LB Confusion

[Hawkeye19]

Biggest question for me about our defensive plan last game was NOT starting Hitchens at MIKE!? That is his best position-- and it's also where most of the issues have been since Jaylon has struggled in run fits and his coverage ability has been atrocious.

Why not start Hitch at MIKE and put Durant at WILL? Or if you want to limit Durant's snaps-- slide Hitch over to WILL for a few snaps and let Jaylon take fewer at MIKE.

OR-- just run out of your nickel or Deacon D for 99% of the game and just have Hitch, Wilson, and a little Durant out there.

In other words-- why keep Jaylon on the field when it is so obvious that he cannot adequately perform his job and is the main reason we cannot get off the field on 3rd down?!

 

[CF74]

Steven says Jaylon is amazing so there ya go...

 

[Zman5]

It was Hitch and Durant that messed up on the last driver where ARod ran for 1st down. So there is that.

Hopefully that's just Hitch not playing for awhile.

 

[Sydla]

It was Hitch and Durant that messed up on the last driver where ARod ran for 1st down. So there is that.

Hopefully that's just Hitch not playing for awhile.

Hopefully but it was also Hitchens who overran the play that have the Packers their longest run of the year against us too.

 

[CT Dal Fan]

Agreed. I'm excited about Jaylon Smith's future, but he should not be starting out there. He can't run and misses too many tackles.

Hitchens should have started at MLB and Durant and maybe Damien Wilson could've rotated at WLB.

 

[DCBoysfan]

Agreed. I'm excited about Jaylon Smith's future, but he should not be starting out there. He can't run and misses too many tackles.

Hitchens should have started at MLB and Durant and maybe Damien Wilson could've rotated at WLB.

I’m not a Durant fan, but Jaylon needs his snaps reduced.

 

[BoysfanfromCanada]

This fault lies in the coaching staff. Why bring Durant in if you're going to limit his snaps? He's not as good as Ro McClain where he can come to camp whenever and you can baby him enough that he's ready to play on Sunday. They should have signed a veteran LB who can play the Will & Mike full time (like 2014 Durant), especially when Damien Wilson's future is so cloudy. He could get suspended tomorrow.

Jaylon should only be playing mop up duty, or play with Lee. He wasn't bad when Lee was in (Denver game aside), but pretty awful without him.

 

[Brickman2]

Jaylon needs to get his health at 100%. Clearly he is not there yet. He is coming back from a horrific knee injury and it’s obviously a tough road back from that. Combine that with the level of competition in the NFL compared to College and it’s pretty easy to see why he is struggling.

 

[Aven8]

This fault lies in the coaching staff. Why bring Durant in if you're going to limit his snaps? He's not as good as Ro McClain where he can come to camp whenever and you can baby him enough that he's ready to play on Sunday. They should have signed a veteran LB who can play the Will & Mike full time (like 2014 Durant), especially when Damien Wilson's future is so cloudy. He could get suspended tomorrow.

Jaylon should only be playing mop up duty, or play with Lee. He wasn't bad when Lee was in (Denver game aside), but pretty awful without him.

Rolondo..........

We would be set with that stud if he wasn't nuts!!

 

[CWR]

There were some solid lbs to be had this offseason and not all of them were too expensive. Considering what we are trotting out there now I really have to wonder what the hell we were thinking.

 

[jday]

Biggest question for me about our defensive plan last game was NOT starting Hitchens at MIKE!? That is his best position-- and it's also where most of the issues have been since Jaylon has struggled in run fits and his coverage ability has been atrocious.

Why not start Hitch at MIKE and put Durant at WILL? Or if you want to limit Durant's snaps-- slide Hitch over to WILL for a few snaps and let Jaylon take fewer at MIKE.

OR-- just run out of your nickel or Deacon D for 99% of the game and just have Hitch, Wilson, and a little Durant out there.

In other words-- why keep Jaylon on the field when it is so obvious that he cannot adequately perform his job and is the main reason we cannot get off the field on 3rd down?!

For what its worth, which is not a whole lot...

I think the Cowboys realize Jaylon has struggled. But it's hard to develop a player on the bench and he's a year behind considering his redshirt year, as far as contract ramifications are concerned. The Cowboys are trying to fast-track his development. The best way to do that is to put him out there.

On the outside looking in, that's a hard thing to witness when it cost you games, but at the end of the day, I honestly cannot say Jaylon's poor play has been at the heart of any loss. He hasn't helped as much as I would like to avoid it, but there are far more places I point the finger first before I point at him. I honestly think Heath has been a larger liability, but that is my own non-expert opinion.

 

[rags747]

For what its worth, which is not a whole lot...

I think the Cowboys realize Jaylon has struggled. But it's hard to develop a player on the bench and he's a year behind considering his redshirt year, as far as contract ramifications are concerned. The Cowboys are trying to fast-track his development. The best way to do that is to put him out there.

On the outside looking in, that's a hard thing to witness when it cost you games, but at the end of the day, I honestly cannot say Jaylon's poor play has been at the heart of any loss. He hasn't helped as much as I would like to avoid it, but there are far more places I point the finger first before I point at him. I honestly think Heath has been a larger liability, but that is my own non-expert opinion.

I don't think his struggles are experience related, they seem health related to me.

 

[links18]

Jaylon was another one of Jerry's "I am so smart, everyone else passed on him, I didn't" moves, so he has to see the field to make it look like Jerry is a genius.

 

[Aven8]

Jaylon was another one of Jerry's "I am so smart, everyone else passed on him, I didn't" moves, so he has to see the field to make it look like Jerry is a genius.

Yep. Remember the Patriots were set to take him if we didn't bit?? What a load of crap.

 

[gmoney112]

The WILL, or weakside linebacker, is more important. They put the most experienced guy there, as sad as it is.

Although in hindsight, I probably would have started Durant at Will, not sure how many snaps he got there, and Hitchens at Mike.

 

[xwalker]

Biggest question for me about our defensive plan last game was NOT starting Hitchens at MIKE!? That is his best position-- and it's also where most of the issues have been since Jaylon has struggled in run fits and his coverage ability has been atrocious.

Why not start Hitch at MIKE and put Durant at WILL? Or if you want to limit Durant's snaps-- slide Hitch over to WILL for a few snaps and let Jaylon take fewer at MIKE.

OR-- just run out of your nickel or Deacon D for 99% of the game and just have Hitch, Wilson, and a little Durant out there.

In other words-- why keep Jaylon on the field when it is so obvious that he cannot adequately perform his job and is the main reason we cannot get off the field on 3rd down?!

I don't understand it either. They probably wanted to limit Hitchens' snaps but I didn't like it.

Wilson was replaced by Wilber somewhere about the half. I don't know if he was injured or got benched.

Anybody would be better than Jaylon right now.

 

[jday]

I don't think his struggles are experience related, they seem health related to me.

Could be. Could be a combination of both.

 

[pitt33]

Jaylon was another one of Jerry's "I am so smart, everyone else passed on him, I didn't" moves, so he has to see the field to make it look like Jerry is a genius.

Jaylon’s play thus far has made the Jones look like buffoons for reaching like that.

I wonder where PFF has him ranked for LB’s after week 5. I’ll go out on a limb here and guess he might be dead last or very close to it.

Any scoop from our resident stat guru’s would be appreciated.

 

[dwreck27]

There were some solid lbs to be had this offseason and not all of them were too expensive. Considering what we are trotting out there now I really have to wonder what the hell we were thinking.

Rod being overalls loyal to his guys

Dude should have been pounding his fists for more Free agent acquisitions

 

[gmoney112]

Are there any vets we can pick up?