PFW: TWWHI: Thomas could be difference between good and great defense

[MichaelWinicki]

I think they viewed him (Akin) as surviceable. At that position, you should be lead dog.

Just up grade if possible, no need for the team to flame the guy.

Just look at Roy, the fans (not all), hang him out to dry but not the coaches. I'm sure they would upgrade if it were available/feasible.

Between Akin and Spears I'm not sure who was the worst player starting on the defense last year.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Between Akin and Spears I'm not sure who was the worst player starting on the defense last year.

Reeves

 

[AbeBeta]

Between Akin and Spears I'm not sure who was the worst player starting on the defense last year.

I think if Akin and Spears are your worst that means you've got a pretty good D.

 

[aikemirv]

Reeves

Thats what I was thinking - That was easy

 

[khiladi]

Also the other inside backers. I think with Zach's intensity and flying around everywhere that Brady won't have to worry about the other backer spot. He will be able to pick his game up a knotch.

Didn't Zach have as many or more tackles than Akin last year?

Zach played 5 games, Akin played 17 games.

Akin deservers to be fried. The guy had less tackles the whole season than Zach did in 5 games. Plus, he absolutely sucked in zone coverage.

He should have excelled in the Wade style of defense, garnering plenty of tackles, but it turned out he wasn't great in run support let alone pass support. He had zero tackles behind the line of scrimmage if I remember correctly.

 

[AbeBeta]

Akin deservers to be fried. The guy had less tackles the whole season than Zach did in 5 games. Plus, he absolutely sucked in zone coverage.

He should have excelled in the Wade style of defense, garnering plenty of tackles, but it turned out he wasn't great in run support let alone pass support. He had zero tackles behind the line of scrimmage if I remember correctly.

Tackle stats aren't official, teams keep track differently and guys with reps as "tackle machines" like Thomas probably get more of the benefit of the doubt than Akin.

And I believe the stats show him with 1.5 tackles for a loss.

 

[khiladi]

Tackle stats aren't official, teams keep track differently and guys with reps as "tackle machines" like Thomas probably get more of the benefit of the doubt than Akin.

And I believe the stats show him with 1.5 tackles for a loss.

I'm sure the numbers may differ and are approximates, but when your talking 60 plus tackles difference in 11 games, the point is clear... Akin sucked.... He wasn't a difference maker at all, and insignificant. I can't remember a single play where I thought to myself, "Damn, that was a nice play by Akin."

And I am not even talking about pass coverage where Akin looked totally lost...

 

[AbeBeta]

I'm sure the numbers may differ and are approximates, but when your talking 60 plus tackles difference in 11 games, the point is clear... Akin sucked.... He wasn't a difference maker at all, and insignificant. I can't remember a single play where I thought to myself, "Damn, that was a nice play by Akin."

And I am not even talking about pass coverage where Akin looked totally lost...

He wasn't great - I'll give you that. But he didn't suck. He held down his position well enough to hold off challenges from young LBs. He had a number of solid games - many earlier in the season. His "bad" games came where he just didn't produce much. It isn't like he was blowing play after play.

You can't have every single guy on your D being a "difference maker" -- you are always going to have a handful of average guys filling spots.

 

[khiladi]

He wasn't great - I'll give you that. But he didn't suck. He held down his position well enough to hold off challenges from young LBs. He had a number of solid games - many earlier in the season. His "bad" games came where he just didn't produce much. It isn't like he was blowing play after play.

You can't have every single guy on your D being a "difference maker" -- you are always going to have a handful of average guys filling spots.

We have a difference maker now...

 

[WoodysGirl]

We have a difference maker now...

We'll find out soon enough, won't we?

Personally, I hope Carp beats him out in TC.

 

[AbeBeta]

We'll find out soon enough, won't we?

Personally, I hope Carp beats him out in TC.

So long as you know that's a fantasy.

 

[speedkilz88]

We'll find out soon enough, won't we?

Personally, I hope Carp beats him out in TC.

Don't hold your breath.

 

[WoodysGirl]

So long as you know that's a fantasy.

Don't hold your breath.

It's all fantasy, hopes, and dreams until they get on the field. I have the same amount of confidence in Zach producing as I do in Carp.

 

[gimmesix]

I thought mo and mike were the same position just different terminology, I didn't know that Wade used both.

"Mo" or "Jack" is the additional inside linebacker in the 3-4.

In the 4-3, you have the "Will" (weakside), "Mike" (middle) and "Sam" (strongside), which I'm sure you know.

Those positions/terms virtually stay the same in the 3-4, translating to the spots Ware, James and Ellis play.

It's kind of easy to see why the terms Will, Mike and Sam are used, but I don't know why the WILB was given the name "Jack" or "Mo." Apparently, some call it the Will and give the WOLB spot a different name.