Safeties must be quick enough to jump short routes

by buddydial on Dec 8, 2009 10:06 AM EST

Today's NFL offenses live by throwing short easy passes and completing over 60%. The running game is deemphasized. Against the Steelers, most teams even deemphasize the running game more. Therefore it is crucial to have safeties and nickle backs who are extremely good at breaking on these short crossing routes and being a real threat to get their hands on the ball. Troy is great at this ( of course he is great at everything). Clark is not nealy agile enough to do this (at least at his late age). Townsend used to be good at it, but he is now way too slow. If Carter gets any slower, he will be issued a walker. Mundy never showed this agility and quickness, and that he was ever drafted to begin with was a joke. We need guys who are quick enough that hey could be considered for returning kicks if injurys made the team desparate. We should never again conside a defensive back is not nimble, quick, and can change direction. Burnett and Lewis are both fairly quick so maybe the Steelers are learning their lesson. We should get a safety in the first round of the draft and Arenas of Alabama in the second (or trade up to get Arenas). It makes me sick to see QB's beat us with 15 yard throws over the middle that any high school QB could make.

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Mundy and Clark

Well, I think Mundy is good value at a 6th rounder. I think you’ve got to give the kid a few more looks before you decide his career is over. Anybody remember our other 6th rounder that year? Mike Humpal! Yeah me neither.

And Clark has probably never jumped a route in his life. He’s always been slow for a FS – it’s why QB’s repeatedly throw close to him, they’re absolutely unconcerned with him catching up to the ball or WR. His upside was always that he rarely got himself out of position and could be a punishing force in the middle of the field. However, now that he’s often out of position (for whatever reason) and hasn’t really landed many big hits this year (or made many tackles) I think we finally see his limitations.

by BluegrassSteeler on Dec 8, 2009 10:14 AM EST reply actions

Hopefully...

…we’ll see whether Mundy’s a complete package or not at safety, we’ve seen just enough to know he’s got the tools.

And we could’ve used Humpal on ST this year, he was a damn ST’mer in college.

by Marvin, The Paranoid Android on Dec 8, 2009 10:41 PM EST up reply actions

I have always loved Ryan

His grit, his big hits, his moxy. But there is a reason why they didn’t sign him to an extension. I think we have seen the last of him…In my humble opinion they need to get a strong safety and put Troy at freesafety for the next 7 yrs. It extends his career and he’s built to be a free safety. It is just that he is so damn intuitive that he’s a great run stopper. But we don’t want him having 100 tackles a yr anymore. You wathc, he goes to free and will be making Ed Reed plays all yr long.

by MEP12 on Dec 8, 2009 1:20 PM EST reply actions

good point MEP- Maybe Taylor Mays from USC could be our SS

Nice point MEP. So if we are looking for a SS we could get a bigger guy. I don’t know if Taylor Mays from USC is as good as advertised. But 230 lbs with a 4.35 sounds and a productive career getting to the ball sounds pretty nice. A SS may last longer in the draft than a fs.

by buddydial on Dec 8, 2009 2:23 PM EST reply actions

mays will be long gone by the time we draft.

Eric Berry anyone?

Bring a towel to the game. Black or gold or yellow. If you don't have one buy one, If you can't buy one, dye one!!!

by SoCalSteelerFan on Dec 8, 2009 3:36 PM EST up reply actions

How would we be able to get Berry...

If Mays is long gone already? Berry is projected well ahead of Mays according to most “experts”. I’d love to get either of them, but neither looks very realistic in the 20 to 32 range.

'I’ve learned to become a flat-liner. There’s a lot out there that’ll make your heart jump if you allow it."
-Coach Tomlin

by NYSteelersFan4 on Dec 8, 2009 4:12 PM EST up reply actions

Mays sucks in coverage

We already got a Taylor Mays here; his name is Ryan Clark. Mays is basically like Laron Landry. He goes for the big hit every time and isn’t that great in coverage.

by StoneColdSteel on Dec 8, 2009 7:52 PM EST up reply actions

I don't know either

Don’t follow college as much but I like the idea of a SS from USC that runs a 4.35 40. Sounds familiar

by MEP12 on Dec 8, 2009 4:45 PM EST reply actions

Yes it does, yes it does...

Rashad Cook right? Or were you talking about Darnell Bing? (haha)

'I’ve learned to become a flat-liner. There’s a lot out there that’ll make your heart jump if you allow it."
-Coach Tomlin

by NYSteelersFan4 on Dec 8, 2009 4:52 PM EST up reply actions

no, Mays

we can trade up just like we did for Troy

by MEP12 on Dec 8, 2009 5:16 PM EST reply actions

LOL

by Marvin, The Paranoid Android on Dec 8, 2009 10:30 PM EST up reply actions

S Ryan Mundy was on the field in the Dime Defense only, or what?

Right now we need better pass defense in the nickel and dime packages.

CB’s Joe Burnett and Keenan Lewis should be better than a backup Safety at pass defense

S Ryan Mundy should be better at run support, than Burnett and Lewis

Right now, Burnett is starting Thursday and Lewis will be the nickel DB and Deshea the dime DB

When William Gay comes back, I imagine that Burnett will be the Nickel DB and Lewis the Dime DB and that Deshea Townsend and backup S Ryan Mundy will both be sitting

That sounds to me like a better plan for Pass Defense in the Nickel and Dime packages!

by lightningrod on Dec 8, 2009 6:27 PM EST reply actions

I really dislike drafting Taylor Mays. He was good up til now with a great USC defense that he had little responsibility, he could roam around making hits. This year with the USC defense weaker than the last few years, he is being found out for his lack of coverage ability. Consider that he was unanimous as a top 3 pick at the start of the season. Now most mock drafts have him between 10 and 20.

He’s a phenomenal athlete, but not a coverage safety

by mojo88 on Dec 8, 2009 8:28 PM EST reply actions