Spears-your thoughts

[BARRYRAY]

How would you grade Spears as a first rounder so far, his name doesn't come up nearly as much as Ware, has he outplayed Canty who was a fourth rounder, I get to see the games in an expedited/partial fashion--two jobs, three kids, you get the drift, your thoughts...

 

[SupermanXx]

I would put watching a Cowboys game ahead of my 3 kids

but that's just me

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

How would you grade Spears as a first rounder so far, his name doesn't come up nearly as much as Ware, has he outplayed Canty who was a fourth rounder, I get to see the games in an expedited/partial fashion--two jobs, three kids, you get the drift, your thoughts...

I think he's a rookie. I think rookies develope at different rates. I don't think you can say anything till rookies have 3 years in. Then you can make an honest evaluation.

 

[Eddie]

I think Spears is playing well. Don't forget the role of a 3-4 DE. That position is nearly invisible. He's still learning. He's going to be a good one.

Canty and Ratliff are playing well also ... esp for their draft status'.

So far, this is an A+++ draft.

 

[DandyDon]

How would you grade Spears as a first rounder so far, his name doesn't come up nearly as much as Ware, has he outplayed Canty who was a fourth rounder, I get to see the games in an expedited/partial fashion--two jobs, three kids, you get the drift, your thoughts...

Also, don't forget that Spears missed most of training camp with an injury. So in my estimation, he is doing just fine.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

He plays a position where you probably wont hear his name alot.

- Mike G.

 

[AbeBeta]

He plays a position where you probably wont hear his name alot.

Why do I feel like we are going to have to say this about Spears, Fergi, et al. every week? Folks are so obsessed with Fantasy football #s that they have a hard time understanding some positions don't fit that approach.

 

[SupermanXx]

Folks are so obsessed with Fantasy football #s that they have a hard time understanding some positions don't fit that approach.

 

[WV Cowboy]

I would put watching a Cowboys game ahead of my 3 kids

but that's just me

I would never put a game in front of my kids, but if you train them up the right way, you don't have to choose.

I have had to go to a sports bar to watch the Cowboys the past three games.

My oldest son goes with me, and my youngest son calls several times during the game from college.

We have raised two avid Cowboys fans.

Oh, btw, my wife has become a Cowboys fan as well since we married 30 yrs ago.

 

[SupermanXx]

I would never put a game in front of my kids, but if you train them up the right way, you don't have to choose.

I have had to go to a sports bar to watch the Cowboys the past three games.

My oldest son goes with me, and my youngest son calls several times during the game from college.

We have raised two avid Cowboys fans.

Oh, btw, my wife has become a Cowboys fan as well since we married 30 yrs ago.

All families should be like yours

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Here's some of my brief notes on Spears:

-Just got some spot duty against SD. Didn't do much, first time back from injury.

-Superb against Washington. That being said, the entire front 7 had their way with Washington's O-Line.

-Looked good against SF. Got a nice push on quite a few occasions against opposing RT.

-Awful versus Oakland. Robert Gallery completely manhandled him. Parcells stopped playing him after awhile.

-Didn't see a lot of playing time against Philly.

Overall I think he's doing fine for a rookie. The injury will set him back for this season. Luckily there's a lot of depth on the D-Line, so it allows for us to get him at full speed or to take him out if he struggles.


Rich......

 

[Hiero]

he's been great imo. already has 1 sack i think, and this is coming off the bench and playing de in a 3-4. sure starter in the future, i think the play of him and canty will eventually push ellis to the bench. he is able to get a lot of pressure, which is pretty impressive as a 3-4 end.

 

[bobtheflob]

Based on the position he plays and the type of player he is (run stopper versus sack artist) then maybe no news is good news for him

 

[Hiero]

I was surprised with how quick he is to get to the QB because I never saw him in college, and thought of him as a bigger run guy. very impressive rushing so far imo.

 

[Eskimo]

He is already on the field and playing a significant amount of snaps. He will probably be the starter at LDE in the 3-4 pretty soon which sounds about right for a #1 draft pick. I think we will start to hear his name more and more over time.

Ware is playing like a top-10 pick and has got offenses scheming to give OLT help with chip blocks from the RB or TE. He has looked spectacular on a few speed rushes where he gets to lineup wide from a standup position in the 3-4 - really flattens out well to cut the corner around the LT - has been just a foot away from several sacks - will probably learn to captialize on a few of those better over time. He has shown more and more power when going head to head against moster LTs and was routinely bullrushing Tra Thomas into McNabb last week. I don't think anyone could expect anything more out of him.

The really good thing though is Canty is playing a first rounder - it appears as though LTs have a tough time blocking him and he has made a lot of tackles. He has shown surprising ability on the pass rush.

Ratliff is playing like a 2nd-3rd rounder. He already has a significant role in the nickel and has been playing well when he sees the field. He should make Kenyon Coleman expendable after the year.

Hopefully now that Burnett is on the field we'll get a better sense of his abilities. He had a nice TFL against Westbrook when Philly was backed up in their own end.

 

[MichaelWinicki]

He is already on the field and playing a significant amount of snaps. He will probably be the starter at LDE in the 3-4 pretty soon which sounds about right for a #1 draft pick. I think we will start to hear his name more and more over time.

Ware is playing like a top-10 pick and has got offenses scheming to give OLT help with chip blocks from the RB or TE. He has looked spectacular on a few speed rushes where he gets to lineup wide from a standup position in the 3-4 - really flattens out well to cut the corner around the LT - has been just a foot away from several sacks - will probably learn to captialize on a few of those better over time. He has shown more and more power when going head to head against moster LTs and was routinely bullrushing Tra Thomas into McNabb last week. I don't think anyone could expect anything more out of him.

The really good thing though is Canty is playing a first rounder - it appears as though LTs have a tough time blocking him and he has made a lot of tackles. He has shown surprising ability on the pass rush.

Ratliff is playing like a 2nd-3rd rounder. He already has a significant role in the nickel and has been playing well when he sees the field. He should make Kenyon Coleman expendable after the year.

Hopefully now that Burnett is on the field we'll get a better sense of his abilities. He had a nice TFL against Westbrook when Philly was backed up in their own end.

Nice analysis and very well said Eskimo.

 

[Cbz40]

He is already on the field and playing a significant amount of snaps. He will probably be the starter at LDE in the 3-4 pretty soon which sounds about right for a #1 draft pick. I think we will start to hear his name more and more over time.

Ware is playing like a top-10 pick and has got offenses scheming to give OLT help with chip blocks from the RB or TE. He has looked spectacular on a few speed rushes where he gets to lineup wide from a standup position in the 3-4 - really flattens out well to cut the corner around the LT - has been just a foot away from several sacks - will probably learn to captialize on a few of those better over time. He has shown more and more power when going head to head against moster LTs and was routinely bullrushing Tra Thomas into McNabb last week. I don't think anyone could expect anything more out of him.

The really good thing though is Canty is playing a first rounder - it appears as though LTs have a tough time blocking him and he has made a lot of tackles. He has shown surprising ability on the pass rush.

Ratliff is playing like a 2nd-3rd rounder. He already has a significant role in the nickel and has been playing well when he sees the field. He should make Kenyon Coleman expendable after the year.

Hopefully now that Burnett is on the field we'll get a better sense of his abilities. He had a nice TFL against Westbrook when Philly was backed up in their own end.

Excellent post.....Thanks Mr Eskimo

 

[joseephuss]

If Canty doesn't suffer his injuries, he probably ends up being a 1st rounder for some other team and maybe a higher draft pick than Spears. I know I don't care where either was drafted. I am just glad they are on the team. Both guys seem to be playing pretty well for rookies. Canty may have a slight edge on Spears, but both are coming along nicely.

 

[scottsp]

Darryl Johnston spoke about Russell Maryland last week on Norm Hitzges' show. A lot of us forget that it took nine games before the first pick in the 1991 draft, Russell Maryland, could break into the starting lineup.

Marcus Spears is playing a lot of very meaningful snaps. He has good ones and bad ones. And like just about any rookie, he doesn't quite hit the desired consistency level right off the bat. But boy, he does show flashes. And let's face it, statistical glory isn't exactly a staple of his particular position. Though, he can definitely impact this defense significantly in time.

 

[joseephuss]

Darryl Johnston spoke about Russell Maryland last week on Norm Hitzges' show. A lot of us forget that it took nine games before the first pick in the 1991 draft, Russell Maryland, could break into the starting lineup.

Marcus Spears is playing a lot of very meaningful snaps. He has good ones and bad ones. And like just about any rookie, he doesn't quite hit the desired consistency level right off the bat. But boy, he does show flashes. And let's face it, statistical glory isn't exactly a staple of his particular position. Though, he can definitely impact this defense significantly in time.

Sometimes you can't hold guys up to their draft status, but what they can do to help the team. Maryland never lived up to being a #1 overall pick, but certainly was a very important player on the Cowboys defense.