How many sacks does Ware get in 08

[Brandon]

I want to see them all do well including Ellis who is coming off his best season as a pro. I like the fact that we have legit options to rotate in and out of the defensive front

Excellent point, at all times we will have a legit pass rushing linebacker on the field, being Ware, Ellis or Spencer.

 

[Tovya]

Excellent point, at all times we will have a legit pass rushing linebacker on the field, being Ware, Ellis or Spencer.

If you ask me though, bringing in Zach Thomas to plug up the middle (assuming he stays healthy) is the biggest factor in Ware having a killer season.

With him stopping the run, it will open up Ware to move a little more and rush the passer more often. Just my thought.

 

[Brandon]

Er, I'm not sold on Thomas at all. I really believe that we will be taking an inside linebacker with our pick in the late 20's in the 2009 draft.

 

[Doomsday101]

If you ask me though, bringing in Zach Thomas to plug up the middle (assuming he stays healthy) is the biggest factor in Ware having a killer season.

With him stopping the run, it will open up Ware to move a little more and rush the passer more often. Just my thought.

I agree assuming he stays healthy I do have concerns about his age and coming off a head injury last year that kept him on the sidelines. A healthy Thomas though can help in many ways and I think Brady James can benefit and learn from one of the most headups LB's in the game. What Thomas has lacked in measurable at LB he more than made up with his intelligence in being able to read plays quickly and adjust to what he was seeing.

 

[White Wolf]

I'm thinking he will build on what he put up last year and get around 18.

 

[Tovya]

I agree assuming he stays healthy I do have concerns about his age and coming off a head injury last year that kept him on the sidelines. A healthy Thomas though can help in many ways and I think Brady James can benefit and learn from one of the most headups LB's in the game. What Thomas has lacked in measurable at LB he more than made up with his intelligence in being able to read plays quickly and adjust to what he was seeing.

Exactly.

I do think that it certainly improves our chances of not getting burned on a draw with 3 or 4 guys rushing in from the outside.

And if Thomas does start strong, it will certainly help force the running backs to the outside, therefore letting us rush more with our outside defenders without the risk of turning it into a 20 yard run up the middle.

Nothing is guaranteed, but it certainly does help Ware hit the "20 sacks" that everybody is hoping for. Lets get 30+ combined sacks out of Ellis and Ware and then see if the Giants are still the defensive cream of the crop in the NFC East.

 

[khiladi]

Nothing is guaranteed, but it certainly does help Ware hit the "20 sacks" that everybody is hoping for. Lets get 30+ combined sacks out of Ellis and Ware and then see if the Giants are still the defensive cream of the crop in the NFC East.

Spencer will be cracking the starting line-up over Ellis by the end of the season...

 

[Little Jr]

I say 18!!

 

[Doomsday101]

Spencer will be cracking the starting line-up over Ellis by the end of the season...

That should be the goal of Spencer and the better he performs the more playing time he will see.

 

[Tovya]

That should be the goal of Spencer and the better he performs the more playing time he will see.

More than anything, it depends upon how well Ellis comes out of the gate... we won't upset the balance of the defense for anything. If Ellis starts whining then Spencer will be on the field more.

But if Ellis keeps his depressing emotions in check and plays as well as he did last season, he'll still be #1 on the left side throughout the season.

Spencer will get his chance to be #1 in '09

 

[Doomsday101]

More than anything, it depends upon how well Ellis comes out of the gate... we won't upset the balance of the defense for anything. If Ellis starts whining then Spencer will be on the field more.

But if Ellis keeps his depressing emotions in check and plays as well as he did last season, he'll still be #1 on the left side throughout the season.

Spencer will get his chance to be #1 in '09

As I said last year the off-season is the time to complain when the season comes I expect Ellis to go out there and do the job. Ellis did just that. I agree his insecurities gets old to listen to but Ellis has shown time and again that when the season kicks off he is out there doing his job with little being said.

How Ellis plays and how Spencer plays I think will end up determining who is getting the most snaps. At the being of the season Ellis may have some of his snaps reduced but if he is making the bigger impact that will change.

This training camp and pre-season I would try to get Spencer as much time as I could and continue that into the regular season as long as he is producing if not then I would make sure that I have the guys who are producing the best on the field the majority of the time.

 

[Tovya]

As I said last year the off-season is the time to complain when the season comes I expect Ellis to go out there and do the job. Ellis did just that. I agree his insecurities gets old to listen to but Ellis has shown time and again that when the season kicks off he is out there doing his job with little being said.

How Ellis plays and how Spencer plays I think will end up determining who is getting the most snaps. At the being of the season Ellis may have some of his snaps reduced but if he is making the bigger impact that will change.

This training camp and pre-season I would try to get Spencer as much time as I could and continue that into the regular season as long as he is producing if not then I would make sure that I have the guys who are producing the best on the field the majority of the time.

I'm with you.

And I do agree about Ellis doing his job when he's supposed to. I just think that has always been his problem since day one... he's kind of got a sad personality (even when not complaining) so he just finds himself on the other side of the track from his head coach.

It's mostly politics if you ask me, and not much substance. Ellis has always done his job for the most part when he's on the field.

I would like to see Spencer start to work his way into the starting job between now and next season though if all possible... just because he's the future and we didn't sign him through 2012 for nothing.

 

[Doomsday101]

I'm with you.

And I do agree about Ellis doing his job when he's supposed to. I just think that has always been his problem since day one... he's kind of got a sad personality (even when not complaining) so he just finds himself on the other side of the track from his head coach.

It's mostly politics if you ask me, and not much substance. Ellis has always done his job for the most part when he's on the field.

I would like to see Spencer start to work his way into the starting job between now and next season though if all possible... just because he's the future and we didn't sign him through 2012 for nothing.

No doubt Spencer is the future which is why I would like to see him get the majority of the snaps in the pre-season and to start the season. However once the season gets going I think the guys who are producing the most should be playing the most if that is Spencer then great if Ellis is out performing him then I think we will see Ellis getting the majority of the snaps. In the end it is all about winning and you win by playing the players who are producing at the highest level.

 

[dougonthebench]

If he stays healthy, I'll go with 16.

I agree,15 or 16.

 

[khiladi]

More than anything, it depends upon how well Ellis comes out of the gate... we won't upset the balance of the defense for anything. If Ellis starts whining then Spencer will be on the field more.

But if Ellis keeps his depressing emotions in check and plays as well as he did last season, he'll still be #1 on the left side throughout the season.

Spencer will get his chance to be #1 in '09

The problem with Ellis is that he always starts off quick, but he fades by the end of the year. Spencer, even according to Breer, was making an impact by the end of the year to the point Breer was saying that there were times when Spencer was playing better than Ware when both were on the field.

 

[Tovya]

The problem with Ellis is that he always starts off quick, but he fades by the end of the year. Spencer, even according to Breer, was making an impact by the end of the year to the point Breer was saying that there were times when Spencer was playing better than Ware when both were on the field.

That was exactly my point... IF Ellis is steam rolling, then he's on the field... and if he's not, it's Spencer chasing down the QBs. So it doesn't really matter who we think is better going into the season, only who is performing on the field when the season starts rolling along.

Who knows? It could change week-to-week.

Personally (although I want to see Spencer take the reigns in view of he is the future) I'd love to see Ellis on the field with the mammoth year because he's been with us through the last miserable decade, and I'd love for him to be the LOLB people remember when we win the Superbowl (hopeful thinking).

In other words, he stayed through the storm and saw it through to calm waters.

 

[Doomsday101]

The problem with Ellis is that he always starts off quick, but he fades by the end of the year. Spencer, even according to Breer, was making an impact by the end of the year to the point Breer was saying that there were times when Spencer was playing better than Ware when both were on the field.

Spencer had 3 sacks on the season, sorry but at no point did he look better than Ware he did not look better than Ellis who while he had 6.5 sacks in the 1st have of the season he had 6 in the 2nd half of the season this despite he did not playing in the 1st 3 games of the year due to coming off the achilles injury. Ellis tied for 6th in the NFL with Mike Vrabel and Merriman with the 12.5sacks. I understand people coming down on Ellis because of his whining but as far as his play last year the guy played up to a pro bowl level.

 

[sonnyboy]

Had been meaning to start this type thread. I'm very optimistic on Ware.
It just seems like a perfect storm is developing for him.

*Ware is bigger and stronger. He's looking to play at 260 this year.
*This is his 4th year in the league and more importantly his 2nd year in Wade's defense.
*Its the whole teams 2nd year in Wade's defense. He has a very good history with defenses improving in his second year. Sacks go up!
*The Cowboys as a team are heavy SB favorites. That should make for lots of double digit 4th Q leads and lots of sack chances.

I'm more bullish on Ware than I am the Cowboys. Who knows how the sack total goes but I'm confident he's the 2008 Defensive MVP.

I would like 25 sacks. Its a nice round number like 60 home runs and could last as a record.

 

[THEHEREAFTER]

I would like to be as gassed as the rest of you but I'm not and here's why.

First don't get me wrong, I think Ware's awesome. His athleticism and motor are both incredible but until I see him develop a strong inside spin or inside moves/rush to compliment his incredible outside speed rush, I think he's a max 15 sack guy and not the 18-22 some of you guys are suggesting.

 

[Doomsday101]

I would like to be as gassed as the rest of you but I'm not and here's why.

First don't get me wrong, I think Ware's awesome. His athleticism and motor are both incredible but until I see him develop a strong inside spin or inside moves/rush to compliment his incredible outside speed rush, I think he's a max 15 sack guy and not the 18-22 some of you guys are suggesting.

I always believe that hard working players can improve. Ware has improved each year he has been here and now heading into year 4 I think Ware is capable of more. We shall see.