Return Game

[Sitting Bull]

Couldn't agree more that we need a real kick returner and third the motion to bring in Johnnie Lee Higgins. I really think he would stick at WR4/5, as well.

 

[TheCoolFan]

It's a scouting flaw. These guys are not as fast and explosive as they think. Compare the speed/elusiveness of AOA and Dwayne Harris vs. Brandon Banks or even Bryan McCann. Go watch McCann's highlights in that Green Bay blowout last year where he was able to make one cut and then accelerate or he was able to stop/start/shift position without losing much speed. That's an important quality in a returner. Anyone can run through a hole but the ability to be shifty in traffic is what separates the contenders from the pretenders in the return game.

 

[funkytown]

Answer... Skylar Green.

That didnt work out so well.

But it shouldnt stop us from trying again.

 

[Givincer]

I just don't understand why they continually get run out of the endzone when they always end up less than the 20. Why bother?

 

[funkytown]

It's a scouting flaw. These guys are not as fast and explosive as they think. Compare the speed/elusiveness of AOA and Dwayne Harris vs. Brandon Banks or even Bryan McCann. Go watch McCann's highlights in that Green Bay blowout last year where he was able to make one cut and then accelerate or he was able to stop/start/shift position without losing much speed. That's an important quality in a returner. Anyone can run through a hole but the ability to be shifty in traffic is what separates the contenders from the pretenders in the return game.

I agree on that. Especially the scouting part.

Dwayne Harris was a very prodcutive receiver in college, and a decent return guy. But he is not fast or explosive. His game may even translate to a decent wide receiver in the NFL, but not as a return guy.

I still cant get over the Josh Thomas pick in the 5th. Denarius Moore was right there to be had. He was one of the fastest guys in the draft.

 

[TheCoolFan]

Skyler Green was just slow. It was a horrible pick - he was good in college but that lack of speed didn't translate in the NFL. I believe he was a 4.5 guy

 

[funkytown]

Skyler Green was just slow. It was a horrible pick - he was good in college but that lack of speed didn't translate in the NFL. I believe he was a 4.5 guy

Not to mention it was the era when we were all over the LSU guys.

Bradie James
Marcus Spears
Sklyar Green
Stephen Peterman

 

[ZeroClub]

we could have kept MCcann.

I agree.

 

[BourbonBalz]

Our return game was absolute crap. All of our KO returners don't even run hard. They just run casually, looking for a hole. Those guys need to take off full speed and pick up all the yards they can. They were almost as bad as our punt coverage team. Those were the two weakest areas of our game today.

 

[realtick]

No way I'd want McCann if it meant we had to lose Frank Walker as our 5th DB. McCann made a great pick-6 against the Giants, but he was otherwise beaten like a stinkin' drum the rest of the time.

People also forget he had a propensity for fumbling (6 IIRC).

And let's not act like he was Devin Hester Jr. out there, he averaged 22 yards a kick return in 2010.

 

[hutch1254]

As far as the return game there is nothing I can't stand more than seeing an indecisive, jogging, looking for a lane returner coming out of the endzone. IMO I think you should come flying out of the endzone, pick a lane and if it's there it's there if it's not it's not. But don't dance and wait and look and get tackled at the 10.

KR / PR should be designated to a particular person, a specialist as they are called, like the Dante Hall days.