Would Tank Johnson be better than Spears?

[TwoCentPlain]

Everyone is looking at Tank as a NT. But, could it be that Wade and the Cowboys are looking at Tank as a 3-4 DE long term(next year and beyond), and NT short term(this year)? Parcells advised Sean Payton to unbias yourself about where a player was drafted. Forget that Spears was a 1st rd draft pick. If Tank is better than Spears and can stay clean, get him and trade Spears. If Spears can't be successful under Parcells' 3-4 AND Wade's 3-4, then he is not worth keeping.

 

[Yakuza Rich]

Everyone is looking at Tank as a NT. But, could it be that Wade and the Cowboys are looking at Tank as a 3-4 DE long term(next year and beyond), and NT short term(this year)? Parcells advised Sean Payton to unbias yourself about where a player was drafted. Forget that Spears was a 1st rd draft pick. If Tank is better than Spears and can stay clean, get him and trade Spears. If Spears can't be successful under Parcells' 3-4 AND Wade's 3-4, then he is not worth keeping.

Hate to tell the world, but I just got done charting the first half and Spears played far, far better than Canty. It wasn't even remotely close. So for now I'd worry about Canty over Spears.




YAKUZA

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

Hate to tell the world, but I just got done charting the first half and Spears played far, far better than Canty. It wasn't even remotely close. So for now I'd worry about Canty over Spears.




YAKUZA

I don't think it's a bad idea to worry about both, but the reason Spears gets all the hype is because of his first round pedigree and the excessive running of his big mouth this offseason about Parcell's system being a hindrance. Given those two things, anything short of a gamechanger is going to make Spears look like a failure due to Spears setting the bar.

 

[Seven]

At target practice maybe...................

 

[YosemiteSam]

I don't think it's a bad idea to worry about both, but the reason Spears gets all the hype is because of his first round pedigree and the excessive running of his big mouth this offseason about Parcell's system being a hindrance. Given those two things, anything short of a gamechanger is going to make Spears look like a failure due to Spears setting the bar.

We've played one game, give the guy a chance. The entire defense had issues and the coaches played scared rather than opening up even more. DeMarcus Ware didn't exactly "light up Ely" either.

To say Spears has to become a "game changer" is going a little far. Spears will make plays, but it's crazy to expect him to become a DeMarcus Ware type player.

 

[theogt]

Whether he's better than Spears or not, you bring up a great point. If we'd prefer to get a more "true" NT in the draft, we can move the guy out to 3-4 DE where he'd be even more lethal.

There really is no reason to not bring this guy in.

 

[JohnnyHopkins]

We've played one game, give the guy a chance. The entire defense had issues and the coaches played scared rather than opening up even more. DeMarcus Ware didn't exactly "light up Ely" either.

To say Spears has to become a "game changer" is going a little far. Spears will make plays, but it's crazy to expect him to become a DeMarcus Ware type player.

Believe me, I wouldn't have expected much more than respectable performances from Spears until he started shooting off at the mouth about Parcell's scheme. It isn't a good idea to drop garbage like that and then perform at the level of "just another guy". Dallas almost drafted him with their first pick in that Draft, but felt that between him and Ware, they were more likely able to get Spears at the #20 slot (turns out they were right). Add those two things up and, yes, I expect him to be the game changer that he was supposed to be when we drafted him in the first round and the game changer he felt he was going to be when he was freed up from the scheme he was trashing in the offseason. Time for Spears to show up.

I would have liked to have seen Ware more in that game, but Ware has shown his skills to me before, so history tells me he is going to come to play. Spears? Past and Present are both pretty telling. I am hopeful that the future proves Spears right, but he deserves whatever criticism he gets until he shows up on the field.

 

[dbair1967]

Hate to tell the world, but I just got done charting the first half and Spears played far, far better than Canty. It wasn't even remotely close. So for now I'd worry about Canty over Spears.




YAKUZA

I agree...he was actually pretty active and made 2 or 3 good plays...Canty, Hatcher and Bowen clearly had lesser impact than Spears did

all the Spears hate is getting old

David

 

[TwoCentPlain]

This isn't a hate-Spears post. I actually thought Spears has played ok. The big question is: Is Tank Johnson better than Spears (or Canty, or any other DE/DT/NT we have)?

 

[theogt]

This isn't a hate-Spears post. I actually thought Spears has played ok. The big question is: Is Tank Johnson better than Spears (or Canty, or any other DE/DT/NT we have)?

Yes, without a doubt.

 

[QT]

Even if we get Tank, he won't be effective til the 10th game of the season, but i'm all for it.

 

[dbair1967]

Yes, without a doubt.

why, because you think so?

he has a few more sacks but has played in an entirely different defense with better pass rushing people around him

David

 

[Chocolate Lab]

Tank's an interior player. He's not the traditional huge, space-eating 34 NT most people think of right away as being ideal, but he's still used to playing inside in a one-gap system. It wouldn't take him long to learn Wade's system, and he'd be very good at it.

 

[T-New41]

Canty did have that nice tackle on Jaque Reeves. Took a really good angle to get him. Now if only he would apply that to the other team we might have something.

 

[theogt]

why, because you think so?

he has a few more sacks but has played in an entirely different defense with better pass rushing people around him

David

He's stronger, quicker, and has produced more in the league. It's a different scheme, yes, but sacks at DT in a 4-3 are no easier to come by than sacks a 3-4 DE.

 

[31smackdown]

I thought Spears looked a little chubby and a bit lazy on Sunday night... I mean when you compare the performance to her prior performance at the VMA's it's like night and day.. If she is going to just show up and walk through the performance I don't think she'll be around for long... A couple of years ago this question would have been absurd, but at this point Tank Johnson may be a better dancer of the two.. and he can probably lipsynch just as well... it's a real shame...

 

[Rampage]

I thought Spears looked a little chubby and a bit lazy on Sunday night... I mean when you compare the performance to her prior performance at the VMA's it's like night and day.. If she is going to just show up and walk through the performance I don't think she'll be around for long... A couple of years ago this question would have been abusrd, but at this point Tank Johnson maybe be a better dancer of the two.. and he can probably lipsynch just as well... it's a real shame...

:laugh2: that was creative. but seriously i'm starting to think after all these years and picks drafting DE's, what if we still haven't found any yet?

 

[zrinkill]

I am starting to think Mickey Spagnola would be better than Spears.

 

[dbair1967]

He's stronger, quicker, and has produced more in the league. It's a different scheme, yes, but sacks at DT in a 4-3 are no easier to come by than sacks a 3-4 DE.

they are if you play in a more aggressive scheme and have quality pass rushers all around you (as he did)

he's had 8 sacks in 3yrs...he isnt the 2nd coming of Randy White

David

 

[theogt]

they are if you play in a more aggressive scheme and have quality pass rushers all around you (as he did)

he's had 8 sacks in 3yrs...he isnt the 2nd coming of Randy White

David

He had 8.5 sacks over his last two seasons. It may take half a decade for Canty and Spears to reach that combined.