I think your take is a reasonable one. People calling McKnight an elite talent, well I just don't get it. He went in the 4th round... if he was an elite talent, wouldn't NFL scouts have ranked him as such and made him a first rounder? The thing is at this site, some people just knob slobber over certain players, and freak out when anyone syas any negative about them. They have no room in their noggins to discuss without attack. Say anything negative, and they try to pidgeon hole you into exagerating what you've said just as some mindless knee jerk reaction, often based on their own inflated sense of the importance of their own opinion's. Last year I was very much against the Sanchez pick. Happy as hell it looks like I was wrong. On the flip side, say something positive about a player they don't like, Gholston for example, they start calling you an idiot. What these guys don't seem to get is that we are all Jets fans. I can critisize a player while hoping he works out and makes the team better. That was what I did with Sanchez. I was rooting for him all the way, I just didn't beleive. That is where I stand with McKnight. I hope he works out. I have my doubts if he will, but the McKnight nut huggers are gonna go off. Tough shit. It's a message board any everyone has a right to their own opinions. Some people have a lot of trouble with that concept. The name calling comes right behind any opinion that isn't in line with their own. Get used to it. That is what this MB has become.
Another thing I just remembered: That return was a pretty good insight into why he may be struggling to run. So much of it was vision, and we saw him pause to set up after making the catch. I really think he'll improve greatly as he gets up to speed. He had much greater decisiveness at USC, which started to improve a bit between game one and two.
cmon son, rex was clearly joking about that he did look gassed after that tho, but he was busting his ass the whole half at rb ... it wasnt just one run
TBird, it's not nuthugging to suggest you're overreacting. I'm not disputing that he hasn't looked good. I'm disputing the conclusions you've reached as a result. My opinion of him doesn't just come from the preseason. Those whose opinions do come solely from the preseason shouldn't make such bold proclamations about a player. And I'm on your side with Gholston. I thought he deserved every positive comment from the last game.
I can't remember ever seeing a rookie returner run out of gas like that during a return... but yeah he spent way too much time looking around... at the beginning and during the run. You can tell he's wide-eyed when doing this. His ability to make people miss is tantalizing... however I don't like the way he runs with the ball either... he keeps the ball away from his chest and seems like a fumble waiting to happen. Once he got tackled he nearly coughed it up then and had to jump on it. As Thunder pointed out, he then was off to the sideline to gasp for air and dry heave on the sidelines... there is definitely ability there but he's too risky to trust right now.
We're just not going to carry that many backs. I'm sure the coaching staff would rather carry an extra tight end, linebacker, or defensive back to play special teams.
In regards to McKnight falling... lots of extremely talented players fall because of questions about their work ethic and mentality... look at Randy Moss... he shouldn't have gone nearly as late as he did but he did because of the fear that he was a genuine headcase. Warren Sapp fell because he smoked some reefer. I think more often than not the the questions are justified... for every Randy Moss there are a ton who simply fail. Remember when we got that guy Derrick Strait and everyone wondered how he fell so far? Well, the guy ended up doing absolutely nothing as an NFL player... the fall was justified. Seems like it could be the case with McKnight too...
Man, I must have missed the extended cut that showed him gasping, doubled over, dry heaving, and needing a bucket. He just looked to be kneeling and winded to me, but I could be wrong. Can't blame HBO for seizing an opportunity to overplay it.
Iggy, don't feel I directed that post at you. I don't have any conclusions on McKnight. It's way too eartly to draw a conclusion. I have an opinion on where I see him now. BIG difference. Now, with Sanchez last year, yes, I did think he was a bust after those awful games. I did draw a conclusion. I admitted how wrong I was. I even whined about how my thread got merged when I did so. I call it as I see it. I can see McKnight's talent. I also see the negatives. Way to early tyo make any final judgements on this kid. In the interim, I'll comment on him, both positively when deserved, and negativley when deserved IMO. He showed something against CAR. Not enough, but improvement. I think this is a win NOW team. Give me a choice between McKnight and Washington, I think Washington is more likely to be the bigger contributor THIS year. I'm a HUGE Woodhead fan, but I'll put that aside because McKnight has the potential to be a very good one. His cieling is much higher than Danny's. I try to avoid getting too attached to prospects. I do my best to be as objective as I can. I have my own opinions, and I'll voice them. Mr Eccentric can call me a troll as often as he likes. He can also kiss my brownie. :smile:
1) Easy abyz... I wasn't calling you out... just having some fun being a smart-ass . 2) When we had that discussion I admitted you convinced me that McKnight had the ABILITY to run between the tackles... and he still does. What I'm seeing is that his INSTINCTS tell him to keep that as a last option even on occasions where it's supposed to be his first. Maybe I'm seeing things that aren't there but atm I don't think he'll be an effective inside runner for this season. SOmewhere along his career maybe, but not straight away.
Man, I was pissed when the Jets passed on Sapp because of some ganga. Teams learn. Jerry Johnson remembered passing on Moss, and he regretted it forever... and then he drafted this year's uber talent at WR because of that. Dez Bryant had his detractors, but Dallas didn't flinch. Lots of teams passed on McKnight. He was a swing for the fences pick IMO. He has the talent to be a very good one. I think it's obvious based on his slide in the draft that many teams had concerns. Rex is a swing for the fences kind of guy. I hope this one goes out of the park. I just think the wind coming in from the left field bleachers might be a bit too strong this time.
Got it. Good post, and I appreciate the clarification. I'm excited as hell to see him run with the 1st line this week. We'll get our best indication of where he's at.
Man, I was hoping, and still am, that we carry 6 backs for at least the first 4 weeks. Unfortunately, until Revis comes back, I'm not sure we see Wilson as a returner and use that last spot on a 4th RB/ST contributor. I don't think our 3rd back is a big contributor in an ideal situation anyway, but I like the idea of Washington as a late game bruiser keeping Greene fresh. Still, he's mire a luxury than a necessity.
Depends on 3 things. Injuries. Sanchez's continuing his development. Revis. It's never about one player once a team has proven it is a contender. It's about team.
I think Washington is more than a luxury. If Greene gets dinged, Tomlison and McKnight? I think Washington is needed depth. He can spell the RB's late in games with a lead, and we just might need another RB that can run with some power. Tomlinson can do that to a degree, but his days of 25 carries are gone.
I agree, I just get concerned that everyone is only thinking about a one year window. I felt that last year if the Jets had a veteran qb that just didn't turn the ball over that they would have won 11 or 12 games. Sanchez basically lost 5 games by himself and the Jets still found their way into the playoffs. I think Sanchez will be more of an average qb this year. 3,000 yards, 13 td's and 13 picks. My concern is that the Jets find their way into the playoffs and then have to go up against Peyton or Brady and at some point they have to rely on Sanchez to keep up with those guys. Thats' not going to happen this year. I expect the defense to be an elite defense but at best your going to hold Brady and Manning to field goals.
I agree with this. Washington could be a valuable contributor on special teams and a viable replacement if Greene got hurt... something which would otherwise be a disaster.
Yeah I agree... one of the most difficult things to do in pre-season is to evaluate a RB when he runs behind a 2nd or 3rd string OL. When the holes to hit are half the size of what they should be it gets hard to perform well...
