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BR1986FB
Posts: 24,104
Aug 12, 2011 2:39pm
Little & McCoy have been tearing it up recently. McCoy seems to have grasped the offense and Little said he "finally felt comfortable" running routes after having his first practice without a drop.
royal_k
Posts: 4,423
Aug 12, 2011 2:41pm
Taking Ward in front of Mays was a very smart choice. That's just another reason to trust these guys.
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BR1986FB
Posts: 24,104
Aug 12, 2011 2:46pm
royal_k;860199 wrote:Taking Ward in front of Mays was a very smart choice. That's just another reason to trust these guys.
Interesting point about the front office was brought up. Looks like Heckert left Philly and took his "build through the draft" mentality with him and Philly's GM, with all of his free agent signings, has had his body taken over by Phil Savage.
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BR1986FB
Posts: 24,104
Aug 12, 2011 2:51pm
Jesus....Mangini, really?
McCoy said many of his teammates barely knew who he was at that point "other than the guy who stood on the sideline and got yelled at for just standing there."
Even now, the residue from that experience lingers. He said he quietly cringes like a scalded dog when he makes a mistake in practice, waiting for the hellfire of criticism to come.
"One of the things out here is when I make a mistake, I get so fearful to do anything because I'm afraid of what's going to happen," he said. "If I throw a ball and try to squeeze one in, I'm like [wincing], 'Uh.' I'm hesitant to just turn around. That's not how it should be. If you start playing scared, you can't play."
Day by day, McCoy is getting used to the idea that the reaction is different with these coaches.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-farmer-colt-mccoy-20110812,0,436920.column
McCoy said many of his teammates barely knew who he was at that point "other than the guy who stood on the sideline and got yelled at for just standing there."
Even now, the residue from that experience lingers. He said he quietly cringes like a scalded dog when he makes a mistake in practice, waiting for the hellfire of criticism to come.
"One of the things out here is when I make a mistake, I get so fearful to do anything because I'm afraid of what's going to happen," he said. "If I throw a ball and try to squeeze one in, I'm like [wincing], 'Uh.' I'm hesitant to just turn around. That's not how it should be. If you start playing scared, you can't play."
Day by day, McCoy is getting used to the idea that the reaction is different with these coaches.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-farmer-colt-mccoy-20110812,0,436920.column
hoops23
Posts: 15,696
Aug 12, 2011 2:54pm
BR1986FB;860187 wrote:Forgot to mention that I heard yesterday that TJ Ward has been a beast, check that, a fucking beast at camp. He came in BIGGER & FASTER than he was last year and it sounds like he's improved his coverage skills tenfold. They were talking like he was the "heir apparent" safety enforcer of the AFC North with Polamalu & Ed Reed aging.
Here's a piece on Ward/Heckert...
http://cle.scout.com/2/1094870.html
I was one of the few on this site who was in favor of the TJ Ward pick. I was very familiar with him at Oregon and thought he'd be the best safety in the draft, even over Eric Berry and especially over Taylor Mays.
Taylor was a guy who despite his speed, would get burnt quite a bit because he always took AWFUL angles on the ball. Sure, he's good for a big hit every now and then, but so were Eric Berry and TJ Ward.
Now, Eric Berry had a fine rookie season and he may be what everyone thought, but we were able to get a lockdown corner and a potentially elite safety, so I'm more than fine with that. Now, if Hardesty can stay healthy, that draft is looking REAL good.
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BR1986FB
Posts: 24,104
Aug 12, 2011 2:59pm
Mays is better suited to be switched to a linebacker position.
lhslep134
Posts: 9,774
Aug 12, 2011 3:03pm
hoops23;860209 wrote:I was one of the few on this site who was in favor of the TJ Ward pick. I was very familiar with him at Oregon and thought he'd be the best safety in the draft, even over Eric Berry and especially over Taylor Mays.
Taylor was a guy who despite his speed, would get burnt quite a bit because he always took AWFUL angles on the ball. Sure, he's good for a big hit every now and then, but so were Eric Berry and TJ Ward.
Now, Eric Berry had a fine rookie season and he may be what everyone thought, but we were able to get a lockdown corner and a potentially elite safety, so I'm more than fine with that. Now, if Hardesty can stay healthy, that draft is looking REAL good.
Don't get too carried away there. Eric Berry had a FANTASTIC rookie year and was one of the reasons the Chiefs made the playoffs. He's better than Ward.
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BR1986FB
Posts: 24,104
Aug 12, 2011 3:06pm
Ward's numbers look better to me...
http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/13252/eric-berry
http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13304/tj-ward
http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/13252/eric-berry
http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13304/tj-ward
bases_loaded
Posts: 6,912
Aug 12, 2011 3:10pm
BR1986FB;860226 wrote:Ward's numbers look better to me...
http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/13252/eric-berry
http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13304/tj-ward
shhhh don't let the facts get in the way with blind assumptions.
hoops23
Posts: 15,696
Aug 12, 2011 3:10pm
lhslep134;860220 wrote:Don't get too carried away there. Eric Berry had a FANTASTIC rookie year and was one of the reasons the Chiefs made the playoffs. He's better than Ward.
Ward was actually a bit better statistically while playing on a team that wasn't as good. KC scored almost 100 more points than the Browns did, so don't be fooled that just because a team made the playoffs makes 1 player better than the other.
hoops23
Posts: 15,696
Aug 12, 2011 3:12pm
To add onto that, the Browns played in a division with 2 12-4 teams in Pitt and Baltimore...
KC only had 1 other team with a winning record in theirs, and that was the 9-7 Chargers.
KC only had 1 other team with a winning record in theirs, and that was the 9-7 Chargers.
se-alum
Posts: 13,948
Aug 12, 2011 3:14pm
Not realy sure how you can say that, provided they both had very similar rookie years. It's just a guess as to which one is better at this point.lhslep134;860220 wrote:Don't get too carried away there. Eric Berry had a FANTASTIC rookie year and was one of the reasons the Chiefs made the playoffs. He's better than Ward.
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BR1986FB
Posts: 24,104
Aug 12, 2011 3:20pm
And unfortunately Ward has hands of stone or this wouldn't even be a conversation. "Butterfingers" dropped at least 2, maybe 3, "pick 6's" that I recall. Nothing but grass and end zone ahead of him and he goes all "Braylon" on us. Dropped one from, I believe, Carson Palmer and the other from Roethlisberger. Those drops (sexy stats) probably kept him out of the Pro Bowl as a rookie.
lhslep134
Posts: 9,774
Aug 12, 2011 3:20pm
bases_loaded;860231 wrote:shhhh don't let the facts get in the way with blind assumptions.
Blind assumptions? Berry had 2 more interceptions, 2 more sacks, and a defensive touchdown more than Ward. So he had 18 less solo tackles? And 13 less assisted tackles? Give me the interceptions, sacks, and defensive touchdown everyday. There's a reason Brown's fans were hoping Berry would fall to us. I'm not saying Ward is a slouch, I'm saying I'd rather have Berry.
lhslep134
Posts: 9,774
Aug 12, 2011 3:21pm
bases_loaded;860231 wrote:shhhh don't let the facts get in the way with blind assumptions.
Blind assumptions? Berry had 2 more interceptions, 2 more sacks, and a defensive touchdown more than Ward. So he had 18 less solo tackles? And 13 less assisted tackles? Give me the interceptions, sacks, and defensive touchdown everyday. There's a reason us Browns fans were hoping Berry would fall to us. I'm not saying Ward is a slouch, I'm saying I'd rather have Berry.
Oh and Berry made the Pro Bowl at safety in the AFC.
So uhm, Bases loaded, what's my blind assumption again?
se-alum
Posts: 13,948
Aug 12, 2011 3:35pm
Because his name is Eric Berry, and he had a good year on a playoff team. Dead heat imo, time will tell.lhslep134;860241 wrote:Blind assumptions? Berry had 2 more interceptions, 2 more sacks, and a defensive touchdown more than Ward. So he had 18 less solo tackles? And 13 less assisted tackles? Give me the interceptions, sacks, and defensive touchdown everyday. There's a reason us Browns fans were hoping Berry would fall to us. I'm not saying Ward is a slouch, I'm saying I'd rather have Berry.
Oh and Berry made the Pro Bowl at safety in the AFC.
So uhm, Bases loaded, what's my blind assumption again?
Writerbuckeye
Posts: 4,745
Aug 12, 2011 3:53pm
I was also one of those folks who did not want Mays. Even after his (gift) pick 6 against Ohio State, I didn't see anything else in his play that made me think he'd be a very good safety in the NFL. I really wanted Berry...but was happy when they were able to get Ward.
lhslep134
Posts: 9,774
Aug 12, 2011 3:55pm
se-alum;860257 wrote: Dead heat imo, time will tell.
2 different players, IMO. Ward is more of your tackling machine (which is perfect in the AFC North) and Berry is more of a true ballhawking safety (which you need in a division with Orton and Rivers). I think both will be pro-bowlers this year, I just had to give an argument in defense of Berry in response to Hoops' post.
bases_loaded
Posts: 6,912
Aug 12, 2011 4:10pm
se-alum;860257 wrote:Because his name is Eric Berry, and he had a good year on a playoff team. Dead heat imo, time will tell.
Add that he was picked higher than Ward...
hoops23
Posts: 15,696
Aug 12, 2011 4:21pm
lhslep134;860276 wrote:2 different players, IMO. Ward is more of your tackling machine (which is perfect in the AFC North) and Berry is more of a true ballhawking safety (which you need in a division with Orton and Rivers). I think both will be pro-bowlers this year, I just had to give an argument in defense of Berry in response to Hoops' post.
What the fuck are you talking about? lol
Where did I even say anything that warranted an argument? All I said was leading up to the draft, I was very high on Ward. I thought he would be better than Berry and Mays..
Then I said Berry had a fine rookie season, but IMO, I'd rather have a lockdown corner AND a potentially elite safety.
Now, where in the hell did I trash Berry?
lhslep134
Posts: 9,774
Aug 12, 2011 5:04pm
hoops23;860301 wrote:
Now, where in the hell did I trash Berry?
You didn't, and I didn't accuse you of it. But you said this:
hoops23;860301 wrote:thought he'd be the best safety in the draft, even over Eric Berry
so I felt compelled to give reasons why I think Berry is better. I think you're reading too much into this lol we're saying pretty much the same thing.
FWIW I'd rather have Ward in our division than Berry, but I think Berry is a slightly better safety.
Crimson streak
Posts: 9,002
Aug 12, 2011 5:05pm
I'm actually glad berry didn't fall to us. I would rather have ward and Haden then just berry
Hb31187
Posts: 8,534
Aug 12, 2011 5:19pm
Crimson streak;860349 wrote:I'm actually glad berry didn't fall to us. I would rather have ward and Haden then just berry
Only combo better than that would of been drafting Mccourty in the first round and Ward in the 2nd. But Mccourty took everyone by complete surprise last year
Commander of Awesome
Posts: 23,151
Aug 12, 2011 7:49pm
lhslep134;860347 wrote:
so I felt compelled to give reasons why I think Berry is better. I think you're reading too much into this lol we're saying pretty much the same thing.
You gave reasons by spouting NFL stats. His comment was referring to before the draft, meaning that your NFL stats wouldnt have been available at the time. So before the draft I dont see how your stats fit your reasons.
Commander of Awesome
Posts: 23,151
Aug 12, 2011 7:52pm
hoops23;860209 wrote:I was one of the few on this site who was in favor of the TJ Ward pick. I was very familiar with him at Oregon and thought he'd be the best safety in the draft, even over Eric Berry and especially over Taylor Mays.
I hated the pick at time based on Ward's injury history. Glad to see I was proven wrong on that one.