to motivate someone.

Good coaches know what it takes to push player's buttons -- He's done this with T-New before (although T-New is an odd player to target).

 

[theebs]

Wade spent alot of time with butler one on one the two days I was at camp so I bet he feels comfortable calling him out because he is one of his guys.

I really wish brandon williams never got injured, what a bummer. What a 4some that is going to be down the road.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Wade spent alot of time with butler one on one the two days I was at camp so I bet he feels comfortable calling him out because he is one of his guys.

I really wish brandon williams never got injured, what a bummer. What a 4some that is going to be down the road.

Very interesting stuff, theebs...

I wondered myself if we had a situation almost like with Parcells where the scouts or whoever picked this player but the coach wasn't really on board with him from the start. It almost felt like Butler was a "Jerry" (or Ciskowski or whoever else) guy, and B-Will was the Wade guy. I was hoping Butler wasn't the Eddie George or Peerless Price of our draft class.

But it sounds like that isn't the case. I hope so anyway.

But this really makes me wish I'd gone to camp like I almost did. I went in '03 and I always thought it was cool when the head coach was working one-on-one with a certain player or small group of players on some technique.

 

[theebs]

Very interesting stuff, theebs...

I wondered myself if we had a situation almost like with Parcells where the scouts or whoever picked this player but the coach wasn't really on board with him from the start. It almost felt like Butler was a "Jerry" (or Ciskowski or whoever else) guy, and B-Will was the Wade guy. I was hoping Butler wasn't the Eddie George or Peerless Price of our draft class.

But it sounds like that isn't the case. I hope so anyway.

But this really makes me wish I'd gone to camp like I almost did. I went in '03 and I always thought it was cool when the head coach was working one-on-one with a certain player or small group of players on some technique.

yeah I have some pictures I will put them up so you can see. Reggie herring and wade spent alot of time with butler, you could tell they loved Victor Butler way back in camp.

SOrry I didnt mean to imply that he didnt like butler, the opposite actually. I think they are really high on both of them. I thought williams was going to be great after I saw him in camp.

again that is why I bet he has a high standard in mind for butler and isnt afraid to challenge him to reach it.

which going back to the draft guys like you and I said, if wade is the coach let him get his own guys and make a run.

 

[Chief]

But this really makes me wish I'd gone to camp like I almost did.

I haven't been to camp since 2002. I'm going next summer, though.

 

[Chocolate Lab]

yeah I have some pictures I will put them up so you can see. Reggie herring and wade spent alot of time with butler, you could tell they loved Victor Butler way back in camp.

SOrry I didnt mean to imply that he didnt like butler, the opposite actually. I think they are really high on both of them. I thought williams was going to be great after I saw him in camp.

again that is why I bet he has a high standard in mind for butler and isnt afraid to challenge him to reach it.

which going back to the draft guys like you and I said, if wade is the coach let him get his own guys and make a run.

Oh no, I got what you were saying... The part about him not being a Wade guy was my theory. Really just from the way Wade has been reluctant to praise him too much.

I do remember Herring seemed to love Butler from the start. Is it possible they are playing a little good cop/bad cop with him?

And yeah, I have had a great feeling about B-Will since I saw his college highlight video. And the preseason game I went to (thanks again) before he hurt the knee, I was surprised at how he looked much bigger than his listed height and weight.

I just hope that ACL is 100% or very close to it by the time camp starts. Not sure if it will be or not.

 

[pgreptom]

Well, Butler has been focused on pass rush and he mostly spelled Ware in in run situations. What the hell did folks expect would happen?

I'll tell you... this is why Phillips does not play rookies that much.

Had this been next year, I bet he would've impressed.

 

[theebs]

Here are some pics of wade with the linebackers..from camp.

http://img682.*************/img682/4356/trainingcamp09060.jpg
http://img121.*************/img121/3258/trainingcamp09169.jpg


my impression of the two guys was that butler was extremely athletic and williams was really physical and looked like he had all the natural tools to rush the passer. Ware was always talking to williams!

 

[Ren]

Austin might have had Andre Johnson numbers had he started from week 1