Wells

[DocBar]

you answered my statement.. we need an upgrade at RB or WR#2. the whole offense is dependant on each other... AJ is dependant on DD... and also Bradford.. 2 out of 3 fail and AJ is still good.. eventhough defenses key on him full time...so we need an upgrade at RB and WR#2..

want more proof .... see Alvin Harper.. he benefited because of Smith and Irvin.. when he left...scrub.

BTW you can't tell me if you had an Alexander at RB (for example) it wouldn't take pressure off of AJ

IMO Armstrong seems like he has potential #2 WR ability. He has speed, toughness and makes all the circus catches. I think Gaffney's biggest problem is being under utelized. If we stay at #13 and the BPA is one of the top receivers and one of the top OLB's, I say go D and see how the O-line does with a solid year together under its belt. That alone will allow Carr to make more( and better) reads so that one of our other receivers can show #2 ability. Dallas also had one of the most dominant O-lines of all time when Irving and Co. was doing all that damage. Might be a link in there somewhere.

 

[Wolf]

I agree, but IMO upgrading the #2 WR is easier than upgrading the RB. Anyone want to seriously argue Bradford is a better WR than DD is RB?



Well actually I can. I have used Clinton Portis as an example several times in a negative way. Nonetheless, IMO he is a very good RB. But, behind our line I am not sure he would have done substantially better (he certainly didn't do better behind Washington's OL). Go to the Seahawks' MB and their fans think Alexander is a soft runner (doesn't finish off his runs strongly) who only capitalizes on what his OL gives him. Think that kind of RB is really going to excel here and demand special attention?

very true... Clinton would be horrible behind this line... I also feel if Wells and Davis were switched in the drafting days.. (Davis in 2002 and wells in 2003) peeps on this board would love wells.. Only because our OL was better later (2003 ) than early on(2002).. it is the Billy Miller syndrome.. (I like billy) ..but in 2002 he was the best we have ever seen in a Texan uniform)...much like DD right now.. (don't know why people have an infatuation with 1000 yards being it IS a milestone, it isn't what it used to be)

 

[Wolf]

IMO Armstrong seems like he has potential #2 WR ability. He has speed, toughness and makes all the circus catches. I think Gaffney's biggest problem is being under utelized. If we stay at #13 and the BPA is one of the top receivers and one of the top OLB's, I say go D and see how the O-line does with a solid year together under its belt. That alone will allow Carr to make more( and better) reads so that one of our other receivers can show #2 ability. Dallas also had one of the most dominant O-lines of all time when Irving and Co. was doing all that damage. Might be a link in there somewhere.

agreed Dallas had (if not the best) OL in the history of football .... Emmitt can thank his record to that being Barry is the best but that is another story).... but Alvin was a good #2 WR with the cowboys and left to go to TB (I believe) and then Washington.. never panned out.. after riding the coattails of Irving.

 

[DocBar]

very true... Clinton would be horrible behind this line... I also feel if Wells and Davis were switched in the drafting days.. (Davis in 2002 and wells in 2003) peeps on this board would love wells.. Only because our OL was better later (2003 ) than early on(2002).. it is the Billy Miller syndrome.. (I like billy) ..but in 2002 he was the best we have ever seen in a Texan uniform)...much like DD right now.. (don't know why people have an infatuation with 1000 yards being it IS a milestone, it isn't what it used to be)

Very good points made. I'm gonna keep making my same one. An O-line with some continuity(along with better play) will make the entire O better. You could have Walter Payton or Jim Brown the last 3 yrs and they would have struggled. And IMO, 1,000 yds is almost average these days. The benchmark should be closer to 1,500. That's an outstanding year for an RB.
REMEMBER: OFFENSE MAKES ESPN, DEFENSE WINS CHAMPIONSHIPS

 

[infantrycak]

I also feel if Wells and Davis were switched in the drafting days.. (Davis in 2002 and wells in 2003) peeps on this board would love wells.. Only because our OL was better later (2003 ) than early on(2002)..

FA Stacy Mack didn't think the 2003 OL was so special. Sorry, but (and I like Wells on special teams and he certainly ran much, much harder in 2004 than previously) Wells in whatever year has not and never will be a threat to DD. DD is far shiftier, better receiver and hits as hard or harder than Wells does even though smaller.

(don't know why people have an infatuation with 1000 yards being it IS a milestone, it isn't what it used to be)

Is 1000 yds what it used to be when the season was 12 games?--of course not. But then again DD is the 19th RB ever, out of 1500+ RB's to start his career with two 1000 yd season--all except one (who had a 14 game season and then 16 game season) came during the 16 game era by the way. Is A 1000 yd season a milestone?--maybe not, but then again, doing something 1480 RB's who have made it to the NFL level have not might be considered a milestone.

 

[DocBar]

FA Stacy Mack didn't think the 2003 OL was so special. Sorry, but (and I like Wells on special teams and he certainly ran much, much harder in 2004 than previously) Wells in whatever year has not and never will be a threat to DD. DD is far shiftier, better receiver and hits as hard or harder than Wells does even though smaller.



Is 1000 yds what it used to be when the season was 12 games?--of course not. But then again DD is the 19th RB ever, out of 1500+ RB's to start his career with two 1000 yd season--all except one (who had a 14 game season and then 16 game season) came during the 16 game era by the way. Is A 1000 yd season a milestone?--maybe not, but then again, doing something 1480 RB's who have made it to the NFL level have not might be considered a milestone.

Nobody thought Stacy Mack was all that special either. I'm also not trying to diminish what DD did in his 1st 2 years, but how many backs ran for over 1,000 yards last year? I have no idea....haven't checked the stats. IMO, 1,000 yds has been the benchmark for elite backs during a full season. I don't feel that it is a legitimate benchmark for that in this era. And unless some Aggies(or anyone else) light a bonfire under Wells, he'll never have the intensity to challenge DD.

 

[Wolf]

FA Stacy Mack didn't think the 2003 OL was so special. Sorry, but (and I like Wells on special teams and he certainly ran much, much harder in 2004 than previously) Wells in whatever year has not and never will be a threat to DD. DD is far shiftier, better receiver and hits as hard or harder than Wells does even though smaller.



Is 1000 yds what it used to be when the season was 12 games?--of course not. But then again DD is the 19th RB ever, out of 1500+ RB's to start his career with two 1000 yd season--all except one (who had a 14 game season and then 16 game season) came during the 16 game era by the way. Is A 1000 yd season a milestone?--maybe not, but then again, doing something 1480 RB's who have made it to the NFL level have not might be considered a milestone.

I agree. Wells for his size does NOT pound people like you would think he would
I am not knocking DD...This is an OL issue.. we get into too many 3rd and long were we basically do a draw play..we get a lot of yards there. I am sure many teams do that.. I am not knocking DD.. but we get a lot of yards off of 3rd an long. or 2nd and long.
And that can be said for many backs I am sure.

 

[DocBar]

DD is a VERY tough runner when healthy. Let's hope for improved O-line play to see if he can stay that way all year and also hope Derrek Johnson falls to #13. LOL.....I really like the guy

 

[infantrycak]

IMO, 1,000 yds has been the benchmark for elite backs during a full season. I don't feel that it is a legitimate benchmark for that in this era. And unless some Aggies(or anyone else) light a bonfire under Wells, he'll never have the intensity to challenge DD.

Don't get me wrong--I certainly don't think DD has proven himself to be an elite RB, BUT just as a way of perspective, he has done something very few RB's have done--back to back 1000 yd seasons to start their careers--19 of 1500 is pretty rare atmosphere.

Something I am curious about. Lot's of folks seem down on DD. What would DD have gotten behind the KC or Denver OL's the past two years? JMO, but those OL's are worth at least 200 yds a season to any RB. So (since 1000 yds isn't good enough) would anyone be arguing DD was a 3rd down back if he had started on one of those teams with 1231 yds and 1388 yds? I'm not buying it.

 

[DocBar]

Don't get me wrong--I certainly don't think DD has proven himself to be an elite RB, BUT just as a way of perspective, he has done something very few RB's have done--back to back 1000 yd seasons to start their careers--19 of 1500 is pretty rare atmosphere.

Something I am curious about. Lot's of folks seem down on DD. What would DD have gotten behind the KC or Denver OL's the past two years? JMO, but those OL's are worth at least 200 yds a season to any RB. So (since 1000 yds isn't good enough) would anyone be arguing DD was a 3rd down back if he had started on one of those teams with 1231 yds and 1388 yds? I'm not buying it.

VERY good point. I happen to like DD a lot. Few current RBs I would trade him for. As for DD on a team with a good O-line, He would excel and be in the yardages you mentioned. DD isn't the problem. Being an expansion team is the main contributing factor here. We're going in the right direction, regardless of John Lopez's opinion.

 

[outofhnd]

its also a TE issue as well people we give the play away with the personnel we line up because niether TE could block and catch well, they had to come in and out which tipped defenses off what the playcall was going to be.

We need a TE that can play 85% of the plays so that defenses are less clued into what play we are calling.

When Miller was out there it was a large chance we would pass I think our line is ok but we need to disguise playcalling with 1 base personnel formation. that means a TE that can both block and catch the pass. Then we will run better and AJ won't be doubled because what may look like a run play was actually play action and now AJ is 1 on 1 with a corner because the safety cheated into the box or bit on the fake. when miller was out there safeties were not going to bite because miller isnt out there for run plays.

 

[Wolf]

DD runs harder than Wells can't argue that.

but based on averages.. and being people are not high on Wells..give Wells the 302 carries that DD had.. well that means based on Wells 3.6 yards a carry.. he would have 1087 yards last season... compared to Dd's 1188 .... not much difference between the two...

I am not saying Wells is great or DD is bad (dd catches the ball very well and deserves the starting spot).. I am just putting in perspective that not much is different between the two...

Wells could get a 1000 yards (based on averages) out of this offense

 

[DocBar]

DD runs harder than Wells can't argue that.

but based on averages.. and being people are not high on Wells..give Wells the 302 carries that DD had.. well that means based on Wells 3.6 yards a carry.. he would have 1087 yards last season... compared to Dd's 1188 .... not much difference between the two...

I am not saying Wells is great or DD is bad (dd catches the ball very well and deserves the starting spot).. I am just putting in perspective that not much is different between the two...

Wells could get a 1000 yards (based on averages) out of this offense

Isn't Wells like 5 feet taller than DD?? And a north/south rusher?

 

[michaelm]

Upon further review, I'll probably have to retract my statement that he could make a good short yardage back since on 3rd and short (less than 2) last year, he had 5 attempts for 9 yards with a long of 8...Not too promising...

where do these stats come from? I'm not questioning them, just wondering where to find stats broken down like that. I haven't even tried looking for them, but it made me curious...

 

[Davis37]

Isn't Wells like 5 feet taller than DD?? And a north/south rusher?

Wells is a bigger back but is only a south runner... Once he gets to the line he turns his back to the defenders and drops like a brick. He did have like 2 good games last year tho, Ill give him that.

 

[Hervoyel]

Wells could get a 1000 yards (based on averages) out of this offense

Yes he could. I believe that says as much about the blocking last season as it does about the running backs.

 

[infantrycak]

where do these stats come from? I'm not questioning them, just wondering where to find stats broken down like that. I haven't even tried looking for them, but it made me curious...

If you go to any of the sports sites like NFL.com, ESPN.com, etc. they have stats for the players. There are usually buttons for situational stats and/or split stats.

For example: Yahoo-splits

Situational stats