Thoughts on Eric Ebron.........

[lionstop1]

I wish they would highlight his performance every week.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

I wish they would highlight his performance every week.

They would. The problem is -- he doesn't have anything to highlight in some of the games.

 

[lionstop1]

C'mon man. This clearly shows that he's doing things you didnt think was possible.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Those are the missed reads by Stafford that were talked about.

This was talked about in another thread. It is quite obvious Stafford didn't see him on the one play.

 

[lionstop1]

Considering everything we've seen, he could potentially have at least 4 tds right now.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

C'mon man. This clearly shows that he's doing things you didnt think was possible.

Doing things I didn't think was possible?

Let me try to explain something and I am not trying to be crass or a smart ass or anything like that. Detroit was playing against their former coach. A guy who knows first hand the type of defenses teams used to slow down the Lions on offense.

When Calvin is in the game -- They will roll the safety to whatever side of the field Calvin is on, in essence doubling him on every play. They put up quote up from Schwartz, himself, that he made to Calvin while he was still coaching the Lions -- if he were coaching against him -- he would double him every play and make someone else beat him. That is exactly what he did.

Once Calvin was out -- anyone running a deep route was going to have safety help, as the Lions cannot run the ball and the safeties sit back 20 yards off the line of scrimmage.

2011 was the last year teams let the Lions beat them on big plays. Since then -- majority of the teams will put their safeties deep and make Detroit beat them on longer drives. That is why I thought Tate was going to be great for us, as he is someone who can makes those type of catches and extend drives.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

Considering everything we've seen, he could potentially have at least 4 tds right now.

He SHOULD have 2 TD's right now. He dropped the ball last game that hit him in the chest. And the two screen shots they put up -- the first one showed a blown coverage by Buffalo leaving Tate open, not Ebron.

The 2nd one -- we have no idea what the progression on the play call was. In the end -- Stafford should have made the throw to Ebron, but he obviously didn't see him. Whether Ebron catches the ball or not remains to be seen.

 

[lionstop1]

Ok man. I've never seen someone so eager to down a player just because they didnt like the pick. That clearly illustrated a few examples of the Bills paying attention to Ebron whether it was all game long or just a few plays. The writer clearly states things I've said from the beginning; Ebron will help free up other players (see Tate example).

 

[lionstop1]

And no matter how you slice it, it also shows Ebron splitting deep safety coverage over the middle and also forcing coverage his way to free up others. It illustrates two ways that he's being effective. Im not sure what other way you can spin this one.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

JIMMY GRAHAM.
Rookie season: 31 rec, 356 yards. 5 TDs.
First 5 games: 1 rec, 11 yards. 0 TDs.

VERNON DAVIS. (only saw the field in one game of his first 5. stats are for first 5 games he played in)
Rookie season: 20 rec, 265 yards. 3 TDs.
First 5 games: 13 rec, 158 yards. 2 TDs.

ANTONIO GATES
Did not play at all his first 2 seasons.

JASON WITTEN
Did not play at all his first 2 season.

Gronk
Rookie Season: 42 rec, 546 yards. 10 TDs
First 5 games: 7 rec, 86 yards. 2 TDs.

ERIC EBRON
8 rec, 80 yards. 1 TD.

Here we go again. Jimmy Graham and Antonio Gates were college basketball players. Only Graham even played football in college and it was when his basketball eligibility ran out. Going out on a limb and saying neither were top 10 picks in the 1st round.

Jason Witten and Gronk -- once again, going out on a limb and saying, neither were a top 10 pick in the 1st round. I can say though -- IF Ebron blocked like Gronk, I wouldn't have had as big of an issue with drafting the guy. He does not though.

That leaves Vernon Davis -- the only guy you posted as a 1st round pick. He went to SF, who was a running team with Alex Smith as their QB (who was in his 1st year as a full time starter).

The ONLY guy who could be considered somewhat comparable is Vernon Davis. The difference between Davis and Ebron -- Davis ran a 4.38 at the combine. Ebron ran a 4.60. Davis is a freak athlete -- He actually had the same vertical leap as Calvin Johnson or roughly almost a foot higher than Ebron.

That is one of the reasons before the draft I said trying to compare him to Vernon Davis is silly. They are the same size and play the same position, but Davis is a freak athlete.

If Ebron ran a sub 4.40 and had a 42" vertical and caught every in site -- I would have been happy to see him on the team. If they wanted to draft another big WR -- then draft a big WR, instead of trying to copy the Saints, because their is only one Jimmy Graham and unless Ebron hits a growth spurt, gains speed, can jump higher and catches everything in site -- He won't be Jimmy Graham.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

And no matter how you slice it, it also shows Ebron splitting deep safety coverage over the middle and also forcing coverage his way to free up others. It illustrates two ways that he's being effective. Im not sure what other way you can spin this one.

lionstop -- ANY PLAYER running up the middle of deep safeties is going to draw coverage. You don't have to spend a top 10 pick for this to happen. That is what I'm saying.

Top 10 players are drafting to produce, not draw coverage.

 

[lionstop1]

We can stop with this convo because obviously, we wont agree. One last thing though.

What kind of conversation would we be having if Stafford hit Ebron for a td on the play that he missed and hits Tate to set up a score or a td? Both plays would have been due to Ebron.

 

[lionstop1]

I didnt mean that he drew coverage over the middle, I meant that he split it and was wide open.

 

[TwoCents22]

If Ebron ran a sub 4.40 and had a 42" vertical and caught every in site -- I would have been happy to see him on the team. If they wanted to draft another big WR -- then draft a big WR, instead of trying to copy the Saints, because their is only one Jimmy Graham and unless Ebron hits a growth spurt, gains speed, can jump higher and catches everything in site -- He won't be Jimmy Graham.

I hate the comparisons, trust me I do. Even though the 40 time is comparable to Fitzgeralds, or Boldins, let's take the actual number out of the equation. Ebron is faster on the field than Gronk or Graham. You can tell that by watching. He seems very natural.

Second, why are you so hung up on his blocking? Though he's better than you think at it is irrelavent because you make it seem like its a necessity for a top 10 TE. Its not. To be a top 10 pick you have to be a guy who gets the ball. I could give a shit if he blocked like Graham (which he doesn't), he was brought here to be a weapon. Compare his blocking to Gronk, Pettigrew is just as good a blocker, and guess what the Pats do? They find TEs who are a little more athletic and maybe not as great blockers to compliment Gronk. That's what Pettigrew and Ebron will do, buddy. Stop being so blind to the situation.

 

[gandydancer]

And no matter how you slice it, it also shows Ebron splitting deep safety coverage over the middle and also forcing coverage his way to free up others. It illustrates two ways that he's being effective. Im not sure what other way you can spin this one.

Great post! The more it happens, the more film coaches see it and will have to defend it. Now you have to respect Ebron a lil each week game planning.

 

[gandydancer]

The article talks about his blocking. He took the DE one on one.

Imagine MikeD could answer this... Was he really used as a blocker in college? Did he whiff on blocks or was is that he was not expected as a blocker more so a receiving option?

Did not watch his film. Anyone answer that?

 

[tpaulus_2]

He SHOULD have 2 TD's right now. He dropped the ball last game that hit him in the chest. And the two screen shots they put up -- the first one showed a blown coverage by Buffalo leaving Tate open, not Ebron.

The 2nd one -- we have no idea what the progression on the play call was. In the end -- Stafford should have made the throw to Ebron, but he obviously didn't see him. Whether Ebron catches the ball or not remains to be seen.

I there an ostrich with his head in the sand emoticon thing on here? Because that would fit this response to a tee. I like how you're perfectly willing to just blow off what the writers, who were at the game and have the advantage of coaches film to study, have to say about what they saw...

 

[Kreton]

Here we go again. Jimmy Graham and Antonio Gates were college basketball players. Only Graham even played football in college and it was when his basketball eligibility ran out. Going out on a limb and saying neither were top 10 picks in the 1st round.

Jason Witten and Gronk -- once again, going out on a limb and saying, neither were a top 10 pick in the 1st round. I can say though -- IF Ebron blocked like Gronk, I wouldn't have had as big of an issue with drafting the guy. He does not though.

That leaves Vernon Davis -- the only guy you posted as a 1st round pick. He went to SF, who was a running team with Alex Smith as their QB (who was in his 1st year as a full time starter).

The ONLY guy who could be considered somewhat comparable is Vernon Davis. The difference between Davis and Ebron -- Davis ran a 4.38 at the combine. Ebron ran a 4.60. Davis is a freak athlete -- He actually had the same vertical leap as Calvin Johnson or roughly almost a foot higher than Ebron.

That is one of the reasons before the draft I said trying to compare him to Vernon Davis is silly. They are the same size and play the same position, but Davis is a freak athlete.

If Ebron ran a sub 4.40 and had a 42" vertical and caught every in site -- I would have been happy to see him on the team. If they wanted to draft another big WR -- then draft a big WR, instead of trying to copy the Saints, because their is only one Jimmy Graham and unless Ebron hits a growth spurt, gains speed, can jump higher and catches everything in site -- He won't be Jimmy Graham.

Point is, TE's take time to develop. It is natural. Rarely does a TE come in and put up probowl numbers his first 5 weeks. Take a fucking breath and relax. Ebron should be just fine. His numbers that you constantly complain about are fine.

 

[jdwills126]

With Fauria out Ebron should be distancing himself as a go to target.

I don't see that. This is his opportunity to make plays and get Stafford's trust. I am wondering if Ebron is having trouble learning the routes?

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

I there an ostrich with his head in the sand emoticon thing on here? Because that would fit this response to a tee. I like how you're perfectly willing to just blow off what the writers, who were at the game and have the advantage of coaches film to study, have to say about what they saw...

TP -- We are looking at the same film they did. What would you like me to say? I said Stafford should of made the throw and I'd be willing to bet if Stafford was questioned about the play -- He would say that he didn't even see him.

We don't know what his progressions are in the play -- The deep route to Ebron could have been the last option and by the time he got to him -- it wasn't there.

You can make game film look any way you'd like. Unless you are talking to the guys who were on the field -- we have no idea what play was called (we can look at the routes), what his reads were and why he didn't make the throw. We have no idea what his progressions are though.

So I will say, ONCE AGAIN, STAFFORD SHOULD HAVE THROWN THE BALL TO EBRON THERE, he obviously missed an opportunity to try for a big play.